A historic moment took place Thursday morning off Enrique Drive, as a small crowd of people gathered to witness placement of the cupola from the original El Santiago Club Restaurant atop the new structure. The new construction, which will open later this year as El Santiago Recreation Center, will be much more spacious and provide multiple meeting and game rooms for local residents.
Deanna Linsenbach, who has lived in The Villages for 31 years, felt tears of nostalgia mixed with joy welling up as she watched the huge crane lift the cupola onto the new roof. Santiago Village neighbors Sally Chiles and Ann Blanchard were also glad they came out to see the cupola re-purposed.
“We had the first anniversary party for our Parrot Heads Club here at the original restaurant,” Blanchard, who lives on nearby Carolina Court, said.
The Parrot Heads organization mixes socializing at colorful parties with philanthropic endeavors.
“We all loved that restaurant and can’t believe it’s gone,” Sally Chiles added, “but this new building is going to be beautiful.”
Former Santiago Village resident, Norris Jergenson, who recently re-married and moved to the Village of Glenbrook, also loved the old El Santiago Club Restaurant.
“I’ve been drawn to coming out here and watching this from the beginning,” the retired logistical operations manager said, “because I enjoy seeing systems at work. I love construction, and am enjoying seeing this building going up. I have been taking ‘before’ pictures and will take more after it’s completed.”
Jergenson asked Ann Forrester, chairman of the Amenities Authority Committee, whether provision was being made for a small café.
“A lot of the people who golf here would like to have a small café for snacks and drinks we could go to after our games,” he said.
The AAC chair said the new center will include a large lanai area that would lend itself to that type of enterprise.
“And if someone comes forward to run it — it could certainly be done,” she added.
Onlookers reminisced about the one-pound hamburgers long-term residents used to share at the original restaurant. They served lots of crabmeat concoctions and other seafood dishes, liquid libations in large glasses and island music on the original lanai.
Recreation Department coordinator, Kurt Mancauskus, found the morning’s experience exciting.
“I just love my job with The Villages,” he said. “It’s just amazing what these construction guys are doing.”
Construction Superintendent Donny James of Mark Cook Builders, has supervised every step of the process — from the underground infrastructure and pouring of the foundation, to concrete block construction and the roof joists. The crews work mostly ten hour days, weather permitting, and are enthusiastic with the results as they progress .
Randy Wilkerson, construction manager with District Property Management, brought out floor plans for the new facility to show the Amenity Authority Committee members and CDD Supervisors. In addition to Forrester, Don Deakin, Nick Jones, John Wilcox, Ellen Cora and Bryan Lifsey were on hand. The new recreation center will provide area residents with a large new meeting place much closer to home.
