13-04-2025
‘It's a part of Florida': County leaders set to decide the fate of historic Magic Beach Motel
County leaders at the Cultural Resources Review Board will lead a meeting deciding the fate of the Magic Beach Motel, a place that residents call a local piece of Vilano Beach history.
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Built in 1951, the Magic Beach Motel -and its iconic flamingos- have stood the test of time in Vilano Beach for the local community.
'It's a part of Florida that brought all the tourism here to begin within the '50s and '60s', says John Mock, a resident of Vilano Beach.
However, despite lasting this long, the property's new prospective owners are asking that the site be torn down, filing a demolition permit within St. Johns County.
An excerpt from the Cultural Resource Management cites 'rising insurance and financing costs', as well as 'prone to flooding in extreme conditions such as hurricanes' as the main reason for the proposed plans.
Some residents like Mike Milillo, a 40-year resident of Vilano Beach, say that while the Magic Beach Motel is historic, it shouldn't stand in the way of something new replacing it. However, many residents disagree.
'It would be horrible if they knock this down. This is just a piece of history here' says Laura Mock, resident of Vilano Beach.
Residents like Mock are calling on like-minded neighbors to make their concerns known at tomorrow's meeting.
'I think everybody needs to take time to go and show up so that we can keep this beautiful piece of history right where it is,' says Mock
The meeting is planned to start at 1:30 pm at the St. Johns County Building Department.
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