LYNN HAVEN — The two city gateways, on the east and west sides of Ohio Avenue, will include sandstone columns, adorned with Spanish style roofing tile and decorative tile facing toward the street. An archway of stucco veneer will connect the two columns, “LYNN HAVEN” in block letters over the arch with founding year 1911 dangling underneath.
“It seems like putting lipstick on a pig,” Main Street Board member Patrick Jones said Thursday, repeating criticism uttered at a Dec. 18 public meeting.
During a Main Street board meeting, Rich Walker, one of the leaders of the Lynn Haven Heritage Society, echoed the concern of one of his fellow residents for Florida Avenue, although not as bluntly.
“I’m concerned this is a little ahead of its time,” Walker said. “You don’t have an idea of what Florida Avenue is now.”
As of now, the Main Street board could not address Walker’s other concern, which is the cost of a gateway. The board approved a plan that was a combination of three designs from Wood Partners Inc. that will be sent to the City Commission on Jan. 27. They do not have an estimated construction cost for the gateways that would be located just outside of City Hall and near the intersection of Ninth Street and Florida Avenue.
Main Street Board Chairman James Slonina countered that the board is following the Community Redevelopment Agency master plan established in 2010. Main Street was already instrumental in placing flare out pieces at the intersection of Florida Avenue with trees and bushes inserted inside. CRA director Ben Janke said the idea was to create a feeling that drivers were entering a special section of the city and the gateway would add to that idea.
Other aspects of the Lynn Haven master plan include landscaping, lighting and decorative street improvements at the intersection. However, one of the next steps Janke is pursuing is a new zoning designation for Florida Avenue that would allow for lesser setbacks and parking for commercial spaces. He said it is next to impossible to get developers to put anything on Florida Avenue.
“Back 100 years ago, when Florida Avenue was established, you didn’t have as many cars,” Janke said.
The only part of Florida Avenue that has the clear historical identity Janke is looking to inspire is the intersection at Ninth Street, where Roberts Hall, the “Old Bank Building” and Victoria’s Last Bite Restaurant reside on three of the four corners. Walker and the Heritage Society renovated Roberts Hall a few years ago.
Main Street Board members would like to see action with the Bay County Tax Collector’s Building, actually owned by the city, and the empty lot across from it. The timing might be beneficial with many businesses looking to relocate with expansion looming for State 390. However, Janke is unsure what businesses might be interested — each with unique visibility, space and customer concerns.
Currently, the sequence for Florida Avenue starts with the gateways.
“It doesn’t fit the logical sequence but it’s part of the sequence,” Jones said. “It has to do with sequence, whether this is cake or icing.”