Boynton Beach officials and residents press to save Andrews House; staff outlines relocation sites, timeline and preliminary costs

City of Boynton Beach staff told the City Commission and Community Redevelopment Agency board on Jan. 14 that moving and re-siting the 100‑year‑old Andrews House is feasible but will take time and funding, and they asked direction to work with the property owner to secure more time to plan.

The most immediate question for commissioners is whether the city and CRA can buy time to study relocation, evaluate uses and seek funding before a developer with a demolition permit removes the structure. Rick Hoffer, assistant director of public works, presented three city- or CRA‑owned candidate sites, a planning‑level project timeline and preliminary cost estimates.

Hoffer said the staff subtotal for relocation and related site work is $300,000 and that staff added a standard 25% contingency, bringing the planning‑level budget to $375,000. “One thing I did want to say is...everything that’s shown here is basically relocation and construction,” Hoffer said, adding that the estimate does not include upgrades to the house such as ADA improvements, HVAC, plumbing or electrical work that will require separate assessment.

Why this matters: residents, preservation board members and commissioners framed the decision as both a cultural-preservation and downtown economic‑development opportunity. The Historic Resources Preservation Board recommended that the city/CRA acquire the building, select the CRA lot next to the Magnuson House on East Ocean Avenue (labeled “location 2” in staff slides) as the preferred site, and plan for light commercial or public use to generate downtown foot traffic.

Key facts from the staff presentation and public record

- Potential relocation sites: (1) a small city‑owned park at Northeast Sixth Avenue/Northeast Sixth Court (zoned CBD); (2) a CRA‑owned lot on East Ocean Avenue adjacent to the Magnuson House (zoned R3 multifamily residential); (3) a CRA parcel at North Seacrest Boulevard and Northeast Third Avenue (zoned R2 single‑ and two‑family residential). Hoffer said each site has different permitted uses and regulatory implications.

- Timeline: staff presented a planning‑level schedule totaling roughly 16 months (procure design services ~2 months; historic designation ~2 months; site plan design ~2 months; site plan approvals/design development/construction documents/building permits ~several months; procure construction ~2 months; relocate/construct ~3 months). Hoffer noted some tasks could run concurrently and historic designation could be sequenced later if needed.

- Budget and other cost signals: Hoffer gave the subtotal of $300,000 and, with contingency, $375,000 for relocation and site work only. He said staff had gathered several data points, including quotes for moving similar houses that ranged from $75,000 to $150,000; staff used Delray Beach and other recent projects as reference points. The CRA acting director, Tim Tack, said short‑term measures to stabilize an unoccupied structure (boarding, painting, pest control) would run roughly $10,000–$15,000.

- Code and fire separation: staff and several speakers said current building code for wood‑frame structures requires a 20‑foot separation between buildings (the team previously considered 10 feet). Hoffer and Adam Temple, assistant city manager, warned that fire‑rating upgrades or wall upgrades might be required both for the Andrews House and any adjacent structure depending on the final siting.

Public comment and board input

More than a dozen residents and preservation advocates delivered public comments urging preservation and relocation to the Ocean Avenue site next to the Magnuson House. Barbara Reedy, chair of the Historic Resources Preservation Board, said the board’s unanimous recommendation was that the city/CRA pursue ownership, place the house at location 2 and aim for light commercial or public use to boost downtown commerce. “The first recommendation is that the city/CRA pursue ownership of the building,” Reedy said.

Speakers with the volunteer Move Andrews House committee and the Boynton Beach Historical Society repeated those recommendations and raised fundraising offers and operational ideas (cafés, tea/coffee houses, small event use). Several speakers cited successful nearby examples — including houses moved to the Delray Beach Historical Society campus — and said moved historic houses can become ongoing revenue generators.

Process questions and legal/administrative limits

Commissioners asked staff to confirm legal and timing constraints. Several speakers said a demolition permit had been issued in November 2024; staff explained that demolition permits will generally expire 180 days after issuance if inspections are not scheduled or otherwise completed. Adam Temple said the property owner could withdraw or allow a permit to expire, but the city cannot unilaterally revoke an active permit.

Staff cautioned that moving the house and preparing the receiving site require more detailed surveys, utility mappings and feasibility work to produce accurate bids or an RFP; staff asked the commission for direction to spend limited funds to commission an architect/survey and to pursue feasibility work so the city can obtain precise costs.

Immediate direction and next steps

Commissioners and CRA staff expressed consensus that the top priority is securing more time and protecting the structure while the city studies options. Mayor Peeren Serga and other commissioners said they support saving the house but do not want to rush decisions and risk moving it twice or investing public money poorly. The commission asked staff to:

- Work with the property owner and CRA to seek a written agreement (or other assurances) that would delay demolition or have the owner withdraw the demolition permit while the city and CRA complete feasibility, funding and use analysis;

- Prepare a feasibility study proposal (including updated surveys and limited architectural work) to evaluate in detail whether the preferred Ocean Avenue/Magnuson‑adjacent site can accommodate the structure and what variances or code changes would be required; and

- Explore historic designation, grant opportunities tied to designation, and an RFP process or other mechanism to solicit potential operators/uses if a relocation proceeds.

What was decided and what was not

No formal purchase, relocation contract, or final site selection was made at the Jan. 14 meeting. The commission approved only procedural items on the agenda and then directed staff to pursue written time‑extension assurances from the owner, to return with more detailed feasibility information and to examine funding and procurement pathways. Commissioners repeatedly emphasized they want written commitments from the owner before locking in a path forward. Commissioner Dawn Cruz asked staff to prepare a citywide survey about potential uses and to investigate grant funding available contingent on historic designation.

Community offers and next moves

Speakers said they have started fundraising and want to cooperate with city staff and the CRA. Several preservation volunteers asked the city and CRA to consider transferring ownership of the house to public ownership so the public entity could pursue grants and oversee adaptive reuse. Hoffer and planning staff said more precise cost estimates will require survey, site‑specific engineering and procurement steps.

The commission asked staff to return with the owner’s written position on the demolition permit, a scope and budget for a feasibility study (survey/architect costs), and clarification of what would be required to place the house at the Magnuson site if that is the commission’s preferred option.

Ending

Commissioners said they will pursue the “buy time and study” path: secure an agreement with the owner to delay demolition, produce feasibility and cost information, and pursue a public process (RFP and community input) before any relocation or purchase is approved. No formal relocation contract or purchase was approved at the meeting.