Key West The Newspaper

Mayor Craig Cates on Tuesday cut the ribbon in the dedication ceremony for the Josephine Parker City Hall at Historic Glynn R. Archer School. The magnificent, newly restored historic school at 1300 White Street now houses City offices, providing efficient and easily-accessible customer service to the residents of the island. Generations of Conchs were educated and worked in this building, and will continue to utilize this landmark for generations to come.

“This is a wonderful moment in Key West history,” said Mayor Cates, noting that the new City Hall “was built by the citizens of Key West almost 100 years ago, and it has been restored for the citizens of Key West for at least the next 100 years.”

Mayor Cates noted that the project has been seven years in the making, resulting in “the voice of the people being heard.”

Members of the Monroe County School Board were on hand, including Board Chairman John Dick. Seven years ago many of the same people gathered on the same steps as the School Board handed the keys of the retired school over to the City.

“This was a mutual collaboration between City officials and school officials,” said Dick.
“This is a great example of how two government agencies can work together and come up with a solution that is beneficial to both entities and to the taxpayers.”

The large gathering spilled across White Street, and the crowd was filled with people who had been educated at the school, as well as many who taught or worked there. After the ribbon was cut, hundreds of residents toured the new facility, marveling at the work of Architect Bert Bender and Burke Construction.