Other Metro Area Projects

[JFW657]

Not many people hang out in Eustless.

[AmIReal]

3 hours ago, JFW657 said:

Re: "so far gone", sounds like it's on the verge of collapsing under it's own weight.

I can't imagine it's that bad.

Redo the roof, replace some beams and interior walls, redo the wiring, etc, etc, etc.

Certainly needs work, but has to be well within the realm of salvagable. 

I think someone could move into it, as is, as long as they were willing to forego some creature comforts. I've read the owners had already updated the wiring, but I'm not sure how complete a job they did. Our estimate for that and the plumbing was very substantial, but that was to bring it up to commercial code. As you said you could redo the roof, deal with the rot and do some minimal work and likely get away with a nice, livable space for not a ton of money. Maybe purchase it for $300k and put $200k into it. However, you'd still have a house with a lot of major issues. There is no interior stairway so to access the upstairs you need to exit and use an external staircase. You can't enclose that staircase due to limits on exterior improvements. You could create an internal stairway, but the rooms would need a lot of redesign. Adding HVAC and new kitchen would add even more to the costs, but I don't think anyone would want the house without doing that. Also, remember any exterior fixes have to use "like" material due to the historic designation (roof, windows, trim, etc).

However, the owners have had it for sale for at least 3 years and no one has bitten off on doing this work. The current owners are not going to improve it, so it will continue to waste away. Hopefully, someone steps up- private buyer, foundation, City- to do what needs to be done.

My 1st inclination was to allow the owner to demo it- again based on no one wants it and it is really only a historic structure due to the age. I assumed the neighbors were tired of having this rotting building continue in their neighborhood... I was wrong about that. It seems the neighbors do not want it demolished. Of course, none of them are willing to buy it and fix it up either. So, things will continue as is.

[JFW657]

Does Eustis already have a local history museum?

If not, it could make a nice one if someone with some vision and money would come along and turn it into one.

Maybe turn the surrounding grounds into some type of botanical gardens or something similar to attract visitors.

[AmIReal]

45 minutes ago, JFW657 said:

Does Eustis already have a local history museum?

If not, it could make a nice one if someone with some vision and money would come along and turn it into one.

Maybe turn the surrounding grounds into some type of botanical gardens or something similar to attract visitors.

Yes but I think it may be full of confederate soldier statues.

A museum is a great idea and I think it has been discussed although it is a little out of the way and still begs the question of who pays for it. I guess the point is this building doesn't actually speak to the local history of Eustis or Florida except it demonstrates one mans epic effort to build it, so as I said before the history is only in the age. Kinda funny, if he had built a dozen of these type buildings it would have been a "movement" and we probably would have a school of architecture named after him. Unfortunately, this was a one-off.

If you have not seen it, check out the photos from here-

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3300-Grand-Island-Shores-Rd-Grand-Island-FL-32735/45364453_zpid/

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/3300-Grand-Island-Shores-Rd_Grand-Island_FL_32735_M63555-09320

[JFW657]

Very nice!!

Would make a great series of episodes of This Old House.

[spenser1058]

The museum with the Confederate soldier controversy is the Lake County History Museum in Tavares.

 

[JFW657]

Maybe someone could turn it into a special event place. Rent it out for weddings, business meetings, receptions, etc, etc.

Bed and breakfast inn, maybe?

[AmIReal]

2 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

The museum with the Confederate soldier controversy is the Lake County History Museum in Tavares.

I know... just kidding around. Couldn't figure out how to add a snark emoji,

1 minute ago, JFW657 said:

Bed and breakfast inn, maybe?

That's what the current owner was trying to do, but the repairs were way to costly.

[spenser1058]

Audubon Park and Rollins College planning students are working together to repurpose alleys in the area for more interesting uses:

https://bungalower.com/2019/05/05/audubon-park-garden-district-looking-to-transform-alleyways-into-public-spaces/

From Bungalower 

[spenser1058]

The art museum’s out and the chamber of commerce is in. Things are hoppin’ in Eustis!

https://www.dailycommercial.com/news/20190507/eustis-chamber-to-return-to-ferran-park

From the Leesburg Daily Commercial 

[spenser1058]

The Edgewater branch of OCLS closes Sunday and will relocate from the oh-so-scary Northgate Plaza (although Jack Kerouac used to shop at the Publix there back in the day) to Lee Road at Adanson. No opening date yet for the new location.

https://www.ocls.info/edgewater-branch-moving

[spenser1058]

Latest news (mostly bad) on efforts to keep OC growth from crossing the Econ:

Foes of The Grow megadevelopment mull options after defeats in appeals court, Legislature http://bit.ly/2HSkM1X

From the Sentinel 

Meanwhile, Seminole commissioners are so far holding the line despite the efforts of disgraced former legislator Chris Dorworth:

http://bit.ly/2XeJrD2

Edited June 2, 2019 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Affordable Housing project for seniors viewed as part of a Pine Hills renaissance http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orange-county/os-ne-affordable-senior-housing-pine-hills-20190605-kw6kcgg4zvbrximxkoksn32hfa-story.html

From the Sentinel 

They’re being built on the former site of Seville Place apartments which were demolished. Dang, I remember when those were new - a friend of my sister moved in after graduating from Evans. I am officially old - JFW, get my walker!

