CRESTVIEW — A garage to store and investigate impounded vehicles?
A recycling center?
A community meeting hall?
These are among the possible uses city officials have suggested for a building that Gulf Power donated to the city.
The Crestview City Council on Dec. 10 unanimously agreed to accept the donation of a 3,552-square-foot warehouse sitting at the end of Cadle Drive off P.J. Adams Parkway.
The utility only required that the city disassemble and move the building.
Public Works Director Wayne Steele investigated the structure, praised its solid construction, metal truss roof, skylights and HardiePlank siding, and said his department could store the disassembled building until the council decides a use for it.
It would be disassembled using inmate labor at relatively little cost to the city, he said.
After discussion with Council President Ben Iannucci III, Steele said the building could be a city recycling center, and could be reassembled for that use on city-owned property off Brookmeade Drive.
Councilwoman Robyn Helt at Monday’s meeting suggested a different use.
“I am recommending that immediately upon disassembly, the building be immediately reassembled in Country View Park to provide an additional service for our citizens,” she said.
The building could provide a community center for “Zumba classes or any other kind of recreational facility,” she said. “That facility (Country View Park) is in need of improvement and it’s been in need for quite some time.”
After discussions with Steele, Helt said the building could be split in half and provide the city with two new buildings.
Crestview Police Chief Tony Taylor had a suggestion for one half, Steele said.
“The police chief has … asked me about having a portion put up at his location to house confiscated vehicles in an area that is secure,” Steele said. “They only have room to park one car in their current area.”
City planner Eric Davis told the council that city codes would require landscaping and adequate parking whether the building is split in half or relocated intact.
Council Members Tom Gordon and Tim Grandberry agreed with Helt, but requested more time to study the matter before the council makes a decision.
Iannucci — who supports the recycling center as part of green initiatives he is pursuing for the city — agreed.
“We don’t want to sit on the building, but I don’t like the ‘dartboard’ way of making a decision. I want to make sure we address all these possibilities and make the best decision. I think we need input from the citizens about what we should do with the building.”
Iannucci proposed a workshop to discuss all the ideas before making a decision.
The council then voted unanimously to add discussion of what to do with the building to a previously set Feb. 9 workshop.
Want to go?
The Crestview City Council will hold a public workshop 8 a.m. Feb. 9 at City Hall to discuss, among other matters, possible uses for a building that Gulf Power donated to the city.
Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview City Council considering donated building's possible uses