From the Year:
1978
Dear Palm Coaster: If a history book were published about Palm Coast and its people, an exciting and fulfilling chapter
would be written about the year 1978.
Firm roots were planted by ITT Community Development Corporation ( ICDC) as the headquarters building opened, fulfilling
a commitment to consolildate offices from New York, Miami and Palm Coast. The facility and personnel presence in Palm Coast
highlight the p0int that ICDC continued taking direct involvement in Palm Coast in developing a planned and controlled community
where families can live, work and play.
Now in the final stages is another key development. The Palm Coast Shopping Center with Publix and Eckerds will offer
one stop shppping facilities in fashionable and attractive surroundings.
We are happy that golf sensation Nancy Lopez has chosen Palm Coast as here official place of residence, and is the touring
pro for Palm Coast Golf Club. As we approach the 3,000 population mark in this water-oriented community, we have become the
"home-Port" for Nancy's Navy.
Arnie's Army likewise had an enthusiastic showing here as Arnold Palmer played our golf course after signing a contract
to design Palm Coast's second golf course which will be completed by December 32, 1980.
A further expansion was made in our tennis activities with the opening of six lighted cushionized tennis courts.
The Palm Coast Community YMCA has soared with interest and participation. Memberships and individual donations have assisted
the programs and activities conducted for youngsters and adults living throughout the county.
Houses of worship likewise have made significant and lasting strides in the community. Services are being held in the
St. Mark by the Sea Lutheran Chuirch and the First Baptist Church of Palm Coast. Clergy and parishioners of Mother Seton Catholic
Church broke ground in September for a church on the newly opened Belle Terre Parkway. The new church will be completed in
April or early May.
In providing support services to the growing community, expansions are being made on the wastewater treatment plant which
will be completed in February and the water treatment plant to be completed this spring.
Palm Coast Utility Corporation has relocated from a model home near the Welcome Center into new offices off of Old King's
Road. New rates, fees and charges were placed in effect on January 1, 1979. These adjustments represent the first overall
revision of rates by the Utility since 1971. Due to inflation and increased construction costs, the contribution-in-aid -construction
for water has been established in the amount of $640. or $810 depending on Section. The water tap, meter installation and
connection fees will range between $255. and $320. For new homesite purchasers who do not connect to the system, there will
be an assessed availability fee of $4.00 per month for both water and sewer service.
In the area of residential lot improvement, all improvements including central sewer failities scheduled to be completed
by the end of the year, were completed on time.
A second fire truck was loaned by ICDC to the Palm Coast Fire District and the volunteer Fire Department.
Our own Palm Coast Construction Company has entered the residential market and is adding final touches to prototype models.
The Sheraton Palm Coast Resort Inn received awards of excellence at the Sheraton World Conference held in Boston in September.
Headlining the Spring Festival was Archie Campbell, of television's Hee Haw fame. This six-day celebration was
highlighted with and international bathtub boat race, the Italian American Festa, a four-mile foot race, band concerts, fireworks,
tennis and golf tournaments.
The year was not all fun and games. Research and hours of hard work were poured into a four-year effort as the Comprehensive
Land Use Plan (CLUP) was completed. Working directly with state planning agencies and receiving valuable input from outside
consultants, the ICDD planning staff has readied a plan which provides a working framework describing the locations of future
residential units, parts, roads, recreational areas, industrial property and commercial stores.
This year as Palm Coast continues to grow and develop, we at ICDD look forward to the many new and exciting events which
will take place. Personally, I am very enthused about the future and hope our residents and future residents share this enthusiasm
about our community. Sincerely, Alan Smolen
Alan Smolen President AS/agk
The above from: ITT Community Development Corporation, Exective Offices, Palm Coast, Florida 32051
Telephone (904)445-2628.
