News

Give That City a Cigar Building? Not Yet

County may make counteroffer to Bartow for the one-time factory.

PAUL JOHNSON | The Ledger
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The old Bartow Cigar Factory at East Davidson Street and North Third Avenue is in bad shape, according to officials.

By Tom Palmer
THE LEDGER

Published: Saturday, September 6, 2008 at 11:10 p.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, September 6, 2008 at 11:30 p.m.

BARTOW | County commissioners are not ready to give Bartow the old cigar factory, particularly if there's little or nothing offered in return.

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Bartow officials have requested the county give the city the building and $126,500 to mothball it until officials can figure out what to do with it.

At Friday's agenda study session, commissioners said they want to give the city a counteroffer: We'll give you the cigar factory if you give us your public works complex on Mill Avenue within five years and clean it up.

Commissioners hope to have a response so they can decide where to go at Wednesday's regular meeting.

The future of the building has been on hold since July of last year when people interested in preserving the historic building persuaded commissioners to hold off on planned demolition to give them time to come up with a restoration plan.

No specific restoration plan ever materialized.

County officials were reluctant to give up the building and the two acres surrounding it because the property could be needed for future expansion of county facilities, such as additional parking or expansion of county offices.

"I wouldn't agree to swap property and not get something for it,'' County Manager Mike Herr told commissioners.

Commissioner Jack Myers said commissioners need to look out for the taxpayers and avoid spending money without getting anything for it.

Commissioner Sam Johnson said he wasn't sure there was any need for the building even if it were restored.

Commissioner Jean Reed said it was a "neat" building and said she heard the city has the potential to get grants to restore it.

Herr said another aspect of the restoration is that, unlike the efforts to restore the Ritz Theater in Winter Haven or the Ramon Theater in Frostproof, there has been no local effort and fundraising in support of the project.

Deputy County Manager Jim Freeman said the county's evaluation shows it would cost millions of dollars to restore the building and it's not cost-effective.

He said at one time Bartow officials had offered a swap for the public works complex, which would allow the county to expand its parking near the Neil Combee County Administration Building. But the current administration would require the county to buy the property.

[ Tom Palmer can be reached at tom.palmer@theledger.com or 863-802-7535. ]


This story appeared in print on page B2

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  1. -1tater_2 says...
    September 7, 2008 7:54:32 pm

    RE: LinkThe County wants to tear down a building that's on the National Register of Historic Places? Without a review and Certificate of Appropriateness by the City of Bartow's Historic Architectural Review Board? Where's the County Attorney?

    Report this post

  2. ray of hope says...
    September 7, 2008 8:07:58 pm

    Good question - I'd like to know how that can happen too.
    Let's hope that through intergovernmental efforts, this building will be preserved as part of Polk's history.

    Report this post

  3. -1tater_2 says...
    September 8, 2008 8:01:32 am

    The County wants to tear down the building to build a parking lot 9 blocks from the courthouse and run a shuttle back and forth.

    Now, I ask you. Would you rather see your tax dollars spent on preservation of a beautiful old building, combined with state grants to give jobs to Polk County's suffering construction workers, provide a home to a culinary and carpentry training program

    ortear down the building and spend your tax dollars to provide free parking for every criminal and his $200 an hour lawyer?

    Report this post

  4. Scoobydowhat? says...
    September 8, 2008 8:46:45 am

    They're going to keep spinning their wheels on this until it falls in. Maybe that's their plan.

    Report this post

  5. -1tater_2 says...
    September 8, 2008 9:14:14 am

    Apparently, that has been their plan all along. It's called demolition by neglect. After the hurricane, the roof was damaged. There were FEMA funds available to repair it (and give jobs to roofers) but the County didn't bother to apply for them. A few months ago a local contractor sent a crew up there to secure it with a tarp (for free) but that can't last forever. And we wonder why the unemployment rate is rising? Where are all those out of work construction guys? Why isn't the County interested in getting some of that grant money we all paid to the state for some jobs for OUR workers? They'd rather see it go to the coastal counties? It usually does. Is there anyone interested in fighting for our best interest?

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  6. ray of hope says...
    September 8, 2008 9:44:31 am

    I am - this is a building with great historic interest.

    Report this post

  7. -1tater_2 says...
    September 8, 2008 10:07:56 am

    I'm sure hoping we can find a better use for that property than a parking lot, postage. I don't know if you're from Bartow, but we sure do appreciate your interest. It would be a shame to see Florida history wiped out for nothing more than a parking lot.

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  8. Cristo39 says...
    September 8, 2008 12:08:55 pm

    Since the article doesnt say, and im not a long term resident, whats the historical significance of this building?

    Just curious, because we as humans tend to see an antique, when in reality its just something really old.

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