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Article Courtesy of The Florida Times Union
By Teresa Stepzinski
Published September 21, 2017
ORANGE PARK -- Residents of two Orange Park condominium
complexes on the St. Johns River won’t be going home anytime soon.
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Orange Park firefighters waded through chest-deep water,
and used ladders to evacuate some second-floor residents trapped at River
Oak, 2099 Winterbourne, and The Villas Continental and Yacht Club, 2223
Astor St., when storm surge spawned by Hurricane Irma sent the river
flooding into both condominium communities.
Fire Chief Alvin Barker said 24 condo units in one building at River Oak, as
well as a total of 16 to 24 units in two buildings at The Villas, sustained
severe foundation and other apparent structural damage from the river storm
surge making them unsafe for now.
“We had everyone move out because the structure is unstable,” Barker said.
They would not be allowed back until a structural engineer clears it as
safe.
Barker also said firefighters initially were hampered by downed live power
lines that posed a potential risk of electrocution to the first responders
as well as residents.
Doug and Paula Shepherd have lived at River Oak since 1999. Their
condominium is on the second floor. The couple evacuated ahead of the
hurricane, and returned home as the storm abated.
They were greeted by the worst flooding Shepherd said
he’s ever seen at the complex.
“When my wife and I arrived … we were still getting the high wind gusts. We
walked down to the shoreline and saw the waves hitting our building,”
Shepherd said. “So, it was a shocking sight seeing the waves hit our
building and they were actually running up underneath our building.”
Shepherd said the pounding waves ate away at the ground
under the building’s foundation.
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A worker makes their way through a gutted unit inside
the Villas Continental condominiums as he works to clean up the unit
after Hurricane Irma’s storm surge flooded it. Riverfront
condominiums in the Club Continental complex in Orange Park, Florida
had water damage and soil washed away from under their foundations
after Hurricane Irma churned up the St. Johns River and sent a storm
surge inland at record levels. On Monday, September 18, 2017 efforts
were underway to gut out and clean up many of the units.
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“It looked like front of the building was in the St. Johns at the time. It
was a little bit disconcerting to say the least,” Shepherd said.
Rozelle Perry, property manager at River Oak, said there
is extensive structural damage to the riverside portion of the building,
especially the foundation. It’s unknown when repairs might be completed but
they will be done as quickly and safely as possible, she said.
River Oak residents forced from their homes are staying in hotels or with
family or friends.
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Shepherd and his wife,
currently staying at a hotel, plan to return to their home
as soon as possible.
“We’re staying put. We’re not going anywhere. We’re going to
make this place bigger, stronger, better,” said Shepherd,
who also serves on the condo association’s board of
directors.
Justin Hill, another association board member who also lives
in a second floor condo at River Oak. His unit sustained
some damage from wind and water blowing inside. He praised
Orange Park police and firefighters for making sure everyone
was safe and evacuated.
Assistant Town Manager Sarah Campbell said many areas
flooded in the town.
Water got into at least five homes – not counting the
riverfront condominium complexes – a couple of cars and the
town’s Public Works Department building. There also were a
lot of downed trees, and power lines. By Monday, electricity
had been restored to all the facilities that could have it
restored, Campbell said.
A public works employee was hospitalized for injuries he
sustained when his town truck was T-boned by private vehicle
at the intersection of Plainfield and Kingsley avenues, she
said.
Town Council is expected to receive a preliminary dollar
estimate of the damage Tuesday night during its meeting.
Also Monday, residents along the North Prong and South Prong
of Black Creek continued cleaning up from the record flood
waters that brought foul-smelling mud, flotsam and mold
taking root in homes. Piles of water-logged furniture,
bedding, toys, cabinets and other household items lined the
streets of the hardest hit areas along the creek. |
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Piles of debris, much of it from docks that washed up
against the riverfront units of the Villas Continental condominiums
sit in the parking lot as the slow process of cleaning up
after Hurricane Irma continues. Riverfront condominiums in the Club
Continental complex in Orange Park, Florida had water damage and
soil washed away from under their foundations after Hurricane Irma
churned up the St. Johns River and sent a storm surge inland at
record levels. On Monday, September 18, 2017 efforts were underway
to gut out and clean up many of the units.
