ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – A historic building in St. Augustine’s landmark district is set for partial emergency demolition after engineers determined its deteriorating walls pose a danger to the public.
City Building Official R. “Buddy” Schauland approved the emergency demolition permit for 7 Aviles Street, authorizing deconstruction of three walls on the structure’s two-story west addition. An engineer from Atlantic Engineering Services of Jacksonville, Inc. conducted an on-site evaluation last week, finding the walls unstable and at risk of sudden collapse.
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“The west addition exterior walls and façade are in poor condition,” the engineer wrote. “The brick façade is in poor condition and in danger of failing. These walls are a danger to life and property.”
The engineer warned that even temporary shoring would be insufficient to prevent a collapse before the Historic Architectural Review Board’s (HARB) next scheduled meeting in April. Schauland cited the walls’ proximity to the Spanish Military Hospital Museum’s exit and the Aviles Street public sidewalk as key factors in his decision.
Originally built between 1885 and 1888 as a one-story coquina masonry jail, the 4,282-square-foot structure expanded over the decades, adding a two-story brick storefront in 1899 and a cantilevered balcony by 1953. Structural concerns emerged during a separate HARB-approved project earlier this year.
The emergency permit limits demolition strictly to the three walls of the west addition. HARB will hold an emergency meeting Friday to set additional conditions, including which architectural features and materials must be salvaged.