The legislation that created a Mothballing COA is a huge win for Jacksonville's historic districts. The COA allows owners a way to properly board and secure vacant homes that they cannot afford to renovate at this time. If properly boarded and secured, these homes can last many years until the market comes back.
Previously code enforcement was declaring these structures unsafe and having them torn down - yes, in National Historic Districts. Many of these homes were not structurally unsound as code enforcement claimed and many engineers were brought in to counter code enforcements claims (code enforcement officers are not engineers).
The house on Walnut was structurally sound. In fact the owner was meticulously restoring it. He salvaged all the doors and had taken the house down to the studs and removed ALL the nails - NOT an easy task as wood that old tends to begin petirfying. He had taken all the trim off and marked each one so that he could put it back in the right spot. This attention to detail isn't something that can de done overnight and code had given him half a mil. in fines. Restoring the house no longer made economic sense and code was going to force him to have the house torn down - even though it was in a National Historic District and structually sound.
So, he donated the house. The new owners applied for the first mothballing COA under the new legislation. They are going to hold an open house on January 8, from 3-4:40. Please stop by, the house in on Walnut Court. Just off of Walnut Street between 7th and 8th. There will be wine and cheese and you can take a look at what one of these old beauties looks like inside when it is well cared for and before it has been renovated.
Thankfully, the house was donating and saved from the city bulldozer!
ReplyDeleteIt's a crying shame when the city works against home owners, that are working towards restoring. The owner slaved over his house, and the city made every attempt to beat him down at every opportunity.