NORTH BAY VILLAGE, Fla. – Local 10 has learned that no government entity ensured the old deck at Shuckers Bar & Grill was inspected, even during the only building inspection done in the hotel restaurant's 40-year history, completed a year ago January.
"I assume that it was inspected," said Raul Rodriguez, North Bay Village's chief building official.
Rodriguez signed off on the report.
"It has pictures of different portions of the building including the deck," said Rodriguez.
But the engineer Shuckers hired to do that inspection never mentioned the deck, and would have charged for the underwater work.
Property owner Charles Grentner has not responded to any of Local 10's questions, such as:
- Why not pay to inspect the deck?
- Did he know the support was crumbled and corroding?
- Why two years earlier did he pull permits, plans and blueprints for $30,000 worth of new concrete pilings and replacement decking, never follow through with the building?
About the same time in 2009, neighboring restaurant Trio's by the Bay applied to build a dock and deck.
"Sometimes, they drag you for a long time," said Vincent.
"Is that what happened?" asked Local 10's Glenna Milberg.
"Yes, it was impossible," said Vincent.
The same city that hamstrung Trio's grandfathered in the Shuckers' deck.
"Now with what happened to Shuckers, if we can help and bring the business here, so we're going to start again to apply for all the permitting," said Vincent.
No other neighboring restaurant on the north side of the 79th Street Causeway has a dock or deck.