No support to rebuild Southside Boat Club
Read more: Local, Community, Weather, Southside Boat Club, FEMA, Demolition
(Keokuk, Ia.) The 53 year old Southside Boat Club in Keokuk is being torn down.
The club could not get any support from FEMA after last summer's flooding and the city has turned down a request for a building permit.
Club President Kathy Farris was hoping to rebuild so it had a place to meet and bring in revenue to elevate the building above 100 year flood level.
But since the cost to rebuild would be more than 50-percent of the appraised value of the property the permit request was denied.
"I do feel there's a future for Southside Boat Club," said Farris. "I do feel that it's slow and that a lot of people don't understand taht everything you do takes so much time, but I do feel that there's a future."
Farris says funding for elevating and rebuilding the facility is the next big issue.
Some options for that are grants, private investment and checking with the city to see there would be any available funds.
"In my opinion I think we're going to start small," said Farris. "I think we're going to start with a restaurant and a lounge that is of workable size to overlook the river."
While the Durrant Group was putting together a master plan for the Keokuk Riverfront, it identified the Southside Boat Club as one of the top three priorities.
Farris said Keokuk Mayor Dave Gudgel is putting together a commission to make sure those priorities are completed.
She is also working with a design team from Durrant to come up with a three dimensional drawing of a new facility.
