Saint Augustine Vacations

03/13/2026

10/05/2025

What's your favorite beach along Florida's Historic Coast?

09/30/2025

08/05/2025

STATE LOOPHOLE? GREEDY OWNER? ✅ OVERZEALOUS DEVELOPER? ✅

From First Coast News:

The county says that due to the motel’s location, it cannot restrict demolition under state law.

By Isabella Casapao and Jessica Clark

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — After much debate, St. Johns County said it will issue a demolition permit for the iconic Magic Beach Motel in Vilano Beach despite its cultural significance, First Coast News learned Tuesday.
The property located on Vilano Road was built in 1951 and designated a significant cultural resource in 2021.

The county’s decision reverses a previous decision made June 30 by the St. Johns County Cultural Resources Review Board to stop demolition plans. At the time, the board said the motel owner’s application did not present enough information about the possibilities or alternatives for the building.

If the property owner appealed, the decision was supposed to go back before the St. Johns County Commission.
Now, the county says that due to the motel’s location, it cannot restrict demolition under state law.

St. Johns County Communications Director Wayne Larson told First Coast News Tuesday that the owner of the motel submitted the required documents for demolition under state law.

Noting that the property is partially seaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line, Larson said demolition of the motel falls under the Resiliency and Safe Structures Act, which prohibits local governments from restricting demolition of qualifying structures for any reason other than in the interest of public safety.

The statute also limits local review to matters related to Florida building code, fire prevention code and other safety standards.

While the County recognizes the significance of the Magic Beach Motel to the Vilano Beach community, it is legally precluded from denying or conditioning demolition,” Larson said.

Larson said that the property owner included a voluntary Cultural Resource Management Plan, which includes documenting, salvaging and commemorating key architectural and cultural elements of the motel.

Larson said the county will ensure demolition is done in compliance with safety, environmental and building standards.

Demolition is expected in December 2025.

04/05/2025

🚨SAVE MAGIC BEACH 🚨
Meeting open to the public, with public comments allowed.

The St. Johns County Cultural Resource Review Board will meet to consider and review a Cultural Resource Management Plan associated with a pending demolition permit for the Magic Beach Motel.

📅 Monday, April 14
🕜 1:30 p.m.
📍 SJC Permit Center, Conference Room 1, 4040 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine

View the full agenda here: https://www.sjcfl.us/calendar/?title=&month=&yr=&dpt=crrb

FROM THE AGENDA

Please be advised that the scheduled public meeting of the St. Johns County Cultural Resource
Review Board (CRRB) will be held on Monday, April 14th, 2025 at 1:30 PM in Conference Room
1 at the St. Johns County Permit Center located at 4040 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, Florida.

This Agenda may contain both regular business items and specially advertised Public Hearing items.
Business items are those that require approval or recommendation for approval or denial by the
CRRB, but may not require advertising in a newspaper, notification of adjacent property owners, or
posting a sign on the property. Public Hearings are items that require advertising in a newspaper,
notification of adjacent property owners, and posting of a sign on the subject property. This agenda is subject to change at the discretion of the CRRB and further subject to proper notice
requirements as may be required for individual agenda items.
— Call meeting to order
— General public comment for items not on the agenda – 3 minutes per speaker
— Approval of meeting minutes from December 9th, 2024 and February 10th, 2025
— Approval of current agenda

AGENDA ITEMS
Public comment for items on the Agenda will be held after each item is addressed by the Board (3
minutes).

1. Magic Beach Motel- 50 Vilano Road Demolition Permit Application and Cultural Resource Management Plan

— Board Member Reports
— Staff Reports
— Adjourn

03/27/2025

📸 ST. AUGUSTINE IN THE 1890s! We have been seeing this image shared on social media and checked our archives at the St. Augustine Historical Society Research Library catalog. We found some that were very similar (at a slightly different angle). Although we do not have the photographers name, we know that this shot was taken from the Hotel Ponce de Leon (now Flagler College) looking over to the Hotel Alcazar (now Lightner Museum). Based on the horses and carriages, as well as the fact that the Ponce and the Alcazar appear completed and opened, this image likely dates to the 1890s.

📸:

03/20/2025

03/20/2025

02/14/2025

Ever dreamed of having your own little spot right on Crescent Beach, Florida? Check out this direct oceanfront top floor corner condo just a short drive from downtown Saint Augustine! Link for more info is below ✨️🌞🌴🏖