Clean Up of Annie Lytle School Continues This Weekend

[BIG CHEESE 723]

Hey, Tim!  A friend made a facetious copmment about a good use for #4.  Not feasible but she suggested since our illustrious councilman wants to shut down Metro Park because of the noise...use #4.  No complaining about noise over there.  lol  I know, not big enough, but it would have beeen a win/win solution.

[Timkin]

Timkin, I'm sorry I didn't remember this before now;  I don't know if it would be helpful to you all or not, since you are painting off the graffiti tagging.  I know there is a special concoction called D-2 that the genealogical society (Southeastern Genealogical Exchange Society Library, off of 103rd and Ricker, on Sauterne Drive I think it is) sells to clean off concrete headstones in the graveyards they take care of.  It is used instead of bleach because it won't deteriorate the old concrete.  Not sure if it would remove paint, and I have no clue if you could paint over it or not if you still had to.  Just throwing it out there. 

Sandy..  Most of the concrete surfaces have so many layers of paint on them from covering tagging over the years , that it would be tough to remove.   

I read online about a chemical made to apply to brick to remove graffiti , but it is costly and to remove all of the tagging from the entire structure would cost a lot and take a really long time.  Not sure what to do to combat this problem, other than to keep code enforcement happy by covering it.  The least expensive way to do that is to paint it.  Don't like painting the brick , but not many options at present.

Here again, this is where donation money is needed.  Without having a firm plan in place to develop the building and property , this vicious cycle of tagging and covering over the tagging is likely going to continue.    So we cover the tagging for now.. it boils down to limited economics

[BIG CHEESE 723]

Autumn has already called me to make sure we are still on.    You betcha'.  10 a.m. is still my goal

[Timkin]

Hey, Tim!  A friend made a facetious copmment about a good use for #4.  Not feasible but she suggested since our illustrious councilman wants to shut down Metro Park because of the noise...use #4.  No complaining about noise over there.  lol  I know, not big enough, but it would have beeen a win/win solution.

Actually on the contrary , I think there are neighbors adjacent to the School that would probably object  to that, even if the Interstate traffic noise drowns it out .   It is not just the illustrious councilman that wants to stop the activity at Metro Park , but also folks in neighborhoods that are close enough to hear the music , etc, that object to it. 

The best idea I have ever heard for Annie Lytle is the idea Ocklawaha suggested , that was to convert it to a Station with the Skyway extended from its present location , and coming in to the back of the School, as well as converting the rest of the building to mixed commercial.    As much as I love the idea, I do not think it will ever materialize  but it would certainly make the School a destination.   Ock suggested continuing on the idea by reconnecting the School via a large pedestrian walkway , to Riverside park, linking it back to the Park and the 5 points area.

There are a lot of excellent ideas for the School , but not a single thing proposed so far has ever coupled with a 100% plan to pay for the enormous cost of renovation/development.  Herein lies the problem.

 I know of no better plan, and apparently so far, neither has any developer.  Certainly if there had been, someone would have made it happen.   If the Skyway is ever extended to the Riverside area,  this is an excellent idea .

 Until such time as a plan is in place, the only feasible thing I see for us to do , is to continue what we are doing, and that is to combat the last 50 years of abandonment, disrepair, vandalism and try to continue on course with our cleanup. At present that is the least expensive solution.

[Timkin]

Autumn has already called me to make sure we are still on.    You betcha'.  10 a.m. is still my goal

Awesome  

[BIG CHEESE 723]

Clean up of the inside continued today.  More progress in the front hallway.  Also moved on to the first 2 rooms by the door.  Still lots to do.  We had to leave a big pile of debris right inside the door.   Soon we plan to have that removed.
Thanks to Dog Walker for the x metal.  Will use it soon.
Also had a little company around back.  Sketchy guy with a metal detector and a camp-like spade.  Guess he was digging for treasure.  Photos will be postd on PHOTOS BY BIG CHEESE.  Still can't upload to MJ
Shoes filled with dirt.  lol  ned serious shower....no complaints.  All for the cause.  (:

[If_I_Loved_you]

Clean up of the inside continued today.  More progress in the front hallway.  Also moved on to the first 2 rooms by the door.  Still lots to do.  We had to leave a big pile of debris right inside the door.   Soon we plan to have that removed.
Thanks to Dog Walker for the x metal.  Will use it soon.
Also had a little company around back.  Sketchy guy with a metal detector and a camp-like spade.  Guess he was digging for treasure.  Photos will be postd on PHOTOS BY BIG CHEESE.  Still can't upload to MJ
Shoes filled with dirt.  lol  ned serious shower....no complaints.  All for the cause.  (:

I applaud you http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9NIZOvfKpc and the others that put their own blood sweat and tears into this old school.

