The aging auditorium adjacent to Fort Walton Beach City Hall faces an uncertain future after a building inspection revealed numerous code violations, prompting city officials to implement emergency safety measures while the broader question of what to do with the city’s deteriorating municipal campus remains unresolved.
- City Manager Jason Davis said the auditorium’s issues came to light after representatives from Stage Crafters Community Theatre met with the city to discuss a balance owed tied to the group’s use of the facility.
The balance stems from a 2022 arrangement in which the city sold Stage Crafters a 0.77-acre city-owned property at 40 Robinwood Drive S.W. for $165,400. The parcel is home to a warehouse the theatre group built in 1974 and uses daily. Stage Crafters had been leasing the land from the city, but when the City Council directed staff to collect market-value rents on all city rental properties, the group sought to purchase it outright.
As part of the sale, which the council approved through Ordinance in February 2023, Stage Crafters agreed to perform an estimated $35,600 to $40,400 in improvements to the city-owned Civic Auditorium over several years — a schedule that included items such as dressing room upgrades, new flooring, pressure washing, conduit runs for loose wiring in the auditorium, and more.
It was during a recent meeting to discuss that arrangement that Davis said Stage Crafters representatives raised red flags by describing life safety systems — including smoke evacuation and voice evacuation systems — that had been removed or were no longer functioning properly.
- “At that point, I told the team we would need an assessment of the facility so we could make a responsible decision as to how we could best move forward,” Davis said.
A subsequent inspection by the city’s building official, fire inspector and facilities team uncovered extensive problems resulting from “years of unpermitted work.” Among the findings: extension cords spliced into outlets, improperly run wiring in plenum spaces, and walls added without permits. The building is not fully sprinklered, lacks smoke detectors, and has only two heat detectors — both more than 20 years old and never tested or replaced per manufacturer recommendations. Proper egress signage was also missing.
Davis said any single one of those violations would be enough to shut down the facility. However, the city chose to work with Stage Crafters, who had already sold tickets for this year’s performances.
To mitigate the immediate risks, city crews installed battery-operated smoke detectors, added proper exit signage and corrected the improper electrical wiring. The city also now requires users of the facility to employ three dedicated fire watch staff when the building is occupied — one stationed at a pull station to contact the fire department, and two to patrol the facility. All three are responsible for leading an evacuation if necessary.
- Users must also read a prepared script before each show detailing exit strategies and sign off on fire watch paperwork. Smoke machines and dry ice are prohibited.
Davis emphasized those measures are a temporary compromise for this season only.
“That was the compromise for this year but is not a strategy to be used beyond this year,” Davis said. “There is still a great deal of liability with this approach, so we need to think big picture as stewards of the city.”
Davis said he has informed Stage Crafters the current arrangement will not continue past this year so the group can plan accordingly. He noted the building is well past its useful life, and any modifications to bring the safety systems up to code would trigger a full remodel to meet current building standards — a cost he said is not economically feasible.
“It is cheaper to build new at this point of degradation,” Davis said.
He added that a possible temporary path forward for next year could involve drastically reducing the building’s occupancy, though he questioned whether that would be financially viable for Stage Crafters to operate under.
Addressing rumors, and a longer history
Davis also addressed social media rumors about the site’s future, saying no discussion has taken place among the City Council about building a hotel on the property.
The question of what to do with the city’s aging municipal complex is not new.
In 2016, the city issued a request for proposals for architectural and construction management services for the renovation or replacement of city facilities. That process, which included assessments by Ajax Building Corporation and Sam Marshall Architects, concluded that the existing city hall buildings were in poor condition, with issues including water intrusion, structural deterioration and a flood hazard designation that would trigger full code compliance for any significant renovation.
In October 2022, the City Council held a special meeting to discuss moving forward with the design of a new City Hall Complex, with options that included a roughly $16.4 million city hall and a $15.6 million auditorium. Three potential sites were evaluated: the existing property at 107 Miracle Strip Parkway S.W., Chester Pruitt Park off Hollywood Boulevard, and the Okaloosa County School District Administrative Complex property on Lowery Place. The latter is now set to be an apartment complex.
By August 2023, under then-City Manager Jeff Peters, the council discussed scaled-back options including leasing the United Fidelity Bank building or constructing a smaller facility at the current site for an estimated $12–13 million. During that discussion, then-Councilman Nic Allegretto asked about lease terms with the Liza Jackson Land Trust, which specifies having an auditorium on site. Peters confirmed that maintaining the auditorium would satisfy that requirement.
Davis said the current auditorium site would be the most practical location for a long-overdue new city hall, citing continuity of operations, and that he has briefed the council on the status of the site. Should the council eventually approve new construction, the future of the auditorium would be part of that decision.
Davis acknowledged the importance of the performing arts to the community.
“We have a lot of parks for kids that like sports,” Davis said. “Kids that do not like sporting activities tend to gravitate towards performing arts, so this is their outlet.”
He estimated that new construction could cost roughly $16 million for a 20,000-square-foot auditorium, based on his most recent capital project costs of approximately $800 per square foot.
Davis also noted that if the council moves forward with a new auditorium, it would be operated like any other such facility, with exclusive contracts for food and beverage, audio-visual services and other functions, with the city serving as contract administrator.
One Response
$800/ square ft? City needs to assess what a “fair” price is for construction. That is almost 3 times what it costs to build a residence. I’ve always questioned the prices City pays for infrastructures. At any rate do what ever it takes to keep Stage Crafters in Fort Walton Beach. It is the oldest continuously ran community theatre in the state of Florida!!!!