Acquisition of the closed Gloria Dei Lutheran Church might be off the table for the city of Holmes Beach.
Real estate agent Taylor Rahdert emailed Holmes Beach director of development services Chad Minor June 25 to notify the municipality that the property owner, the Florida-Bahamas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, rejected the city’s $3 million proposal to purchase the church property.
“The Florida Bahamas Synod Council has reviewed the letter of intent regarding the purchase of Gloria Dei and property. The council has a fiduciary responsibility to sell the property based on the appraisal that represents the value at its best usage. The council is open to further negotiation based on the appraised value of $9.9 million,” Rahdert wrote.
The Gloria Dei congregation formed in 1959 and the roof has been an island landmark since it was built in 1964.
The church, 6608 Marina Drive, sustained damages last year from hurricanes Helene and Milton and permanently closed its doors following a final service Jan. 18.
Two companies hired by the city appraised the property and set values at $2,100,000-$2,770,000 based on current zoning.
On the other hand, the Florida-Bahamas Synod also had the property appraised and determined it to be worth $9.9 million based on highest and best use — if it were redeveloped.
City commissioners voted in May to authorize a $3 million offer to purchase the property but, now that the offer has been rejected, it’s unclear if there will be another.
Following Rahdert’s email, Mayor Judy Titsworth asked city clerk Stacey Johnston to share the communication with city commissioners.
“Unfortunately, I do not see a path forward on an acquisition at this time,” Titsworth wrote in her June 25 email to Johnston.
Rahdert, an agent with St. Petersburg-based Virtual Realty Inc., did not respond to a June 26 call from The Islander.