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Highlands Today

'Bulldoze' Harder Hall, Council Chairman Says

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By MARC VALERO

Highlands Today

Published: September 8, 2008

SEBRING - City officials hope to have two signed purchase contracts soon for Harder Hall, but City Council Chairman Bud Whitlock believes the property will never be sold without demolishing the hotel.

During Wednesday's city budget hearing, Whitlock offered his candid opinion on what should be done with the historic hotel, and the furnishings and fixtures from an incomplete renovation project.

"Don't we have a room full of junk in there? A room full of equipment? " he said. "Why don't we take that out and sell it; it's a million dollars worth of junk in there.

"Take the money, bulldoze that thing down, rezone it to 24 units per acre and sell it as a condo site. It's a perfect spot. There's no residences close by, a golf course on one side and a lake."

"If we were to get rid of this Harder Hall, get rid of this building, you could sell it," Whitlock said.

It was noted that the city has two interested buyers with pending contracts.
Whitlock responded "I would be willing to put five grand that neither one of them will close."
Whitlock said Friday he stands by his comments he made Wednesday, reiterating "the property would probably be worth more without the Harder Hall sitting there."

Most people interested in buying it want to put condominiums on the 12-acre property to help pay for it, he said. Harder Hall is sitting in a bad spot to try to work condos around it.

Whitlock, who is a surveyor, said he has worked on a site plan for the property, but has been unable to create a plan around the hotel that looks good.

"My humble opinion would be to take it down, then change the zoning from 12 to 24 units per acre to make it a little more lucrative for the investors," he said. "I don't think it's ever going to sell. I think it's just too far gone."
Councilman John Griffin said Friday he believed Whitlock was joking and that his comments were made prior to Wednesday's budget meeting.

The city has two contracts to sell Harder Hall that are almost signed - one for $5.3 million and one for $5.4 million. Why would the city want to knock it down? Griffin asked.

"It's going to be sold," he added.

The site is better suited for an assisted living facility, Griffin believes.

"It's good for the community; It will have people living there all year round," he said. "They will be out spending money in restaurants and playing golf.

"In my opinion it would better than a hotel. I think we've got enough hotels right now."

The potential buyers for Harder Hall are Calibre Investment Group LLC and Ken White Management and Development LLC

Calibre Investment's plans call for converting the hotel into an independent living facility, and then, at a later date, constructing an assisted living facility on the property.

Ken White Investment proposes renovating the hotel into a luxury hotel/resort/spa and to build additional condominium units on the property.

The Spanish style hotel on Little Lake Jackson opened in 1927, but has been vacant since 1982. The City of Sebring became its owner in August 2007 after the investment group that was renovating the structure went bankrupt.

Marc Valero can be reached at 386-5826 or mvalero@highlandstoday.com

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