Deltona Mayor Dennis Mulder has resurrected talk of preserving the historic Thornby property by revealing a new vision for the lakefront land.
The vision includes rebuilding a historic mansion that burned down in 2003. It also calls for two new buildings — a banquet hall and a new home for the Deltona Arts & Historical Center. And it includes an outdoor stage.
But both supporters and critics of the mayor’s idea are questioning the feasibility of such a vision given the financial obstacles and continued debate about property targeted for growth.
The vision, which comes with few details other than conceptual renderings, intrigued City Commissioner Janet Deyette.
“I would like to see the Thornby mansion redone . . . and the Arts & Historical Center is a good idea,” Deyette said. “What I’m not sure of is how many buildings we could put there.”
Costs also concern City Commissioner David Santiago.
“The problem is his vision is a pretty vision but it costs money . . . I’m not prepared to spend any city funds on this property until we prioritize our projects properly,” Santiago said.
The city, in fact, has pledged no money to buy the property, even though commissioners applied for a grant to help fund the purchase of the land.
The state’s Florida Communities Trust rejected that $5 million application, and the lack of city money was considered one reason.
Still, supporters of preserving the Thornby property are hoping the county can help.
Last month, the county’s land-preservation program, Volusia Forever, voted to put Thornby on its “A” list of projects, meaning it should get priority for acquisition. Today that recommendation goes to the County Council, which must give it final approval.
Getting that money could help the city if it reapplies for the FCT grant next year.
“The FCT grant was very tentative and it was no surprise that it failed because we weren’t offering to be a match,” said Larry French, a resident who sits on the city’s parks and recreation advisory board.
French, who also favors preserving Thornby, said that the city could find enough money if it wanted to.
“We built a multimillion-dollar soccer complex in the center of the city and nothing stopped us, so why can’t we use all these resources to buy a measly 42 acres for preservation?” he said.
Thornby, which fronts Lake Monroe, has been at the center of a battle between Deltona and preservationists for years. In 2001, the city annexed the land. And last year, the city approved changes to allow more than 200 homes. But an independent agency rejected the changes.
An attorney for the owners couldn’t be reached Wednesday. The owners have said they would sell for $6.8 million.
Those who want to preserve the property say it has historical significance and environmental value, and would be an asset to Deltona. Some say it may have had a fort during the Second Seminole War. The property also features green space and provides a home for eagles.
Mulder first revealed his vision during a City Commission retreat last month. He brought it up again at his monthly meeting with residents last week.
Mulder could not be reached for comment Wednesday. It is unknown how much the buildings and other amenities would cost.
Rebuilding the mansion, French said, “would be a definite plus, but things like sticking another building there could be a real gray area because of its size and impact.”
City officials say they would like to get citizen input before pursuing any plan, and some residents remain concerned about Thornby’s costs.
“The City Commission voted twice not to spend money on Thornby, and I think they should be held to that,” said longtime resident Barbara Willey, who sits on the city’s beautification committee.
Willey said most Deltona residents don’t even know what Thornby is.
But activists who have been fighting the city for years to preserve Thornby say some officials and residents fail to see the significance of the property.
“If they don’t understand what it is, they won’t want to support it, but if they understand, then I think they would,” said Sandy Walters, an environmentalist. “If they knew what their city was sitting on and what a special place it is, they’d be proud to have it.”
