People Are Asking

The "60% Drawings" of City Hall

Architect Brandan DeCaro's presented the 60% city hall drawings. The commission approved the "60% drawings."

Observations of the 4-28-25 city hall drawings

The three story "architectural feature" still appears to tower more than 21 feet over the existing city hall roof. The additional story is "empty space."

View the new plans here.

The new drawings have more information than the last set and there are a lot of details for bathroom clearances and door specs and the like. People Are Asking many of the same questions about this plan:

    Ground Floor
  • The gym is slightly biggified to 674 s.f.
  • The gym bathroom has grown to 82 s.f.
  • The lobby shrank a little to 711 s.f.
  • There are still seats for as many as three receptionists.
  • The Admin reception space is slightly larger (5%) than the city clerk's office.
  • There are no stairs or ramp shown to the entrance veranda. How are people supposed to climb up to the lobby, the 674 s.f., "fitness room," and the stairs leading to the second floor?
    • Why is there still a 711 s.f. entrance lobby to serve only the police department and building department if the admin area has its own ground level (ADA) entrance?
  • A still-unanswered question: Why are the administrative offices are completely isolated from the public, reached only through a gatekeeper office with a closed door from the hallway and a second closed door into the office area?
  • A still-unanswered question: Why does administrative office access through the lobby still require climbing four or more steps to the lobby elevation and then going down four or more stairs to the admin floor.
  • The floor plan still shows eight offices or workstations plus a reception desk. How much staff is our little city planning to add?
  • A still-unanswered question: Why is there no locker or changing space in the non-ADA fitness room bathroom? And why not arrange the design so the gym shares bathrooms with Marble Hall and the administrative space?
  • A still-unanswered question: Why is the only ground floor records storage room below Base Flood Elevation?
  • A still-unanswered question: Why does the new tower and addition (and the unshown ramp and stairs at the entry) usurp some of the crowded driveway?
  • Whether you call it a "tower" or not, there is still a real concern that changing the roofline that much is not harmonious in character and appearance with existing buildings in the neighborhood.

    • Second Floor
  • There are still two enclosed, office-sized reception rooms upstairs.
  • The building department shrank slightly to 494 s.f.
  • The police department space has been rearranged at 1,125 s.f.
  • There are still seats for seven police officers.
  • The second floor restrooms have grown slightly with lockers and changing space for eight police officers. Why are there still no showers?
  • A still-unanswered question: Why does the second floor have an open balcony overlooking the lobby? The open atrium design is pretty but a tremendous waste of space (and construction cost).
  • A still-unanswered question: Why are there additional mechanical and electrical rooms on the second floor but no janitor's closet?

    • Other Issues
  • A still-unanswered question: Whether you call it a "tower" or an "architectural element or feature of the proposed expansion, [that] does not have any correlation with the finish floor elevation," there is still a real concern that changing the roofline that much is not harmonious in character and appearance with existing buildings in the neighborhood.
  • A still-unanswered question: Why hasn't the commission insisted on value engineering?
  • A still-unanswered question: With commercial construction costing some $500 per square foot in the Keys why are we planning to spend nearly a million dollars for lobbies, an "open atrium" and a gym?

Click or tap here to email your questions and comments to the commissioners and city clerk to ask these and other questions about the plans.

More than ever, we--KCBers and commissioners and architects together--need to think critically to make this project the best it can be.

Read the Key Colony Beach Special City Commission Meeting Agenda Packet here.
See the 60% city hall plans here.
Compare the 30% floorplan with the 60% floorplan here.

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