As you may have seen on the local news, St. James Cathedral School is scheduled to request the Historic Preservation Board at 4PM on Wednesday August 6th for permission to demolish the historic church building on the corner of Cathcart Ave and RidgewoodSt., no plans for the site are being proposed with the application.
Since the School's possession in 1999 little or no maintenance has been done to protect the building resulting in some deterioration. As many of you who live in the neighborhood know, Lake Eola Heights is a celebrated historic district that was once an area of derelict and neglected homes; any property historic or new can become derelict by neglect.
The recent request for the demolition of the house at 334 Broadway Ave along with this request demonstrates that the historic fabric of the neighborhood as well as that of Orlando's cultural resources is under a real threat. The disposition of the Broadway property is still under question as no one at the City Planning or Preservation Office has any information, the house's fate would appear to be in the hand's of Orlando Legal Office, (City Attorney Mayanne Downs has been closely involved in a proposed negotiated agreement between the City and the property owner but no information has been made available for the preservation office or public review).
This pattern of threat to historic property is just another example as the 5 houses on E. Washington St. also risk demolition.
Let your elected officals know that Orlando's history matters! E-mail or call them and express your views.
buddy.dyer@cityoforlando.net 407-246-2221 patty.sheehan@cityoforlando.net 407-246-2004 phil.diamond@cityoforlando.net 407-246-2001 tony.ortiz@cityoforlando.net 407-246-2002 daisy.lyman@cityoforlando.net 407-246-2005 sam.ings@cityoforlando.net 407-246-2006 robert.stuart@cityoforlando.net 407-246-2003
