City offers site visit at Coquina Avenue property

Due to strong public interest in the structure located at 91 Coquina Avenue, a property recently purchased by the City of St. Augustine, the city will host an open house on Monday, June 17, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  The purpose of this event is provide access to the property to interested parties so they may inspect and preview the structure and ask questions of city staff while on site.

The city is offering the structure “as is” and no value has been assigned.  Historic City News editor Michael Gold, who warned about the City’s fake intentions to keep and preserve the structure, said “If you can’t sell it, give it away. And, if you can’t give it away, pay somebody to take it!”

The city strongly desires to have the house relocated and preserved and is offering a $5,000 stipend, the approximate cost of demolition, as assistance.  Applicable building permit fees will be waived by the city, but additional expenses or fees associated with structure relocation, including applicable insurance, shall be the sole responsibility of the acquiring party.

An informational flyer and Pre-Demolition Asbestos and Lead Based Paint Survey Report is available on the city’s website atwww.CityStAug.com.  Contact Corey Sakryd, Grant Administration Coordinator at 904.209.4306 or csakryd@citystaug.com  for further details about the project. 

Proposals are due to the Grant Administration Coordinator no later than June 28, 2019, 5:00pm EDT.

About the property

The one story cottage is wood frame construction with 960 square feet of interior space divided into a parlor room, kitchen, office, bathroom, and three bedrooms. A front porch projects under a flat roof creating 146 square feet of covered area and a rear porch adds another 128 square feet. The cottage appears to be in good shape making it an ideal candidate for preservation or relocation.

Significant details include the ship lap siding, wood windows, decorative exterior woodwork, coquina concrete pier foundation, horizontal wood paneled doors, and pecky cypress and pine tongue and groove interior paneling.  The roof is framed with heart pine members visible in the attic. Wood materials of the exterior siding, roof framing, pecky cypress and pine paneling, wood flooring, and windows appear to be in exceptional condition.  Exterior elements and the wood flooring need sanding and renewed protective coatings.