TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: A. Jerome Fletcher II, ICMA-CM, MPA, City Manager
TITLE: Discussion and Possible Direction Regarding the Future Needs of the North Port Senior Center, Inc., Awaken Church, North Port Art Center and Kiwanis Club.
Recommended Action
Provide direction on the needs of the North Port Senior Center, Awaken Church, North Port Art Center and Kiwanis Club, to include the selection of a preferred option for addressing facility and space needs with additional information being brough back to Commission for approval at a later date.
City Commission Options
Option1: Demolish the existing Community Services Facility and construct a new 10,000 square foot facility to support Senior Center, Awaken Church and potentially other non-profit activities. Estimated cost for option 1 is $6,880,000.00.
• Pros:
o Provides a new, slightly larger, code-compliant facility designed for senior and other community programs.
o Addresses all current structural, safety and accessibility deficiencies of the Community Services Facility.
o Long-term solution that enhances public service delivery.
o Reduced cost of operations and maintenance with a new energy-efficient facility.
• Cons:
o High-cost option and project timeline of three and one-half (3 1/2) years for contracts, design, permitting, and construction.
o Requires tenants to find alternate facilities while construction takes place.
o Funds committed to this project could otherwise be redirected to support Capital Improvement Projects (CIP’s) which may serve a larger portion of City residents.
Option 2: Demolish the existing Community Services Facility and lease or purchase temporary facilities, of similar size as occupied within the existing facility, for Senior Center (approximately 4,888 square feet) and Awaken Church (approximately 1,850 square feet) to support services. Estimated leasing cost for Option 2 is $892,601.00 for the first year including set up, annual lease is approximately $219,365.00 in years two through five. Estimated purchase cost for Option 2 is $1,437,500.00 including set up.
• Pros:
o Allows continued programming at a lower cost than new construction.
o Flexibility in location and facility selection.
o Lower short-term capital outlay compared to new construction.
• Cons:
o Ongoing lease costs with no asset ownership.
o Increase in cost of operations and maintenance due to less durable and energy inefficient modular construction.
o May not fully meet space, operational or accessibility needs.
o Coordination required for setup, utilities, and accessibility compliance.
o City Code only allows temporary facilities to be in place for five (5) years.
o Additional cost of either relocation or disposal of City-owned assets at the end of five (5) years.
o If the existing site is utilized as temporary location, parking will be reduced by at least 27 spaces. Each occupant may be required to re-evaluate their operations to comply with minimum accessibility and parking requirements for these public-serving facilities.
o Funds committed to this project could otherwise be redirected to support CIP’s which may serve a larger portion of City residents.
Option 3: Demolish the existing Community Services Facility and purchase or lease a temporary facility and construct a new 10,000 Square Foot facility to support Senior Center, Awaken Church and potentially other non-profit activities. Estimated cost for new construction and leasing temporary facility option is $8,123,331.00. Estimated cost for new construction and purchasing temporary facility option is $8,291,500.00.
• Pros:
o Provides operational continuity during rebuild.
o Purchased facility could be reused or repurposed for future City needs.
o Greater control over modifications and maintenance.
• Cons:
o Highest cost option and project timeline of three and one-half (3 1/2) years for contracts, design, permitting, and construction.
o Increase in cost of operations and maintenance due to less durable and inefficient energy construction of temporary facilities.
o Additional cost of either relocation or disposal of City-owned assets at the end of project.
o Requires suitable site and permitting for temporary setup.
o Short-term facility may not meet all program needs.
o May not fully meet space, operational or accessibility needs.
o Coordination required for setup, utilities, and accessibility compliance.
o If the existing site is utilized as temporary location, parking will be reduced by at least 27 spaces. Each occupant may be required to re-evaluate their operations in order to comply with minimum accessibility and parking requirements for these public-serving facilities.
o Funds committed to this project could otherwise be redirected to support CIP’s which may serve a larger portion of City residents.
Option 4: Demolish the existing Community Services Facility and relocate the Senior Center to the George Mullen Activity Center (GMAC); purchase or lease a modestly sized modular for Senior Center administration. Estimated cost for the leasing option for five years is $627,500.00. Estimated cost for the purchasing option is $642,500.00 including removal at the end of five years. Please see attached memorandum for additional details related to this option.
• Pros:
o Utilizes existing City facilities, minimizing new construction.
o Consolidates community services in one central location.
o Reduced cost compared to new build.
o Allows City Commission to evaluate the highest and best use of the former Community Services Facility site to best serve residents.
• Cons:
o Awaken Church would not be accommodated in this option at the GMAC.
o Limited space could restrict activities and programming.
o Potential scheduling conflicts at the GMAC certain times of the year.
o Administrative trailer adds setup and maintenance costs.
o Reduced parking availability at the GMAC, due to modular placement and additional activity.
o Modular facility will call for Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA} compliance through a ramp, which may not be conducive to Senior Center clientele.
o Funds committed to this project could otherwise be redirected to support CIP’s which may serve a larger portion of City residents.
o Ongoing lease costs with no asset ownership.
o Increase in cost of operations and maintenance due to less-durable and energy-inefficient modular construction of temporary facilities.
o Coordination required for setup, utilities, and accessibility compliance.
o City Code only allows temporary facilities to be in place for five years.
o Additional cost of either relocation or disposal of City-owned assets at the end of five years.
Option 5: Rehabilitate the current Community Education Center to address known deficiencies and make necessary repairs to current building systems which are at the end of their useful life. Estimated cost for option 5 is $2,895,469.00.
