Hermitage Artist Retreat estimates restoration costs at less than $500,000

As Sarasota County continues to wrestle with how to affect, and perhaps even expedite, hurricane damage restoration at the campus of The Hermitage Artist Retreat at Blind Pass Beach Park, both parties remain engaged on a parallel track on potentially conveying the county-owned site to the nonprofit organization.

Now a year since damage left behind by hurricanes Helene and Milton, and maybe at least another year before restoration efforts by the county can begin, The Hermitage paints a bleak picture of operations hampered by not being allowed to make repairs to multiple buildings, some carrying historic designation, unless permitted by the county.

Further complicating the matter are the bureaucratic machinations required for the county to have any hope of reimbursement from FEMA, which would disappear should it grant the organization’s request to repair the damage and bill the county for the approximately $500,000 cost, that estimate relayed by Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg.

All that and more was presented to the Sarasota County Commission at its Sept. 24 meeting. Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Director Nicole Rissler told commissioners her department and design-build contractor A² (pronounced A squared) Group are prioritizing the Hermitage restoration project. In order to be certain the work qualifies for not-yet-certain FEMA reimbursement — and that the work is compliant with state and local permitting, historical review approvals and the Manasota Key Conservation District — it will take about another year or longer for work to begin.

That, Sandberg told commissioners, is in violation of the terms of the lease between Hermitage and the county, which specifies in the event of a natural disaster that restorations be completed in “a reasonable time.” 

“We would argue that this being a year, and being told it will be potentially more than another year, is not reasonable,” Sandberg said. “The Hermitage board and staff made a proposal in the aftermath of the storms where we offered to take over the repairs. We presented bids. We presented proposals with the same contractor we are presenting now.”

That contractor is Bach Land Development of Tampa, which has completed other work on the campus over the past five years, according to Sandberg.

“They are highly professional. They know the property inside and out,” he said.

According to Sandberg, Bach estimates construction repairs at less than $400,000 and electrical repairs at less than $100,000. 

“My understanding of the proposal from A² as I read it, it says $603,000 to get to the stage where they're then talking about construction, actual costs and repairs,” Sandberg told commissioners at the meeting. Every day that goes by that we are not doing repairs is delaying our ability to move forward fully with our business.”

Sandberg was referencing a not-to-exceed design and pre-construction services agreement being drafted based on A² Group’s proposal of $606,070.

Although no action on Rissler’s report was scheduled — the Hermitage issue will again be placed on the their meeting agenda for Oct. 8 — commissioners chimed in with thoughts from both ends of the spectrum.

“It's pretty clear to me that the responsibility of the repairs is definitely in the hands of the county, and the ability to be able to do everything possible to get reimbursed by FEMA,” said Commissioner Teresa Mast, who added Hermitage, as a tenant, is a guest in a county-owned property “worth millions of dollars.” 

“I would say you need to help us to help you, and vice-versa,” she said. “I think what's so important is that we try and look at this from the perspective of what is in the best interest of the taxpayers who actually paid for this.”

Courtesy image

Commissioner Tom Knight noted Hermitage has retained attorney Steven Solowsky of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, and that he and the County Attorney’s Office should work together to craft a solution for consideration. 

“What I'm reading is they want to be a force multiplier and be helpful to us,” Knight said. “We're a governmental body. It's not as easy (for government) as private industry to do that. Certainly there are laws out there I’ve got to believe makes it not as easy to put a line in a contract and say, 'Give us your resources and we’ll go ahead and use your resources to speed this up.'”

Prior to the Sept. 8 meeting, County Administrator Johnathan Lewis suggested commissioners consider whether to they are willing to risk uncertain FEMA reimbursement and allow Hermitage to spearhead repairs with its contractor, reimburse it for the cost and forgo any chance of restitution.

Meanwhile, talks between the two sides regarding conveyance of the property and turning over all future maintenance and repair obligations to Hermitage will continue.