Rededication for Vanderbilt-era Cape Haze pavilion

A $100,000 renovation of the Cape Haze Community Center is 90 percent complete, including indoor and outdoor upgrades.

The center, which sits just off the fountain entrance at the corner of Spyglass Alley and Spaniards Road, is part of a site developed by Alfred and William Vanderbilt beginning in 1955. The building’s prominent architectural feature is its exposed concrete joists, typical of post-World War II modernism, now dubbed the “mid-century modern” style.

Bob Howell of the Cape Haze Property Owners Association said upgrades include a new flat screen, trim, paint, electrical panel, new air conditioning, indoor and outdoor lights, fans, attic storage and a covered patio.

“It was about safety, security and being able to use it more,” Howell said.

This Friday night, Oct. 17, there will be a social at the center, but the association also is planning on a bigger opening event for its annual November meeting, he said. They are also looking into adding a covered outside bar area to the complex.

“The building is probably 70 years old,” Howell said. “We did a lot of work on the inside and outside.”

The Lemon Bay Conservancy uses the center for its presentations; additionally, the Property Owners Association this year raised $12,000 for Lemon Bay High School student scholarships, Howell added, underscoring the association’s work in the community.