Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Dis and Dat Building to come tumbling down?

The Dis and Dat building at 4034 Nebraska was cited today by Building and Construction Services for not having a permit for the demolition work.

The building inspector also thought the building was in danger of falling apart and should be inspected for condemnation. He referred the case to Code Enforcement as they are the agency that condemns buildings. He indicated that were some large cracks running up the side of the building that seem to indicate the front of the building could fall off at some point.

Lets see what happens.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is exactly why you need a permit to demo a building. These uneducated contractors have damaged an already fragile building. This owner should be fined with the maximum penalty!

Anonymous said...

This brick commercial building is historically significant and should not be allowed to be demolished due to neglect by the current owners. Look at how City Council jumped in and partially saved the historic building damaged by fire in Ybor City. The same thing should happen here. This buidling could be the corner stone of significant redevelopment of Nebraska Avenue.

Anonymous said...

When it comes a tumblin down on your car on Nebraska, dont complain.
The cracks have been there way before the partial demo.
Dis and Dat is a historical mess.
You complained the city wasnt doing anything and now you complain when they do something.

Anonymous said...

This building construction is one that has the two layers of brick, it could be saved. My concern would be that the ignorant demo crews may have weakened a building that was already fraile. I agree, this owner should be slapped with a hefty fine. It is a shame the prior owner and tenants had to let the building fall into such disrepair.

Anonymous said...

The building in Ybor is part of a strong historic fabric and is in a local historic district and that is why the effort is being made to save it. If it has to be demolished then there will be a gaping hole. Two members of city council were carrying the flag to save the building - city council did not save the building per say- they did allow the owner more time to try and resolve the issue.

While the Dis and Dat building is old it may be too late to save.
I was a part of the feeding frenzy the day it was listed for $150,000. I am in agreeance with the structural engineer that another buyer brought out - it may be too late to save this building - the structural damage goes back to the incorrect construction of the building. The whole front of the building is collapsing due to improper structural support - those cracks run all the way through - double layers of bricks only prolonged the impending damage but will do nothing to save it. While the current buyer of the building did not pull a permit (from the sounds of it) I would doubt seriously that he has done any additional damage that simple age, faulty construction and prior neglect have already done. The cost to remedy the faulty original construction far outweight the value of the current building with no parking - that's why a 2 story building with this much square footage was being sold for $150,000 - you can't even find a decent sized house for that much in the 'hood.

While I'll be the first to try and salvage a historic building ( I've rehabbed a few that others have walked away from) I walked away from this project. Those that know me will tell you that says a lot about the condition of this building.

After a few good hurricanes I would not be suprise to see the face of the building laying in Nebraska.

Good luck to the new buyer - I hope they are not fighting a losing battle.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Greg. (It is amazing how far off track some of you become...) That building had potential in theory but those cracks were there way before the new owner did any sort of demo. Im sure he feels bad enough that he just bought a bridge in brooklyn without the rest of you telling him to go jump off it.

Anonymous said...

Let's not forget why the building got to be so bad. For over 10 years, I have called the city to complain about the broken and missing windows. City Code at minimum require that they be boarded up to protect against the elements. This building did not even have this. For years, the rain has been able to blow in and cause even more damage. What a shame. Once it is torn down, it will be very unlikely to have something replace the building.

Anonymous said...

Interesting, when I spoke with the city, the inspector was notified on November 21. Then I called this week and was told that they had already made it by and the building was fine. Now, they say they went by today. Seems like one more COMPETENT department within the city of Tampa. Maybe we should promote Curtis Lane to this department so that he can Turn that ship around too.

Anonymous said...

Maybe since the new owner did not go through proper channels and get proper permitting, the city should make a point with them. I suuport them being fined and being required to pay for all cost to preserve and fix the building. Who knows how much damage they caused by hiring every bum off the street to swing a hammer. The city should consult with an engineering and preservation team to determine what it will take to save this building. Unfortunately, this is one of the last gems in SESH.

Anonymous said...

I would say that Chief Hogue would be the only current head of a city department that could whip code into shape.

Curtis Lane is already there - see the results of a well run department - NO.

Anonymous said...

As previously posted and noted by former tenants - the new owners interior demo did not create the structural damage that is prevalant throughout the existing building.

I agree he should be fined for demo without a permit but to be held liable for the existing damage - that's pushing it.

That's also blog gossip about the demo crew - who was there to see them demo?

Even if the city hired a structural engineer - who would pay for that (want your taxes raised?) So you determine what it takes to save it - are you going to force the owner to do it - he does have property rights as the owner.

Anonymous said...

This is very interesting. Due to all of the speculation that this was being renovated to become a gentleman's club, I sent the zoning board an email to ask what business was going to be going in there and have yet to hear anything from them.

Anonymous said...

if they have not had an application for a change in use then you will not hear back from them.

Anonymous said...

