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Historic Lakeland building to undergo renovations
Ken Suarez reports
LAKELAND, Fla. - After decades in downtown Lakeland's historic Kress Building, Explorations V Children’s Museum is closing its doors – but only long enough to move it its new location.
It is scheduled to reopen in November at Bonnet Springs Park and will be renamed the Florida Children’s Museum.
"Our staff are ready, our volunteers are ready, and I think most of all, the community is ready," Museum CEO Kerry Falwell told FOX 13.
Downtown Lakeland's historic Kress Building was once home to a five and dime and most recently, the Explorations V Children's Museum, which is moving to Bonnet Springs Park
Although the new space will be more than double what the museum now occupies, Falwell says leaving the building is bittersweet.
"It is iconic, and it has touched so many lives," she said.
The Kress Company built the building in Renaissance Revival style back in 1925. It was originally a five and dime, a precursor to today’s department store.
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Previous: Bonnet Springs Park nears completion
Bonnet Springs Park is a far cry from what it once was. It took $108 million in private donations and years of decontamination, but a once-polluted, 170-acre abandoned rail yard has finally been transformed into the Sunshine State’s newest attraction.
RELATED: Lakeland's abandoned rail yard transforms into Central Florida park destination
The five and dime was a place where a middle class person could get a suit off the rack, a novel idea in for the time, according to Falwell.
"There was a soda counter on the bottom floor," she said. "You could also buy penny candy."
Downtown Lakeland's historic Kress Building was once home to a five and dime and most recently, the Explorations V Children's Museum
When Kress went under in the early 1980s, Polk County bought the building and turned it into a courthouse. There are still two jail cells in the basement. In recent years, they have been used as storage.
Recently, Gaspar Properties out of South Tampa, a developer known for buying and restoring historic buildings, signed a contract to buy the Kress Building.
Downtown Lakeland's historic Kress Building was once home to a five and dime and most recently, the Explorations V Children's Museum
The deal is expected to close in mid-August. Gaspar is talking about keeping the vintage feel of the place while possibly putting in an event venue on the bottom floor and offices on the upper floors.
Explorations V says it is going to start moving out of its old home in a few weeks. Falwell says working in one of Lakeland’s classic buildings has been an experience.
"When we would change something in the Explorations V building, you might see 90-year-old velvet wall paper. There’s always a treasure," said Falwell. "We’re going to miss it."