Boynton Beach commissioners agreed to move the Andrews House, hoping the landowner will cancel demolition while the city decides on a new site. Tim Stepien /The Coastal Star
By Tao Woolfe
The Boynton Beach City Commission tentatively decided in January to save the Andrews House — the city’s oldest home — but the form of that salvation has yet to be determined.
Acting in their dual roles as city commissioners and the Community Redevelopment Agency’s governing board, the commissioners agreed at a Jan. 14 meeting to work toward saving the little wooden house and giving it a new purpose.
But before that can happen, the city or CRA staff must contact the Miami-based developer on whose land the house now sits at 306 SE First Ave.
The staff was expected to ask developer Manuel Mato, of Edgewater Capital Investments, to cancel an already issued demolition permit and to ask whether he’d be willing to leave the house on his land while the city figures out its destination.
The city commissioners reached their preservation consensus after residents, at two meetings, implored them to save the 117-year-old home and move it adjacent to the site of the historic Magnuson House on Ocean Avenue.
The two structures could form a “heritage destination” that would enable visitors downtown to enjoy history with their snacks, as Historic Resources Preservation Board President Barbara Ready put it.
“It can be a light food destination,” Ready said after the meeting. “The historical information about the house can be displayed on panels — not as a museum, but a historical site.”
The Andrews House was almost demolished just before Thanksgiving, but neighborhood residents noticed a yellow demolition excavator sitting outside and raised the alarm. They pleaded with the mayor and commissioners to call off the execution.
The city obliged and the house has been a hot topic of conversation ever since.
At the Jan. 14 meeting, Assistant Public Works Director Richard Hoffer said the city and CRA staff are looking at three potential locations for the Andrews House:
- A city park at Northeast Sixth Avenue and Northeast Sixth Court;
- The 211 E. Ocean Ave. site of the Magnuson House, built in 1919;
- A large, CRA-owned lot at North Seacrest Boulevard and Northeast Third Avenue.
Hoffer added that city staff had consulted with contractors and had determined that it would cost $100,000 to $150,000 to move the home to a new site; $75,000 to $100,000 in construction costs; a 25% contingency of $75,000; and $50,000 in consultant fees for a total of up to $375,000.
The project would take at least 14 to 16 months to complete — including the design, permitting and ultimately procuring historic designation, Hoffer said.
Residents who spoke in favor of preservation said they would prefer having the Andrews House on the same parcel as the Magnuson House to create a downtown historic enclave.
“This is a huge economic development opportunity,” said resident Susan Oyer. “Make it a light-use destination.”
Ginger Pedersen, who is a longtime member of the Boynton Beach Historical Society, agreed.
“This would be an economic draw, not an economic drain,” she said. “I hope we can get something done here — a groundswell to save this house and our history as a farming community.”
Pedersen, too, has suggested the house be moved to the nearby Magnuson House site, which — until recently when its approved developer failed to secure financing — had been considered as the centerpiece for a new restaurant.
Ready said the historic preservation board has been asking the city to save the Andrews House for many years, but no action has been taken. Although she said she is “cautiously optimistic” about the city’s sincerity, she worries that as time passes, demolition will become more tempting.
The Andrews House, built in 1907 by Dutch pioneer Bert Kapp, has some unusual features — including built-in steel rods that can be tightened to hold the house together during a hurricane.
“The house survived the hurricanes of ’28, ’47, and more recently, Wilma, Jeanne and Frances,” Pedersen has said. “Its significance goes beyond its age; the structure embodies the craftsmanship and character of Florida’s early settlers. It’s a very cool little house.”
The house was completely renovated several years ago, restored to its former glory, and updated for modern use.
Commissioner Woodrow Hay said at the Jan. 14 meeting that he is concerned that there is no real plan for the house.
He added, however, that if the developer agrees to temporarily keep the house on its current site, the city would have time to come up with a solution.
“Let’s do it right the first time,” Hay said. “We don’t need to rush this. Let’s look at it and take our time.”
Commissioner Angela Cruz suggested the city issue a citywide survey to see whether the majority of residents agree that the Andrews House should be saved and moved.
Mayor Ty Penserga suggested that many of the suggested steps be undertaken at once to get and keep the project moving.
Resident Flynn Holland urged the commissioners to visit the humble house.
“It is by no means falling apart,” she said. “This is a gem. It has staying power. It’s a reason to come together.”
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