Santa Elena Foundation eyes old federal courthouse for exhibits, office
The Santa Elena Foundation wants to turn the old federal courthouse in Beaufort into a history museum and its headquarters.
Setting up shop in the historic courthouse at 1501 Bay St. will help jump-start the group's efforts to preserve the history of Santa Elena, a 16th century Spanish settlement in Port Royal, foundation director Andy Beall said.
In a 98-page proposal to Beaufort County, which owns the courthouse, the group laid out a plan that would station its offices and lecture space on the first floor and host traveling exhibits in the courtroom.
"If we're going to go out to major donors and start really raising funds, we need some demonstration of the fact that we're real and tangible," Beall said. "If we have the courthouse, it gives us credibility as an organization, and it shows us the county, Beaufort and Port Royal are behind us."
The foundation has entered the only bid since the county began seeking proposals in August, according to county administrator Gary Kubic.
The U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services System office will move from the courthouse to the Beaufort Police Department and Municipal Court building. The move was supposed to happen this summer, but construction of the new space is not finished, so the county has agreed to extend the office's lease for several more months, Kubic said.
County officials want the building to be available to the public, so Kubic decided to seek proposals. He also is considering moving some county offices to the building.
The foundation's proposal asks for use of the property for three years to host an interpretive center, historical exhibits and possibly an archaeological laboratory for Santa Elena artifacts. The group would pay no rent but eventually purchase the property at its appraised value, currently about $786,000.
The proposal also asks the county to help pay for $50,000 worth of interior improvements, Beall said.
Kubic said Wednesday county staff would discuss the proposal with County Council, which has final say.
Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling, who wrote a cover letter for the proposal, praised the idea. Keyserling said bringing exhibits to the courthouse would help enhance downtown tourism.
Beall said the foundation has received support in the past from County Council, which has contributed $100,000 in accommodations-tax revenue to the group.
Council Chairman Paul Sommerville said he likes the idea and will review it more thoroughly next week.
"I plan to support it generally, and we'll take a look at the specifics," Sommerville said. "It'll give (the courthouse) somebody to love it, to take care of it, to appreciate it, to share it. All the things I want to see for it."
Follow reporter Zach Murdock at twitter.com/IPBG_Zach.
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- Spanish count, descendent of Santa Elena founder joins foundation , July 30, 2014
- Santa Elena Foundation hires first director , July 14, 2014
- Federal probation office extending stay in historic Beaufort courthouse , July 11, 2014
This story was originally published October 16, 2014 at 7:37 PM with the headline "Santa Elena Foundation eyes old federal courthouse for exhibits, office."