- March 6, 2025
County commissioners will decide on Monday whether to purchase a building in Bunnell that formerly housed the county’s hospital.
If approved, the building will sell for $1.23 million and will house the new headquarters for the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, which has indicated to county staff that it needs about 22,000 square feet to operate.
The old hospital, by contrast, is 66,000 square feet, allowing for the Sheriff’s Office to expand as the county’s population does while opening the possibility of putting the building to other uses. One option would be to make a space for the Flagler Free Clinic, which is facing economic hardship since its landlord began charging it rent in February.
If purchased, the old hospital would need some work: It was built in 1979 and has sat vacant for a decade, but County Administrator Craig Coffey performed an initial inspection of the property and found it to be in “fair condition,” according to a staff report.
In 2002, the county was considering purchasing the building as well, but ultimately decided against it. During that process, staff analyzed the building and discovered a structural joist issue and asbestos in several locations of the property.
The total project cost is estimated at $5 million after taking into account construction and design costs, site work, furnishings and other aspects.
County staff is recommending the County Commission move forward with the sale, which, if approved, would be contingent on a more thorough inspection of the property.
Alternative options for a new Sheriff's Office headquarters include moving it to the historic courthouse annex, a 36,000-square-foot property; using the old jail, an 18,000-square-foot property; or expanding its current space, although that would require a land purchase.
The County Commission will tour the old hospital at a workshop meeting at 11 a.m. Monday, during which public comment will be heard. The board will hold a special meeting immediately following the workshop to make its decision.
