2013 Historic Building Survey of Saftey Harbor – Re-Photo Project by Musashi Yamasaki
In March 1994, Safety Harbor funded a “Historic Building Survey of Safety Harbor,” put together by Historic Property Associates, Inc. Many people in the community also came together to help with the project. Since its publication, the survey has proven to be of great assistance to me when reviewing historic properties in Safety Harbor.
The first time I used the survey in 2012, I was impressed with the scope of the project; but as I went through the document, I soon became alarmed at how many of the homes no longer exist.
Therefore, I set out to do a systematic house-by-house re-photo project of all 178 listings from the 1994 survey. The 1994 survey effort had a team of people taking the photographs. They also produced several versions, which were not marked and dated. I have worked off of what clearly was a later version due to several errors in the original version, which was nicely bound and looks complete, but contains a number of errors which a later version remedied. If you are following up on my effort, check to ensure which 1994 survey version you are using.
Since I did this work myself, I welcome corrections from readers. My 2013 Re-Photo Project documents how many homes are still standing. Please note, I have walked to each of these properties, and all photographs were taken by me. The information provided here has been
verified to the best of my ability.
The 1994 survey document is a complete assessment of Safety Harbor’s architectural value. It also offers many wise recommendations as to what Safety Harbor can implement to preserve its architectural heritage. The historic research was exceedingly well done by Mr. James Hill and others. A photograph accompanies each home with the 1994 survey and is available online by the city of Safety Harbor.
http://www.cityofsafetyharbor.com/index.aspx?NID=241
The 1994 survey includes 178 sites. 25 of the properties were deemed at the time, by Mr. James Hill to be worthy of consideration of application to the National Register of Historic Places. While this was only one opinion based on his survey work, it was a polished professionals opinion and in no case do I disagree with his assessment of those properties.
Possibly more important than opinions on the value of those 25 homes for national recognition, is the overall recommendation for Safety Harbor as a whole to preserve its remaining historic home inventory. The survey’s recommendations are a clarion call, now nearly 20 years old that largely have not been heeded. There was a flurry of historic preservation interest in the early 1990’s but was this was not sustained. The number of homes that no longer exist will hopefully provide a valuable insight into the pitfalls of not more fully embracing the 1994 Survey’s recommendations. With 20 years of hindsight to assist us, the survey now seems sadly prophetic.
From the survey come several conclusions and recommendations. Among them are these selected passages:
Conclusion – Page 7
The historic buildings of Safety Harbor embody the cultural heritage of the city. They are representative of all of the significant eras of historic development and provide a bold visual link to the city’s past. The periods in which they were constructed are reflected through their architectural design and the materials with which they were built. A number of buildings survive that have important associations with the historic development of the city. For the most part, these buildings are in good condition. Their concentration in the downtown redevelopment area give that section distinction from the post-World War II subdivisions that border it on all sides. Given the protection that these non-renewable historic resources deserve they will continue to provide a link between the old and new as Safety Harbor enters the twenty-first century.
National Register Potential in Safety Harbor – Page 35, 36
The historic resources of Safety Harbor offer a limited number of possibilities for National Register activity. Safety Harbor did not historically have much of a downtown; the city consisted largely of scattered farms and households in the historic period. The commercial area buildings that did survive the historic period have in almost all cases been altered. Many disappeared as a result of fire or demolition. The remaining historic period buildings are relatively few in number and generally surrounded by new buildings, which eliminates the potential for creating a National Register district. The same is true of the community’s residential neighborhoods. Consequently, Safety Harbor’s National Register activity should focus on listing individual buildings that possess special historical and architectural merit and integrity. (Underline added by me for emphasis)
Local District and Landmarks – Page 36,37
What is also significant about the historic buildings in Safety Harbor is the link to the past which they provide. This can be important in developing community pride and a sense of place. Buildings generally offer the only tangible memory of a community’s history that residents and visitors can physically observe. Although the historic buildings in Safety Harbor are few in number, they symbolize stability in the community and serve as comfortable milestones for the people who grew up in their company.
