- April 18, 2024
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The MacDonald House was restored in 1997 after falling into disrepair, and some say now the city faces the same situation. A speaker at a Feb. 8 workshop on the building said if it had been maintained, the city would not be facing a large expense.
The building is now being analyzed by Bender and Associates Architects, who are preparing a report on the historic value, the cost of restoration and available grants. Their report states the building is suffering from “deferred maintenance.”
But reached after the meeting, Public Works Director and Assistant City Manager Ted McLeod said the building has been maintained.
“We been doing what needs to be done,” he said.
There has been water intrusion, but last year, roof shingles were repaired, he said. They have also repaired the porch, replace interior carpeting and placed a new structural beam under the home.
“It’s an old building, and only the first floor has been occupied,” he said.
He said the current focus is to bring the house back to its former glory, but it would be a major project.
In the 1997 restoration, which cost $140,702, air conditioning was added, partitions were moved, the porch was replaced, new restrooms were constructed, shingles and windows were replaced, the building was tented and fumigated, and it was painted, according to Bender and Associates research.
At the Feb. 7 workshop, Bert Bender said the building is structurally sound, but there is damage that can be repaired.
A local businessman, Lewis Heaster, had recently made an offer for the land under the MacDonald House, suggesting the city move the building over to the tennis court area. Bender addressed this proposal, saying that if a building is moved, it loses its historic significance and is not eligible for grants. There are exceptions, however. Bender said if a building if moved because it is threatened by a sinkhole, for example, it could still be eligible for grants.
Reached later, Heaster said perhaps some type of public/private partnership can be developed in the building’s future.
The Ormond Beach Historical Society website lists the house as being built in 1895, but a timeline shown by Bender and Associates shows a construction date of 1903.
Through the years, the first owner of MacDonald House, Margaret Stout, had a gift shop and library in the building and also ran a boarding house. She also worked at the Ormond Hotel.
Bender said the city might want to call it the MacDonald-Stout house to reflect the significance of the first owner. She died in 1933 and the house passed to her children who later sold it to the MacDonald family.
It’s seen as historically valuable because it dates back to the heyday of The Casements and Ormond Hotel, and helps tell the story of the city. It’s seen as architecturally significant because its architect did many other buildings in the area, and it's one of the few remaining in the Queen Anne style.
The final report on the MacDonald House, including the estimated cost for restoration and available grants, will be available at the City Commission Workshop at 5:30 p.m. Feb 21, in Meeting Room 103 at City Hall.
Later, in an official public hearing, the commissioners will determine the fate of the building. The date has not been determined.
Bender and Associates Architects has conducted two public hearings, detailing their progress on their evaluation of the home.
