Historic diesel plant gets new look for survival

BY PRU SOWERS

KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER

 

The historic and almost condemned Keys Energy diesel plant in Bahama Village is getting a second chance to survive.

The approximately 135-year-old former electric generating plant will be the subject of an April 16 special meeting of the Key West Historic Architectural Review Commission (HARC), which will look at ways to preserve the five-building compound for potential use as classrooms, a café and museum. Bryan Green, HARC President, said the meeting will focus on potential grant funding sources for restoration. The ideal, he said, would be to find ways to restore the historic industrial compound without the city having to spend any more money. Keys Energy offered the compound for free to the city and residents approved the transfer in a 2016 ballot referendum.  

But spending has already initially begun. Key West City Commissioners voted unanimously April 3 to spend $34,291 to hire an outside engineering firm to do a second assessment of the three buildings that are slated to be demolished. The firm, AMEC Foster Wheeler Environment and Infrastructure, did an earlier assessment that stated two of the buildings were structurally sound enough to be restored but the other three were not viable. Based on that study, Chief Building Officer Ron Wampler wrote a 56-page report saying the three buildings, which included two of the three large buildings, were unsafe and should be demolished. The other two buildings could be “white boxed,” Wampler wrote, meaning the interior of the building would be gutted and a shell built around it until city officials decide how the structures would be used.

However, after resident objections to the proposed demolition, and protests from HARC and the Key West Art and Historical Society, city commissioners agreed to take another look. AMEC Foster Wheeler has been hired to do another site visit to conduct laser scanning to develop a three-dimensional projection of the buildings.

“Laser scanning provides data and measurement from areas not easily accessible or where not originally considered,” said Key West City Engineer Jim Bouquet in a memo to commissioners.

But at least one of the five buildings, a smaller outbuilding, appears set for demolition. Key West City Manager Jim Scholl said the smaller shed extending into Fort Street has been slated for flattening in order to provide space for a new road into the Truman Waterfront Park. Currently, there is only one road, Southard Street, that provides direct entry into the newly-constructed park.

“We’ve had plans all along to extend Fort Street all the way to Angela Street to facilitate access and flow into the park. From Geraldine [Street] to Angela Street is blocked now,” Scholl said.

The new building assessment will include estimated costs to repair each building.

“Anything can be preserved,” Scholl said, “but is it worth it?”

[livemarket market_name="KONK Life LiveMarket" limit=3 category=“” show_signup=0 show_more=0]