For all the people who wants to know what they are doing... They are going to break the whole building down and they are going to block all of nebraska HAHAHA You guys would never know what there doing.... You people dont know anything... Before you guys post a blog i suggest you get your facts right....How do you guys know that they are not working witout permits do you work for the owners.. I know for a fact that the owners have permits but never posted it... You guys should just stay out of others peolple busness cus i work for the owner.. whoever has a problem come speak or meet the owner personally.. Everyones just complaining when you all should be happy that somethings going to be there.. there doing the work right nothing illgal.. and wait and see what happens.. Stop making complaints on the owners whoever is doing it.. Stop talking trash... You people think that fining the owners is the right thing?? What difference would that make? Money speaks it all... It is not historical for all the people who think it is cus they went to the city of tampa and found out...

Anonymous said...

... Whoever wrote their was part of the feeding frenzy the day it was listed for 150,000 you should mine your own business don’t be mad cus you got lost out of the feeding frenzy.. We did not give anyone a chance to purchase the building first come first serve.. So stop griping about anything about the building the owners and I don’t want to here anything you guys have to say about the building we know what we have to do and we are doing what we have to do… Now someone is doing something to make the building better your guys are just complaining and complaining go complain about something else..

Anonymous said...

I was there before the contract for the current owner was extended - I choose not to go forward - I am not mad that I missed out on the building - it is not a project I choose to take on at this time.

Do what you need to do to make the building functional - just go by the books like everyone else. The concern the neighborhood has is for the historic commercial building and that it add to the quality of life for the area and not be another non-resident serving business. There are already plenty of those holdovers from prior days.

Anonymous said...

IT IS NOT A FUCKING HISTORICAL BUILDING...

Anonymous said...

Hysterical Anon 10:37

Let's see - built in 1927 - yep that's historic in my book.

Anonymous said...

No, I read it out of the Moron Handbook that was on your desk.

How would you oh wiseass define historic - I bow down to your knowledge since you seem to know everything.

Anonymous said...

I have to agree with you on that one, old but not historic. Why is everyone so worked up about this building ?

Anonymous said...

In order for a neighborhood to be designated historic, there must be a certain percentage contributing structures. It IS important that we protect each one. For many years, the city has allowed many business owners open up makeshift businesses along our corridors all the while destroying any historic fabric that these building maintain. (Carpet Church, Tampa Door, Uniform Store, Movie Theater, Ybor Pizza strip (not the pizza store) Florida Arts School, and the list could go on. By allowing shoddy, non permitted work, and lack of basic repairs, almost every single building that could contribute historic significance has been removed, or damaged beyond repair. It is very important that we fight for what few we have. Otherwise, they will all be destroyed, removed and replaced with the very "Westchase, New Tampa structures that you all hate"

Anonymous said...

How do you know thats not what I want?
These buildings are all crappy.
You may speak for yourself but please dont open your big trap for others.

Anonymous said...

Heh... one anonymous person telling another to shut up. That's funny.

Anon 10:28 is correct, however. Seminole Heights is a historic neighborhood with 2 established, formal historic districts and at least one more on the way. What few remaining period commercial structures we have need to be preserved if we value the historic nature of this area at all. (and many of us do.)

If you are interested in having a vibrant shopping avenue with distinct character and charm, preserve our historic structures. If you are interested in yet another line of strip-malls down our streets, I hear Brandon's average home prices are falling fast. Now's a good time to buy into the center of homogenized living! Don't wait. Act now!

Anonymous said...

Is a structure deemed "contributing" just due to age? Maybe the building is contributing yet not "Historic".

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:12:

A very good question, indeed.

Your confusion is due to jargon being used here that not everyone may understand. (Mostly because they don't slog through hours of city council meetings, association meetings, etc. Who can blame them? ;-) )

"Contributing" structures are those structures that count towards some density of historic buildings that qualify an area as "historic." For example, in Hampton Terrace, a certain percentage of the homes needed to be old enough (50+ years) *and* be original or nearly original in appearance. (There's a whole philosophy to what makes it so, but it's enough for this example to just accept it at face value.) My home, as an example, is considered a contributing structure because it was built in 1926 and aside from one small addition and plastic siding, is near enough to original condition to count. If I replaced my windows with metal or vinyl or perhaps stuccoed the outside or added on a huge, overwhelming addition, it would not count. Doing those things would be "too much" and lose my home that status.

The Dis and Dat building is pretty much "as built" on the exterior and dates to the mid-20s. That qualifies it as "contributing" to the historic fabric of the area.

A new building that looks historic (like some of the new homes built in my area) cannot be contributing because it isn't old enough. An old building that has been remodeled to the point where it's hard to see the original building through the changes or where the entire exterior and materials are all modernized (steel, plastic, concrete replacing wood or brick, as examples) is not contributing either.

Anonymous said...

Anon, 7:24, you may want them, I could care less. The point is, the majority does not. We move to an old neigbhborhood for old homes and old feel. You want New, Get to packin and MOVE...C'Ya!

Next, they look like crap because the city Code Departmet and zoning is not existent! Why did it take neighbors to inform the city what was going on? If they would do their job, they would not have allowed our commercial corridors to fall in such disrepair!