- April 24, 2024
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The latest building to receive a “new-old” look by developer Bill Jones will be the Buschman Building, across West Granada Boulevard from City Hall.
Jones is known for paying attention to historic detail in his renovations, which include Ormond Garage, Rose Villa, Grind Gastropub, Frappes North, 31 on the Boulevard and the plaza that includes Dunn’s Attic.
The Historic Landmark Preservation Board gave unanimous approval to a Certificate of Appropriateness for an alternation planned by Jones, the building’s owner. Jones plans to add decorative clay tile as an architectural accent to portions of the front exterior.
The address of the Buschman Building is 15-23 W. Granada Blvd., because it shares an address with the building next door that houses Cakery Creation. Both buildings were built in the early 1900s.
The Buschman building, which has “1925-Buschman” at the top, is on the Ormond Beach Historic Landmarks list. A certificate of appropriateness is required for any alternation that will change the exterior of a historic building in the city.
The building has never had tile, but Jones plans to use a design similar to that used in the early 1900s and the historic board approved.
“It’s not authentic to the existing building but period correct and will improve the appearance of that building and overall downtown,” said board Chairman Dr. Philip Shapiro.
Dorian Burt, assistant to Jones, said the Buschman Building was in disrepair when Jones purchased it ten years ago. It was restored at considerable expense, she said, such as installing authentic glass from the time period in the windows on the second floor as opposed to more cost-efficient glass of the present.
She said the tiles now planned were designed by California Pottery, which deals with historic appliqués.
Jones is enthusiastic about the project.
“I get goose bumps thinking about it,” he told the historic board. “I love the downtown and will do all I can to improve it.”
After the board meeting, Jones said he was going to “get on the phone” right away and order the tiles.
He said he hopes to slow down traffic on Granada Boulevard by adding a little more beauty so people will look at their surroundings.
“People will slow down to see what’s there,” he said.
He said his son recently found a newspaper article from 1986, about the danger of Granada Boulevard deteriorating. It was interesting, he said, because that was when he got started renovating buildings on the city’s main street.
The tenant in the Buschman Building is Jones’ daughter, Victoria, who owns Frame of Mind, a framing and art studio. She said she plans to add a coffee shop in a corner of the building in the next few months.
The Planning Department recently approved changes at two other historic buildings in the city, and determined that a certificate of appropriateness was not needed in either case. The Casements is going to receive exterior accent lighting, to be lit for events, and landscaping will be improved at the historic firehouse, 160 E. Granada Blvd.
