A circa 1920 two-story, balloon-frame wood bungalow is being offered free to make room for the expansion of the adjacent school’s campus. The building is currently located near Downtown DeLand at 342 N. Clara Ave. However, the new owner has to move it to another site.
The house was the former St. Barnabas Episcopal Church parsonage. The building is just east of the St. Barnabas Episcopal School’s playground. This playground wraps around three sides of the building. The church plans to use the land after removal or demolition of the bungalow for the expansion of the school’s campus. All moving expenses, including securing any and all permits, will be the responsibility of the new owner. St. Barnabas Rector, the Rev. Brian Garrison and DeLand architect Jack Carter have requested permission to demolish the building from the DeLand Historic Preservation Board.
According to the architect, the building has structural issues leading to a rehabilitation that could cost about three to five times of building a new structure. Despite regular pest-control service, the structure has termite infestation. Other likely hazards include lead paint in the interior, asbestos in the plaster, and mold in cavities behind the walls from leaking windows. The Environmental Protection Agency determined that removing the asbestos plaster is the only way to remove the mold in the walls. Because of the danger from loose particles, asbestos removal should only be performed by a qualified contractor.
Another issue is the building’s foundation of old Lake Helen sand bricks. The potential for collapse exists from cracks at the bottom and top of the stairs on the south side, and in the walls upstairs on the north side. The bricks and mortar, known to fail under load over extended periods of time, are falling apart. Other indications of impending structural collapse are cracks on either side of a beam behind the ceiling.
If the church were to rehabilitate the building, according to the architect, the building would have required a number of changes to bring it into compliance with requirements of the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Act. Bringing it up to ADA standards would have included gutting and replacing the bathrooms, expanding doorways, and replacing the staircase. ADA standards would have also required adding an elevator or wheelchair lift.
Although the building needs repairs, the church has completed some maintenance and repairs to the building. The house has undergone regular cleaning and the building has a new roof addition from two years ago. Despite structural and other issues, the DeLand Historic Preservation Board has still determined that the house has historic value. The board members voted unanimously in May 2018 to postpone demolition for at least a few months in hopes of finding a new owner to relocate the structure. The architect estimates that moving the structure would cost at least $50,000.
CONTACT INFO
Mike Holmes
City of DeLand Planning Director
Historic Preservation Board
386-626-7016
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Belinda Williams-Collins
City of DeLand Senior Planner
Historic Preservation Board
386-626-7013
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