END
I guess that last sentence really struck home for me as I was utilizing the 1994 survey. The “few in number’ are even more so and the loss of tangible memory is ever more acute. There are many recommendations outlined in the survey that the community could take, but the most direct method is to inform homeowner’s with houses that are candidates for National Historic Register listing, of the importance of that option available to them. For other older homes, the charm of the home and the quality of the materials used originally, should warrant restoration which could very easily be accomplished utilizing something like the 203K Rehab loan program.
2013 Re-Photo Project based on the 1994 Historic Building Survey of Safety Harbor
Inventory of Homes Surveyed in Safety Harbor, Florida in August 2013
All work completed by Musashi Yamasaki
(The address comes first, then a picture of the home if it still exists. A photo viewer is at the the very bottom is you just want to browse the remaining homes)
All told, there are 38 homes that No Longer Exist based on my work here, that appeared on the 1994 survey. That represents a loss of 21% in just two decades. Another way to say this is Safety Harbor has been losing almost 2 historic homes, every year, for the past 20 years. No more math is needed to figure out that if something is not done, precious few will remain. Worse still, the losses have not been uniform. As the homes age, the pace of historic home losses in Safety Harbor is accelerating. A simple walking tour will show you there are many more than 2 that will likely be lost in 2014.
Also, Quite a few homes from the 1994 survey, have since been turned into businesses. I find it very commendable that these homes have partly been saved by these businesses, sometimes at significant cost to the business, but there is no way around the fact that the residential feel is lost and should be considered when counting the impact this transition of usage represents.
There have been a few examples where, recently, a historic home has been lovingly restored and the effect is quite stunning. The property value is significantly enhanced as well as there are so few excellent historic homes left in Safety Harbor. The 203(k) loan program is an excellent vehicle for the rehab of many of the remaining homes.
(1) 623 1st Avenue North
No Longer Exists
235 2nd Avenue North
237 2nd Avenue North
(2) 244 2nd Avenue North
No Longer Exists
255 2nd Avenue North
123 2nd Avenue South
326 2nd Street North
333 2nd Street North
335 2nd Street North
526 2nd Street North
706 2nd Street North
715 2nd Street North
734 2nd Street North
735 2nd Street North
744 2nd Street North
(3) 233 2nd Street South
No Longer Exists
328 2nd Street South
333 2nd Street South
338 2nd Street South
348 2nd Street South
(4) 433 2nd Street South
No Longer Exists: A business Florida Insurance Partners is there with new building on the lot
(5) 446 2nd Street South
No Longer Exists: A new home is built on the lot
500 2nd Street South
519 2nd Street South
122 3rd Avenue North
124 3rd Avenue North
147 3rd Avenue North
153 3rd Avenue North
204 3rd Avenue North
205 3rd Avenue North
206 3rd Avenue North
215 3rd Avenue North
225 3rd Avenue North
234 3rd Avenue North
235 3rd Avenue North
244 3rd Avenue North
254 3rd Avenue North
(6) 323 3rd Avenue North
No Longer Exists: A large new home is on the lot
324 3rd Avenue North
334 3rd Avenue North
(7) 344 3rd Avenue North
No Longer Exists: a large townhouse building is here now
446 3rd Avenue North
123 3rd Avenue South
(8) 137 3rd Avenue South
No Longer Exists
226 3rd Street North
333 3rd Street North
535 3rd Street North
730 3rd Street North
(9) 834 3rd Street North
No Longer Exists
(10) 1035 3rd Street North
No Longer Exists: new house on the lot
1105 3rd Street North
600 3rd Street South
