Gulf Shores Municipal office buy OK'd

Originally published by the Mobile Press Register

City Council approves $1.26 million purchase of Clubhouse Drive buildings

Wednesday, September 12, 2007
By RYAN DEZEMBERStaff Reporter

GULF SHORES -- The City Council has likely solved City Hall's overcrowding issues by approving a $1.26 million purchase of two buildings on Clubhouse Drive in which to expand municipal offices.

The property, now called 200 Clubhouse Drive, features a pair of two-story commercial buildings that were built in 1999 and 2000, according to tax records. The property is owned by The Erie Hall Meyer Charitable Fund Inc.
Neil Johnston, the fund's Mobile lawyer, declined to comment on the transaction.

Mayor G.W. "Billy" Duke III said that soon after the deal closes the Community Development Department -- which reviews development plans, enforces zoning laws and issues building permits -- will move into the second floor of the western building, space which formerly housed the Baldwin County District Attorney's Office.

"Other than that, we've not got any definite plans," Duke said. "Right now we're looking at all types of configurations as far as what needs to go where.

"We're not in a big hurry to do that because just moving (Community Development) over there will alleviate a lot of space problems (at City Hall)."

City Hall has grown so cramped over the past few years that municipal officials last year had to lease a $400-a-month trailer to house the Municipal Court magistrate's office on a patch of lawn next to the Police Department.

City officials said that between the two new buildings, Gulf Shores will be gaining about 12,000 square feet of space. Duke said city officials have no plans to lease any of the space.

Half of the western building's first floor currently houses the offices of Harris Construction and Development, which is run by Councilman Philip Harris. Duke said that Harris has an arrangement with the charitable fund that will allow him to stay in the offices for about another six months before vacating the property.

Harris, who helped construct the buildings, abstained from voting on the purchase Monday, Duke said. Otherwise, the vote was unanimous.

Besides Harris, only one tenant, The Undertow, remains in the buildings. The bar's lease ends later this month, Duke said.

"Hopefully we'll close by the end of this month," the mayor said. "The appraisals on that property, both of them were in excess of $3 million, so basically they're giving us a gift of $2 million plus."

Erie Hall Meyer and her husband, George C. Meyer, are largely credited with founding Gulf Shores. When he died in 1959, she took over his real estate business and continued to work toward their vision of turning Gulf Shores into a family friendly resort, donating millions of dollars worth of property to the public and supporting charitable endeavors along the way.
Erie Hall Meyer died in 2001 at the age of 93.

The Erie Hall Meyer Charitable Fund's federal tax filings for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2006, list assets of about $20.8 million. According to the tax forms, the fund is aimed at giving to charitable organizations of south Baldwin County and is largely funded by the assets of her estate.