Local

Lincolnville’s Fountain of Youth Elks Lodge receives grant for renovations

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Lincolnville’s Fountain of Youth Elks Lodge 684, located at 100 Washington Street, receives $891,932 for major repairs and renovations.

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The City of St. Augustine Community Redevelopment Agency received the monies from the Florida African American Cultural and Historical Grants program to fund Lincolnville’s Community Redevelopment Area Institutional Rehabilitation Grant Program. Thanks to the government funding, Jamie Perkins with the city of St. Augustine said major renovations will be made to the building.

“The 891,000 plus dollar grant was a grant that I applied back in November of 2021. The funds were from the state of Florida,” says Perkins.

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According to the City’s news release, the grant opportunity was presented by The Florida State Department with funding provided by the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds for construction projects at Florida facilities that highlight the contributions, culture and history of African Americans. Organizations could request up to $500,000 or up to $1,000,000 with 50% matching funds from other sources.

The Elks lodge has a lot of history behind it. Action News Jax spoke with Ben Stevenson, a current member of the lodge. He says the money will help restore the building, but this process will take time.

“This lodge has deteriorated over the years due to the floods in 16 and 17,” said Stevenson.

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Stevenson adds they must tackle roof repairs first, and that process will not be overnight.

“So now this will give us an opportunity to renovate it and get it up to code,” says Stevenson.

The lodge was built in the late 1940s. Perkins described the building as ground zero for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. King, Dr. Robert B. Hayling and the Freedom Riders used the building to prepare for their marches and rallies. The Lodge was also used as a meeting place for national and local media, “regarding the efforts of the 1964 Civil Rights Movement.”

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Perkins said the building has been open for small events for members only due to the building’s state of disrepair. Because of damages sustained from hurricanes Matthew and Irma, members were not comfortable hosting community events.

According to Perkins, the project should be completed within 18 months, although the state’s grant guidelines allow for two years.