ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. — Homeowners in Atlantic Beach are tired of staring at a house in their neighborhood. The property was condemned in April of last year and ordered to be demolished in April of this year. So why is it still standing? First Coast News has learned this is a unique case for the city of Atlantic Beach.
Dawn Seyler said it's a good thing she is not looking to move anytime soon.
"We wouldn’t be able to sell it because of living next to this," Seyler said. "Not only is it an eyesore, but at this point, it’s a health and safety hazard."
Dawn Seyler lives two doors down from 198 Poinsettia St.
The property is part of a townhome and a quick drive-by shows exposed insulation, windows in the yard and pieces of walls.
The property was condemned after the owner failed to make repairs.
“Three years ago, watched every deck fall and windows fall," Seyler said.
Over time conditions have only gotten worse, according to Seyler.
“The patios have fallen through, the windows, just recently both floors have completely fallen out," Seyler said. "We have a problem with rodents all the time because of this."
Wells Fargo began the foreclosure process in March of this year. The bank eventually took over ownership and determined the property needed to be knocked down.
"It’s just horrific, I’ve never seen anything like this in my life," neighbor Susan Perry said.
Perry lives around the corner and can’t stand hearing that the townhome is going to stay up for now.
“How much longer do we have to wait?" Perry asked. "Do we have to wait until January 2020."
The bank has put out bids for demolition with the idea of keeping the next-door property in place but has already seen one contractor turn down the job due to liability concerns.
“It’s a wait and see, but for neighbors that wait and see is over," Seyler said. "We’ve had it, we want it gone."
While the neighbors understand the city’s hands are essentially tied when it comes to what it can do with this property, neighbors hope something is done sooner rather than later.
“We took possession of the property over the summer and have been working with the city and other parties on a process for demolishing the structure," says Roshana Gossoff, with Wells Fargo. "While we don’t have a firm timeline established, we hope to be able to resolve the remaining details and move forward as quickly as possible; recognizing that we have to obtain all the required permits and take steps to ensure that the demolition is completed safely.”