Historic board approves demolition of contributing house at 934 Waverly Road after engineer’s report

The Fort Lauderdale Historic Preservation Board voted 4–3 on the demolition of a one-story contributing residence at 934 Waverly Road (case UDP HP 25019), a property the board said contributes to the Southern Boulevard Historic District.

Staff and the applicant presented competing technical assessments. Rob Orcutt, the project architect, and a structural engineering report prepared for the owner described pervasive deterioration—including extensive termite damage, corroded steel piles and compromised wood framing—and concluded the building was not a safe candidate for elevation or relocation. Orcutt said the team opened multiple wall and floor areas and found “significant termite damage” and corroded pile supports; he said the structural engineer “strongly discouraged” moving or raising the structure because of the extent of wood deterioration.

Public comment included appeals to preserve the house. Mikayla (representing the Broward Trust for Historic Preservation) told the board a local builder said the house could be relocated; she said the builder “made it very clear to me earlier emphatically that this house can be relocated very easily,” though she acknowledged that assertion was third‑party hearsay. Nearby residents and preservation advocates urged exploring repair or relocation alternatives, and commenters asked whether additional forensic engineering or marine/seawall evaluations had been completed.

The applicant’s owner said their preference had been to execute the earlier-approved design (raising the building and building beneath it), but that further invasive structural investigation had shown the house in its present condition could not be safely elevated. The owner said their plan, if demolition is approved and subsequent BOA setback waivers are granted, is to rebuild the approved design in the same footprint.

Board members questioned whether additional specialized historic-preservation engineering should be requested and discussed the tradeoffs between reconstructing the appearance of the historic house and preserving original material. Several board members noted that, while parts of the structure could theoretically be repaired in place, the engineering report said it could not be raised or relocated to meet current flood/elevation requirements and that seawall and flood‑elevation constraints complicate long‑term viability.

The motion to approve the demolition resolution passed on roll call, 4–3. The roll call read into the record produced these votes: yes — Miss Marcy, Mister Chavant, Mister Talack, Charles Marcus; no — Mister Golden, Mister Jones, Mister Roberts. The board attached standard conditions: protection of neighboring properties during demolition, an archaeological/cultural resource assessment by a qualified professional (property is in an archaeologically significant zone), and compliance with building, zoning and ULDR requirements including landscaping.

The applicant must still obtain any required setback waivers from the Board of Adjustment; the owner said the intent is to seek BOA approval and then reconstruct in the approved footprint if waivers are granted.