HOLMES BEACH – A four-unit building on Sixth Avenue was voluntarily evacuated on July 15 after a repairman noticed structural issues with the balconies.
Building Official Neal Schwartz said that the issues at the building at 3400 Sixth Ave. could lead to a collapse, but that they were discovered before any other damage occurred. The property owners voluntarily vacated the premises until the problem could be assessed by a structural engineer and repaired, he said.
All of the balconies on the building are compromised and will have to be replaced, then the building will have to be inspected before it can be deemed safe for habitation, he said.
The building, part of the Fountain Head two-building complex, is mostly used as vacation rental units, Schwartz said. He added that while the exterior stucco is separating from the building on the south end of the property, the building at 3402 Sixth Ave. is not experiencing any issues, though he said condominium association officials plan to have it checked just to make sure.
The four-plex was constructed in 1984 according to Manatee County Property Appraiser records.
Code Compliance Officer Kim Charron said the issues with the balconies were reported to the department by a rental agent who was told by a repairman that there was something suspicious going on with the balcony at one of the units. The matter was then turned over to the city’s building department.
If Sixth Avenue sounds familiar, it’s because the north end of the street is where a balcony collapsed at a residential home in late June.
That home at 4106 Sixth Ave. is still awaiting repairs, though Schwartz said no issues have come up concerning the structure of other homes in the area with a similar build.
The Sun submitted a public records request to learn the name of the contractor who built the home and other similar structures in the area. As of press time for The Sun, the city had not released the requested records.
With structural issues at residential properties making some homeowners nervous, Schwartz said he recommends that anyone who has concerns or who spots a potential issue in their home, business or rental property contact the city’s building department for an inspection. He said it’s better to catch potential issues before they become a safety hazard.
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