Two historic houses on Fort Lauderdale foreclosure listings are in the middle of a dispute between groups of people who want to preserve them and those who are concerned about the safety of these houses.
One historic home was constructed from 1914 to 1918 for Fred Shippey, a judge in Broward County, Florida. The house is located across the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. The second historic home is a nautical deco home built in 1939.
Early this year, Fort Lauderdale’s Unsafe Structure Board issued a ruling that the Shippey house should be demolished. The board argued on its ruling that the house is hazardous to fire and windstorm. The board made also the same ruling for the deco home in July last year.
But the Historic Preservation Board completely disagrees with the ruling, arguing that the properties are historic, thus opposing both demolitions. Now, the issue and the future of both historic homes on Fort Lauderdale foreclosure listings are left for the Fort Lauderdale City Commission to decide.
According to industry experts, the city has the right to order for the demolition of these properties if the owners are not able or willing to repair them.
Fort Lauderdale Commissioner Romney Rogers said that it is up to the owners of these historic homes if they want their properties to be saved from demolition. Meanwhile, neighbors of both historic homes just want the city government to do something with the properties. Both houses, which went into foreclosures while in the middle of renovation, now sit empty and have become eyesores to the community.
The Shippey house had been cited for being unsafe six times already this year by Fort Lauderdale code enforcement officers for graffiti, overgrown grass and deterioration.
According to the Historic Board, both houses deserve to be preserved and saved due to their historical significance. The nautical deco home by Charles Jordan was designed by J.M. Peterman, first architect in Fort Lauderdale who is also responsible for the Broward County Court House design.
Jordan said that saving his home is one of his goals but the unsafe ruling had hindered him from findings investors.
Shippey home’s owner, debt collection agency CVM 1 REO LLC took control of the property after it was foreclosed by a bank in 2008.
To view the Fort Lauderdale foreclosure listings, click here.
Related Posts:
- None Found
Comments on this entry are closed.