Former tenant calls for demolition of Mongoven building, family member responds

CHIPLEY – The historic Mongoven building on South Railroad Avenue has been closed for almost two years due to code violations, and its last tenant recommends that it be demolished. Sandy Acosta, former owner of Sandana’s Restaurant, made that recommendation to the regular meeting of Chipley City Council Thursday night.

Acosta read a letter she wrote to potential buyers in mid-2006 warning them of the problems with the building. She noted a number of problems in the letter:

•A thorough inspection of the entire building to stop heavy leaking into the first-floor restaurant, that also brought a great deal of debris into the restaurant

•Flooded bathrooms from the leaks

•Extensive mildew damage throughout both interior and exterior walls

•Other wall damage including exposed plywood and foam insulation

Acosta was forced to vacate the building in August 2006 after about two-and-a-half years of occupation due to code violations. She said she recognized the historic nature of the old building, but that it is too bad of shape to repair.

“I want it preserved but you need to look at the damage in the walls as well as the roof,” Acosta told Council. “The walls are ready to collapse.

“I think it should be demolished,” and she said that owner Bill Mongoven should be responsible for the demolition. “It’s a beautiful building but there is no way it will ever be safe.”

In other business, Council:

•Accepted a $135,610.84 state grant for work on the Pals Park expansion. The money would go for new lights and poles at existing field 2 (13-14-year-old boys), moving those lights (once refurbished) to one of the new fields at the former campground and other uses.

•Approved a land use compliance recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission for the Tyndall Federal Credit Union building just south of Washington Square.

•Held a public hearing and approved Ordinance 882 amending the comprehensive plan for the schools element.

•Held a public hearing and approved an amendment to Ordinance 884 extending the contract for garbage services with Waste Management, Inc., three more years until May 31, 2011. Residential and commercial rates would be adjusted quarterly to reflect the price of diesel fuel.

•Held a public hearing and approved Ordinance 885 adding an alternate member to the Planning and Zoning Commission.

•Approved adding Toby Hodges to the Planning and Zoning Commission to replace Trey Cook.

•Approved vacating a section of 4th Street that dead ends just before Johnson and did not approve vacating a section North 2nd Street just past Warren Avenue.

•Heard four residents apologize to the City for selling drugs. Their apologies are part of their sentencing

Barry Mongoven responds

The following letter was received regarding the Mongoven building:

Comments on validity of information

To the Editor,
After reading the article "All Fall Down?"  I have to make some comments about the validity of the information contained therein.
 
My father, William J. Mongoven, sold the building to Dennis and Sally Carrasquillo in April 2005.  Please see the parcel number 00000000-00-1449-0000 in the property appraiser's records for verification.  Ms. Acosta should have known that the building had been sold as she had to pay rent to the Carrasquillo's from that time until she vacated the building.
 
My father was a very lenient landlord, sometimes forgoing rent when his tenants were having a difficult time.  He has never harassed any tenant or mortgagee for payments even when an inordinate amount of time passed between payments.  Ms. Acosta's next landlord may not have been so accommodating.

Ms. Acosta's concerns should be addressed to the owners of the building, Mr. and Mrs. Carrasquillo.  At this time, they are responsible for making corrections to the structure to bring it up to code or for demolition. Also, if my father owns the property again in the future, he will do whatever is necessary to redress any code violations or other concerns about the property.
 
Barry A. Mongoven
Chipley