- April 23, 2024
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Once again, water leaks are forcing the Bunnell city government out of its home: The city will sell off its current city government complex at 201 West Moody Boulevard and its hoping to buy a vacant plot just south of the Wendy's on State Road 100, near the planned site of the Flagler County Sheriff's Office headquarters.
The move recalls a similar one in 2009, when the city abandoned the Coquina City Hall because of water intrusion there and spent five years using the county government's building on S.R. 100 before buying its current home in 2014 for $600,000.
As in 2009, the city is hoping that the county will provide space to tide the city over until it finds a new home — hopefully more efficiently this time than last.
The City Commission voted 3-0 on July 26 to sell off the current city administration complex. It voted 2-1, with Commissioner Tonya Gordon dissenting, to make an offer on a parcel at 2400 Commerce Parkway.
It's listed for $249,500, and the city is offering $228,000.
The city discovered serious water problems in its current building in March after leaks forced it to relocate its utility billing and community development staff to a strip mall near the Chicken Pantry restaurant on Moody Boulevard.
The city hired a construction and engineering firm — Yapi Group, based in Miami — to evaluate the current building, the site at 2400 Commerce Parkway, and another potential property behind the Bunnell water tower.
The firm wrote that the current city administration building needs a new roof, and that leaks on the inside of its walls and ceilings make mold likely.
The site behind the water tower has an irregular shape that would increase construction costs. The firm recommended the 2.9-acre vacant land at 2400 Commerce Parkway.
If the city buys it, that parcel, across from the First Baptist Church of Bunnell, would house the city commission and administrative functions and also the Bunnell Police Department. Yapi estimated that construction costs would be $5.77 million for 20,000 square feet and that construction would take up to 27 months, not including the design phase.