[BIG CHEESE 723]

Praise goes to Timkin and ALL the ones who have working their hearts out for many years.

[Timkin]

^^ And to you Big Cheese, and to your assistants, Ralph W,  DogWalker, Linda B,  Countless Countless others deserve praise and to be commended.  Collectively your efforts make mine pale in comparison, but one thing is for sure.  We all want the same end result and we are getting the cleanup part accomplished , slowly but surely.  From 6 years ago , when I began,  it is obvious that the property gets regular maintenance.  It is uplifting and gives me hope that we have volunteers who specialize in Historic renovations , and have investors looking yet again to identify the way to make renovation a doable project.

Despite those in the community that think the School is a lost cause, hopeless, that we are wasting our time, WE ARE CONFIDENT that a path to bring this building from its derelict state to life will be identified, and that, by continuing forward on the things ,we as the community can do to improve it, gives it a huge shove forward to meeting that goal.    We will save any features ( remaining doors / windows )  to restore or as patterns for ones put back in during renovation.   

Mostly , as posted previously, the task at hand is total clean out of the building everywhere. every staircase, classroom ,closet , even the basement.. all junk , ruined building materials, trash hauled away.. dust ,broken glass etc swept up , bagged up, removed.   Auditorium cleaned back down to the concrete floor, the Stage cleaned / cleared, and the removal of all of the tagging. I believe this phase will easily run us through 2013 probably longer.. depending on the volunteer interest, and donations ,etc.

I commend you all for your loving efforts ...

[BIG CHEESE 723]

More work completed today.  Working hard on the principal's office.  Still need volunteers!!!!
A 66 year old woman and an 11 year old girl can do only so much by themselves.  Two hours is about our limit in one day.Anyone can come and work at any time.  Ralph W tries to do things during the week.  I can show up if someone wants to work on a week day.  all I need is advance notice. (:

[sandyshoes]

It's too bad someone with deep pockets (Weavers, Khan) doesn't get involved with saving Annie.  FYI one of the owners (Doug Milne) is a lecturer in an upcoming OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute / UNF) event.  Maybe some folks oughta show up there and try to talk to him afterwards?  (It's a lecture/learning series for retired folks).

[Dog Walker]

Doug Milne's foundation no longer owns the school, only the surrounding land.  The tax deed for the school was bought by Tarpon IV, LLC, a south Florida investment company.  They have not paid taxes on the school either so it might be coming up for purchase again next year.

[BIG CHEESE 723]

We are going to keep on working.  If someone does take a look at it to buy they are going to s slight improvement on the inside.  (:Tim had an unusual query about a on-time use.  Ridiculous.  He will have to share that with you.
Patsy

[Timkin]

We are going to keep on working.  If someone does take a look at it to buy they are going to s slight improvement on the inside.  (:Tim had an unusual query about a on-time use.  Ridiculous.  He will have to share that with you.
Patsy

What Big Cheese is referring to , is a communication I received recently from a person who wanted to have her wedding at the School .. inside.

I indicated to her that it is not my property, but gave her the names of the owners involved in the place.. and indicated that it took me quite some time to negotiate with the owner to obtain permission to do maintenance / cleanup on the School and property, and that even we as volunteers cannot host events in or on the property..it is condemned / unsafe/has no utilities.

Her reply was not friendly at all... She said if I was allowed to do cleanup there , that she surely should be able to host a wedding there.   That people illegally enter the School all the time ( duh )  and that she WOULD go to the owner.

My reply... Okay. Good luck.

 This is the frustrating part of trying to do something positive with a Property like Annie Lytle.    Our intent is well-meaning.  It appears to be taken in the wrong light by some, such as this example.

[BIG CHEESE 723]

We will continue our work this Saturday morning.  We should be there around 1o a.m. for at least 2 hours.  We can get a lot done in that amount of time

  But the more volunteers, the more successful our efforts will be.
Anyone want to join us?