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Fire Code Issues Trip Dance Studio

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By STEPHEN HAMMILL

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 21, 2008

ODESSA - After fewer than five months in business, Miss Jane's Class Studio has closed down.

Business was good and growing, but potential fire code violations forced an abrupt change in plans.

The studio at 8643 Gunn Highway connects to the Panda Hugs Learning Center and for years served as the school's place for dance classes.

In February, Jane Geddings, an instructor there, reopened the space as her studio.

"They were going to rent out the music room and decided to offer it to me first," she said.

The studio opened in February with classes in tap, ballet, jazz, gymnastics and ballroom varieties, targeting ages 2 to adult, from beginner to professional.

It didn't take long, however, for the county to intervene.

An article profiling the new business appeared in the Northwest News & Tribune on March 12. That day, the fire marshal's office informed Geddings of a problem: The studio did not meet the necessary building and fire codes.

"Basically, that whole strip used to be Tutor Time, then Panda Hugs," said Deputy Fire Marshal Steve Kaplan. "She was a contracted employee before. When she subleased the space, she went from day care occupancy up to assembly occupancy, which is a different class."

The change in class requires a change of occupancy review with the building department and a review from the fire marshal's office, Kaplan said. When she opened for business, Geddings had sought neither.

Geddings countered she checked with the county about acquiring her occupational business tax certificate and with her insurance company, and no one warned her about potential fire code problems.

"They actually told me I had to get an agricultural permit for $300," she said. "I asked why. They told me I was a ballroom studio, which I'm not."

Kaplan informed her she would have to convert the walls between the studio and the school from a one-hour to a two-hour rated separation.

The construction estimates ranged from $15,000 to $25,000.

"I didn't have the money to build the wall. Panda Hugs didn't have the money to build the wall," said the 58-year-old dance teacher. "At most we had seven or eight kids in there, just like before, but I was told it didn't matter."

In a June 2 letter sent to Kaplan, Geddings informed him that Miss Jane's Class Inc. would revert to independent contractor status by June 15.

"Had we been aware of the required two-hour firewall, we would not have entered into a studio agreement," she wrote.

Geddings said she's frustrated with the timing of the events and how things were handled.

"What's sad now is it's a beautiful space," said Geddings, who spent nearly $15,000 refurbishing the studio, which included the purchase of a new sign.

She also relocated her offices to the studio and now must move them again.

"Our fire marshal prevailed," she said. "It just seemed like he didn't want to grant us a waiver."

Kaplan said, "We would've worked with them on a time frame to come into compliance but they opted not to do it because of cost involved."

"I teach little children. I'm not doing anything different than I've always done," Geddings said. "It was starting to get really, really complicated. I just didn't have the stomach for it."

Geddings said she will return to her former role. "Dance school instruction - the same thing I've always had."

Most current classes - aimed at younger kids - will continue, including summer camp programs, only now through the Panda Hugs Learning Center.

The prices for the classes will remain the same, Geddings said.

The adult classes, however, have been dropped, including two adult tap classes, a ballroom class and yoga and stability-ball class.

A theater-centered dance class for preteen and teens will be relocated to Tarpon Springs, Geddings said.

Geddings said her short life as a studio owner has left her somewhat disenchanted. "I just felt like a little peon caught up in it. It's seems a shame this had to happen."

Reporter Stephen Hammill can be reached at (813) 865-1523 or at shammill@tampatrib.com.

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