Council holds public hearing on declaring multiple structures public nuisances, cites degraded former movie theater at 801 East I‑65 Service Road

The City Council held a public hearing item to consider declaring structures at 110 Highland Avenue, 1258 Congress Street, 265 Cuba Street, 1303 East Gulf Field Drive, 1401 Vega Drive, and 801 East I‑65 Service Road public nuisances and ordering them demolished, according to the agenda reading. When asked about 801 East I‑65 Service Road, a city official identified in the transcript as Mister Dauffenbach said the property is at “Bellarm Mall” and described ongoing municipal enforcement: notices and citations were served several years ago, partial demolition began but stopped, and the building has since deteriorated. “The roof has deteriorated to the point where there's holes in the roof. The exterior walls are open. It's actually open to the public, and it's a harborage for, almost to go in and out,” Mister Dauffenbach said. The hearing item was read into the record on the council docket; the transcript excerpt does not record a final vote or the council’s order to demolish. The city did not provide a timetable for potential demolition or a funding source in the excerpt. Background: The agenda included six addresses under a single public‑nuisance hearing. For 801 East I‑65 Service Road, staff recounted prior municipal enforcement actions, partial demolition that paused for over a year to nearly two years, and current structural openings that allow public access. Next steps: The transcript shows the item on the docket and staff description during the hearing. The excerpt does not record a formal council decision or demolition schedule.