No New Bombs Found But Property Value Concerns Exist
Tuesday, October 16, 2007 – updated: 5:22 pm EDT October 16, 2007
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- Crews dug for bombs in the lawns of Orange County homes Tuesday. Now, a series of explosive finds is having another impact on an already slow real estate market. Tuesday's dig did not uncover any new bombs, but neighbors are still concerned.The old WWII-era bombing range was on an empty lot behind Odyssey Middle School, off Lee Vista Boulevard. Bombs were found dangerously close to the school. Now a builder is digging up a new development to find out if any bombs are there.Lennar Homes said workers dug up two yards Tuesday and only found construction materials. So far, nothing of concern has been found.Even so, people are still worried about property values. One after another, "for sale" signs are popping up in the Warwick subdivision. There are 109 homes in the development and 43 are for sale. However, many homeowners said, if they had known the subdivision was located near the former Pinecastle jeep bombing range, they would have avoided the development.Last July, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers found a WWII-era bomb and now geophysicists have identified pieces of metal buried underneath some of the homes in Warwick.Homeowners hope their lots will get the all clear. Lennar Homes asked residents to evacuate between 9:00am and 3:00pm during the three-day dig that goes through Thursday.All unearthed objects, from soda cans to construction debris, will be photographed and described in reports given to homeowners.According to realtors, the last home that sold in the subdivision was in August of this year. The house was listed at $565,000 and it sold for $549,000. Since the bombs were discovered near Odyssey Middle School, nine homes have gone up for sale.Realtor Lydia Pisano told Eyewitness News sellers are concerned, but it's still too early to tell if people are selling because of the bombs. She said some buyers who were looking in the area are holding off."A lot of them are waiting to see what happens," Pisano said.Lennar Homes will continue to dig up yards Wednesday morning.
Previous Stories:
- October 16, 2007: Developer Evacuates Homes In Search For Old Bombs
- October 15, 2007: Builder Marks Homes That May Have Bombs On Property
- October 12, 2007: Builder: If You Want Proof There Are No Bombs, I'll Dig Up Your Lawn
- October 3, 2007: Army Corp Of Engineers Finds Live Bomb Near Middle School
- August 30, 2007: Builder Says It Will Survey For Live Bombs In Two Neighborhoods
- August 17, 2007: Army Suggests Fence Around Old Bombing Range Near School
- August 10, 2007: Parents Unsatisfied With Answers About Bombing Range
- August 7, 2007: Homeowners Concerned As Corps Surveys Bombing Range
- July 30, 2007: Corps Of Engineers Testing School Campus For Explosives
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