HISTORY:
On July 26, 2017, City Commission accepted the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee’s recommendations regarding the Log Cabin structure located at 8128 Collins Avenue. These recommendations were:
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Staff will collaborate with Daniel Ciraldo of the Miami-Dade Preservation League to further investigate the Log Cabin's historical significance within the context of the community.
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Administration will work with the City's Grants Department to identify potential funding opportunities available for restoration including the State Department's Division of Historical Resources (DHR), namely the DHR's Special Category Grants.
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Property Management Division to revisit feasibility of successfully relocating the Log Cabin and further explore the option to build an in-kind structure while salvaging key elements of the Log Cabin that remain in fair condition today (i.e. treated interior logs and coral rock fireplace).
Further Investigation of the Log Cabin's Historical Significance
Information provided by the Miami Design Preservation League is included herein for the for the Committee’s review.
Identification of Potential Funding Opportunities Available for Restoration
The Administration has identified potential funding opportunities for the Log Cabin project. Potential State funding sources include the Historic Preservation Special Category grants program, Small Matching grant program, Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program, Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Cultural Facilities grant program. Other potential grants include Miami-Dade County Capital Development Grants program, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Save America’s Treasures.
Revisit Feasibility of Successfully Relocating the Log Cabin and Further Explore
the Option to Build an In-kind Structure
The City’s Property Management Division retained Douglas Wood and Associates, Inc. (DWA) to prepare a condition assessment to include specific recommendations for the Log Cabin. DWA's report, attached herein, is consistent with the assessments and recommendations received by City staff over the past several months- namely that restoration of the Log Cabin would require rebuilding most of the structure from scratch. The report states that “Due to the extent of deterioration and collapse in this building, it appears that any future renovation would be classified as correction of Substantial Structural Damage and as a Substantial Structural Alteration under Alteration Level 3 (as defined in the Florida Building Code 2017- Existing Buildings). Therefore, structural systems will need to be made to comply with current Building Code requirements for strength and performance.”
DWA’s assessment “indicates that ‘restoration’ of this building is not feasible. The closest one could come to ‘restoration’ would be to reconstruct foundations and stemwalls with new materials (unless historical designation is achieved and flood design requirements waived), reconstruct the exterior log walls with new materials, and reconstruct the floor and roof using existing materials, supplemented with new materials as required.”
The construction cost estimate provided by DWA to reconstruct the Log Cabin as described above is in the range of $750,000 to $1,000,000. The cost associated with reconstructing the existing floor and floor structures with salvaged materials would be approximately 15% of the total project cost.
Should the structure be designated as historic, the Building Department could waive the Finish Floor Elevation requirement required by code- thus allowing for a reconstruction project wherein the building need not be raised or elevated.
Given the extent of deterioration, DWA has recommended against relocation, stating “it does not appear that relocation of the building is appropriate. If a new location is desired, one would simply construct the new foundations, stemwalls and exterior log walls at the new site. Existing roof and floor structures would be dismantled and salvaged materials transported to the new site.”