From the Year:
1979:
Dear Palm Coaster, It seems every year gets better at Palm Coast and 1979 was a year of solid accomplishment. A brief
look at the year in retrospect will explain why I feel that way. Early last year Palm Coast Shopping Center saw five businesses
open and in April, Publix Supermarket held its grand opening. Today there are 17 tenants in the shopping center, with more
on the way. The East Flagler Service District was activated in April. This was a giant step towards Palm Coast having one
uniform governmental entity. The Palm Coast Industrial Park gained a new tenant with the decision by the Wittemann Company
of Buffalo, New York, to relocate here. We also began construction of a 25,000 square foot building shell, which we will finish
to suit a tenant, and thus provide a competitive delivery date for new industry. A new ITT subsidiary ITT Transportation
Distribution Service Center, established its headquarters in Palm Coast. Another busy element was the religious sector
of Palm Coast. The Mother Seton Catholic Church was dedicated in May. Temple Beth Shalom is under construction and the United
Presbyterians and United Methodists are both planning to build houses of worship. The 200 member Italian American Club
held its annual Festa in the Spring, and the club purchased an acre of land where the clubhouse will eventually be built. The
amenities in Palm Coast continue to expand with the new Swim and Racquest Club completed in December 1979, the expansion of
the Marina facilities nearing completion , and our second 18 hole golf course, which was designed by Armond Palmer and Ed
Seay, is under construction and due for completion by the end of December 1980. Sepaking of golf, Nancy Lopez has continued
to represent Palm Coast well by leading the LPGA in wins. Nancy will also purchase one of the new Fairways Condominiums nearing
completion , along the 17th Fairway. The capacities of the water treatment plant and the wastewater treatment plant were
expanded last year. The water plant tripled its capacity and the wastewater plant doubled its capacity. Not only de we have
good water in Palm Coast, but the water service we provide had a direct bearing on the reduction of fire insurance rates for
residents of the Palm Coast Fire District - a savings for everyone in the District. Another highlight last year was the
opening of Daytona Beach Community College Flagler Center in the Palm Coast Shopping Center. With nearly 400 students from
all parts of the Country, the center has already outgrown its facilities and may soon be expanding to a second building in
the shopping center. Continuing in education, ICDC again last year awarded a 1,000 scholarship to a Flagler Palm Coast
High School graduating senior. A middle school has been recommended by the State, and ICDC has donated 20 acres of land
to the School Board for the school site with an option to purchase an additional 10 acres if needed. Our postal service
grew again last year. The new Palm Coast Post Office opened in March and began home delivery service in November. Construction
of new homes was brisk last year, nearing the 300 mark. Our new model home center opened in the Woodlands featuring homes
by Palm Coast Construction Company, Brattlof Construction Company and Red Carpet Development. The models are open in our
new 200 unit condominium being constructed along the 16th and 17th golf course fairways, and units are available for sale
in the states where we are registered. After many months of planning the I-95 interchange moved closer to reality. Constuction
should begin by early 1980. Tournaments were much in evidence last year. First, The Nancy Lopez Pro-Am was held in February,
followed by the Florida PGA Tournament of Champions . In June, The Colgate/PalmCoast World Mixed Team Championship was won
be Lee Trevino and Nancy Lopez. The Michelob Light/Palm Coast Pro-Am Tennis Championships were played at our tennis complex.
Out Touring pro Tom Gullikson, who is building a new home in Palm Coast played an exciting exhibition match with another outstanding
pro Marty Riesssen. Approximately 6,000 homesites were completed by the end of 1979. In addition to all committed improvements,
these homesites have central sewer facilities. All in all, it was a tremendous year in PalmCoast, and we look forward to
1980 and the beginning of Palm Coast's second 10 years, Sincerely, Alan Smolen President EXEC1/B
The above from: ITT Community Development Corporation, Exective Offices, Palm Coast, Florida 32051
Telephone (904)445-2628
From the Year:
1980
Dear Palm Coaster The year 1980 was an important milestone year for Palm Coast as several major projects were
finished and others were speeding toward completion.
