The city of Marathon has ordered all tenants to move out of a 16-unit apartment building called Mariners Place.
An engineer found that the building was not safe for the people who live there.
WLRN is here for you, even when life is unpredictable. Our journalists are continuing to work hard to keep you informed across South Florida. Please support this vital work. Become a WLRN member today. Thank you.
Marathon passed a law in January that requires all multi-story buildings 17 years and older to be recertified. Property owners have to hire state certified structural engineers and file a report to the city.
The engineer's report said that concrete beams, columns, walls and slabs in the building showed "widespread cracking and spalling." Spalling happens when the iron reinforcement bars inside of concrete are exposed to saltwater and rust, expanding and weakening the concrete.
An electrical engineer also found the building's electrical systems have had "little no or very little maintenance throughout the years" and recommended an "overhaul" of the electrical system.
According to records from the Monroe County Property Appraiser's Office, the building at 20 Coco Plum Drive was originally built in 1978, with an "effective year built" in 1992. That term applies when buildings are significantly renovated.
It was last sold in 2008 for $1.6 million. Its current taxable value is $1.5 million.
The building's owner, Carlos Berdeal, said Friday he is working with the Monroe County Housing Authority to try to help the building's tenants find places to live. The city on Thursday gave Berdeal 15 days to have the building evacuated.
"These are people who have been living there for many years. We feel for them," he said. "We really don't want to see them go. We just want to try to get it resolved as soon as possible."
Berdeal said he had already sent out bid requests to different contractors for the structural and electrical repairs and was waiting to get quotes from them. He said he did not yet know what the timeline would be for repairs.
Want to keep up with the latest stories out of the Florida Keys like this one? Sign up for The Tieline, our newsletter focused on all things Keys and Monroe County. The newsletter will arrive in your inbox twice a month and is written and curated by WLRN’s southernmost reporter Nancy Klingener. She shares her reporting, the latest news out of the Keys and much more. Head here to sign up.
