Sebastian halts repairs to Hurricane Harbor building on Working Waterfront as costs soar
SEBASTIAN — With estimates to fix the rear of the Fisherman’s Landing building that houses the Crab-E-Bill's fish market now reaching $140,000, the City of Sebastian has put a halt to any more repairs.
And that’s before the $119,000 in business losses Crab-E-Bill's is seeking reimbursement from the city, along with costs for a $5,600 air conditioning unit it installed.
Attorney Peter Sweeney, who represents the owner of Crab-E-Bill's, sent an email to City Attorney Manny Anon in mid-June, detailing the loss the business revenue the restaurant incurred when the city shut down the back of the building due to safety concerns. He asked the city to compensate the owners for their losses.
Previously: Will Crab-E-Bills stay or go when Sebastian razes part of Hurricane Harbor building?
Forensic evaluation of seafood market, historic Hurricane Harbor: Sebastian will spend $30,000 to assess repairs needed to make Crab-E-Bills safe again
More Crab-E-Bill's repairs: Sebastian spending $50,000 in safety repairs to keep Crab-E-Bills in Hurricane Harbor building
Last month, the City Council approved $50,000 in minor repairs to the 100-year-old building, but with that number almost tripling, the council has decided that putting that much money into the old building just doesn’t make good sense.
The city plans to tell Sweeney and Crab-E-Bill's operator in writing they can continue operating in the front part of the building only until their lease expires in 2024.
Contractors told City Manager Paul Carlisle the repair estimates were so high because of soil instability beneath the building. That would require installation of pilings from the roof into the ground and more beams to support the current roof, he said.
Councilman Chris Nunn said $140,000 is just too much for the city to spend, especially for temporary repairs.
“This $140,000 is just to shore-up the back of the building so they can open up the tables there and move them from outside,” said Nunn. “This is just to get the back of the restaurant open; it does nothing for the future of that building. I don’t see how we can open up holes in the floor and the ceiling, and spend $140,000 to achieve nothing.”
Councilman Ed Dodd has been vocal for months about the deteriorating condition of the building and whether $50,000 would even cover the temporary repairs. Dodd said it’s time to notify the owner they will have to relocate when their lease expires so the building can be repaired properly.
He also warned if the front of the building becomes unsafe before the lease expires, it may have to be closed as well.
“I think we just have to draw the line and do it,” said Dodd. “It’s not going to be popular. It’s a great fish house, they have a great chef, they make a great fish sandwich, but we have no choice as a city to take this stand on it.”
Although the building is nearly 100 years old, it has never been designated as historic, leaving open the possibility of razing and rebuilding it. Over the years, it has been a motor vehicle repair shop, a storage warehouse, a bar and restaurant and before it was purchased by the city about 12 years ago — with a Stan Mayfield Working Waterfront Grant — it often sat empty and in a state of decline.
As part of the Working Waterfront project, Crab-E-Bill's opened its fish market and restaurant in 2014, and the Indian River County Historical Society opened a fishing museum several years later. But with current concerns about safety, Dodd said, Sebastian is obligated to take action.
“Nobody in the city, staff or (on the council) is interested in being punitive toward any business owner in this city," he said, "but we have no choice at this point in time to take some action about this."
Janet Begley is a local freelance writer for TCPalm.com. 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: Sebastian stops Crab-E-Bill's, Hurricane Harbor building repairs
