Florida Trust's Eleven Most Endangered Historic Sites for 2010
The sites are not ranked in any particular order.
Please visit the Florida Trust Blog for pictures of each endangered historic site.
2010 Florida's Eleven Most Endangered Historic Sites
Bonnet House
American artist Frederic Clay Bartlett designed and built Bonnet House in the 1920s as a winter retreat for the Birch Bartlett families. His wife Evelyn Fortune Bartlett was also an artist. The home is the only home and studio of two recognized American artists with original furnishings that is open to the public. Bonnet House is a unique Florida treasure and its 35 acres of pristine barrier island ecosystem figure prominently in the City of Fort. Lauderdale’s Comprehensive Plan. In the past, inappropriate developments that would negatively impact Bonnet House were rejected by the City’s governing agencies, but that is beginning to change. An astonishingly high amount of intense, intrusive development is advancing closer and closer to Bonnet House, demonstrating the need for stronger protection of the historic site.
Royal Poinciana Playhouse and Plaza
The John Volk designed Royal Poinciana Playhouse and Plaza represents the northern gateway to the town from the northern Flagler Bridge and is one of the most significant projects for Palm Beach from the 1950s. Volk’s design incorporates modern concepts of space and traditional architectural styling. A proposed development project threatens the site’s historic landmark status and includes a potential for demolition and alterations to the site.
Central Christian Church
The Central Christian Church is at the southern gateway to the Lake Eola Heights National Register Historic District.This religious building serves as a record of Orlando’s residential and spiritual growth during the Land Boom Period of the 1920s. Over the decades, the sanctuary has performed as a starter sanctuary for several new congregations of various denominations. The Diocese of Orlando received the building as a gift in 1999 with the intent to use it for school activities for the nearby St. James Cathedral School. Administrators feel the building is not safe for students and have ceased to use the building for a number of years. Since then, the building has been vandalized, used as a homeless squatter’s shelter, and suffered roof damage. School Administrators have worked with members of the neighborhood association to discuss the future of the building, however, there is a threat that the School may continue with their plans for proposed
demolition.
Hialeah Park Race Course
This nationally significant site is the oldest and widest continuously operating turf horse racing track in the United States. The park marks the beginning of the City of Hialeah, and represents a symbolic resting place for the champion thoroughbreds that raced there. Proposed development threatens several of the structures within the park, and could jeopardize the site’s National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmark eligibility.
Coconut Grove Playhouse
The playhouse has been a cultural centerpiece for Coconut Grove since it was built in 1924, but the building is not protected by local designation. Financial issues had forced the owners of the building to close the theater however, a new owner has just been hired. Proposed redevelopment for the theater and the surrounding area could adversely affect the historic site.
Sanford Grammar School
This 1902 Romanesque Revival style building served as the Sanford High School and later the Sanford Grammar School. It is located in the Old Sanford Historic District. In 1984 the building became the Student Museum and Center for Social Studies and was placed in the National Register of Historic Places. Approximately 6,500 students visit each year and experience a hands-on learning environment where they learn about Florida History. The Seminole County School Board is faced with budget cuts and is considering closing the museum and declaring it surplus property. If sold, the building would face redevelopment pressure.
Fort Zachary Taylor
Fort Zachary Taylor was built between 1845 and 1862 and is located at the harbor entrance to Key West. The Fort was used during the Civil War, Spanish American War, both World Wars, and the Cuban Missile Crisis.The site evolved with major modifications in 1898 including demolition of the top 2 tiers and construction of the Batteries Osceola and Adair. The only remaining component of the Post-Civil War network of defense is Battery Seminole and it is threatened with demolition. Over time, the marine climate has taken a severe toll on the Fort’s structures. Deterioration in some parts of the Fort has become so severe that parts of several structures are closed to the public for safety reasons. A lack of funding has placed additional stress on the structure. The threat will continue unless funding is identified to address these issues. Fort Taylor was previously listed on the Most Endangered List in 2003 but the threat to this historic resource has escalated enough that the Florida Trust has re-listed it on the 2010 Most Endangered List.
Boynton High School/Mangrove Park School
Noted architect William Manly King designed the Boynton High School as an additional school for the area. This 1927 building was constructed in the Mediterranean Revival style and incorporates elements of Art Deco. The school was used as a school and community center until 1994, and then transferred to the City. Since that time, the building has stood vacant and has been slowly deteriorating. Development pressure, poor maintenance, and the current economic conditions all factor into the increasing threat to the school building. The City of Boynton Beach has just recently coordinated an Ad Hoc Historic Preservation Committee in order to bring back an Historic Preservation Ordinance for the City Commission’s consideration. Boynton High School is under consideration as part of the City’s available historic resources however this site should continue to be watched closely.
Miami Marine Stadium
The Miami Marine Stadium dominates the small barrier island of Virginia Key that was separated from Miami Beach in the 1830’s and reconfigured to its current form in the 1960s. The stadium was designed by Hilario Candela with the firm of Pancoast, Ferendino, Grafton, Skeels, and Burnham with other collaborating partners in 1963. The stadium has stood vacant since Hurricane Andrew hit Florida in 1992, which caused substantial damage, and vandalism and a lack of maintenance exacerbated the situation. The City of Miami is engaged in a master plan for Virginia Key, and the Marine Stadium should play a great role in it. There have been some positive developments and resources available for the protection of this site but it still bears close monitoring.
Milton Historic District
Milton is a small town in Florida’s panhandle located on the banks of the Blackwater River and known for its role in Florida’s lumber industry. The Historic District is comprised of turn of the century vernacular commercial, residential, and religious buildings. The two lane portion of Highway 90 through town is a window on Florida’s past, when motorists traveling through the Panhandle had no choice but to take this two lane road through towns like Milton. The major threat to the district is the proposedwidening of the main street through town from two lanes to four lanes. The widening would call for the demolition of some of the district’s oldest and most significant buildings and would have a detrimental effect on the revitalization process currently underway in Milton.There is presently a study being conducted that is assessing all possible routes through and around Milton and this Endangered listing is an encouragement forpreservation advocates and transportation officials to collaborate on a solution that will protect the town’s historic resources.
Bob White Citrus Packing House & Strawn Sawmill National Register Historic Districts
Historic sites illustrating Florida’s citrus industry are disappearing and only a handful of existing historic citrus packing houses remain in Florida and California. The Strawn Sawmill and Citrus Packing House were developed under supervision of Theodore Strawn, an internationally-known orange cultivator. The 15 historic structures located in these historic districts are threatened by vacancy, lack of financial resources for their preservation, and proposed demolition.
These eleven historic sites, and the committed men and women working to save them, need our continued support. Our work matters, and this year we thought we would show you exactly how being listed by the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation can make a difference. Here are some success stories about sites that previously have been on the most endangered list.