Ruins of Jacksonville: Annie Lytle Public School

[Overstreet]

..........Timkin, you right about the boiler explosion story, only had their been one in a boiler that big we would be dealing with a new building, and some scared trees. Not only that but damage in neighborhood buildings, chunks of Annie weighing 5-6,000 pounds embedded in nearby houses, streets etc.. One thing is certain, the chance that they rebuilt a boiler that exploded without reconstruction is about zero. ...........OCKLAWAHA

I would agree that if the boiler exploded the damage would be impressive. Had the fire box "exploded" it might be a different story. Some gas boilers up in cold country will if blow the door off the fire box if ignition is attempted with too much gas in the chamber. When this happens it often does things to the exhaust stack and over pressures the building dislodging ACT tiles.

Don't ask me how I know.

[Dog Walker]

Old Annie Lytle boiler was coal fired.  The door to the delivery chute is still visible at the rear of the school next to the chimney.

[Sportmotor]

I would agree that if the boiler exploded the damage would be impressive. Had the fire box "exploded" it might be a different story. Some gas boilers up in cold country will if blow the door off the fire box if ignition is attempted with too much gas in the chamber. When this happens it often does things to the exhaust stack and over pressures the building dislodging ACT tiles.

Don't ask me how I know.

How do you know this exactly? O_o

[sandyshoes]

Oh, man....I'm glad I wasn't the one to go there, Sportmotor!

[Sportmotor]

someone has to 

[Ocklawaha]

Old Annie Lytle boiler was coal fired.  The door to the delivery chute is still visible at the rear of the school next to the chimney.

Coal dust is another VERY explosive element. Remember one of the main ingredients of gun powder is charcoal or carbon.

BTW, that gas explosion? Been there done that too! Didn't have to shave for a week.

OCKLAWAHA

[Timkin]

I have,for months been trying to get in touch with Mr. Milne so as to continue my volunteer cleanup effort at the Schoolhouse. To date , silence has been the reply. While I think that is completely unfair, it is his property, and I will not trespass on it without his permission.. Even went to the expense of a replacement American Flag to replace the last one stolen from there by whoever. 

I understand economic conditions prohibiting development. Still , my services were completely free of charge,,never asking for compensation of materials , gasoline, upkeep of mowing equipment, etc.   

Doug,,,,it was not me who gave up.  Clearly it is you 

[Ernest Street]

Tim, we all have pondered  the possibility that Lawyer Doug Milne (AKA..Foundations Holdings LLC) has this progression of Tresspassers in his plan.
he is probably AMAZED that no one has fallen to their their death or required a "Life Flight" out of there.
Not sure how a death figures into Demolition Fast Tracking, but In Jacksonville I bet it does.

Saturday  I Scooter cruised the school and SWEAR I saw a head pop up on a second story window when I swiveled my eyeballs and not my head as I drove by...maybe I'm seeing things.

[Dog Walker]

As of 3/22/2010 Neither Mr. Doug Milne or any of his corporations own Annie Lytle School.  Since a tax lien placed in 2007 was not redeemed, the school was transferred to Tarpon IV, LLC a real estate investment firm.  This firm has taken tax deeds to a number of properties around Jacksonville and seems to be a firm that does this nationwide.

So Mr. Milne is now rid of his headache of a school, but he still owns the property surrounding the school that goes to Rosselle Street.  I'm sure he is relieved to be rid of it.  Wonder why he didn't just give it away earlier?

[Timkin]

While this is an unfortunate and sad turn of events... I must now turn to the current owner if I am successful in reaching whoever is in charge of the property's destiny at present, to see if I would be allowed to resume a cleanup effort which was started on a couple of years ago and going along very well , I might add , with the tireless and heartfelt assistance of Dog Walker, Ernest Street and several other volunteers of which gave freely and tirelessly of their time.  Unfortunately my personal health took a major turn south and this turn will in part , prevent me from working at the capacity I was once able to , and will require recruitment of volunteer efforts of as many people as can possibly be mustered up.   Assuming Tarpon Holdings would have an ounce of grace in their being and some heart for the future of the School's existence, and would allow us under a hold-harmless agreement to continue this effort, I see no reason that a group of , say 25 volunteers , some tools , cold drinks , trashbags , and equipment cannot and would not assist them as we GLADLY would have assisted and TRIED REPEATEDLY NUMEROUS TIMES to assist Mr. Milne. to secure and clean up the School Property.

I have said this since the beginning of my involvement with PS#4 and I will say it until I draw my final breath... This is a no-brainer!  WHERE THERE IS A WILL , so too there is a way to save PS #4.

  Folks....you haven't seen me fight yet!   The fight is now on!!!!  TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE MORE THAN EVER BEFORE, and I implore...I BEG ...I will do my level best to continue the fight to save PUBLIC SCHOOLHOUSE # 4 ,,, But I cannot do it alone.. I need someone to get me names and phone numbers , email addresses and any vital information AS SOON AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE... Less than a month ago , I was contacted by an Entity in Savannah Georgia who expressed sincere interest in the School... Not knowing that this transaction had taken place , I directed this entity to Mr. Milne.

