Fort Lauderdale City Hall Demolition and Time Capsule Unveiling

On a sunny Tuesday afternoon, the City of Fort Lauderdale witnessed a historic event: the ceremonial demolition of the old City Hall, accompanied by the unveiling of a time capsule placed in the building’s cornerstone over half a century ago. The community came together to honor the past and embrace the future.

In his opening remarks, Mayor Dean Trantalis expressed gratitude to FEMA and the State of Florida for their support in the city's reconstruction efforts following the devastating flood in April 2023. The flood rendered the old City Hall uninhabitable, prompting its demolition and paving the way for a new chapter in Fort Lauderdale's history.

A highlight of the event was the unveiling of a time capsule, which the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Florida placed in the foundation of the old City Hall in 1968.

Vice Mayor Steven Glassman, District 2 Commissioner, and Patricia Zeiler, Executive Director of History Fort Lauderdale, shared their reflections on the significance of the event and the city's resilience in the face of challenges.

Brittany Perkins Castillo, CEO of AshBritt, provided insights into the meticulous deconstruction process, highlighting the city's commitment to environmental sustainability and community engagement throughout the project. The demolition is expected to take 15 to 18 weeks and will be conducted floor by floor, taking noise, dust and environmental considerations into account.

District Deputy Grand Master Juan Roque shared insights into the tradition of laying cornerstones in government buildings and the significance of the time capsule in preserving the city's heritage.

City officials and members of the Grand Lodge carefully opened the time capsule, revealing a treasure trove of artifacts from the past. Among the items were newspapers, photographs, documents, and mementos providing a glimpse into life in Fort Lauderdale over fifty years ago.

As the ceremony drew to a close, Mayor Trantalis and the City Commissioners counted down to the ceremonial demolition, marking the end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter for Fort Lauderdale.

Contents of the time capsule:

• Fort Lauderdale Annual Report - 1967
• Fort Lauderdale City Map
• Fort Lauderdale Tourism Brochure
• Fort Lauderdale News: Vol 58, No 205 (Thursday, June 20, 1968)
• Fort Lauderdale Sticker: 1968 Visitor
• Mini Flags: US, State of Florida, City of Fort Lauderdale
• Film: Meetings related to and plans for new City Hall
• Envelope from Broward National Bank containing coins from 1968 - quarter, nickel, dime, penny
• Free Mason Documents: Proceedings of the Grand Lodge Book (1967), List of time capsule contents, Yearbook 1968-1969, Directory, Bulletin, Invitation to event placing the cornerstone
• Order of the Amaranth Documents: Palm Court No 5
• Order of the Eastern Star Documents: Arancia Chapter No. 249
• Order of DeMolay: Doric Chapter
• Love and Patriotism: May 18, 1968