Sentinel staff report–
A long-vacant, boarded-up building on Old Auburn Road that had attracted homeless camps and drawn the attention of Code Enforcement in the past is undergoing major renovation.
In recent weeks, passersby have observed major work being done to the property at 7880 Old Auburn Road, with complete removal of the roof, windows removed and relocated, new framing, and other work on the property. The property is situated in a high visibility location, next to the Chevron gas station at the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Old Auburn Road.
A visit by Sentinel staff on Saturday found no one at the site, but the city’s economic development director confirmed Friday that a building permit has been approved for a new home to be built on the .38-acre lot, along with conversion of the existing structure into an attached Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU).
According to property records from Realtor.com, the property was sold to a new owner in 2021 for $272,000, about $28,000 under the asking price of $300,000. Records show the structure was originally built in 1946 and was used as a chiropractic office until 2013.
The original listing described the structure as having originally been a single-family residence that was later converted into a chiropractic office. The lot was listed as being zoned RD 20, with the possibility of up to seven residential units.
A prior report from The Sentinel in 2019 noted police had been involved in getting the property owner to clean up blight and remove trash and debris.
From 2019: Blight finally cleaned up at problem property on Old Auburn Road