Perhaps the most enthusiasm has been generated by the I-95 interchange
which is soon to be completed at St. Joe Grade Road. The 3.6 million interchange will mean less travel time, reduced
transportation costs and the ability for quicker response to emergency services for Palm Coast residents.
Palm
Coast development - both residential and commercial- experienced a rapid growth during the year. In spite of a national
downward trend, housing starts in Palm Coast continued to show significan increases, up 12 % from 1979.
Palm
Coast housing took new directions in 1980, as construction began on a number of new model homes. included are luxury homes
now under construction near the Pine Lakes Golf Course, waterway homes across from the Welcome Center, and moderate
priced homes off of Belle Terre Parkway North. A total of 16 new model shelter units are planned to be opened at various
times during 1981.
Contributing significantly to the 1980 total of over 400 housing starts is the accelerated
condominium activity. Three additional phases ( 76) units which are scheduled for completion within the next four months,
will bring the Fariways condominium complex to a total of 200 units.
The highlight of commercial activity was the
grand opening of The Witteman Company headquarters. Formerly based in Buffalo, New York, Wittemann moved into their
new 1.25 million Palm Coast facility in July, opening 70 jobs for the local workforce.
The response to the newly
completed Professional Office Building, which is already 75 percent leased, ws so favorable that plans now are being made
for additional professional office space construction.
Palm Coast amenities also were in the forefront of the communitys
growth during the past year. The Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club had its grand opeing last Spring, and now hosts
many swim meets throughout the year.
The Palm Coast Marina, one of the finest docking facilities on the Southeast Coast,
was officially christened last Spring. The Beautiful new Pine Lakes Country Club golf course, designed by Arnold Palmer
and Ed Seay. held its grand opeing in December, and is in excellent playing shape. Final plans were approved in late
1980 for the new Bowling Center. This facility, to be located on Old Kings' Road, just west of the shopping center, is
scheduled for completion during the summer of 1981.
For Palm Coast clubs and organizationa, 1980 was the busiest
year I can remember. The Internation Festival, Italian American Fests, Mother Seton Church's annual Oktoberfest, Palm
Coast Vicic Associationa July 4th and Labor Day celebrations and concerts of classical and jazz music were tremendous
successes.
The Flagler Palm Coast Kiwanis Club brought the Circus to town in April, the Flagler County Friends
of the Library opened a library in the Shopping Center, The Italian American Club began construction of their new club
facility, and the Palm Coast YMCA sponsosred a regional swim meets, soccer, and volley ball leagues, parades, dances
and parties.
The relilgious sector of Palm Coast continued to expand in 1980. First services were held in March
at the New Temple Beth Shalom on Wellington Drive, and the Presbyterian Church of Palm Coast broke ground for a worship
facility of their own on Florida Park Drive.
As of July, 1980, the Florida Legislature placed Palm Coast Utility
Corporation under the jurisdiction fo the PSC. Under this new arrangement, the Utility has sought and may periodically
seek new water and sewer rates, fees and charges from the Public Service Commission, Tallahassee, Florida 32304. where
current and pending rates are available.
Further steps for expanded educational facilities in Flagler County were bgun
in 1980. a 6 Million school bond isssue received voter approval in September, giving the Flagler County School District
the go ahead for construction of a middle school in Palm Coast. The site consists of 30 acres of land, 20 or which
were donated by ICDC.
Agreements were finalized between ICDC and Daytona Beach Community College for an ICDC donation
of 100 acres to be used in the future as a Flagler County branch campus.
Palm Coast's growth also was evident in
the living rooms of our residents. Palm Cable, Inc., continued its expansion program making cable TV service available
to more than 1,000 homes in Palm Coast. Home Box Office HBO and Cinemax are now available to cable TV subscribers. In
addition, installation of a new satellite receiving station in September made possible the TV reception of the Superstation
Atlanta's Channel 17.
