Funds OK'd to Raze Winter Club (PBP) 6-28-84WM PALM KM roc LUM
Makes Mementos to Be moved
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Below, North Palm Reach resident Harry Molin inspects one of two
murals found in the Winter Club (Oakes House). The paintings are in
storage until Village Council decides what to do with them after
demolition of the building. Above, John W. (Jack) Ridgway looks at ca
thirty -light chandelier salvaged from the main room of the buildings
Several historical groups have expressed an interest in the memen-
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Fulids OK d T W
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Council Appropriates $24,000 To
By Jeff Stanfield %,• $ • Pe ,i,,,„ ,J;,A .,,
Staff Writer
NORTH PALM BEACH — The Village Council appro-
priated $24,000 last night to tear down the historic Winter
Club on U.S. 1. Village Public Service Director Charles
O'Meila said the demolition could begin in about two
' weeks.
"We're wasting $24,000 of the taxpayers' money to
tear down a building that is of great value to the village,"
said Vice Mayor Al Moore, who cast the only vote against
providing the money for demolition. Mayor V.A. Marks
was absent.
Moore said the council will have spent nearly
$200,000 to repair and tear down Winter Club. The city
made extensive roof repairs more than two years ago.
"The council ought to think before they tear this
building down," he said.
But council member Harriet Nolan said the council
was followin' g" the will of the majority. Voters recently
approved the demolition.
"This hos been debated for several years now. The
council is being responsive to our citizens," she said.
Majority rules. That's the way this country runs."
N Moore replied that the March 13 Winter Club referen-
Tear wilding
not ask voters wheuh`°r they wanted the building
torn down. The question was whether the public wanted
the building restored with profits derived from leasing it
to private interests, he said.
Councilman Tom Valente said the city, would need $1
million to fix the building. Moore said the repairs could be
done in phases. "You could spend. what you want," he said.
"No," said North Palm Beach resident Donald
Welsch. "Go ahead and tear it down."
He was the only resident to voice an opinion on the
building's destruction.
The demolition issue had been hcifly debated in recent
months. An organization called Save the Winter Club Inc.
conducted a door-to-door campaign and sued the city to
stop the building's destruction. A court-ordered referen-
dum followed, but the club's supporters lost by 200 votes.
"If we could think of something to do we would do it,"
Patricia Marin, the group's lawyer, said recently. "Unfor-
tunately North Palm Beach voters.on't appreciate the
place."
Delta Demolition of North Pal Beach was the low-
est of five bidders and will tear down the building. Two
large banyan trees near the club. building will be saved,
village officials have said.