by Chuck Seaver, South Lake Tablet
The commercial building located at 1 Westgate Plaza may not stand out as a historical mark in Clermont’s deep history, but the title of the address alone commands a second look at a building that has been the home to city officials, bank employees, church members and present-day spa enthusiasts for nearly 65 years.
The two-story building at the southwest corner of State Road 50 and West Avenue was built in 1961 to become the new location for The First Federal Savings and Loan Association. First Federal’s original location opened in 1957 within a small building at 650 Seventh Street, in the downtown section of Clermont. In 1958, the bank’s financial accounts surpassed the $1 million mark, and the future looked promising. With the garnered success and predicted growth, the Savings and Loan board of directors decided to make way for a larger location of business.
Florida was considered a place of economic opportunity in the late 1950’s. “In 1958, Americans and Floridians embraced technology of the times, and material comforts it had created. Never had so many Americans driven cars, and soon they would be driving non-stop on a new interstate highway system. DDT, by killing saltwater mosquitos and other pests, allowed year-round living on Florida’s barrier islands. Television and air-conditioning, once a luxury, were becoming necessities.” – Gary Mormino, Florida historian.
By late 1961, the First Federal Savings and Loan Association moved into a brand-new location complete with a state-of-the-art and modern-day vault. The new location provided ample parking compared to the limited parking availability in the downtown location. The only business neighbor at the time was the Clermont Bowling Lanes, 4 Westgate Plaza, built by Martin Winther in 1960, a business that continues to exist today.
The modern-day, two-story building housed a separate office space below the main building that would eventually become the law office of George Hovis. After graduating from the University of Florida with a Juris Doctor degree, George opened the office in 1965 and would continue to occupy the office for 40 years.
By 1971, the Savings and Loan officers decided to once again build a new building on State Road 50, east of Bloxam Avenue, in Clermont. While looking for a new owner to buy the 4,000+ square foot building, eyes soon turned towards the City of Clermont. The City of Clermont was experiencing growing pains in the city hall building that had been occupied since 1926 on Desoto Street at Eighth Street. The aging two-story building was becoming expensive to maintain as repair and upgrade costs were surpassing practicality. The police department, volunteer fire department, and city council chambers had already vacated the premises to a new location at 882-92 West Desoto Street in 1964.
Clermont Mayor Don Smith and City Manager Robert Hopkins, along with city council approval, agreed to purchase the Westgate building to create a new city hall location that same year. The Westgate Plaza location was accommodating to the needs of the city through the mid-1990s. However, killer winter freezes in the 1980s and 90s that brought the end to the citrus industry in Central Florida, led to large parcels of land being sold for development. The development brought explosive growth to the South Lake County area, including Clermont. It soon became evident that additional city staff and services were needed to accommodate the needs of the rapidly growing city. These additional needs included a new and much larger city hall building. The city remained in the Westgate premises until December 2003 when city staff moved to the present location at 685 West Montrose Street.
1 Westgate Plaza was sold to local business owners Ed Augustine and Nick Bacon in 2005. Nick Bacon sold his portion of the investment to Augustine in 2014. Since 2005, the building has been home to several occupants, including the Clermont Central Church. The lower floor, once occupied by Attorney George Hovis, has entertained several businesses including a pawn shop, home décor shop, and clothing boutiques.
Current day occupants, Carla Slabaugh and Christine Notartomaso-Minassium are sisters who share a zest and flair for appealing business models that make the interior of the building look brand new. Carla, the owner and massage therapist of Salt and Sea Wellness Spa, has taken great care in updating the décor to accommodate her multi-faceted spa. While the old bank safe vault now acts as an innocent office and homework space for her children, the safe door still emanates a mysterious conversation piece for customers and employees alike. Spa Esthetician Tara Pfluger pointed out the upgrades to the décor while pointing out little traces of yesteryear that remain in the buildings structure. Portions of the original terrazzo floor remain and if one looks hard enough, you can spot an old bolt hole that once held the customer service counter in place during the building’s bank and city hall days.
The lower floor is occupied by The Lab Hair Studio owned by Christine. Christine has completely remodeled the interior of the lower-level portion of the building. The porch in front of the business has been decorated with a cozy sitting area surrounded by lush ornamental plants that accent the warm welcome that awaits those who enter the business. The outdoor landscaped area includes a mini food and blanket giveaway box for the sharing of canned food and other goods for people in need.
