1. Name and address of project for which the waiver is requested:

Name:

Street:

City:

Zip Code:






Local Building Department Contact Information

















Applicant Information:


2. Name of Applicant. If other than the owner, please indicate relationship of applicant to owner in space provided:

First Name:

Last Name:

Street:

City:



Zip code:

Phone:

Fax:

Email:

Relationship to owner:


Owner Information:


3. Please enter the owner information below. If the owner and the applicant are not the same person, please upload a written authorization by owner in space provided:



Owner First Name:

Owner Last Name:

Street:

City:



Zip code:

Phone:

Fax:

Email:



Written Authorization:



Project and Facility Type:



4. Please check one of the following:


5. Type of facility. Please describe the building (square footage, number of floors). Define the use of the building (i.e., restaurant, office, retail, recreation, hotel/motel, etc.)






Description:
 Built in 1914, this building has 3,694 square feet of usable space. This building is considered part of Jacksonville's historical footprint. The last use of the building was a cigar lounge, and we are seeking to convert the upstairs into a cigar lounge and the downstairs into a restaurant with a bar.


Construction Cost:



6. Project Construction Cost (Provide cost for new construction, the addition, or the alteration):
Summary:
The total cost of the project will be $374,000 without an elevator addition to the building. The elevator addition will cost an additional $153,000 on the low end and $166,850 on the high end.



7. Has there been any construction activity on this building during the past three years?


Cost of Construction:

Comments:
Building Official Recommendation upload:




Construction Status:




8. Project Status: Please check the phase of construction that best describes your project at the time of this application. Describe status.


*Briefly explain why the request has now been referred to the Commission.
We are writing to formally request an ADA compliance waiver for Dapper D’s Cigars & Restaurant, located in a historic building originally constructed in 1914, due to hardship with vertical accessibility compliance with this building.
Due to the historical nature of the structure, significant structural limitations exist that make it extremely difficult and cost-prohibitive to bring the upstairs area into full ADA compliance via vertical accessibility. The extensive renovations required to install an elevator or other accessibility features would not only compromise the building's historic integrity but also impose a financial burden that exceeds our current renovation budget.


Requirements to be Waived.




9. Requirements requested to be waived. Please reference the applicable section of Florida law. Only Florida-specific accessibility requirements may be waived.
Issue 1: Florida-specific hotel/motel rooms  Minimum height in parking structures  Accessible parking
  Vertical accessibility  Toilet rooms
  Private  Other


The Florida Historical Resources Act (Chapter 267 of the Florida Statutes): This act provides the primary legal framework for historic preservation in Florida. It outlines the responsibilities of the Division of Historical Resources and the process for designating landmark sites and properties. Properties designated as historically significant under this act are protected from demolition or alteration that would diminish their historical significance.


Issue 2: Florida-specific hotel/motel rooms  Minimum height in parking structures  Accessible parking
  Vertical accessibility  Toilet rooms
  Private  Other
Senate Bill 582 (2025): This new law, originating from St. Augustine, specifically targets unlawful demolition of historic buildings. It allows for the imposition of fines on those who modify or develop on historic property in ways that result in unlawful demolition. Fines can reach up to 20% of the property's market value before demolition is found to be "knowing and willful," unpermitted, and not due to a natural disaster. This bill particularly protects buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places or contributing resources within a National Register-listed district.

Issue 3: Florida-specific hotel/motel rooms  Minimum height in parking structures  Accessible parking
  Vertical accessibility  Toilet rooms
  Private  Other
Chapter 12 of the Florida Building Code, Existing Building (7th Edition, 2020): This chapter acknowledges the need to preserve the character of historic buildings and applies to repair, alteration, restoration, change of occupancy, addition, and relocation of historic buildings. It emphasizes minimizing alteration, destruction, or loss of historic fabric or design, and using appropriate materials and techniques for repairs and restoration

Grounds for waiver.


10. Grounds for Waiver: The Florida Building Commission may grant waivers of Florida-specific accessibility requirements upon a determination of unnecessary, unreasonable or extreme hardship. Please describe how this project meets the following hardship criteria. Explain all that would apply for consideration of granting the waiver.
NOTE:**



Vertical accessibility presents a significant hardship for Dapper D’s Cigars & Restaurant due to the building’s age, layout, and historical status. Constructed in 1914, the structure was not designed to accommodate modern mechanical systems such as elevators or lifts.
To add vertical access to the second floor would require major structural alterations, including removing or modifying load-bearing walls, cutting through original flooring, and reconfiguring the stairwell or exterior façade. These changes would jeopardize the architectural integrity of the historic building, potentially disqualifying it from historical preservation protections.




Installing vertical accessibility, such as an elevator or lift, in our 1914 historic building would result in substantial financial costs for Dapper D’s Cigars & Restaurant. Due to the building’s age and design, adding an elevator would require major structural modifications, including foundation reinforcement, wall demolition, and new mechanical and electrical systems—all of which come at a premium in historic buildings.
In addition, the process would likely trigger additional code upgrades and inspections, further increasing costs. Preliminary contractor estimates place the total expense of vertical accessibility modifications in the six-figure range, which far exceeds our current renovation budget that is already committed to essential safety upgrades and ADA compliance on the ground


Cost Estimates For Compliance:








Licensed Design Professional Comments.


11. Licensed Design Professional: Where a licensed design professional has designed the project, his or her comments, including his or her signature and professional seal, MUST be uploaded.



Comments:
Installing an elevator in the 1914 building housing Dapper D’s Cigars & Restaurant would significantly compromise its historic integrity. To do so would require demolition of original walls, alteration of load-bearing structures, and the removal of historic features like staircases, moldings, and finishes.
An exterior or interior elevator would also alter the building’s historic façade, which is key to its character and may violate preservation guidelines. These changes would result in the loss of irreplaceable historic elements and could jeopardize the building’s historic status.
For these reasons, elevator installation is not a feasible option without permanent damage to the building’s historical value.

Design Professional First Name: Design Professional Last Name: Street Address: City: State:

Zip: Email Address: Phone:


Additional Documentation.


12. Upload Additional Documentation: Please upload any documentation such as plans, photographs, or anything that will assist the Council and the Commission to determine the appropriate resolution of your request.