Cultural Council pauses $750,000 National Park Service project for historic hotel to address easement and insurance questions

Jeff Potts, executive director of the St. Johns Cultural Council, told the City Commission on May 5 that the council has put a $750,000 National Park Service grant-funded renovation of the Second Floor of the historic beach hotel building on hold for six months while it resolves an easement issue, insurance cost challenges and other fiscal questions.

“Today, I'm just here again to introduce myself…In terms of the update, you know, the most exciting thing was this National Park Service grant that we were able to get, last year, and that was $750,000 to help with restoring the Second Floor of that building,” Potts said. He told commissioners the grant would fund accessibility improvements (including an elevator), artist studios and infrastructure upgrades. He said the council’s board voted to pause the project for six months to allow time to find a fiscally responsible solution to an easement issue and to address escalating maintenance and insurance costs.

Potts said the council remains committed to completing the project and that the pause “doesn't jeopardize the project. We have until, I think, 2028 to actually complete it, but what it does is it gives us some more time to address these 4 major issues.” He requested a future meeting with the commission to present more detailed options and to coordinate next steps.

Commissioners thanked Potts for the update and invited him to return with a fuller briefing next month. Potts said the council would continue to engage with the city and with potential partners to find cost‑effective solutions.

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The Cultural Council’s pause allows time to address an unresolved easement, rising insurance and fiscal concerns; the council plans to return with more detailed options before the grant deadline.