Demolition begins on 100-year old Florida country club

The Lakeland Yacht and Country Club in Lakeland, Florida, is undergoing demolition and will be replaced with a new building, pictured above.

Demolition began on the nearly 100-year-old Lakeland Yacht and Country Club in Lakeland, Florida, and is expected to last “a few days,” a report by News Chief says. 

An excavator was used to tear down walls and roof from the structure, which was built in 1924. The club closed in February 2016 and was originally scheduled for renovation, but has accumulated interior damage from wood rot and a termite infestation. According to the report, renovation would cost $8.5 million, which caused members to vote to replace the building instead.

The new club is designed to “strongly resemble” the original, Mediterranean-style building, the report says. It is scheduled to be complete and open by summer 2018, with construction beginning summer 2017.

Board members have been removing elements from the old club that will be reused in the new building, such as a coral stone fireplace, stained glass windows, stone columns and the original front doors. According to the report, Miller Construction Management of Lakeland will be demolishing the old structure and constructing its replacement.

The board also announced it is maintaining the clay tennis courts located to the west of the club and plans to remove and replace the swimming pool.