You can think of this as the .1%...

These two properties represent one-tenth of one percent of the vacant properties here in Lake Worth. We are told that there are around 2,000. The city is making a start, courtesy of the new ordinances now in place that will protect the city from legal claims from the owners. These two legal notices for these structures appeared in last Thursday's edition of the Lake Worth Herald.

 Click either notices for a more readable image.

We rode by them on Friday and it was obvious these have not been inhabited in a while. I was already familiar with the one on Ocean Breeze, but had never seen the one on South F Street. That one is not too far away from the FEC freight depot that will be the new home of the Benzaiten Center. Follow the link on their website for more information. This is what is eventually envisioned for the entire area around the center.

The Surrounding Neighborhood, which is zoned ‘Art Light-Industrial’ is surely to blossom into a location for all types of various artist studios and live-work artist housing. This ‘Art Zone’ will become an exciting hub of creative activity that will attract visitors from all over South Florida and benefit all three-dimensional artists living in the community. Bringing artists of different disciplines together will foster an atmosphere of joint collaboration and a synergy of creativity unparalleled in the world of art.

Here are pictures of the structure and yard. The structure will likely be demolished soon.

The following pictures are of the property on Ocean Breeze. This is within a historic district. Once a structure has been found unsafe by the building official, the Historic Resource Preservation Board gets notice at our monthly meeting (2nd Wednesday in the Commission Chambers). There is nothing that we can do at that time to prevent the structure's demolition. It is shown to us for informational purposes only.

So the notices and legals ads are the precursor to progress. If you look around the city, you will see other similar notices placed on dilapidated structures. Costs for the demolition, if performed by the city, become an item on the property tax bill. This was one of the key changes brought forth by the new ordinances.