Cocoa Beach orders immediate repair or securement of unsafe stairways at Ally Alaya Place; remaining violations due Dec. 13

Magistrate Lonnie Groot found that exterior stairways and other conditions at Ally Alaya Place (718 South Atlantic Ave) present an immediate public‑safety hazard and ordered the property owner to repair, permit and have inspected the stairways immediately or secure them to prevent use.

City code enforcement showed photographs of substantial concrete spalling, exposed rebar, missing stair treads and unsecured handrails and argued the staircases endangered residents who continued to use them. Jay Castillo, the building official, explained that exposed and spalled concrete and corroded rebar can lead to structural failure and said the condition required prompt remediation.

Owner and manager Joseph Elcock said he had pulled at least one permit and hired a general contractor and an engineer; he told the magistrate the main problem area recently had an engineer’s sign‑off and some work had been completed but other staircases still showed deterioration. Elcock described neighbor and access complications in the rear parking area that affected remediation of the lot.

City staff recommended immediate action on stairways, the magistrate agreed the condition constituted a public‑safety issue and ordered immediate remediation or physical securement to prevent use; the magistrate set Dec. 13, 2025 as the deadline for all other code violations to be resolved. The magistrate indicated a per‑day fine would commence for failure to remedy the stairways, but the oral transcript is unclear about the exact dollar amount; the clerk’s written order will specify the fine and enforcement mechanics.

The city will inspect the stairways once repairs or securement are complete; if noncompliance continues the city may request assessment of fines and a rehearing in January.