Ø Pros:
o Provides some repairs of the facility for continued services at the current level.
o Addresses current, known deficiencies, and all safety and accessibility deficiencies.
o Utilizes existing City-owned facility.
Ø Cons:
o Repairs are limited to the scope identified in Attachment A and currently identified as deficient. Some structural repairs will be required for roof replacement; however, it is not possible to bring all existing structural components up to current wind code without full replacement of those structural components, including footers. Untouched portions of the facility will remain non-compliant until such time as they require repairs/replacement.
o Cost of repairs to identified deficiencies is estimated at $2.95 million to $3.8 million, or $343/SF - $452/SF.
o Once repairs are underway, any unforeseen conditions or out-of-code construction must be repaired/replaced as part of the project. The cost for unforeseen conditions cannot be known at this time and are not accounted for in the estimate provided of repairs.
o Estimated cost of new construction of a community center averages $532/SF. (8,455 SF * $532/SF = $4,498,060).
o The building is not large enough to fully support Senior Center and Awaken Church operations efficiently.
o Will require relocation of services while repairs are underway.
Option 6: Provide space and facility for Kiwanis operations - provide storage building and use of Scout House or purchase or lease modular to be placed at Dallas White Park. Please see Attachment A for Cost Estimate breakdown and attached memorandum for additional details on option 6.
• Pros:
o Provides immediate operational continuity.
o Utilizes existing City-owned sites and facilities.
o Flexible solution depending on cost and availability.
• Cons:
o Storage building requires installation, utilities and maintenance.
o Limited amenities versus permanent purpose built structure.
o Requires coordination for shared-use facilities.
o Storage building cannot be open to the public, as it will not meet ADA requirements.
o Funds committed to this project could otherwise be redirected to support CIP’s which may serve a larger portion of City residents.
Option 7: City to collaborate with North Port Art Center as part of the Memorandum of Understanding review to explore a shared-use facility to house multiple non-profits.
• Pros:
o Potential for cost-sharing, inter-agency partnerships and a larger potential donor base.
o Could result in a multi-functional, community-centered facility.
o Encourages efficient use of City and community resources.
• Cons:
o Dependent on Art Center project timeline and funding.
o Does not meet immediate facility needs.
o Requires development of share-use agreements and design alignment.
Background Information
The existing Community Education Center is currently leased to the North Port Senior Center and Awaken Outreach Center. The facility is in poor condition and requires substantial repairs. The facility assessments identify $447,992 in current deficiencies for the Senior Center and $126,964 for Awaken Church, totaling $574,956 in needs for Fiscal Year 2025-2026, with an additional $202,093 in projected deficiencies for Fiscal Year 2027-2029.
In response to requests from the lessees for remodeling, staff identified that the scope of needed repairs may trigger the Florida Building Code 50% Rule, which requires full code compliance (wind load, ADA, etc.) if cumulative repair costs exceed 50% of the building’s market value. To evaluate this issue, staff engaged the services of an architect and structural engineer to assess wind loading and estimate the cost of bringing the existing facility into compliance with current fire, ADA, and wind loads to the extent possible. Staff presented the assessment findings to the City Commission and the Community Education Advisory Board at the City Commission Workshop held on October 6, 2025. The following consensuses were made by the City Commission during this Workshop:
Ø Make a commitment that staff and Commission will work aggressively on a solution that retains the services that the occupants of this building currently provide to the community.
Ø Direct City Manager to work with staff to engage with the current occupants of the building to identify minimum space requirements and to identify what they might be able to provide to help craft a solution.
Ø Direct City Manager to work with staff to identify the cost of and replacing the current structure in the most cost-effective way, and document cost of providing trailers should they be needed by the occupants to continue to provide services.
Subsequent to this City Commission Workshop, staff presented a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of North Port and the North Port Art Center to the Commission during the City Commission Regular meeting on October 14, 2025. The following motions were made during this meeting:
Ø Direct City Manager to work with the Awaken Food Pantry, Senior Center, Kiwanis Club, and the Art Center to identify needs and expectations and to bring back for a future meeting and agenda item for discussion and possible action on how to approach space, building and other needs in order retain the non-profits within the boundaries of North Port.
Ø Direct the City Attorney to review the Memorandum of Understanding to create consistency regarding termination to ensure either party has the right to terminate for any reason.
Ø Motion to amend to include language regarding milestones.
The options presented above outline a range of approaches, as requested by the City Commission. These ranges vary from full demolition and reconstruction to temporary accommodations and collaborative opportunities with community partners such as the North Port Art Center and Kiwanis Club, and Senior Center and City of North Port Parks and Recreation Department.
City staff met with the four groups to determine their space needs and the following needs were provided:
Ø The Senior Center has a need for approximately 5,000 square feet of dedicated space.
Ø Awaken Church has a need for approximately 5,000 square feet of dedicated space.
Ø The Art Center has proposed a building of approximately 11,500 square feet to meet their needs, with a potential of 2,500 square feet available for other non-profit or community use.
Ø The Kiwanis Club has a need for approximately 1,200 square feet of dedicated space.
Strategic Plan Pillar
Quality of Life
Financial Impact
Not applicable.
Procurement
Not applicable.
Attachments:
1. Attachment A
2. Community Services Facility Assessment Memo
3. Evaluation of Alternate Locations to House Senior Center Memo
4. Evaluation of Kiwanis Club Modular Building Memo
Prepared by: Chuck Speake, Public Works Director
Department Director: Chuck Speake, Public Works Director