(11) 600 1/2 3rd Street South
No Longer Exists
122 4th Avenue North
135 4th Avenue North
136 4th Avenue North
146 4th Avenue North
156 4th Avenue North
200 4th Avenue North
236 4th Avenue North
244 4th Avenue North
314 4th Avenue North
326 4th Avenue North
123 4th Avenue South
(12) 123 1/2 4th Avenue South
No Longer Exists
(13) 132 4th Avenue South
No Longer Exists
318 4th Street North
405 4th Street North
(14) 415 4th Street North
No Longer Exists: new house built in 2007 on lot
425 4th Street North
445 4th Street North
836 4th Street North
735 4th Street South
736 4th Street South
1035 4th Street South
1128 4th Street South
216 5th Avenue North
251 5th Avenue North
(15) 305 5th Avenue North
No Longer Exists
325 5th Avenue North
345 5th Avenue North
516 5th Avenue North
535 5th Avenue North
(16) 536 5th Avenue North
No Longer Exists: A new house is on the lot
572 5th Avenue North
326 5th Street North
355 5th Street North
420 5th Street North (Listed in 94 survey as 414 but it is 420)
(17) 415 5th Street North
No Longer Exists
425 5th Street North
426 5th Street North
446 5th Street North
505 5th Street South
600 5th Street South
646 5th Street South
665 5th Street South
804 5th Street South
242 6th Avenue North
307 6th Avenue North
205 6th Avenue South
207 6th Street North
311 6th Street North
613 6th Street North
(18) 326 7th Avenue North
No Longer Exists: new house on lot
132 7th Avenue South
337 7th Avenue South
(19) 225 8th Avenue North
No Longer Exists: office building on lot
(20) 235 8th Avenue North
No Longer Exists: office building on lot
333 8th Avenue North
650 14th Avenue South
675 14th Avenue South
855 14th Avenue South
895 14th Avenue South
142 Bailey Street
217 Bailey Street
239 Bailey Street
319 Bailey Street
105 Bayshore Drive North (Spa building)
105 Bayshore Drive North (Another Spa Building)
(21) 209 Bayshore Drive North
No Longer Exists
311 Bayshore Drive North
(22) 807 Bayshore Drive North
No Longer Exists
(23) 1201 Bayshore Drive North
No Longer Exists
(24) 1407 Bayshore Drive North
No Longer Exists
(25) 227 Bayshore Drive South
No Longer Exists
(26) 315 Bayshore Drive South
No Longer Exists
325 Bayshore Drive South
333 Bayshore Drive South
(27) 1300 Cedar Street
No Longer Exists
(28) 1025 Cherokee Street
No Longer Exists
305 Church Street
347 Church Street
(29) 955 Delaware Street
No Longer Exists: new veterinarian office there now
1061 Delaware Street
(30) 546 Elm Street
No Longer Exists: church built a new church in 2000 on same lot
734 Elm Street
1675 Ensley Avenue
3512 Enterprise Road East
(31) 3678 Enterprise Road East
No Longer Exists
(32) 750 Harbor Hill Drive
No Longer Exists: new habitat for humanity home built on the lot
835 Harbor Hill Drive
216 Hillsborough Street
254 Iron Age Street
244 Iron Age Street
55 Irwin Street
(33) 100 Jefferson Street
No Longer Exists
(34) 1001 Jessie Avenue
No Longer Exists
101 Main Street
200 Main Street
344 Main Street
454 Main Street
509 Main Street
(35) 511 Main Street
Does Not Exist
980 Main Street
1005 Main Street
1009 Main Street
(36) 1026 Main Street
Does Not Exist
(37) 1029 Main Street
Does Not Exist
1710 Main Street
1970 McMullen-Booth Road
(Need to drive by again, last on list to finish)
2175 McMullen Booth Road
2444 McMullen Booth Road
325 S. Bayshore Boulevard
325 S. Bayshore Boulevard (Carriage House)
(38) 255 Philllippe Parkway
Does Not Exist
2100 Phillippe Parkway
205 Short Street
215 Short Street
221 Short Street
247 Short Street
925 Suwanee Street
936 Suwanee Street
959 Suwanee Street
245 Tucker Street
289 Tucker Street
305 Tucker Street
342 Tucker Street
354 Tucker Street
366 Washington Avenue
2013 Safety Harbor Historic Homes Survey
A comprehensive Re-Photo Project of the 1994 Safety Harbor Florida Historical Homes Survey. Completed in August 2013 by Musashi Yamasaki of RE/MAX Realtec.