BY MILES LAYTON
PLYMOUTH – When Public Works Director Mike Wright mentioned bricks as it relates to historic preservation – how some bricks may be strong, while others, eh, not so much – that conjured up memories from past stories I’ve written as he was talking Monday to Plymouth Town Council.
Efforts are underway to preserve and potentially restore 108 West Water Street, a long-vacant commercial structure in downtown Plymouth that has been a source of growing concern for town officials and community stakeholders.
Council is grappling with these questions – if you spend money to tear that building down, what does the taxpayer get afterward except a vacant lot? Or perhaps it’s best to apply money that would have been spent on demolition as seed money to secure a state grant, which would then provide enough necessary funds to save the historic structure.
And then there are the realists – is the building structurally sound enough to save for the long term. To know that may require engineering studies, perhaps adding more costs that lead to something special or to a dead end – money that comes from taxpayer dollars. And there’s no denying that it’s not going to be cheap to invest in this building’s potential.
That brings us back to bricks — stories I’ve written, experiences I’ve had clearing bricks away, saving “good” bricks and watching others crumble — the evaluation of what’s worth saving or not is central to any story I’ve written about historic preservation.
Heart of the issue, if you have “good bones” you can move forward with historic preservation. There’s no denying that this property is important and conjures of memories from folks who remember Plymouth from way back when, and visions of what that space could become — one of the crown jewels of downtown’s historic renaissance. That said, not every building deserves a second life.
Demolition Bid
Located in the heart of the town’s central business district, the building has suffered significant deterioration over the years. A $199,000 demolition bid for the long-vacant building on West Water Street was tabled by the Plymouth Town Council Monday evening following a tense and wide-ranging debate over the building’s future, historical value, and fiscal responsibility.
The proposed demolition, submitted by Bridgeview Construction, would involve razing the deteriorating structure and stabilizing the adjacent walls. However, mounting concerns over the cost, the potential to salvage the facade, and a last-minute alternative proposal led council members to delay action for at least 30 days.
“This is a big deal,” Wright said, who was tasked in April with securing bids. “You’re talking about spending around $200,000 and ending up with a strip of gravel between two buildings—or you can look at options where you actually get something back.”
Wright acknowledged that demolishing the building is not cheap, but emphasized the pricing was in line with similar projects. “We got quotes ranging from a low of $197,000 to a high of $238,000. One proposal broke it down based on what they might find, like if the bottom floor is timber-framed instead of a concrete slab.”
The bid under review came with warnings from engineer Bobby Joyner, who helped develop the initial request for proposals. “Without going inside, I can’t say,” Joyner wrote, raising red flags about the building’s internal condition and the uncertainty baked into the demolition cost.
Council members expressed unease about moving forward without more clarity.
“That was the first thing that stood out to me,” Council member Crystal Davis said. “We’re being asked to approve $199,000 for demolition when the engineer himself says he doesn’t know what’s in there.”
A New Proposal
The discussion shifted after Town Manager Joanne Floyd presented an alternative from Cate Harrison, a local resident with experience in commercial construction. Harrison proposed stabilizing the building’s historic facade and installing a new interior metal frame and roof for $42,000—offering a possible pathway to preserving the structure rather than demolishing it.
“She’s worked with one of the largest construction firms in Florida,” Floyd said. “This isn’t a full renovation, but it would give the town something to build on. We could keep the front, add bathrooms, a kitchen, and make it a functional space.”
The total cost may exceed $42,000, factoring in debris removal and structural stabilization. Still, several members expressed interest in pursuing the preservation route—especially since the facade could complement the nearby Allied building and potentially serve as a future conference or community center.
“We’ve got citizens who care about this,” Council member Mary Ann Byers said. “The facade means something. The building has a story. For $200,000, the town ends up with nothing but a vacant lot. But with some time and planning, maybe we have something of value.”
Caution from Staff and Community
While Harrison’s proposal generated optimism, questions about feasibility and timing quickly surfaced.
“She’s not a contractor; she’s in accounts receivable,” Davis noted. “She’s knowledgeable, but we need engineers involved. It’s not just about costs—it’s about safety and legality.”
Wright agreed that pre-engineering services would be needed to determine whether the facade could safely be incorporated into a new structure. “The biggest costs are stabilization and debris disposal,” he said. “And these old bricks? They’re fragile. The sun eats them up. We’ve tried to salvage bricks on similar projects and they just crumbled.”
Still, Wright supported delaying the decision. “Let’s give it 30 days. Let’s let people who know what they’re doing take a look and come back with something solid.”
Frustration Over Timing
Not everyone on the council was convinced.
“This proposal was just dropped on us tonight,” said Davis, the lone dissenting vote on the motion to table. “We’ve been talking about this building for years. We asked Mike to get bids, and he did exactly what we asked.”
Davis warned against derailing the process with last-minute alternatives that lacked full vetting. “I trust Mike. He’s done this before. This isn’t his first rodeo. If people had concerns, they should have come forward earlier.”
Others countered that the town had a responsibility to explore every reasonable option before spending taxpayer money.
“I’m not saying this alternative is perfect,” Byers said. “But it gives us a chance to possibly save something—possibly end up with a building we can use, rather than an empty space we can’t sell or develop.”
Legal and Historical Considerations
Another wrinkle emerged regarding salvage rights and disposal laws. Some council members argued the town should explore the possibility of reselling historic materials from the building, like vintage bricks and fixtures, to offset demolition costs. However, doing so could trigger state regulations regarding surplus property.
“The sticking point is who owns the debris,” Wright explained. “If we enter a contract to dispose of it, we’re declaring it trash. That limits our ability to reuse or resell materials.”
Moreover, the town would need to declare the material surplus before allowing it to be repurposed.
“That’s something we haven’t done a good job with in the past,” one member admitted. “We need to be more mindful of the value that’s in these buildings, even in their decay.”
The Vote
As the debate drew to a close, Byers made a motion to table the decision for 30 days. It passed 3–1, with Davis voting against.
“This gives us the chance to step back and make sure we’re doing what’s best for the town,” Byers said. “We have a responsibility to our citizens to get it right.”
The matter is expected to return to the council’s agenda in August, with updated cost estimates and feasibility reports from additional contractors.
Whether the building will be saved, partially repurposed, or eventually torn down remains to be seen—but for now, Plymouth’s leadership is holding off on what could be a $200,000 decision with no going back.
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