Construction on the roof of the Wilson Center in St. Johns is set to begin this week after years of delays that have left some community members concerned about the project's future.
- The Wilson Center project aims to bring new apartments and community spaces to St. Johns.
- Construction on the roof is scheduled to begin this week after lengthy behind-the-scenes work.
- Historic tax credit approval has been delayed by the ongoing federal government shutdown.
WATCH: St. Johns Wilson Center project finally set to show visible progress
The Wilson Center in St. Johns has been a topic of conversation among neighbors as the redevelopment project has faced multiple delays since 2022.
Beth Webb, who helped start a theater production company in the building in 2006, expressed frustration about the current state of the project.
"It's just disheartening to those of us that really put our heart and soul into this," Webb said.
Webb hasn't been inside the building since December 2022, when the auditorium closed to the public after the discovery of asbestos.
"From what I've heard, and I had somebody who took pictures, it looks like a dump in there now," Webb said.
The Wilson Center project has been ongoing for years and promises to bring new apartments for residents along with community spaces. However, projected opening dates have been pushed back multiple times since 2022, causing some neighbors to lose faith in the development.
St. Johns City Manager Chad Gamble addressed these concerns, explaining that much of the work has been happening behind the scenes.
"The developer had to complete their design, which they started just over a year ago. It does take a long time for that design to be completed. So we've been doing a lot of work behind the scenes," Gamble said.
Gamble says the work is about to become visible to neighbors, with construction on the roof set to begin this week.
"You're seeing us pivot toward the parts of the renovation and construction that are actually seen by the people. And we are so very excited to start that part of the process that people can see and regain that confidence that yes, work has never stopped," Gamble said.
A significant factor in the delay has been waiting for historic tax credits to be granted to help preserve historic aspects of the building. This approval must come from the National Park Service and has been delayed by the ongoing federal government shutdown.
The city aims to begin construction on the community spaces in the building shortly after the holidays, while the apartments in the developer's portion of the building could take up to 18 months after construction starts.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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