Will Crab-E-Bills stay or go when Sebastian razes part of Hurricane Harbor building?
SEBASTIAN — The city has condemned part of the historic Hurricane Harbor on the working waterfront after an engineering inspection discovered significant deterioration to the bar and dining area.
The action affects the bar/restaurant/museum located in the rear of the structure at 1540 Indian River Drive but does not impact the front of the building that currently houses Crab-E-Bills seafood market.
The seafood market will remain open for now.
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Engineers said the city-owned building is plagued by structural defects, mold, termites and water intrusion. And it may take $1.65 million to repair, their report said.
“The bar/dining area is a danger to the public and should be closed,” engineer Chris Reddick wrote. “The miscellaneous additions (to the building) are at the end of their lifespan and should be demolished and rebuilt.”
Councilman Ed Dodd, after reading the engineer’s report, said he was in favor of closing the entire building to the public since it appears damage was more than the City Council anticipated.
“I think we need to move Crab-E-Bills out the building and determine if the building can be saved,” Dodd said. “If this was my home, my family would be out of there.”
But moving Crab-E-Bills may not be simple. The restaurant's attorney, Pete Sweeney, said it has a lease for the next two years and the lease has a renewal clause for another 10 years.
“This is an ongoing entity that if you moved it, will suffer significant damages,” said Sweeney. “There is no get-out-of-the lease clause.”
Mayor Jim Hill wants Crab-E-Bills to remain open because it is vital to the city’s working waterfront project
“I would rather see us tap the brakes on the removal of the tenant,” said Hill. “The city manager did what was prudent, but this is an incredibly important project for the city of Sebastian. When the city saved the building in the first place, we wanted to save our history and our heritage. It has helped to generate a tremendous amount of interest in the working waterfront.”
Sebastian purchased the Fisherman’s Landing property in 2009 with funding from the Florida Communities Trust through the Stan Mayfield Working Waterfront program. The Florida Inland Navigation District provided significant funding for the city to make improvements such as the shoreline restoration area.
Part of the state grant required the city to establish a museum on the property that showcases the history of commercial fishing along the Indian River. The museum held many artifacts that will have to be stored in a climate-controlled environment while the city decides what to do with the building, according to county historian Ruth Stanbridge.
Council members asked City Manager Paul Carlisle to future steps to take with the Hurricane Harbor building and report back in January. Part of the plan could include a more detailed structural assessment of the front of the building, which shows signs of severe moisture and termite damage.
The council also wants residents to weigh in on what needs to be done with the working waterfront before any final decisions are made.
Janet Begley is a local freelance writer. If you like articles like this and other TCPalm coverage of Treasure Coast news, please support our journalism and subscribe now.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Will Crab-E-Bills stay once Sebastian condemns Hurricane Harbor building?