[JFW657]

From my email inbox today....

Everything is free to the public, including my favorite thing..... FOOD!!!!! 

[AmIReal]

File this under good news.

Seminole County rejects River Cross settlement offer

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-ne-seminole-county-river-cross-rejection-20190612-jwkq2izzwzbm3csfuiiw7r4crq-story.html

Of course Dorworth with follow through with his challenge in court, but because the referendum that blocks him was approved by County voters in '04 I don't see how he wins. This is a rare instance where I say "good job" to Seminole County Commissioners.

[spenser1058]

Could there be life in Downtown Clermont?

https://www.dailycommercial.com/news/20190625/clermont-brewing-company-finds-home-and-fans-downtown

From the Leesburg Daily Commercial 

[spenser1058]

Plans for demolition of Fern Park’s Jai-Alai Fronton and the Lynx Superstop there are underway as Seminole County mulls redevelopment of the blighted area.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-ne-seminole-county-jai-alai-oxford-road-development-20190705-tcbiuin6eveo7l5grwulwwvzbe-story.html

From the Sentinel 

[spenser1058]

Full Sail opens the Fortress, which it claims is the largest college esports arena anywhere:

https://m.orlandoweekly.com/orlando/full-sail-universitys-fortress-is-the-largest-college-esports-arena-anywhere/Content?oid=25620810&utm_source=feature&utm_medium=home&utm_campaign=hpfeatures&utm_content=HomeFeaturedStoriesCustomMobile

From the Orlando Weekly

[spenser1058]

The growth explosion in South Lake County - a bright feature or a sprawl disaster in the making?

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-bz-south-lake-county-growth-20190717-prhx5nf3wvamnnfrck4go3s2au-story.html

From the Sentinel 

[spenser1058]

Who needs a train? Tavares is getting a paddlewheeler!

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/lake/os-lk-tavares-steamboat-20190719-hwlsjuxuijfozlexdwvqwzti4y-story.html

From the Sentinel 

[HankStrong]

Toot toot!

[spenser1058]

A legislator from Delray Beach is once again proposing to move the state capital. This time, instead of specifically stating “Orlando”, the goal is “Central Florida” (I know Orlando Uprise will be thrilled by that.

There are a number of reasons it won’t happen but the simplest is that we live in a state that hasn’t even been able to update its license plate in decades - you think these people are up to moving the whole blooming capital?

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/politics/os-ne-florida-capital-orlando-proposal-20190807-apt7hxgc6vehbjrgntccwaduou-story.html?outputType=amp

From the Sentinel 

Sorry folks, this dog won’t hunt any better this time than it has  before (Florida, btw, is one of the few states whose capital has been in the same town since territorial days - do you detect a trend here?)

[codypet]

16 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

There are a number of reasons it won’t happen but the simplest is that we live in a state that hasn’t even been able to update its license plate in decades - you think these people are up to moving the whole blooming capital?

I was wondering that not too long ago.  Why is that we haven't updated the plate?  Seemed like we updated the plate design every 5 years.  Now its been what? 2003 since the last update?  I know they changed the legislation so that the plates themselves get replaced every 10 years instead of every 5 (I have my own opinions on how that itself was a money grab), but that shouldn't effect the frequency of the plate design.

[spenser1058]

7 hours ago, codypet said:

I was wondering that not too long ago.  Why is that we haven't updated the plate?  Seemed like we updated the plate design every 5 years.  Now its been what? 2003 since the last update?  I know they changed the legislation so that the plates themselves get replaced every 10 years instead of every 5 (I have my own opinions on how that itself was a money grab), but that shouldn't effect the frequency of the plate design.

The tag designs are voted on by the cabinet. Suffice it to say they have not been profiles in courage over the years despite having opportunities to do much better (my favorite was an Art Deco version in pastel colors that captured a Miami Vice vibe - you can imagine a table full of folks hiding behind Jeb!’s shadow afraid to do something interesting.)

Just improving the graphics would go a long way. 

[HankStrong]

On the topic of plate redesign, the hometown champions tag went from BORING to a hot commodity overnight.

A white plate with a circle Pegasus on the far left to the black plate with a strong & bold gold UCF logo?  To quote Charlie Sheen: "WINNING!"

I don't honestly get the Pegasus logo in the first place, but I'm not a UCF guy.  They aren't the UCF Pegasuseseseses.  Was the Golden Knight (now demoted to just a Knight) originally on Pegasus?