The City of Sebastian will submit a grant application to the Florida Division of Historical Resources requesting $500,000 for restoration and upgrades to the Working Waterfront amenities. The application stipulates that the city will match the funds, bringing the total for the project to $1 million.
When asked whether the funds would cover repairs or restoration of the old Hurricane Harbor building at Fisherman’s Landing, leased by Crab E Bills, Mayor Ed Dodd expressed his hope that it would include the necessary engineering work for the deteriorating structure.
“The grant is to cover planning and, I hope, engineering work for the entire working waterfront. Although it is not specifically for the building, we hope to include it in the scope of work. I think it’s safe to say that if we get the grant, we will look at the entire working waterfront site,” Dodd told Sebastian Daily.
Crab E Bills is scheduled to vacate the building on June 1, allowing the city to decide its next steps. Regardless of the outcome, the property will remain dedicated to fishing due to the Stan Mayfield Grant that was used to acquire it.
Florida Division of Historical Resources Grant
The Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources offers state funds for historic preservation. This program supports significant local, regional, and statewide efforts to preserve important historic and archaeological resources. It also assists with major archaeological excavations, research projects, and the development and fabrication of museum exhibits to promote knowledge and appreciation of Florida’s history.
However, the program does not fund operational support for historic preservation organizations. Instead, it provides historic preservation grants on a competitive basis. The Legislature determines the annual appropriation for the program, and funding for all eligible applications is not guaranteed. Program policies and procedures are detailed in the Special Category Guidelines.
The Historic Preservation Grants Program uses an online grant system for application submissions. Applications from previous solicitation periods are available for viewing upon request.
Special Category grants offer up to $1,000,000 in assistance, with no minimum request amount. Applicant organizations are required to provide a 50% match unless otherwise specified in the Special Category Guidelines.
