Lake Wales City Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Lake Wales City Hall
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Location | Lake Wales, Florida |
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| Architectural style | Masonry Vernacular with Mediterranean Revival elements |
| MPS | Lake Wales MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 90001274 |
| Added to NRHP | August 31, 1990 |
The Lake Wales City Hall is a special old building in Lake Wales, Florida. You can find it at 152 East Central Avenue. This building is so important that it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on August 31, 1990. This list helps protect places that are important to American history.
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A New Life for an Old Building
In 2007, a college called Polk Community College started a big project. They began to fix up this historic building. The goal was to turn it into a modern learning center for students. This renovation cost about $3.6 million.
What's Inside the New Center?
When the work was finished in 2009, the building became a great place for learning. It now has a special Student Success Center with 50 seats. There is also a computer classroom with 30 seats. Plus, there are four general classrooms, each with 30 seats. One of these rooms can also be used by local community groups for meetings. At first, about 125 students used this new center.
Honoring a Helper
On May 14, 2007, they had a special event to start the renovation work. The college president, Eileen Holden, announced the new name for the building. It would be called the JD Alexander Center. This was to honor State Senator Alexander. He was very important in getting money for the project. This money came from a special fund for public education. The building is about 16,000-square-foot (1,500 m2) in size.
Working with the Community
Polk Community College also planned to work with others. They wanted to create a "Bridge to College" program with Lake Wales Charter High School. This program helps high school students get ready for college. The college also planned to partner with the Lake Wales Literacy Coalition. This group helps people learn to read and write better.
History of the City Hall
The building itself opened in 1927. It was built in a style called Mediterranean Revival. This style often uses arches, red tile roofs, and stucco walls. For many years, it served as the main office for the city of Lake Wales. This means it was the Lake Wales City Hall.
Changes Over Time
The city offices stayed there until 1998. That's when they moved to a new building. In 1970, a new part was added to the old City Hall. This new section even included a fire station.
Damage and Repair
In 2004, some strong hurricanes hit the area. The old City Hall was badly damaged by water and wind. The part that was added in 1970, which held the fire station, got the most damage. The next year, State Senator J D Alexander helped again. He found funds that allowed the city to give the historic building to Polk Community College. This made it possible for the college to use it as a learning center.
Keeping the Old Look
College officials said they would be careful when fixing the outside of the building. They wanted to keep its original look as much as possible. This included the windows, roof, and brick work. They wanted to honor the building's long history.
Renovation Progress
By the end of 2007, workers had finished taking apart the inside and outside of the building. This was part of getting it ready for the new construction. Polk Community College rented a store across from the future Alexander Center. In 2008, this store was used as an office for the construction team. It also served as a welcome center. People could visit during weekdays to get information about classes and how to sign up at Polk Community College.
