HERITAGE MATTERS

Tag: Central Florida

  • What Makes the Ramsey-Donnelly Building Worth Saving?

    The Ramsey-Donnelly Building was an early addition to the downtown commercial district of Mount Dora (see below) and has played an important role in town as it has been host to many of the area’s integral businesses. The building’s position on the corner of the main thoroughfares through town, both Fifth Avenue and Donnelly Street, has highlighted the building throughout the years and has made it an inviting building that successfully creates a dialogue between the building and the town.

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    (Photo credit: Mt. Dora, Fla – Nov. 2, 1926. 1926. What To Do In Mount Dora. Web. Apr.-May 2014. )

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  • Stained Glass Condition Survey: United Church of Christ, Tavares, Florida

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    For this project I visited the United Church of Christ in Tavares, Florida. It is one of the oldest churches in the area, built in 1888 on donated land from the founder of the town of Tavares. The church retains all of the original stained glass which was installed the same year. I was able to talk with one of the deacons who connected me with a woman who was part of a restoration crew back in the 1980s.

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  • ACL Railroad Station, Mount Dora, Florida

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    The Old Mount Dora A.C.L. Railroad Station was originally constructed in 1886 in downtown Mount Dora, Florida. The town would go through about three depots. The third and final depot was built in 1915. It was a one story building, built in the Frame Vernacular architectural style. At that time in history it took about $ 8000 to complete the construction. It was built through the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, which primarily served the South, covering distances from Alabama to Florida to Virginia.

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  • Condition Survey: Simpson Building, Mount Dora, Florida

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    The Simpson Building is a historic, brick building located in downtown Mount Dora, Florida. Built in 1925 it originally served as a hotel; current day the four storefront spaces on the main level are rented to four different business owners, with each store operating a separate HVAC system. From the exterior, the building appears to have various moisture problems which can be observed through: salt deposits, mold and mildew, rust and stains, cracked window frame, and cracked and missing bricks. The best ways to prevent these moisture problems would be to: clean the exterior walls regularly, investigate the water runoff system and/or instill a properly functioning system, make sure all the window and door frames are repaired and in good condition, and insure that HVAC systems are in proper working condition.

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  • Condition Survey: The Donnelly House, Mount Dora, Florida

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    The Donnelly House was built in 1893 in Mount Dora, Florida, by John P. Donnelly, originally of Pittsburgh, PA. Mr. Donnelly had moved from Pittsburgh to Mount Dora in 1879 and became the town’s first mayor. This house was built years later and was designed by the architect George Franklin Barber, as a mail order house in the Queen Anne style. He was very famous at the time for his mail order houses which were sent to various towns and cities across the nation. Currently this house is the home of the Mount Dora Lodge No. 238 F&AM, where they host meetings and gatherings of the club.

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  • Interior Assessment: the Shamrock Building and the Renaissance Building, Mount Dora, Florida

    Interior Assessment: the Shamrock Building and the Renaissance Building, Mount Dora, Florida

    The two buildings documented are the Shamrock Building and the Renaissance Building. Both of these buildings are important in the downtown historic district of Mount Dora, as they were usefully implemented additions to the area. Since their original construction, they have been modified to provide better functionality for their new uses throughout the years. They both retain many fragments of their initial design and character, but mostly on the exterior, with regard to their interiors they have greatly altered.

    The Shamrock Building, currently a realtor’s office, was once the former Mount Dora Bank and Trust built in 1925; it was the first and only bank in Mount Dora. The main entrance was formerly on the east facade of the building; but after its change to the Shamrock Building, the entrance was moved to the north facade of the building while the east entrance was filled-in and made to match the surrounding wall. As a bank, the ground floor was filled with a series of teller windows, metal cages, a large vault, and marbled countertops, floors, and wainscoting throughout. The second floor had a secondary vault and a mezzanine floor and office spaces on the third floor, all of which feature wood paneled walls.

    After its transition to a realtor’s office, just about every bank related element on the ground floor was removed except portions of the marble flooring and wainscoting. All of the original light fixtures were removed and partitions and cubicles were introduced. The mezzanine and third floor offices were minimally changed. However, in 2008, a tropical storm wreaked havoc on the building, causing serious damage to the interiors. The water damage was so pervasive it damaged the wood paneling on the third floor and second floor mezzanine, and leaked completely through the building to the ground floor. Water damage is still visible on the interior walls of the ground floor. The wood paneled walls of the third floor offices are still in disrepair and a musty smell still permeates the mezzanine and third floor. Despite the damage and the alterations over the years, sections that remain of the original marbled floors and wainscoting are in very good condition.

