The Palm Beach Post, Sat, Dec 14, 2024 ·Page A1











 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Andrews Home at 306 S.E. 1st Ave. in Boynton Beach has an excavator parked on site. The house, the oldest one in the city, was set to be demolished. PHOTOS BY THOMAS CORDY/THE PALM BEACH POST

 

City officials persuade site's owners to postpone teardown Bill DiPaolo Special to Palm Beach Post | USA TODAY NETWORK

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BOYNTON BEACH — Sparked by the sounds of a big yellow excavator in the neighborhood, local preservationists are rallying to preserve the Andrews Home, Boynton Beach's oldest residence.

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A permit was issued to demolish the faded, yellow building, a stone's throw west of the Florida East Coast Railway tracks on Southeast First Avenue. The half-acre property is zoned mixed-use, which allows retail and apartments.

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"When I saw the excavator, I told other historians. We contacted city officials. They talked to the owners," said resident Tom Warnke, a member of the Boynton Beach Historical Society.

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During Thanksgiving week, city officials persuaded the owners to postpone the teardown, according to Deputy City Manager Andrew Mack. "We will be working with the Historical Society to ultimately find the perfect location for the Andrews House," Mack said in a written statement. Built in 1901 of dense Dade County pine, the two-story structure with exposed rafters has a wrap-around porch, armoires instead of closets and built-in steel rods to hold the building together during a hurricane. "The steps don't even creak. That's how sound that Dade County pine is," said Cindy Martel, an Ocean Ridge resident who is working to save the vacant, boarded-up structure at 106 SE 1st Ave. The amber-red pine is one of the most prized hardwoods in the world. Known for its ability to resist rotting and termites, the native Florida wood must be pre-drilled to be nailed. Dade County pine is now protected and cannot be harvested. The half acre where the Andrews House sits is owned by 118 North Project LLC in South Miami, according to the Florida Division of Corporations. The registered agent, Manuel Mair, could not be reached for comment.

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Why saving the historic home is so important to residents

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Saving the structure drew support from city commissioners at a Dec. 3 meeting. Commissioners told staff to come back with ideas in January on the cost of moving the building, analyzing the building's structure and finding a new location for the home. "A lot of upkeep needs to be done to meet today's codes," said Boynton Beach Mayor Ty Penserga. Goodwill with residents — as important to developers as strong cement — will result if the home is preserved, said Victor Martel, a retired dentist in favor of preserving the building. "Saving the home will show that the developer cares about local residents. That's great public relations," said Martel. Several ideas from preservationists and city officials were floated at the Dec. 3 meeting. They include: • Using impact fees — one-time payments paid by developers to offset the impact of their project — rather than tax dollars to pay for moving and renovating the Andrews House. • Moving the building close to the nearby 1913-built Oscar Magnuson House at 111 East Ocean Ave. and renovating it to be a small business or museum.

 

Much like the Addison Mizner-designed Woman's Club on U.S. 1, the Andrews House could be a venue for community gatherings. • The developer could give the building to a person or entity that would pay the moving costs. The new owner would place the building at a new location. • Setting up a fund to collect contributions from the public to save the building. Moving the home would cost between $75,000 and $100,000, said Warnke, who called a company that moved buildings to Sundy Village in Delray Beach to get that estimate. "The Andrews House is more than just a building; it's a symbol of our city's roots and a bridge to the past," said Dr. Ginger Pedersen, a local historian. "Its loss represents a growing challenge in preserving the architectural and cultural identity of Boynton Beach."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Built in 1907 of dense Dade County pine, the two-story structure with exposed rafters has a wrap-around porch, armoires instead of closets and built-in steel rods to hold the building together during a hurricane.

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History of the Andrews Home dates back to post-Civil War days

 

The Andrews Home is named after Charles Lee and Katie Andrews. Charles served as a Confederate soldier, and after the Civil War married Katie, who was 42 years younger. Charles died in 1933, and Katie remained in the home. The frame vernacular home was built by pioneer dairyman Neil Kapp sometime between 1901 and 1907. Many frame homes were built in the early part of the 20th century, but hurricanes and fires destroyed quite a few, according to historian Janet DeVries Naughton. Katie Andrews collected Charles' Civil War pension until she died in 1973, making her the last Civil War pensioner in Palm Beach County, according to records from the Boynton Beach Historical Society.

 

The couple had two sons, George Gerritt and Charles Lee Jr., who built ran a grocery store in Boynton Beach. George and his wife, Edith, lived in the Andrews home until George died in 1980. Edith moved into a nearby apartment, and the home fell into disrepair. The deteriorating house was bought in 2000 by Boynton Beach resident and history buff Bob Katz. Katz earned millions from an investment he made in a platinum mine in Indonesia. Katz hired local historian Jim Warnke, Tom's father and former mayor of Boynton Beach, to do a major renovation of the home. Katz died in 2006. The home again fell into disrepair. The building has been vacant since then.

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The Andrews Home is named after Charles Lee and Katie Andrews. Charles served as a Confederate soldier, and after the Civil War married Katie, who was 42 years younger. THOMAS CORDY/THE PALM BEACH POST

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"Golf, beach, shopping — that's what people think now when they hear Boynton Beach. Saving the Andrews Home could start revival of our history." Steve Anton A neighbor of the Andrews Home who also alerted preservationists when he saw the excavator.

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The Andrews Home could ignite an economic engine in downtown Boynton Beach, said supporters. Pointing to the Sundy Village in Delray Beach, they said historic homes can make downtown a destination for retail, restaurants and visitors. "Golf, beach, shopping — that's what people think now when they hear Boynton Beach. Saving the Andrews House could start revival of our history," said Steve Anton, a neighbor of the Andrews Home who also alerted preservationists when he saw the excavator. To learn more about the effort to save the Andrews House, go to savehistoricandrewshouse.org

Staff Writer Holly Baltz contributed to this report.

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