People Are Asking

Residents and others spoke out about the March 17 Key Colony Beach Special Commission Meeting:

Questions about the Updated Conceptual City Hall Floorplan

To: Mayor Foster, Vice Mayor Raspe, Commissioners Colonell, Difransico, and Harding, City Administrator Bartus, and City Clerk Roussin

We have some serious questions for your special meeting to approve the updated conceptual city hall floorplan and the timeline for the next phase of design "schematics."

The drawings are so confusing that none of us can understand them.

Observations of the 3-17-25 conceptual city hall floorplan

People Are Asking several questions about this concept drawing:

In architectural floor plans, an arrow on stairs or a ramp points in the direction of the uppermost step.
The optical illusion of an endless or impossible staircase is commonly known as the "Penrose stairs or Penrose steps."

    Ground Floor
  • There are no stairs or ramp shown to the entrance veranda. Why does the entrance veranda appear to be at ground level? It appears to have doors to a ground level lobby, the 600 s.f. ground level gym, and the stairs leading to the second floor.
  • The 640 s.f. lobby on the first floor shows a ramp on the west and north sides of the elevator shaft. The arrow shows the ramp leads up to a landing with a doorway to the "main hallway" of the city hall offices. The arrow on the four stairs on the east side of the elevator shaft shows they also go up to that landing. The center of the lobby has a circular staircase leading to the second floor.
  • It appears that the central hallway, mechanical room(s), bathrooms, administrative offices, storage room, and conference room are all at the same elevated level. That level is reached by stairs or ramp going up from the lobby but there is neither stairway nor ramp back down to Marble Hall. Why does the "loop" formed by Marble Hall, the parking lot, the ramp or steps in the lobby, and the center hall appear to be a "Penrose stair," going around and around and getting nowhere?
  • It is likely that the conceptual drawing ignored architectural convention and that the lobby is elevated which means the ramp and stairs lead down to the administrative offices. If that is the case, why does the drawing ignore the need for a ramp and four or more steps from the parking lot up to the veranda?
    • This plan still makes people climb UP to the main entrance, lobby, and elevator, and then go DOWN to the dungeon to see city staff.
  • Why are the administrative offices are completely isolated from the public, reached only through a gatekeeper office with doors from the hallway and into the office area?
  • The conceptual drawing shows six offices and cubicals (sic) plus a reception desk. Are we planning to add staff?
  • If the administrative offices are at ground level, why is the only ground floor records storage room below Base Flood Elevation?
  • Why is there no locker or changing space in the non-ADA "gym" bathroom? And why not arrange the design so the gym shares bathrooms with Marble Hall and the administrative space?
  • Why does this concept show a "break room" in Marble Hall, not the kitchen?
  • Why is there a circular stairway? Circular stairs are lovely features but they take a lot of space, and are difficult to navigate with stretchers, equipment, or furniture.
    • Second Floor
  • Why does the second floor have a huge and mostly empty 640 s.f. lobby space?
  • The second floor Building Official office has space for two clerks plus a receptionist plus a drafting room and a necessary storage room. Are there plans to hire even more staff?
  • The second floor has a second reception area for the police department. Why does a city of 700 residents need two receptionists for the second floor?
  • Why are there additional mechanical and electrical rooms on the second floor?
  • Why don't the second floor bathrooms appear adequate as locker and changing space for our police officers?
    • Other Issues
  • Why don't the "design schematics" include value engineering?
  • 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.
  • With commercial construction costing some $500 per square foot in the Keys, why are we planning to spend nearly a million dollars for two lobbies and an exercise room?

Concept drawings are just that, ideas to be discussed between KCBers, the commissioners, and the architect. There will be many more questions as we examine the plans more closely.

We--KCBers and commissioners and architects together--need to think critically to make this project the best it can be.

Laurie Swanson
Key Colony Beach

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