Why is the Gadsden County Times half-painted?

In December, The Gadsden County Times announced its home at 9 West King Street was getting a fresh coat of paint and a new look.

The first floor was nearly completed in one day, but you may have noticed there hasn’t been much progress since.

While part of The Times ’ new building is red, the majority remains a pastel yellow.

Mark Pettus, publisher of The Times , purchased the building in July.

He said he called the City of Quincy Building and Planning Department September 24 to begin the process of getting approval to paint the historic building.

Pettus, who also publishes The Havana Herald and several other newspapers scattered throughout North Florida, said this isn’t his first time purchasing a building in a historic district, so he knew to contact the city before making renovations.

He recently renovated two historic storefront buildings in Havana’s Central Business District, which required him to apply for and receive a Certificate of Appropriateness prior to making changes; he completed the renovations on his Havana properties during the summer.

Pettus said he expected an extended application process and at least one hearing before the Quincy Historic Preservation Commission before he could begin repainting the building on West King Street.

Pettus adds, he also expected the City of Quincy to provide him with guidance on the process and any applications needed, so he called the city’s building and planning department to start the process.

Pettus said the planning department staffer he spoke to told him he would not need to apply for the Quincy Historic Preservation Commission’s approval if he painted the building one of a list of pre-approved paint colors.

A half-finished paint job on the Gadsden County Times office (located on West King Street) showcases the Benjamin Moore Heritage Red paint color on the lower half of the building, and the pastel yellow on the upper half. Painting has come to a halt on the building due to a Stop Work Order from Quincy code enforcement.

The department staffer then asked him what color he wanted to use.

When he told her he wanted to paint the building a shade of red popular on historic homes, he said she suggested “Benjamin Moore Heritage Red,” which she said was on the pre-approved list.

Pettus said he searched for the suggested color online while they were on the phone and found it was similar to the shade he wanted, so he told the planning department staffer he would use the pre-approved color.

He said he confirmed that nothing else was required before they ended the call.

Interim Building and Planning Director Charles Hayes said he and Joann Kimble are the only two people who work in the Building and Planning department, and neither told Pettus he could use that color.

“When you’re getting ready to paint there’s a historic chart of colors you can pick from,” Hayes said, adding that Bell and Bates Home Center has a section of historic paint colors that have been approved by the historic preservation commission. “That red is not on the chart at all.”

The Benjamin Moore website lists Heritage Red (HC-181) in its collection of historical colors, and Bell and Bates does offer paints from the Benjamin Moore Historical Color Collection in its stock of paints.

Additionally, the store has a Benjamin Moore color swatch fan deck that includes Heritage Red.

Painting on The Times building began Monday, December 14.

Late that afternoon, Pettus said he received a call from Joanne Kimble, who told him that he could not paint the building red.

When he told her that a woman in her department had told he could and had, in fact, given him the color he could use, he says she told him she would get in touch with the “young man” from the historic commission and let him know.

Pettus said he thought the matter had been handled and expected to hear confirmation the next day.

Instead, a stop work order from the City of Quincy’s Building and Planning Department was placed on the Times’ door the following morning.

Pettus said when he called Kimble she told him he would have to apply for a hearing with the Quincy Historic Preservation Commission.

He said she also told him she was the only woman in the department, but that she didn’t remember their earlier phone call regarding the pre-approved colors.

After submitting an application and supporting documents, Pettus received an email from Kimble acknowledging she had received them, and that Pettus would receive the date and time of the hearing once it was scheduled.

In that email, Kimble copied Joseph “Joe” Munroe, who serves on the preservation commission.

The commission was established as a historic preservation board after the City of Quincy was designated a certified local government under the National Historic Preservation Act Amendments of 1980, according to the Certified Local Governments webpage on MyFlorida.com

The designation “makes historic preservation a public policy” according to the program’s webpage on MyFlorida.com

Munroe said painting The Times building red jeopardizes the commission’s status as a Certified Local Government, and its ability to apply for grants.

“It also sets precedence,” Munroe said. “Once somebody does it, why can’t everybody do it?”

Dosomethingoriginal .com - the official Gadsden County’s website - says the block where The Times building is located, at the southwest corner of King Street and North Adams, is named “The Gathering.”

William and Linda Ventry purchased the property in 1998 and relocated three circa 1900s houses from other areas of town then renovated and painted the buildings pastel colors, in the Coastal Victorian Style.

“Quincy Historic Preservation Commission is committed to preserving the architectural integrity of the historic district, and that includes paint,” Munroe said.

He acknowledged that people are entitled to renovate their properties, but the commission tries to guide them to make choices that are compatible.

Munroe said all visible changes must go through the historic preservation commission.

Munroe said while he does have his opinion, he is just one individual, and the final decision will be made by the majority of the commission.

“No one wants to make their life difficult,” Munroe said. “Hopefully now The Gadsden County Times understands why the Quincy Historic Preservation Commission has those rules in place.”

Hayes said he recommends that anyone wanting to paint a building in the historic district contact the building and planning department first so a hearing with the historic preservation commission can be set.

Pettus said he understands and supports the goal of historic preservation and his goal from the beginning was to work within the city’s guidelines.

“That’s why I reached out to the city before we even started,” Pettus said, adding that he’d never heard of Benjamin Moore Heritage Red before calling the Quincy planning office, but that he loves the color and how it looks on The Times building.

“It’s historically appropriate for the building, which was constructed in 1902 and painted yellow in 1998,” Pettus added. “And color coordinated neighborhoods is a modern idea. In the Victorian and Edwardian eras they were eclectic, with as many as 10 colors on one house.”

Hayes said he recommends that anyone wanting to paint a building in the historic district contact the building and planning department first so a hearing with the historic preservation commission can be set.

Erin Hill - erin@gadsdencountytimes.com

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