The City of Cocoa Beach is still picking up the pieces after Hurricane Irma tore through the coastal community.

  • Mayor Ben Malik saw roof 'peeled off' of city hall
  • New roof will cost more than $1 million
  • City's insurance carrier approved new roof

The city’s dual police station-city hall building received extensive damage.

Cocoa Beach Mayor Ben Malik was right next door, at the city’s new fire station, when Irma’s winds and rain started causing damage.

“As the highest winds started coming, literally we could see the rain going sideways and all of a sudden the roof just literally peeled off and just sailed through the air,” said Malik. “We didn’t see where it went, but it was pretty scary to watch that unfold.”

Blue tarps now cover the roof, but they are not enough to stop rainwater from flooding the building.

The city’s insurance carrier has already approved a new roof. City Manager Jim McKnight says damages will total more than $1 million.

However, some city leaders want to make the bare minimum repairs to the 1960s era building.

“We don’t want to put a lot into it because there is a plan that eventually we will be out of this building,” said McKnight.

The Cocoa Beach City Commission has considered for years to build a new police station and city hall. That plan may now be expedited because of Irma.

“It needs to go. The wrecking ball can’t come soon enough,” said Malik.

He also added that this is another financial impact to hit the town.

“We’re still waiting on FEMA money from Matthew, the city is out $700,000. It’s almost going on a year and now we’re going to get hit with another financial impact, so it’s a lot for a small town to sustain,” the mayor said.

The combined projects are estimated to cost between $12 million and $15 million.

In the meantime, only seven employees are working at city hall. The rest have been moved to the public works building.

“Everybody is on top of each other, but we’re running. We’re fully functional as a city,” said Malik.