After more than a century on Sebastian’s waterfront, the Fisherman’s Landing building that once housed the Hurricane Harbor restaurant and Crab E Bills seafood market will be demolished and replaced with a new structure.

The Sebastian City Council voted unanimously earlier this month to tear down the building, which was originally constructed in 1919 and has been owned by the city since 2009.

Among the potential uses council members suggested for the new building? A community center, possibly one with catering facilities. “It’s still up to the people,” Vice Mayor Fred Jones said Monday, echoing the council’s commitment to seek public input before discussing possible uses for the new building.

“There’s a lot of things it can be, and we’re looking forward to hearing from people,” he added. “A community center is just one possibility, but it’s too early for anything to get traction yet. Whatever we decide, we’re a growing city and we have to build for the future.”

Initial estimates place the cost of the project at $2.5 million.

The site hasn’t been operational – or even occupied – since June 2024, after the city opted to not renew its lease with Crab E Bills because of the poor condition of the building, where water, termites, weather and age had done extensive damage.

At their July 9 meeting, council members approved a plan to replace the failing structure after Karen Miller, the city engineer and special projects director, told them the cost of repairs would be difficult to justify.

Those fixes included stabilizing the building’s foundation, repairing the deck area and addressing the termite damage to joints, rafters and beams.

According to Miller, the city may use a $100,000 grant from the Florida Inland Navigation District and match it with $100,000 from its Community Redevelopment Agency to cover the design and engineering costs for the new structure.