Neville odd-man out on 30-day demolition delay

Historic City News observed that only City Commissioner Todd Neville had objection to a new ordinance that will require those who are awarded a demolition permit to wait for the 30-day appeal window to expire before actually performing the demolition. The vote creating the new requirement was approved Monday night in a 4-1 split vote.

Recently the controversial non-profit Dow Museum of Homes, property now owned by for-profit investor-developer David Corneal, came under scrutiny after Corneal received a demolition permit for the weakened Carpenter House; a building some preservationists say could have been renovated and saved. Within 24-hours, the ancient structure lay in ruin on the ground.

Some legitimately interested in the preservation of the more than century-old homes were furious as they were planning to undertake an appeal, but the developer’s actions rendered the option moot. “Once it’s demolished, that’s forever,” Ed Slavin, who fought for and won standing to argue his objections before the city commission, told local reporters. “Even though the historically significant building has been torn down, I am continuing to fight for this appeal.”

Slavin may have won standing to be heard, however, he lost his posthumous appeal. He did accomplish one other thing. He raised awareness of the risk to our priceless and irreplaceable architecture at the hands of developers whose rush to demolish what few remaining examples there are that allow us to experience life in St Augustine from centuries ago.

Neville, who is represented in legal matters by David Corneal’s son, Seth Corneal, advocated Corneal’s position that the process can extend final demolition “too long” and become a “hardship” on the property owners. Objectors who found Neville’s lengthy and seemingly flawed arguments suspicious asked, “What’s the point of allowing an appeal — if you are going to allow the property owner to tear the structure down before the decision is final?”