A city-owned restaurant on the oceanfront has been shut down for dangerous conditions.
Dania Beach Grill, 65 N. Beach Road, was abruptly shut down Wednesday after inspectors uncovered a list of violations that was more than three pages long: damaged and corroded awnings, broken beams, rotten wood, broken walls, damaged rails, kitchen equipment not connected to dedicated circuits, and exposed, corroded, loose or damaged wires.
County property records show the building was built in the 1990s, but city officials said its origins might be from the 1940s.
The city owns the weathered building but leases it to the restaurant, and city officials said the tenant is responsible for maintenance while the city is responsible for the “structure — the four walls and the roof.”
City officials said the structural and electrical problems needed emergency action.
“The safety and well-being of our citizens are of the utmost importance,” City Manager Ana M. García said in a statement.
Garcia said she asked the building department to assess all city-owned properties.
The results at Dania Beach Grill, she said, were “very concerning,” including “life-safety concerns.” So the business has been shut down “until we are sure the place is safe for operations.”
Restaurant operators reached out to customers through its website.
“We watched in devastation as they boarded up the windows and stripped us of our livelihood,” the restaurant’s website reads. “As of now, there aren’t many details on what will happen next. … If you are so inclined, do use your voice and let the city of Dania know your feels on the potential of losing something that was just as much yours as it was ever mine. We look forward to reuniting, soon.”
lhuriash@sunsentinel.com, 954-572-2008 or Twitter @LisaHuriash