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Published by former Mayor George Gardner July 26 2014
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Inland Harbor
sale is pending
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Aerial view of Sebastian Inland Harbor
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A sale of Sebastian Inland Harbor, the western city gateway project stalled since 2005, is pending.
Apparent buyer is Summit Hospitality Group of Daytona Beach, under the name SA Marina Holdings, LLC. Abbas (Junior) Abdulhussein, co-owner of Summit, is listed as SA Marina Holdings manager in papers going before the City Commission Monday.
Tucked away in the consent agenda usually passed without discussion is a request by Marina Holdings to assume an indemnification agreement with Atlanta Gas Light Company for environmental concerns from the company's former operations on the site.
Summit most recently purchased the former Ramada Inn on San Marco Avenue, being remodeled to reopen as a DoubleTree.
"We'd rather have three or four hotels in one city rather than have them in separate cities," Abdulhussein told the Daytona News-Journal Online.com last year. "It's basic economies of scale."
The city sold the property to San Sebastian Harbor Partners, LLC, in 2005 and, as work progressed primarily on its marina, the economy soured and the property eventually went into bankruptcy.
Current owner, Redus Florida Commercial, LLC, took over the property in 2010.
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City manager's
PowerPoint
City Manager John Regan spent a few days at Marco Island as a principal presenter during the 28th Annual Environmental Permitting Summer School.
He'll present his Power-Point, San Pelayo Galleon Participatory Exercise,
to city commissioners at Monday's regular meeting, beginning at 5 pm in the Alcazar Room at City Hall.
Shown is one of Regan's PowerPoint images.
The summer school agenda included exercises in social media, dispute resolution alternatives, decision making tools and options, decision making and local government in the e-world, and Regan's
San Pelayo exercise.
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Croce drops plan
for Santa Maria
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Entrepreneur Pat Croce has discontinued his quest to convert the iconic Santa Maria Restaurant in the bay into a Half Shell Raw Bar.
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Croce
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Architect Les Thomas said, "I received an email Monday from Pat just saying it was over."
Croce was not immediately available for comment.
Thomas said it could have been the cost of renovation. "We were beginning to put the numbers together on the project," he said, but he had no figures on hand.
The Planning and Zoning Board (PZB) spent three hours July 1 reviewing a Planned Unit Development zoning application with major focus on boating maneuverability around a proposed dock. The board continued the application to its August meeting.
The Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB) review of architectural elements planned for the project came two weeks later, with one hour of discussion. Half the time was focused on the entry sign, which the board asked be revised to more historic lettering.
Plan board member John Valdes seemed to reflect the general sentiment of both boards at the July 1 PZB meeting, "I'm excited about this project."
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Chad Light, the city's "Pedro Menendez" reenactor, will brief commissioners Monday on 450th Commemoration plans for the 1740s St. Augustine Spanish Garrison and umbrella Historic Florida Militia, which includes the 16th century Men of Menendez and the Garrison among nine reenactment groups.
Victoria, meet Espiritu
The El Espiritu, a caravel locally converted from a shrimp boat, could be sidling up to the Nao Victoria Foundation's caravel Victoria if city commissioners Monday approve a request from Espiritu project director Dan Holiday to waive $1,632.50 in dockage fees for the ship to tie up next to Victoria in August.
Says Holiday the setting will "provide historic maritime ambiance for visitors and residents."
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Some 45 residents of the Fullerwood, Hildreth Back Bay and Lew Lot neighborhoods in north city gathered last night at DOS on San Marco Avenue, to learn about forming a neighborhood association from Neighborhood Council President Rhey Palmer.
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Celebrating 450th - bumper to bumper
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King Felipe and Pope Francis
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A visit by the king and queen of Spain, traffic nightmare.
A visit by Pope Francis, "The town, we'll have to shut it down. Period," St. Augustine Police Chief Loran Lueders told the city Parking and Traffic Committee Thursday.
The city hall-managed 450th Commemoration in 2015 plans to be packed into a two-week period around the actual founding date, September 8. Dana Ste. Claire, 450 Director, envisions sound stages throughout the city Friday and Saturday, September 4 and 5, a special EMMA concert of Spanish music and dance at the amphitheatre Sunday, a grand gala at Flagler College's Ponce Hall and fireworks Monday, and landing ceremonies at the Mission of Nombre de Dios Tuesday.
The annual St. Augustine Spanish Wine Festival will continue Wednesday through Saturday and the Spain US Council will convene here Wednesday through Friday.
Officials hope King Felipe will attend that conference. Pope Francis is expected to be in Philadelphia a week earlier but has not committed to a visit here.
The city will at the least be looking at the system used during the 2013 Mumford concert for traffic control, with parking at the regional airport and shuttling into the city.
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History's highlight
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Flag Ceremony once daily offering
410 days to St. Augustine's 450th anniversary
With historic St. George Street sterilized by the City Commission - restricting or limiting historic reenactments, Change of Flag ceremonies of 40 years ago aren't likely to be seen during the city's 450th Commemoration. Marjorie Adelsperger shares pictures and reprint of a newspaper article.
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St. George Street procession
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"In the early 1970s my husband Dewey was in charge of the marchers on St. George St. from the City Gates to the Hispanic Gardens, and then Dr. (Michael) Gannon, with his magnificent voice on tape, would introduce 'St. Augustine, THE CITY OF CENTURIES,' and the program would continue.
"It was done with the high school boys volunteering. I don't remember where the costumes were from, but I was one who helped mend them.
The newspaper article:
With a roll of the drums and the tramp of marching feet, the history of St. Augustine, the nation's oldest living city, unfolds through the Change of Flag ceremony held four times daily in the restored area.
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Isabella Garden ceremony
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Each program depicts a period in the colorful four-hundred-year life of Historic St. Augustine. The programs are presented each day except Friday in the Hispanic Garden, corner of St. George and Hypolita streets.
The initial ceremony takes place each morning at ten o'clock when the Spanish flag of Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles, the city's founder, is raised by soldiers wearing authentic costumes. Preceding the actual raising of the flag a special narrative is given of the history of St. Augustine to 1565.
At twelve noon, soldiers wearing Spanish and English uniforms of the 1760 era, lower the Spanish flag and raise the English flag while the announcer presents a history of the city through the English occupation from 1763 to 1783.
At 2 p.m., the English flag is lowered and the Spanish flag of 1783 is raised, to portray the return of Spanish control of the city from the English.
At 4 p.m., soldiers in the Spanish uniforms of 1821, and their American counterparts, lower the Spanish flag and raise the American flag, to commemorate Florida becoming a United States Territory.
Each program begins with the soldiers marching from the St. Augustine City Gates, located at the north end of the restored area. They march down St. George Street to the cadence of military music of the period being depicted, and thence into the Hispanic Garden for the actual ceremony.
Shutterbugs have not been forgotten in the program. Adequate time and space has been provided for them to take pictures during the actual ceremony. In addition, the soldiers will be on the street following the programs for any additional photos requested. The Change of Flags ceremony will be held during the summer months only.
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The St. Augustine Report is published weekly, with additional Reports previewing City Commission meetings as well as Special Reports. The Report is written and distributed by George Gardner, St. Augustine Mayor (2002-2006) and Commissioner (2006-2008) and a former newspaper reporter and editor. Contact the Report at gardner@aug.com
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