[Clarallel]

Elegy for the Sunshine State
For the past five decades, the relentless stream of people pouring into Florida has taken its toll on the state’s environment

By Dexter Filkins
https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-...sunshine-state

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by Clarallel

Elegy for the Sunshine State
For the past five decades, the relentless stream of people pouring into Florida has taken its toll on the state’s environment

By Dexter Filkins
https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-...sunshine-state

Thanks for posting. I thought this was interesting:

"One catastrophic storm that did not turn away—Hurricane Andrew, in 1992—destroyed more than sixty thousand homes in Miami and the surrounding area. After the storm, the Herald did a fascinating investigation in which it compared the pattern of destruction to the ages of the neighborhoods. It turned out that whether a house in Miami survived had very little to do with the speed of the wind. What mattered was the age of the house: the older ones—those built before the nineteen-sixties, when Florida’s boom began, survived almost anything. The new ones crumpled like cereal boxes. Following the storm, Miami’s building code was toughened considerably."

Exactly what I hope to find, a concrete block 1960s home in North Florida that I can update.

Those "toughened" codes only work if the homes are actually built to those standards. Which I suspect many of them are not.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by kmarc

Thanks for posting. I thought this was interesting:

"One catastrophic storm that did not turn away—Hurricane Andrew, in 1992—destroyed more than sixty thousand homes in Miami and the surrounding area. After the storm, the Herald did a fascinating investigation in which it compared the pattern of destruction to the ages of the neighborhoods. It turned out that whether a house in Miami survived had very little to do with the speed of the wind. What mattered was the age of the house: the older ones—those built before the nineteen-sixties, when Florida’s boom began, survived almost anything. The new ones crumpled like cereal boxes. Following the storm, Miami’s building code was toughened considerably."

Exactly what I hope to find, a concrete block 1960s home in North Florida that I can update.

Those "toughened" codes only work if the homes are actually built to those standards. Which I suspect many of them are not.

The code now is to Cat 5 standards. They tie the roof to the foundation through the block walls and steel rods with concrete poured through the concrete blocks. The steel is tied together from end to end so that in effect to lift the roof you would have to lift the whole house out of the ground, foundation and all.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by kmarc

Thanks for posting. I thought this was interesting:

"One catastrophic storm that did not turn away—Hurricane Andrew, in 1992—destroyed more than sixty thousand homes in Miami and the surrounding area. After the storm, the Herald did a fascinating investigation in which it compared the pattern of destruction to the ages of the neighborhoods. It turned out that whether a house in Miami survived had very little to do with the speed of the wind. What mattered was the age of the house: the older ones—those built before the nineteen-sixties, when Florida’s boom began, survived almost anything. The new ones crumpled like cereal boxes. Following the storm, Miami’s building code was toughened considerably."

Exactly what I hope to find, a concrete block 1960s home in North Florida that I can update.

Those "toughened" codes only work if the homes are actually built to those standards. Which I suspect many of them are not.

I can vouch for these older homes. Our little home in Manatee County was built in 1954 - a one story rancher of concrete block and stucco, on a slab with terrazzo floors. We have MASSIVE roof beams (no trusses) with concrete all the way up. We replaced the roofing shingles when we bought and had hurricane straps added. Add to that we have double pane acoustic windows that the airport installed before we purchased (noise abatement). This little house ain't going nowhere unless a virtual cyclone hits it.

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

I can vouch for these older homes. Our little home in Manatee County was built in 1954 - a one story rancher of concrete block and stucco, on a slab with terrazzo floors. We have MASSIVE roof beams (no trusses) with concrete all the way up. We replaced the roofing shingles when we bought and had hurricane straps added. Add to that we have double pane acoustic windows that the airport installed before we purchased (noise abatement). This little house ain't going nowhere unless a virtual cyclone hits it.

And that, right there, is EXACTLY how to live in Florida. But try telling that to the folks who have to have two stories, a caged pool and volume ceilings. We rode out Andrew in a small 1934 fishing cottage type house in the bowels of old Ft. Lauderdale made out of...wait for it...Dade County pine. It literally breathed with the storm. We had a bad moment when it shift slightly on the foundation, but it held. Not as secure as yours, though.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by kmarc

But try telling that to the folks who have to have two stories, a caged pool and volume ceilings. .

If you have the money to spend, you can do two story poured concrete with a concrete roof and hurricane Windows lol

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

If you have the money to spend, you can do two story poured concrete with a concrete roof and hurricane Windows lol

I guess, but that's not what I'm seeing in the newer developments. Besides, as you get older, stairs get less attractive.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by kmarc

I guess, but that's not what I'm seeing in the newer developments.

Of course not lol, that's a seven figure house in all likelihood, still can be done though

[markjames68]

Originally Posted by kmarc

And that, right there, is EXACTLY how to live in Florida. But try telling that to the folks who have to have two stories, a caged pool and volume ceilings. We rode out Andrew in a small 1934 fishing cottage type house in the bowels of old Ft. Lauderdale made out of...wait for it...Dade County pine. It literally breathed with the storm. We had a bad moment when it shift slightly on the foundation, but it held. Not as secure as yours, though.

Don’t see why a pool cage is problematic if it’s built to Miami-Dade standards. Yes, you’ll lose screens but the frame should be fine. The 20-30 year old white cages with little to no tie-downs are going to fly away though.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by markjames68

Don’t see why a pool cage is problematic if it’s built to Miami-Dade standards. Yes, you’ll lose screens but the frame should be fine. The 20-30 year old white cages with little to no tie-downs are going to fly away though.

yup, some people prophylactically cut a screen sometimes, to let the wind through easier, not sure if that works or is a myth