JACKSONVILLE, FL -- It is an iconic building at the corner of 8th and North Main streets. The work of Jacksonville Architect Henry Klutho.
The three-story structure was converted into a 40-unit apartment building in the Springfield.
From the outside, it appears in very good condition, but a visit on the inside reveals a lot of problems.
Two weeks ago roofing contractors were replacing the roof. But during the heavy rains, the tarp and covering failed and the rains flooded the apartments.
Bernard Mitchell's third-floor apartment is heavily damaged; the ceiling is completely gone.
"This is mold all here and they expect me to stay here and still pay rent," said Mitchell.
He has been staying at a local hotel for the past few days, at the expense of the roofing contractor, but wants his apartment restored.
In fact, water is still leaking into his apartment.
"Living with all this mold is despicable," said Mitchell, "I cannot stay here."
He is just one of the frustrated tenants in the building; several other units were damaged.
In Anthony Scott's first floor apartment there are water stains on the ceiling.
"There was so much water it started leaking on one side of the room," said Scott, "now it is leaking on both sides of the doorway."
And in the bathroom, the exhaust fan is hanging from the ceiling and there is a musty odor and dark spots indicating a heavy presence of mold.
"That is now a mushroom growing out of our ceiling," he said.
On the outside of the building ,there are several large trash containers and the trash is overflowing.
It not only stinks, it is unsightly and perhaps a major attraction for vermin.
On Your Side checked with the city record for a complaint history.
Since January 2016, the City of Jacksonville Municipal Code Enforcement Division has responded to 15 complaints on the Duke Properties building.
The complaints covered everything from junk vehicles, to the elevator system, to a trash problem.
The most recent visits were July 17th.
Mozetta Shiloh is the property manager. She provided a written statement which reads in part:
STATEMENT:
City of Jacksonville and the Jacksonville Housing Authority have been notified and are aware of all remediation efforts, and have assured both tenants and the owners of 1751 N. Main Street that all remediation efforts are being performed in compliance with all necessary regulations and procedures.
All tenants displaced by the ongoing repairs have been provided with temporary housing in local hotels at the cost of either Duke Properties, Inc. or Moon Degutis, Inc.
The owners of Florence Court Apartments; Moon Degutis, Inc; the Jacksonville Housing Authority are working together to insure that this disruption to our tenants is as minimal as possible and, further, that all repairs are made as quickly and safely as possible."
And when questioned about the unsightly trash pile up and it being a potential sanitation issue, Shiloh had this response:
"Tenant Trash is picked up 3x a week in accordance with our current schedule. Obviously there is more trash at this time due to the water remediation from the storm, and we are awaiting a new trash container to be delivered which was already requested."
Shiloh did not give a timetable for the completion of the new roof or the repair to the ceiling and the tenants apartments, only to say they're working on it.
