The parking garage of The Standard, the new student apartment complex under construction on the corner of University Avenue and 13th Street, may have been built past one of its property boundaries, onto the property of the Florida Department of Transportation.
Troy Roberts, FDOT spokesman, said the department found out in March that the northeast corner of the garage’s foundation may have been built too far out, encroaching on the FDOT’s right-of-way, which runs between the building and the road. The department is currently investigating this possibility.
Roberts said the garage may be over the property line by less than a foot, if at all. He would not comment on what the consequence of this would be if the investigation does conclude that the building is past the property's boundaries.
“We’re pulling permits, we’re pulling right-of-way maps, we’re looking at revisions, and basically what we’re doing is trying to determine if there is a problem here,” he said.
If the garage was built on the right-of-way, FDOT can decide whether to negotiate with The Standard or force them to tear the garage down to comply.
Roberts didn’t know how long the investigation would take, but said he’d be surprised if FDOT isn’t finished by the end of April.
“With these types of investigations it varies,” he said.
Landmark Properties, the company in charge of The Standard development, confirmed the existence of an investigation.
“We are cooperating with the Department of Transportation as it re-surveys the area,” a Landmark Properties spokesperson said.