    A similar example is that of the Renaissance Building, which is currently a mixed-use commercial building filled with retail shops, restaurants, bars and office space. It was originally a hotel built in the 1920s, referred to as the Dora Hotel. The hotel functioned until the mid- to late-1970s and once the 1980s hit the building became vacant. It transferred several owners before it was retrofitted to serve as a mixed-use commercial building.

    The interior aspects of the building have completely changed as the layout was altered to fit separate retail stores and offices, merge space for restaurants and completely open up the building to the public as a walk-through mall of sorts. The only historicity this building can claim is its slightly altered exterior; as for the interior, compromises have been made, but unfortunately not in favor of the protection and preservation of historic features. In this case, the Shamrock Building, and many buildings found in the historic downtown, the exteriors retain much of their historic integrity, but the interiors have changed too much and lack much of any connection to their former use.

  • Overview of Mount Dora, Florida

    Overview of Mount Dora, Florida

    The city of Mount Dora, Florida, is an older town that was settled in the late 1800s, and as the majority of the original buildings are still in existence they greatly add to the town’s historical significance. Some of the earliest buildings were erected anywhere from the late 1800s to the early 1900s and although they have changed, many significantly throughout the years, they retain much of their exterior historic integrity and architecturally significant details. The town has experienced a decent share of growth and change as many of the original businesses are long gone and the buildings within the historic downtown commercial zone have been flipped in several attempts to stir about new business opportunities.

    There is an active and vocal historic board that ensures any project located downtown, within the historic district or considered historic in any matter, follow strict guidelines and request special permission before changes or alterations can occur. This has been the case in the past to an extent, as most of the historic buildings within the downtown commercial core have all been altered or radically changed on their interiors. Before historic guidelines were into effect, most of the local building owners freely manipulated the interiors of their historic structures without much thought or consideration. Although most of these buildings have been ‘rehabilitated,’ they were not rehabilitated with the idea that the interiors should retain some form of their originality. For example, the interiors of the former Mount Dora Bank & Trust building, which was the first bank in town, was completed transformed to fit a local realtor’s office space. The exterior was slightly altered, but retains much of its original character; unfortunately, this cannot be said for the interior space.

    The positive aspect of this occurrence is that the exteriors have been carefully conserved and they are regularly maintained. Therefore, to the average visitor Mount Dora keeps its appearance as a historically, quaint, New England modeled town as the building exteriors retain much of their unique character and charm (Fig. 5, 6). If you consider that the building exteriors have stood the test of time, for the most past, while businesses have come and gone and they have only slightly changed, then it is fair to say that rehabilitation has greatly impacted the area. While several buildings are being utilized, there are many vacancies in town due to overpriced rental rates and therefore a lack of motivation to realize new and different business opportunities. I believe rental rates need to be reconsidered to allow for more potential opportunities to take place and businesses need to be given more thought. Even though the median age is 48, there is a slow growing trend that younger families, originally from the area, are coming back to Mount Dora to raise their new families. As this shift becomes more noticeable, the community’s necessities will inevitably change to meet the demands of newer and younger residents and the downtown area will again face further transitions to stay relevant; hopefully this will happen with careful attention to retain the existing historic charm of the town.

    Many of the incentives in Mount Dora, for the rehabilitation efforts, were to maintain a functioning downtown that would be attractive to tourists and remain memorable, adding significantly to the stimulation of the local economy. This economic stimulation has only increased as Mount Dora has set itself on the map for being an arts and crafts community, hosting various art, craft and antique shows and events. These efforts have surely had a positive impact on the local community as many of the buildings downtown have been transformed into restaurants or small retail shops, adding to the commerciality of the town. Through it all, the town retains its charm and likeability, almost in a Mayberry-esque manner.

  • What Makes the Ramsey-Donnelly Building Worth Saving?

    What Makes the Ramsey-Donnelly Building Worth Saving?

    The Ramsey-Donnelly Building was an early addition to the downtown commercial district of Mount Dora and has played an important role in town as it has been host to many of the area’s integral businesses. The building’s position on the corner of the main thoroughfares through town, both Fifth Avenue and Donnelly Street, has highlighted the building throughout the years and has made it an inviting building that successfully creates a dialogue between the building and the town.