Mr Milne...after a lengthy time of , for whatever reason finally did respond to me via email. First his claim was that he did not have a good number to reach me at.  I am not going to waste time debating that, but he did go on to convey that he was hurt at my criticism of the situation and was sorry I felt as I do.

To that I will say this .... Yes... I was one of the critics.....and in the very same breath I was ALSO one of a very few concerned , sincere people of this community who WANTED SINCERELY and STILL DO WANT SINCERELY to reduce the dangers and the blightedness and the criticism, that I well know the man endured for many years.   From a personal standpoint , I really and truly DO like
Mr. Milne.. I think his contributions to the community in the past have been numerous , and very humanitarian.  Why he let this situation get to the point that some other entity picked up the property for taxes owed on it, I will never understand, and I guess it really will never matter now... What hurts me most is that I sent his way at least TWO very good and promising leads to interested parties in the School.  Would it have been the answer to a series of difficult problems?? Very possibly.  I can only speculate that because there were other parties involved in this equation who had an option on the property and I only speculate, wanted some of the pie if a sale did in fact go through, that they put a purchase price on the property so insanely ridiculous , that no one would expend the money to purchase and have a snowballs chance in hell with the renovation costs , to make it a viable project.

I will be the first to say to all ... I am no expert in Real Estate, Renovation, or Obtaining a source of funding ... I am handy with a hammer , I can make a yard look amazing, and I put my level best effort, and still am willing to to the best of my ability to HELP ( read this, Doug ) HELP improve an already bad situation.  Another volunteer offered Metal material free of charge to seal window and door entrances, asking only for arranging for transportation of this material to the site, and perhaps compensation to a few people to help with the work of attaching this material to the building to secure it. This was , for whatever reason declined.   

One can lead a horse to water , but one cannot make the horse drink.  I regret that Mr. Milne declined this...because this , coupled with his refusal to let me continue the cleanup effort, led to more criticism....not just from myself , but many.  I am sure he is relieved to be rid of this headache.  I personally would like to have seen him get something for the many years his foundations owned the School... I guess I will never have answers to many mysterious situations .. All I can do now is move forward.  I wish Mr Milne the very best, though I am very disappointed with him , as he is with me. 

  If ANYONE would and could get me contact numbers /persons to speak with about the property, I will work tirelessly to find a new owner with a vision for the School that will not result in it being destroyed.   Any and all input and help is most appreciated.  Please contact me ASAP!   IF anyone out there is genuinely interested in assisting me on a continued cleanup/security effort (assuming I can obtain written permission from the current owner )  We will move post-haste on turning this declining situation forward.

A window of opportunity is not likely to open itself.   PLEASE FOLKS!! Help me out here.  Thank you in advance.

[Cliffs_Daughter]

Timkin, I'll do anything in my power of research to help you out.

Here's the tax record on the property now, listing Tarpon IV as owner.
http://apps.coj.net/pao_propertySearch/Basic/Detail.aspx?RE=0904270000#clerkOfCourts


I'll post anything more I can find to help you contact someone.

[Cliffs_Daughter]

TARPON IV is another LLC owned by one Mr. Jonathan R Politano. If you search in sunbiz.org you can find a large number of LLC's this guy owns. ALL at the same address on Biscayne Blvd in Aventura.
One more commonly known is Gulf Group Holdings, LLC.
The number I came across was (305) 913-3333

http://www.sunbiz.org/scripts/cordet.exe?action=DETFIL&inq_doc_number=L06000099605&inq_came_from=RANFWD&cor_web_names_seq_number=0000&names_name_ind=R&ret_names_cor_number=&ret_cor_web_names_seq_number=&ret_names_name_ind=&ret_names_comp_name=&ret_names_filing_type=&ret_cor_web_princ_seq=&ret_princ_comp_name=POLITANO&ret_princ_type=R

[Dog Walker]

The address of Tarpon IV is:

Tarpon IV, LLC
18305 Biscayne Blvd, Suite 400
Aventura, FL  33160

It is important that we let the new owners know that there is a lot of community interest in this building and a lot of history with it.  We also need to let them know that there is a group of volunteers willing to assist them with securing the building and cleaning up the grounds.

Hopefully we can get more cooperation from their agent here is Jax than we ever got from Mr. Milne.

I wonder how they are going to sell it since now there is no property surrounding the building and the only access is going to be to the small strip of land between Chelsea Street and the side of the building.  The front of the building is up against the FDOT right-of-way for the expressway expansion.

[Timkin]

Thanks Cliff's Daughter and DW..  As  DW expressed... we probably should voice to the current owners , our stong interest as a community to see the School spared.. and those of us willing to volunteer , to assist them in securing the building and maintaining the grounds.

[Timkin]

I have placed a call to Gulf Group Holdings... I presume this is a parent company of the corporation that acquired the School in March.  I will post what I find when I get a return call ..