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Clay County Manager Stephanie Kopelousos said a
countywide damage assessment is ongoing. Keystone Heights city leaders said
they’ve been told by emergency management officials preliminary estimates
put the damage countywide at about $40 million.
County officials previously estimated at least 1,200 home sat amid the broad
swath cut by Black Creek flood waters.
Clay County schools resumed classes Monday. District
officials continued assessing the damage to schools, which appeared mainly
to be roof leaks, storm drain problems and covered walkway issues, Nicole
Snyder, district spokeswoman said.
All kindergarten through 12th grade Clay public school students will receive
free breakfast and lunch at their schools through Oct. 20 as a result of the
hurricane’s impact. Clay is among school districts in 48 Florida counties to
provide the meals through the National School Lunch Program in the wake of a
Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Major Disaster Declaration.
Most of the damage in Keystone Heights in southern Clay County involved
downed trees and power lines, but at least one home flooded with about a
foot of water, City Manager Scott Kornegay
said Monday.
“We had a very large debris field. We’ve got these 100-year-old oak trees
down here,” said Kornegay, explaining trees toppled like twigs to block
roadways and cut-off homes. Cleanup began last Monday and is well underway.
Power has been restored to all residents, he said.
Green Cove Springs also sustained street flooding, downed trees and power
outages, city officials said.
“It looked like front of the building was in the St. Johns at the time. It
was a little bit disconcerting to say the least,” Shepherd said.
Rozelle Perry, property manager at River Oak, said there is extensive
structural damage to the riverside portion of the building, especially the
foundation. It’s unknown when repairs might be completed but they will be
done as quickly and safely as possible, she said.
River Oak residents forced from their homes are staying in hotels or with
family or friends.
Shepherd and his wife, currently staying at a hotel, plan to return to their
home as soon as possible.
“We’re staying put. We’re not going anywhere. We’re going to make this place
bigger, stronger, better,” said Shepherd, who also serves on the condo
association’s board of directors.
Justin Hill, another association board member who also lives in a second
floor condo at River Oak. His unit sustained some damage from wind and water
blowing inside. He praised Orange Park police and firefighters for making
sure everyone was safe and evacuated.
Assistant Town Manager Sarah Campbell said many areas flooded in the town.
Water got into at least five homes – not counting the riverfront condominium
complexes – a couple of cars and the town’s Public Works Department
building. There also were a lot of downed trees, and power lines. By Monday,
electricity had been restored to all the facilities that could have it
restored, Campbell said.
A public works employee was hospitalized for injuries he sustained when his
town truck was T-boned by private vehicle at the intersection of Plainfield
and Kingsley avenues, she said.
Town Council is expected to receive a preliminary dollar estimate of the
damage Tuesday night during its meeting.
Also Monday, residents along the North Prong and South Prong of Black Creek
continued cleaning up from the record flood waters that brought
foul-smelling mud, flotsam and mold taking root in homes. Piles of
water-logged furniture, bedding, toys, cabinets and other household items
lined the streets of the hardest hit areas along the creek.
Clay County Manager Stephanie Kopelousos said a countywide damage assessment
is ongoing. Keystone Heights city leaders said they’ve been told by
emergency management officials preliminary estimates put the damage
countywide at about $40 million.
County officials previously estimated at least 1,200 home sat amid the broad
swath cut by Black Creek flood waters.
Clay County schools resumed classes Monday. District officials continued
assessing the damage to schools, which appeared mainly to be roof leaks,
storm drain problems and covered walkway issues, Nicole Snyder, district
spokeswoman said.
All kindergarten through 12th grade Clay public school students will receive
free breakfast and lunch at their schools through Oct. 20 as a result of the
hurricane’s impact. Clay is among school districts in 48 Florida counties to
provide the meals through the National School Lunch Program in the wake of a
Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Major Disaster Declaration.
Most of the damage in Keystone Heights in southern Clay County involved
downed trees and power lines, but at least one home flooded with about a
foot of water, City Manager Scott Kornegay
said Monday.
“We had a very large debris field. We’ve got these 100-year-old oak trees
down here,” said Kornegay, explaining trees toppled like twigs to block
roadways and cut-off homes. Cleanup began last Monday and is well underway.
Power has been restored to all residents, he said.
Green Cove Springs also sustained street flooding, downed trees and power
outages, city officials said.
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