    The size of the building makes it one of the larger buildings in town and puts it in the position of having to pull its own weight, in a sense, as the town is comparatively small. The building’s connection with the commercial downtown is aided greatly by the glass façade on Donnelly Street and the wrap-around cast-iron balcony; it successfully opens up the building fabric and detracts from the scale of the building. As well, having multiple spaces with openings and entrances alongside Donnelly Street maintains the ‘main street’ appeal and charm of downtown.

    The Ramsey-Donnelly Building fits in well with the surrounding built environment, despite its size, as it is a two-story structure and the buildings in the area range anywhere from one-, two- to three-story structures. The cast-iron balcony that covers the adjacent sidewalk ties in perfectly with many of the covered sidewalks in town that further promote the appeal, character and walkability of the town.

    The original building’s landscape was not tied directly to the building, but rather to the city, as they incorporated the older trees within designated green areas between the sidewalks and the streets. Most of those trees were removed and brick planters were added alongside the building and the street on the sidewalk surrounding the building. The planters now hold small plants, shrubs and young trees. The Donnelly Park directly across the street remains intact, for the most part, with regard to the original landscape and trees, which gives an idea of what the past historic landscape might have resembled.

  • Historic Rehabilitation and Housing

    Historic Rehabilitation and Housing

    Considering the majority of the residents in Mount Dora are aged 48 and older, most housing options revolve around apartments, condos, villas and homes. There are also many 55 and older communities and assisted living options, which are provided through similar apartment, condo, and villa setups. Other residents that are younger than the average median aged resident tend to have the same options unless they live below the poverty line.

    Although this is not such a troubling issue in Mount Dora and the town surroundings, there are affordable housing options (although not historic rehabilitations), one in town, and the others on the outskirts of town. There is not a real need or desire from the residents for affordable housing. Historic homes are already rehabilitated for the most part to comply with unique needs or growing families. If Mount Dora was a larger town, perhaps with more diverse age groups looking for affordable housing, and if the local Historic Board was more approving of these endeavors, then this could be further explored and realized.

    If the issue is to become a problem and the Historic Board decides to change their perspective, then there are a few historic properties around that could be considered, given that they are available on the market at that time. One historic structure, located at 301-399 E. 4th Avenue, is currently a doctor’s office, but could be turned into affordable housing units. Another complex located two blocks north at 525 N. Tremain Street, is currently an apartment building that could possibly be switched over to affordable housing. Yet another building, located one block north at 610 N. Tremain Street, is another example of a historic building that could be retrofitted for affordable housing. Given the availabilities, options and needs at the time, these historic buildings could be transformed into affordable housing if the Historic Board decides the need for affordable housing trumps their current opposition. Keeping in mind that Mount Dora is not a metropolis like Orlando, Miami, or Tampa, it is understandable that there is not a dire need for affordable housing, given that most residents are retirees.

  • Driving Survey: Piglet's Pantry and The Drawer, Mount Dora, Florida

    Driving Survey: Piglet's Pantry and The Drawer, Mount Dora, Florida

    The area surveyed was that of the commercial downtown area of Mount Dora, Florida, which stretches from McDonald Street to Baker Street (a four-block stretch from west to east) and Fifth Avenue to Third Avenue (a three-block stretch from north to south). Within this area there are several historic buildings, although not all have been completely rehabilitated, and there are still many vacancies in the area.

    The two structures chosen for this assignment were that of Piglet’s Pantry et al. and The Drawer. These two buildings are located directly across from one another, along one of the main streets, Donnelly Street, and the cross street, Fourth Avenue. They were chosen because of their historic significance to the area, as both were early additions to the town.

    Piglet’s Pantry et al, formerly Rehbaum’s Hardware, was built in a masonry vernacular style in 1914 and functioned as a town hardware supply store with apartments on the second floor. Rehabilitations were made in 1924 and again in 1950, as the second story porch was removed from the front facade along with additions to the rear of the building. The additions housed a small drugstore and furniture store. Since 1997 it has functioned as a dog bakery called Piglet’s Pantry and other retail spaces including a wine bar and a shoe store, with apartments/office space for rent on the second floor. These businesses have remained in place for a while, with great success for the dog bakery and wine bar, although not as fortunate for the case of the shoe store. The apartments/office space rentals on the second floor have been vacant for the most part.

    The Drawer, a masonry vernacular building built in 1880, was originally a general store. Additions were made in the mid-1920s as it later became Crane’s Furniture, which was an operation originally commenced at Rehbaum’s Hardware, but since space was lacking it was moved across the street. Since 1984, with the introduction of another rear addition, it has functioned as a women’s clothing and accessories retail store. The Drawer been a successful operation and receives a lot of business locally and from the surrounding area.