City wins survey/story-map grants; consultant documents 441 resources, flags Davis Shores as a candidate for listing

Historic preservation staff told the board on Oct. 16 that two recent matching grants funded a comprehensive survey of mid‑20th‑century resources and the production of interactive story maps.

Julie Seymour said the city received two FY25 matching grants (each up to $50,000) and engaged Chronicle Heritage as the consultant. The work produced 441 Florida Master Site File survey entries covering buildings constructed roughly 1940–1980, and an executive summary recommended three properties as individually eligible for National Register listing. The consultant also produced several interactive story maps that place architectural and cultural themes into spatial context; topics included recent‑past architecture, Davis Shores, and the transformation of St. Augustine by the automobile.

Staff said Davis Shores — a neighborhood already recognized informally for its development history — may now be a stronger candidate for a National Register district, and suggested staff outreach to neighborhood leaders to gauge interest in pursuing an update or nomination. The board asked staff to circulate the story maps to members and to work with communications to publish them and promote public awareness of recent‑period resources.

The board did not take a formal vote on the survey items but asked staff to proceed with outreach and to provide copies of the consultant’s survey report to HARB members.