Im certain that when the history of Palm Coast is penned sometime in the distant future,
the year that began the Community's second decade 1980 will warrant two chapters instead of one. It has been a year
of outstanding accomplishment in Palm Coast; one in which we can all take pride, an I look forward to even greater
growth and progress in the years ahead. Sincerely Alan Smolen.
The above from: ITT Community Development Corporation, Exective Offices, Palm Coast, Florida 32051
Telephone (904)445-2628
From the Year:
1981
Dear Palm Coaster:
For Palm Coast, 1981 was a very busy year; a year of important and wide ranging achievements, and a year of positive
progress. Her's a briefs look at the highlights:
The 3.6 million Palm Coast Parkway/I-95 interchange - funded more than 95 percent by ITT Community Developoment Corporation
(ICDC) was christened in May by Florida Lt. Governor Wayne Mixson, who called the project a "artenership between private industry
and government." ICDC planners perdict the interchange will create many opportunities for commercial and industrial growth
in the community.
With this in mind, ICDC opened Palm Coast Industrial Park west of U.S. 1 in November. The Park with 32 acres in its first
phase - offers smaller businesses a lower cost alternative to the Pine Lakes Commerce/Industrial Park. Due to begin production
early in 1982 in the new park is Olde St. Augustine Ovens, Inc. manufacturers of all-natural cookies and other healthporiented
baking products. Another company to begin operations in 1982 is Cardiac Control Systems, Inc., a cardiac pacemaker firm. Cardian
Control initially will employ 70 persons in its 25,000 square foot facility in the Pine Lakes park, and could employ
up to 1,000 people within 5 or 6 years, according to its management at this time. Negotiations for facilities in the parks
are continuing with several other companies.
Tenants in The Atrium, the first professional office building in Palm Coast, began doing business in their new offices
in Janary. Next door, the Realty World Complex, which includes a branch office of Centruy Federal Savings and Loan, opened
for business in November, Barnett Bank's branch office near the shopping center is scheduled for completion in January; Florida
Federal Savings and Loan's branch nearby is scheduled for completion in March and Security First Federal Savings and Loan
in the Palm Harbor Shopping Center completed expansion of its facility in November.
Palm Cable, Inc., continued its expansion program in 1981, with service now available to more than 1,7000 Palm Coast
homes. Also, the Entertainment and Sports Network (ESPN) was added to the basic subscriber package, joining pay channels HBO
and Cinemas, Atlanta's superstation Channel 17 and eight other channels.
Palm Coast's water and wastewater treatment plants are undergoing expansion and are expected to be completed next summer,
the water treatment plant won its second consecutive state award for operational excellence. The Florida Public Service Commission
- which regulates Palm Coast Utility Corporation (PCUC)- authorized PCUC in December to increase the sewer fee to $1,342 for
all sections of Palm Coast. The increase will be in effect in 1982. A Palm Coast substation of the Flagler County Sheriff's
Department opened in October, manned by full-time deputies and Palm Coast volunteers. The Belle Terre Middle School, being
built on 30 acres of land donated by ICDC is progressing toward a Fall, 1982 opening.
Coquina Lanes, a new 20-lane bowling center, opened in August. A little further north on Old Kings Road is the spacious
clubhouse of the Italian-American Club, completed last spring. The former Palm Coast Yacht Club reopened in March as The Harbour
Restaurant with beautifully renovated interior and new menu selections. The Pine Lakes Country Club restaurant began serving
gourmet dinners and lunches to members in the fall. Also the Palm Harbor Tennis Club has been enlarged and improved withe
the addition of a lounge and restroom/locker building, and the 19th Hole at the Palm Harbor Golf Club was enlarged and renovated
as well.
Special events staged this year were huge successes. The Internation Festival in October drew more than 10,000 visitors
to Palm Coast. The Italian Festa in May, Mother Seton Catholic Chursh's Oktoberfest, the Palm Coast Civic Association's July
4th celebration and Entertainment '81 concert series, plus special events staged by the YMCA and other organizations made
thie year's social calendar a busy and entertaining one.
