Structural Report Out on Casino Building. But, what is wrong with this picture?

First, let me say that I am glad we finally have a new version, preceded by many previous versions (the last one being from 2001), of a structural engineer's report on the status of the Casino building at the beach. You have seen the pictures in previous posts of the spalling concrete, exposed rebar and other obvious deficiencies in the building as it exists today.

The report is included under "City Manager's Report" in the upcoming City Commission meeting agenda Tuesday night. This is the transmittal memorandum as penned by the City Manager. If you would like to read or review the entire report, click here and it will take you directly to its location on the City's website.


No surprise that there are serious problems with the building that need to be addressed. The next step will be to test the strength of the concrete, as indicated in the memo and the report. If it doesn't test out a a minimum of 3,000 psi, along with other performance measures, then there may be a need to close the entire building.

Why is it important that we acknowledge these facts? One reason is because it is a fact that we can't run away from. Another reason is that public safety is at stake. It also will push something to happen at the beach that will be different from the status quo. If the building is unsafe to be in, then we have to do something different regarding the tenants there. We'll either have to discontinue their leases and they will have to fend for themselves elsewhere. Or we'll be in a position where they realize the only alternative they have if they want to stay at the beach is to be part of the redevelopment project currently underway. At that point, those people that are holding up the current project at the beach through lawsuits and possible referendum will be seen as blocking progress - at least from the point of view of the tenants.

Now let's say the lawsuit prevails regarding the referendum on the beach land use plan change and rezoning. And let's say that referendum is not successful and the public turns down the army unleashed by those against the redevelopment beach. At that point we are already further along and perhaps don't have a building there period. Then it may just end up being a passive park. But, at least at that point it is off our agenda as a community and we can get on with more the more important issues that we face on the mainland - by focusing on crime, blight, declining property values, our image as a City, etc.

The thing that I can't understand is that I brought this up under public comment on unagendaed items at the last Commission Meeting - May 20th. It came up later in the meeting when Commissioner Golden asked about it during the discussion on the land use designation on the beach. At that time staff (Mr. Baldwin and Mr. Kroll, and confirmed by the Mayor) had indicated, in sort of "deer in headlights" way, that a structural study had been started but the engineer dropped the ball and couldn't be found or some such nonsense.

Then, in the very next Commission meeting agenda packet, we have a full structural report on the Casino building - dated May 2! Did they just make this public since I made an issue of it and have been sitting on it for all this time? It's easy enough to change a date in a report. What if I hadn't said anything, would these facts still be waiting to be publicly substantiated? Anyway, here's a little song for staff since I don't think they were being truthful about the status of the report - but at least we have it now!