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No word if the sign is even available, but both men have plans for where it could go.
VILANO BEACH, Fla. — A beloved motel from the 1950s will indeed be coming down.
But before the Magic Beach Motel in Vilano Beach faces the wrecking ball, at least two businessmen are interested in getting its large neon sign, which reads: “Magic Beach Motel.”
“Everything going on in Vilano is kind of interesting,” Michael Lugo said. He owns the Pesca Rooftop Kitchen and Bar on top of the Hyatt hotel in Vilano Beach. It’s just a block away from the Magic Beach Motel.
He doesn’t want the motel to be demolished, but said, “When I heard about the Magic Beach going away, the first thing I thought is what a good way for us to give back.”
When the currently open motel is knocked to the ground, Lugo would like the big neon motel sign. He would put it on in his rooftop bar and restaurant.
He pointed to a large exterior part of the wall, “We thought the Magic Beach sign would be perfect on the topper here.”
If that happens, the sign would be on one of the tallest buildings in Vilano, and people driving over the Vilano bridge to the town would see the sign.
Lugo admits he doesn’t even know if the county code would allow for a big neon sign on the building. It would be visible for miles.
He will cross that bridge when he gets to it. But is the sign even available?
“I haven’t personally reached out to the owner, but someone reached out on my behalf,” Lugo noted. “and they gave me good optimism.”
First Coast News has reached out to the motel owner and to the man who plans to develop the site. We have not heard back.
Meanwhile, Ryan Kunsch, the owner of Sarbez, also wants the motel sign. Sarbez is a restaurant and arcade in St. Augustine. Kunsch declined an on-camera interview, but told First Coast News he would keep the sign in St. Augustine in a place the public could enjoy.
As for Lugo, he said, “I know that the owner said that they may preserve it and hopefully they incorporate it into design that this may be a moot point and hopefully they do something, but if they do make it available, we’d love to be first in line to keep it alive.”
There is no word about when the motel will be demolished.
