Plantation OKs auditorium roof, but fears linger

The council approved a roof design for the auditorium one week after sending architect Edd Weiner back to the drawing board to address members' concerns about potential leaks.

The new roof, which will have two peaks 35 and 42 feet high, has fewer seams and a steeper incline to shed rain more quickly. Weiner will address the council again Wednesday with estimates on the new, costlier design.

``I think this roof line is going to marry with the community a lot more graciously than the other roof line,'' council member Rae Carole Armstrong said.

Council members hope to finalize the plans and seek construction bids in six to eight weeks.
Is it too big?

Although the roof problem was settled, concerns about the building's size remained. When Council President Ron Jacobs said, ``Some residents in [Plantation] Acres have commented the building is too big,'' he was met with a smattering of applause.

Council members tried to ease residents' fears about the 22,000-square-foot auditorium, to be built on the southwest corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Northwest 118th Avenue.

``Twenty-two thousand square feet is half an acre out of a 50-acre site. That is not a huge footprint,'' Armstrong said.
Benefactor threatens to move project

Tensions between council members and Max Schacknow, who is donating $500,000 toward construction of the 600-seat auditorium, were evident. Schacknow threatened to move his project if the council didn't speed up the building process.

``I've had nothing but heartache,'' Schacknow told the council. ``If this place is not finished by Nov. 30, then Coral Springs is going to be a half million dollars richer.''

Jacobs said, ``We cannot have the city go into a multimillion-dollar project and rush it because we're afraid of losing half a million dollars.''

Steve Eisenberg, chairman of the Plantation Acres Improvement District, warned the council not to be swayed by Schacknow's ultimatum.

``I don't know if you'll be able to exercise your best judgment with constant threats,'' he said. ``I'd hate to see the city stuck with a white elephant that we'll all have to pay for long after Mr. Schacknow moves on.''