Religious organizations continued to thrive. St. Mark by the Sea Lutheran Church celebrated the fifth Anniversary of
its sanctuary by buring the mortgage papers on July 5. Trinity United Presbyterian Church dedicated its beautiful new sanctuary
in late April, and members of the Palm Coast United Methodist Church broke ground for their new sanctuary in November.
Meanwhile, ICDC continued its diversification of housing product lines, with the opening of Pine Lakes Village, a new
country club community of luxury single family and condominium homes west of I-95. The 1.8 million Pine Lakes Country Club
clubhouse, local point of Pine Lakes Village, was christened in August by Arnold Palmer, co-designer of the 7,066 - yard Pine
Lakes course.
The Woodlands Model Home Center featuring six new single family homes designs, opened in early summer almost simultaneously
with the first 20 units of the Woodhaven Condominium on Old Kings Road. Two other new Palm Coast Construction Company model
homes - the Sandpebble and Westwind - opened in January on canal lots directly across from the Welcome Center.
In other residential news, land development of residential lots - i.e., roads, central sewer and water lines - was completed
ahead of schedule in all sections of Palm Coast that had an Improvement Completion Date of December 31, 1981. Similarly, we
expect all other previously committed residential land development in Palm Coast to be completed ahead of schedule.
In sports, Roscoe Tanner and Brian Gottfried battled Palm Coast resident touring pro Tom Gullikson in tennis exhibition
matches this year, and Palm Harbor and Pine Lakes golf courses hosted the North Florida PGA's sectional championship and Tournament
of Champions. Our LPGA touring pro, Nancy Lopex-Melton, after tuning up her game in Palm Coast last winter, had a fine year
on the tour and will continue to represent Palm Coast on the LPGA circuit.
So you see, it has been an active, exciting year in Palm Coast. I look forward to more of the same. Sincerely, Alan Smolen,
President.
The above from: ITT Community Development Corporation, Exective Offices, Palm Coast, Florida 32051
Telephone (904)445-2628
At/around 1981:
(PLEASE NOTE;...this further confirms that Palm Coast was NOT started, advertised as or promoted as strictly a Retirement
Community )
Dear Palm Coaster:
You may have noticed in the most recent edition of the PALM COASTER magazine a short article entitled 'Job Service.'
It describes a new ICDC program that could prove to be extremely valuable to those homesite owners who are interested in moving
to Palm Coast and finding emloyment here, Industrial growth in Palm Coast is greater than ever before, and I feel the major
points of the new Job Service program deserve consideration.
Homesite owners who take part in the program will be smong the first to learn of employment opportunities with new Palm
Coast companies. A quarterly industry update, mailed only to homesite owners on the Job Service list, will contain the latest
information on companies expanding or starting operations in Palm Coast. Also included in the newsletter - which will be published
starting early this year - will be lists of available positions with new companies and addresses of the companies' personnel
divisions. Since company start-up is after a long, involved process, homesite owners on the Job Service list would have ample
time to make arrangements for relocating to Palm Coast if their job serach here proved successful.
These companies will be forwarded copies of the Job Srvice list, along with resumes and supplemental information for
their consideration when hiring. The Job Service program can't guarantee employment of course, but it gives homesite owners
a head start on employment opportunities in Palm Coasat and it costs no more than a 20c postage stamp.
To be included in the Job Service list, send a resume and any supplemental information an employer may be interested
in, with your current address and phone number to:
Job Relocation Service Personnel Department ITT Community Development Corporation Palm Coasst, FL 32051
If you would like further invormation o the program, contact Ernest Maddock, Director of Commercial / Industrial Development
, at the above address. It could bring you a step closer to lilving and working in Palm Coast. Sincerely Alan Smolen, President.
The above from: ITT Community Development Corporation, Exective Offices, Palm Coast, Florida 32051
Telephone (904)445-2628
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