Lynn Haven gives input on rebuilding City Hall from Hurricane Michael

Jun. 27--LYNN HAVEN -- What will the Lynn Haven City Complex look like when it's rebuilt after severe damage suffered during Hurricane Michael?

Residents and officials considered that during a public workshop Tuesday. Citizens gave input and schematics showing what City Hall could possibly look like after rebuilding, with a Art Deco and old Florida look.

Resident Rich Walker proposed moving City Hall, which is currently along Florida State Road 77.

"In 1911 when this city was laid down, it was laid down with City Hall and everything right in the center. What's happened over the years is residential was built around it," Walker said. "We have growth. Now with 389 being enlarged, 390 being enlarged and possibly 77 being enlarged, the growth is becoming almost unbearable at this time. You have insurance money. You have money to do things, to do it right. One of the things you observe is you put schools right in the middle of the residential, they have no room for growth. City Hall has no room for growth."

Other suggestions made on the new building based on the rendering include three floors with an elevator, with police on the bottom floor, administrative offices on the second and the chamber meeting room on the third. Mayor Margo Anderson said decisions have not yet been made on the design.

"I'm all for keeping it simple, keeping it low. I would like to eliminate elevators and I'd like to see the police department actually be built separately, right where they're sitting now in the trailers," Commissioner Judy Tinder said. "I'd like to see it all on one floor and a safe room added to it. ... When an elevator breaks that's a lot of stairs to climb. They do break and they don't come out after five to fix them."

Commissioner Dan Russell said his number one concern is City Hall being a secure location for first responders to return to. Resident Ted Roberts said the City Hall complex should be built with the same look and style as the existing building.

"The great building that is to be built should be in the same company as the other buildings in town," Roberts said. "I want it to be in the same style."

"The roof was ripped off of the old City Hall. I actually witnessed that happening during the storm. The inside of it was severely damaged," Anderson said. "We certainly don't want to take it down. It's an icon of Lynn Haven, built in 1928. It once housed a jail, it once housed our original fire truck. We were thinking of that as a possible museum."

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