"Emergency Demolition"

Ocklawaha · January 21, 2011, 05:21:08 PM

Some things just seem so right...

A couple of gallons of laundry bleach in the tank of that clam shell crawler should do the trick... Just saying
It's amazing how fast news like that travels around the construction-demolition community. Suddenly it gets REAL hard to get any contractor to bring out their equipment.

Damn the luck.

OCKLAWAHA

arteest · January 21, 2011, 05:31:10 PM

I'm just curious to know if any of you guys have spoken to your neighbor about his intentions? Perhaps it's not as bad as you all think (or maybe it is, who knows??)

Springfielder · January 21, 2011, 05:38:18 PM

He initially asked to have it taken down, so he could extend his yard and put in a pool. So he asked if he could have the back porches removed, that was approved because they weren't part of the original house. That's when all of a sudden the contractor caused this structural damage, hence his way out...via an emergency demo.

Miss Fixit · January 21, 2011, 05:41:28 PM

Interesting: according to the City's permitting records (and the narrative above regarding demolition) the owner did not hire a contractor to remove the porches but instead did the work himself.

stjr · January 21, 2011, 06:01:04 PM

What exactly did the Mayor's office have to say about this? The City Council rep? The head of code enforcement? Is SPAR not the least bit concerned? RAP and the Jax Historical Society should also be worried. After all, the same rules apply throughout Jax. Jax needs an association of historic preservationists and their groups to create some political muscle. Numbers carry weight with politicos.

Did you call the Times Union, TV stations, Folio? If this can't be saved, maybe making a major PR headache over it would at least get the process changed for the future. Nothing like a bright light to send the cockroaches crawling for cover.

Springfielder · January 21, 2011, 06:26:12 PM

All of the above were sent a barrage of emails and phone calls. The mayors office did respond and did look into it. The problem is, since it's an emergency demo, per code enforcement and says it's a safety issue, virtually nothing can be done. The paperwork has been signed and it's demo is now imminent.

What needs to happen, is an investigation into this contractor and owner. Although once the house is down, all that will be left to review will be the engineer that the owner hired, and of course the one the city uses.

The sad part, aside from losing yet another house in the historic district, is that this is completely savable, and the owner wants it down. So he wins.

stjr · January 21, 2011, 06:31:20 PM

I don't subscribe to the decision being irreversible. The mayor's office could pressure code enforcement to reexamine their actions. They, in turn, could look at talking with the owner and suggest that if they investigate and find he and/or his contractors deceived the inspectors, there could be civil and/or criminal repercussions.

This story needs to be documented and held up as an example of a broken system. Public officials should be held accountable for fixing it. You should also name the owner, contractor, engineer, demo contractor, and code enforcement personnel involved in seeing this travesty perfected. Since they signed their names to the permits, etc., let's give them all the recognition they signed up for.

iloveionia · January 21, 2011, 06:32:37 PM

Miss Fixit said that the contractor and the owner were the same per the permit.
The owner, surprise, surprise is the one negligent.

+1 stjr

Springfielder · January 21, 2011, 06:46:43 PM

Ionia, I didn't know that....this makes the stench of wrong doing even worse...and stjr, trust me, we're working with the city to try and get things changed.

Ralph W · January 21, 2011, 07:16:21 PM

From the BID website:

"Homeowner Permitting
A homeowner may permit for construction of or renovations to their primary residence providing that it is not for sale or rent and their name is on the property deed. The homeowner must appear in person at the Building Inspection Division, 214 N. Hogan Street Room 280 Jacksonville , FL 32202. (904) 630-1100 Option 4."

Obviously, if he did his own work, he was in violation because this was never his primary residence. Emphasis added.

From COJ Property Search, as of right now:

071369-0000 WILLIAMS ELAINE 1612 MARKET ST Jacksonville 32206

Timkin · January 22, 2011, 01:06:46 AM

I think the news media needs to be contacted about the NUMEROUS cases of buildings left to fall into disrepair and thus "demo by neglect" This is a trend in these parts , not just the beautiful houses of Springfield.

There is NO GOOD REASON whatsoever , that this particular house should be demolished..It was intentionally pushed to this point, just as I see Annie Lytle School and other buildings in the city heading towards the same demise. I am so sick of this happening. When will our voices be heard and this nonsense stopped?

Springfielder · January 22, 2011, 08:12:45 AM

Not only how the structures have been allowed to get to that state, but this case is even worse. The owner bought the house with the intent to bring it down...it was denied, asked to remove the back porches, was allowed. He did the work himself, then hired an engineer and amazing how suddenly the house is unstable and deemed an emergency for demo....simply not true...the city should require him to make the repairs to stabilize. This is a classic case of how to use the system to get what you want...which is so wrong.

Ocklawaha · January 22, 2011, 09:58:58 AM

There are still things that could be done to make this more interesting as an example in the neighborhood. Don't want to sabotage the machine of destruction? Great, then inform him that the other house next door is going to be rented out for migrant farm workers and your installing loud speakers (for "feistas") that can crank out a deafening 130 decibels ...

Tell him your considering selling your place to a washing machine repair man, have a friend look over your lot when the offending neighbor is present and tell you, "This property is perfect, I could probably get 200 washers out here in the yard!"

Explain how your Uncle Lijah in Arkansas lost his trailer house and is moving in with you with his wife and 16 children. Might help to pay some local kids to get REALLY dirty and loud and to run screaming from your door.

Get a buddy from JSO to virtually park in front of his house because of the accelerated crime rate, and make sure he explains to the curious offending neighbor what danger he is in for hanging around.

Get mad. Get REALLY mad! Question what the lynch laws are in Florida.

OCKLAWAHA

KuroiKetsunoHana · January 22, 2011, 11:22:52 AM

right now, ock, i love you.

Ocklawaha · January 22, 2011, 12:22:21 PM

Quote from: KuroiKetsunoHana on January 22, 2011, 11:22:52 AM
right now, ock, i love you.

The feeling is mutual I'm sure!

Huh? 1612 Market Street? REALLY? Isn't that near a vacant lot that I hear is going to be a KINGDOM HALL OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES? No, I'm sure of it. I heard the property owner is quite concerned about her standing with God, do her a favor and give a call to help HER OUT:

https://watch002.securesites.net/e/contact/submit.htm

This one is even more fun, you can order a pile of materials and have them hand delivered!

http://mormon.org/missionaries/

Lay a carton of eggs up under the edge of her house and forget about them... Within a month or so that neighbor is going to get really antsy. The egg trick is almost as good as laying a stringer of fish under the steps.

Think I have a cousin in Miami, he's into, well, "international trade," he works from a corner c-store phone in Pompano. If the other neighbor's don't mind you could maybe borrow him for a while... Oh and did I mention that I married into a large Colombian FAMILY? Yeah, well, Pablo should fit right in next door to this gal.

OCKLAWAHA