The Amenity Authority Committee has agreed to pay roughly $350,000 for the old El Santiago Club building which is currently vacant.
The move was not without its detractors at Wednesday’s AAC meeting.
“I don’t think they have the interest of residents in mind,” said Elizabeth Scobell of the Village of Alhambra. “I would really appreciate this becoming a restaurant again.”
Village of Santiago resident Bob Zick said he would prefer to see “community spirit” put back in the building.
“It was a gathering place for people from at least three Villages,” Zick said. “We don’t have a gathering place right now.”
AAC members appeared to be leaning toward rolling the building into the El Santiago recreation complex.
AAC member Rich Lambrecht said he wasn’t sure exactly what the AAC would be getting into by purchasing the building.
“We don’t know if it’s full of mold or what condition it is in,” Lambrecht said.
District Administrator Janet Tutt said the contract for purchase would be taken up at the Village Center Community Development District board meeting set for July 18.
