Council approves demolition steps for deteriorating Winter Gardens buildings and moves historic‑preservation duties to new consolidated board

Council members debated whether to preserve or remove two deteriorated structures at the Winter Gardens — identified in discussion as the Goodbread facade and an adjacent restaurant — and ultimately voted to move forward with demolition steps and to transfer historic‑preservation duties to a consolidated advisory board.

Council member Chris and others argued the facades are in poor structural condition and costly to restore, saying preservation should be balanced against public benefit. “We can't keep throwing good money after bad,” one council member said. Another council member noted much of the existing facade is plywood rather than historic fabric and described it as an eyesore.

Staff explained that the historic preservation board has repeatedly lacked a quorum and that some demolition or certificate‑of‑appropriateness actions require a functioning board. To avoid procedural delay, council approved a one‑time special certificate of appropriateness allowing replacement of the pole barn with the new Cheeky Hut at the Winter Gardens site and moved to reassign some functions to a new consolidated board described in the meeting as a 'Super' or 'Mega' board. The council also directed staff to draft necessary demolition permits or ordinance changes to effect the transfer of duties.

The council approved the resolution naming the new structure 'Cheeky Hut' and then approved the special certificate and the broader motion to reassign duties and proceed with demolition timelines. The vote to reassign duties and to move ahead with demolition carried by roll call. Later in the meeting the council confirmed appointments to the new seven‑member board (Ben Hershinson was named chair; other appointees included Jack Brown, Steve Lohan, Linda Waterhouse, Bob Lombardo, Raymond Townsend and Daniel Doogie).

Staff said some demolition permits will require planning and historic‑preservation review and that an interim option is to route certain items to the hearing examiner until ordinance changes are in place. Council members asked staff to return with recommended procedures and to expedite work so the site can be cleared and reused.

The council’s motions address municipal process and board structure; no criminal or regulatory findings were made about prior stewardship of the structures. The action shifts responsibility for historic preservation matters and begins the administrative steps needed to remove the deteriorated facades and replace them with the authorized structure.