If you've ever attended a meeting in our "new" City Hall Council Chambers built in 2004, you might have seen a row of photographs of old and new buildings along the back wall behind the Council dais. You might have even wondered what they were and their reason for being there or maybe you never really paid any attention at all.
Each of them is a picture of a building which Sebastian has used as ''Town Hall" or "City Hall" or City offices since incorporation on December 8, 1924.
Bank of Sebastian Building
On January 12, 1925 the newly formed Town Council by resolution selected the Bank of Sebastian building as their meeting place temporarily for a fee of $2.00. The Bank of Sebastian building was built in 1924 and was located in the center of town on Main Street where the north end of Central Avenue ended at Main Street. To continue north one had to take a left and then turn north on North Central Avenue. The building sat just west of the Hardee mansion and the Hardee Oak. The bank failed in 1929 but the City continued to use the building for its meetings until the late 1950s when the State of Florida widened the thoroughfare to become Florida US Highway One and the bank building had to be torn down to make way for it.
Woodmen of the World - Opera House - Monier Building
This two story building on US Highway One was built in 1913, by Woodmen of the World. A reference in the Sebastian Area Historical Society book ''Tales of Sebastian" provides a caption to a photograph of the building which states: "Called the Sebastian Town Hall as it was used as a silent theater, for dances, weddings, school graduation, plays, etc."
Shares for its purchase were sold under the incorporated name of Sebastian Public Hall Co. in order to raise sufficient funds to maintain a Sebastian Town Hall for community use. The town would not be officially incorporated until December 6, 1924.
Following the 1924 incorporation, on January 25, 1926 City minutes state the upstairs of Sebastian Public Hall was to be rented for City offices for $25 per month. The Bank of Sebastian building was only one story so it is presumed that this indicates the Woodman of the World building on US 1 was used by City staff as needed. This Woodman of the World was later owned by former Council member and local artist Lisanne Monier as the Old Opera House Gallery. This building is often times referred to as Public Hall in City minutes.
March 27, 1927 minutes mention payment of a bill to Sebastian Public Hall Co. for rental of City offices from March until October 1926.
1957 New City Hall and Fire Station
Starting in 1947 the City Council, while occupying the bank building and continuously having to make improvements to the building, began to discuss the need for a new City Hall and Fire House. As efforts by the State of Florida began in the 1950s to widen the north-south corridor through town and create a widened US Highway One thoroughfare, efforts increased to find a location to build a new City Hall close by. Since the City had taken possession of properties in Carroll-Roberts Subdivision in the 1930s in the area of Main and Central Avenue, and had by resolution and masters deed designated it as a City Park "forever'', and the fact that it had
served as the center of activities for the City for many years, they sought land nearby for a new City Hall and Fire House.
In 1956 a committee was formed, a property on the northwest corner of City Park was selected and a cost established at $10,000 for the property and construction. The City Clerk notified each citizen of an October 22 meeting at City Hall to vote on the proposed location for the new City Hall and Fire Station. At that meeting with 51 Freeholders present, on a standing vote of forty-five Freeholders in favor and six against, gave City Council authority to decide the location of the new City Hall and Fire Station. President Sembler, and Councilmembers Ellingsen and Chesser were appointed as a building committee. Don Aulich was approved to draw up plans for both buildings and Council awarded the contract to Albrecht Construction Co. of Vero Beach. The dedication of the new City Hall was held on May 1, 1957.
In 1980 the City was offered the old 1927 schoolhouse by Indian River County in exchange for 32 acres the City had been deeded from General Development, and the City agreed to the trade of the 32 acres which the County would use as a new elementary school location and began plans to move City Hall to the old schoolhouse over the next couple of years.
On September 16, 1981 Council passed motion to allow the Sebastian Junior Women's Club priority to establish a public library and historical museum on the premises that was occupied by the City as such time as they vacate the premises. On September 8, 1982, Council passed motion to accept the lease between the City and the Sebastian River Library Association for use of the current city hall as the new library.
Later when the new North County library was built on CR 512, the building would then be used as a Teen Center, City Utility office, shared Sebastian Area Historical Society (SRAHS) museum and Sebastian Chamber of Commerce. When the SRAHS museum moved into the renovated old schoolhouse/City Hall building in 2005, the 1957 City Hall would be completely refurbished and become home to the Sebastian Area Chamber of Commerce by long term lease.
City Hall from 1983 to 2004 - 1927 Old Schoolhouse
In June 1980 an agreement was considered whereby the City of Sebastian would exchange 32 acres deeded by GDC in Sebastian Highlands for 6 acres on Main Street where the 1927 County elementary school was located and which the County owned, with a provision that the 32 acre property could be used only for a school building, and when the new school was built, the City would take over the old school for a City complex. Council passed a motion to accept the exchange agreement. Plans for Pelican Island Elementary school began in 1985.
In December 1982 a bid opening took place for renovation of the old Sebastian elementary school for use as future city hall complex. Throughout 1982 and into 1983 renovations were undertaken on the old schoolhouse and City Hall was opened.
Existing City Hall Complex 2004 to Present
In 2001, amidst National Historic Designation grant applications submitted for designation and renovation of the 1927 old Schoolhouse now housing City Hall, and with Council's approval to purchase a 9.34 acres of property located behind City Hall which would later become the Boys and Girls Club, discussions ramped up about building a new City Hall on land between the 1927
building and renovation of the new police annex facility constructed earlier. In 2002 a conceptual plan by REG Architects was presented. The City Manager presented the fact that the existing City Hall was a school and was never intended as a City Hall facility, and advised that the project could be accomplished with use of discretionary sales tax, if passed, and would not create the need for use of ad valorem taxes. He further discussed the proposed use of the existing historical building by the community.
On December 11, 2002 City Council authorized the new City Hall and Police Facility Expansion and Renovation Project. A groundbreaking took place in August of 2003 and the official dedication of City Hall and Police Facility expansion took place on December 8, 2004, exactly 80 years from the original incorporation of the Town of Sebastian from 11 am until 4:30 pm and
continued on into the evening at the first Council meeting in the new Council Chambers.
The Municipal Complex expanded over the ensuing years to include a Boys and Girls Club, Friendship Park and clay tennis courts and playgrounds, a Boys and Girls Club, Sebastian Area Historical Society Museum, Indian River State College Classrooms, Indian River Lagoon Coalition offices, Senior Center and Sebastian River Art Club headquarters.
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