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St. Pete Beach weighs repair or demolition for Pass-a-Grille shuffleboard building and Mary Pier bait shack
Summary
City staff reported repair and demolition cost estimates for two storm-damaged Pass-a-Grille facilities — the historically designated shuffleboard clubhouse and the Mary Pier bait shack — and commissioners asked staff to pursue additional appraisals, insurance coordination and repair/demolition options while residents urged preservation.
Camden Mills, the city’s public services director, told the City Commission on April 22 that two Pass-a-Grille structures damaged by recent storms — the shuffleboard clubhouse on Ninth Avenue and the Mary Pier bait shack at 801 Passa Grill Way — face competing repair, demolition and funding pressures.
Mills said the club building is historically designated and that contractor replacement estimates are “in the range of a hundred and $76,000.” He told commissioners the city has received just under $83,000 from insurance so far and that the historic-preservation board voted 5-0 in January in favor of demolition for that structure. Mills said the lowest responsive demolition quote received for the shuffleboard building was just over $8,000.
The Mary Pier bait shack, which Mills said was built in 1979 and is not itself historically designated, has an insurance-appraised value “just under $75,000.” He said a contractor estimate from Cotton Global for repairs is about $96,000 (not including plumbing) and that the city has received just over $62,000 from its insurer. Because the structure sits over water, Mills said demolition costs are substantially higher — the lowest demolition quote received was just over $65,000 — and that rebuilding at the same location could be barred by FEMA because the site sits in the VE (velocity) flood zone.
“Replacement estimates that we’ve received so far are in the range of a hundred and $76,000,” Mills said during his presentation. He warned the commission that FEMA deadlines and state permitting affect timing: the state’s emergency permit exemption for over-water work expires May 31, and the county permit allows up to two years for repair activity.
Residents who spoke during public comment urged preserving both facilities. Peter Coleman, a Pass-a-Grille resident of 44 years, said the shuffleboard clubhouse and courts are central to the neighborhood’s character. “This building came by barge in the 1920s from Gulfport,” Coleman said. Other residents described regular league play, intergenerational use and the building’s role storing equipment and providing a gathering place.
Commissioners focused on next steps rather than taking an immediate vote. Commissioner Moholland asked staff to pursue a new appraisal of the Mary Pier structure; Mills said the city can do that if the commission directs it. Commissioners also discussed exploring whether the bait shack could qualify as a “working waterfront” property and whether the city should solicit additional contractor bids for lower-cost rebuild options — for example, an open-air structure with two restrooms rather than a full enclosed replacement.
Mills told the commission that both properties have FEMA projects opened and that the city is pursuing FEMA reimbursement, but that federal reimbursement can take three to five years. He also noted a current insurance payout is not the final determination and that staff could request a supplemental insurance appraisal and continue coordination with the insurer.
No demolition or repair contracts were approved at the meeting. Commissioners asked staff to return with further research: updated appraisals, additional repair and demo estimates, clarification of permitting timelines tied to the May 31 state exemption, and options for community fundraising or partnerships. Mills advised the commission he could bring demolition contracts forward in May if the commission chooses demolition as the preferred path.
The debate highlighted tradeoffs: historic-preservation status, FEMA 50% repair rules, insurance valuations versus contractor estimates, environmental permitting for over-water work and community interest in preserving Pass-a-Grille character.
Residents, club leaders and commissioners asked the city to explore all options — including volunteer and community fundraising assistance and alternate building siting — before selecting demolition. Staff said it will continue coordinating with FEMA and the insurance provider, solicit additional bids, and pursue a supplemental appraisal for Mary Pier if the commission formally directs that step.
