News

By Jane Smith

    With clear direction from the new City Commission to save the historic Boynton Beach High School, the Community Redevelopment Agency is seeking a $350,000 matching grant to remove mold, mildew and other environmental hazards inside the building.
    The CRA applied for the Environmental Protection Agency grant in late April through the county’s Economic Sustainability Department. CRA Executive Director Vivian Brooks found out about the matching grant while working with the county department on securing a similar grant for the AmeriGas property on North Federal Highway.
    “The new commission gave unequivocal direction to save the high school in April,” said the newly elected mayor, Steven Grant. He called the previous commission’s stance on saving the old high school “wishy washy.”
    Last fall, then-Mayor Jerry Taylor directed the CRA to add $200,000 to its budget for demolishing the nearly 90-year-old high school.
    Now, if the CRA receives the grant, it will use the demolition money toward its share of the matching grant, Brooks said. She said any extra money would go toward fixing the leaking roof.
    She expected to hear soon whether the CRA would receive the EPA grant. But the county department said the EPA does not have a deadline by which to alert grantees.
    Historic-minded residents are thrilled by the news.
    “It has good bones,” said Barbara Ready, who chairs the city’s Historic Resources Preservation Board. “This will help get it back on track.”
    Susan Oyer, a longtime resident who is a member of the board, said the grant was “a great idea. Anything that jump-starts the renovation is helpful.”
    In the likely event the high school has asbestos, a remediation plan would have to be approved by the Florida Department of Health, spokesman Tim O’Connor said.
    In April, the new commission tabled taking action on an unsolicited proposal from REG Architects and partners on how to repurpose the high school and surrounding land. The new date for reviewing that proposal is August.
    The city has a July 11 court date on its motion to dismiss the claim of an earlier architect who wanted to use the high school as an events center. The City Commission is concerned that using the $20,000 that REG and partners offered to review the soundness of their plan would compromise its position in the lawsuit.