Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Dirty Businesses

In the comments about Karen's Place someone started a conversation on dirty businesses.

Lets identify them.

1. Who has the dirtiest businesses in Seminole Heights
Inside? Outside?

2. Who has the ugliest business

3. Who has the nicest looking business Inside or Outside?

The Family Dollar and the Mega Mart on Nebraska and Chelsea are my nominations for dirty. The outside sidewalk and walls need to be pressure washed regularly. The inside of the Dollar Store is usually dirty and messy.

The former Tintura electric building at Nebraska and ???? Cayuga?? is very nice.

45 comments:

Anonymous said...

The other thing about the Mega Mart is that they let grafitti stay on their building without ever painting over it until the city forces them to. Even the truck they park in front is covered with grafitti.

Anonymous said...

The dirtiest business on this side of Hillsgorough is the rental house on New Orlens thaat houses three times more sexual offenders and predators than there are bedrooms in the house. One can only imagine.

Anonymous said...

A can of gas a a book of matches can solve that, real quick.

Bungalowlady said...

The dirtiest business on the outside is Cycle Masters on teh corner of Robson & Nebraska. They have 2 or 3 tractor trailers parked in back and the top of the trailers is covered with used cycle parts, junk, etc. In addition, they have thrown parts and trash in the alley behind and are using the vacant house next door as open storage. UGH!

Bungalowlady said...

I have been asked by code to turn in the three worse code issues from Seminole Heights. Let's go. I was thinking one from each of the SEH neighborhoods. Norminations anyone? I guess Mega Mart is on the list so far?

Anonymous said...

Although technically this isn't a business... the landlords that own 915 E Osborne should be made to live in their own rental units. Assuming this place produces some sort of cashflow, I would say this is a business that needs some major attention.

Susan said...

I give awards to any of the businesses who have made an effort to spruce up their places. But highest honors go to the graphics(?) place that's housed in the old gas station to the north of Cappy's Pizza, Sherry's Yesterdaze for transforming a plain building by making it a work of art, and the Taco Bus who used paint and simple materials to create a charming eatery where there had been an unkempt garage.

Anonymous said...

The graphics place on Florida is Van Gough graphics - I agree they have done a bang up job on that building.

YesterDazed said...

Thanks for the kind words about my building (YesterDaze). And it wasn't all that expensive to do (I'll be glad to share my secrets!).
It's amazing, with the timing on this thread, the Business Guild of Seminole Heights has a meeting tonight and this is one of the topics we will be addressing!
Please come if you care about this topic...Seminole Heights Church, Cor. Nebraska & Hillsborough, 7 p.m.

Anonymous said...

Hands down, the dirtiest is Ybor Pizza, He has an "unofficial junk yard" behind his building. Next would still be the Kingdom Auto place on Nebraska. I also think the Dis N Dat Boutique building should start getting some publicity. That is a beautiful building that has been in the hands of a slum lord for too long. It is only a matter of time before it will have to be torn down due to lack of up keep. As for the most beautiful... Hillsborough High, while not a true business, it is a work of art, the sign place, the day spa. I agree with the previous poster about some of the UGLY BUSINESSES, if they go out, maybe some quality business would take over. For some of these, anything is better.

Anonymous said...

The Front Porch.

How does the owner expect to gain new customers?

Paint over the grime and fix the sign which has been broken for about three years.

Anonymous said...

My vote for dirtiest business is a tie: Cycle Masters at Robson & Nebraska, with its enormous trash piles; and the Orange Motel at Arden & Nebraska, because its clientele leaves crack pipes and syringes all around the neighborhood. Why are businesses that are a constant drain on public resources (police and code enforcement) allowed to keep bringing the neighborhood down?

Anonymous said...

Every day I cringe as I go to my truck in the morning. Is it still there? Is it in one piece? What happenen to this area getting better? Businesses? It would be better just to say, "Which ones shouldn't be bulldozed?" I'd answer, " Alpine liquor." It numbs me to the neighborhood. Aaaah, cheap vodka.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of being clean. Is it S.W.E.E.P. this Saturday for SE Seminole Heights? Can someone please confirm. I'd hate to put any crap out front if its not. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Yes, Sweep is Saturday. Maybe we can get some cheap vodka for the riders of the truck and convince them to clean up some of these businesses. Can you imagine Ybor Pizza with no garbage behind it, the rest of that strip center cleanded up. Kroslak Bakery with no junk overflowing onto the sidewalk, the beauty supply on Hillsborough having the side lot cleaned and the automotive stereo shop having the cars towed. Wow, what a life.

Anonymous said...

MegaMart is digusting. Just driving down Chelsea near there I roll up my windows because of the smell.

Anonymous said...

Don't get upset if your stuff doesn't get picked up by S.W.E.E.P.especially if they don't hit your street until late in the day. The last time we put a pile of stuff out - all acceptable items on their "list"- very late in the afternoon I watched a garbage truck stop in front of my house and then kept on driving, leaving everything behind. After calling the sanitation department and getting no where we ended up borrowing a truck to haul our crap to the city dump anyway.

Anonymous said...

Is a couch an acceptable item for SWEEP to pick up? Boy, that would suck if they didn't pick it up. Just what I always wanted sitting on my front lawn, a friggin couch.

Anonymous said...

There were 2 beat up couches that bumbs were hanging out on in an alley next to my house. We dragged them to the curb on SWEEP day(the couches not the bumbs, although I wish I could drag some of these bumbs to the curb!!!!) and SWEEP left both couches. What a nasty mess. AND I had to pay cash to unload them at the dump!

Anonymous said...

Back in the day they would haul anything you could push, pull or drag to the curb. Last year, they used big equipment to pick things up. They ended up digging a hole in my lawn and busting a sewer pipe.

Anonymous said...

sorry should have been "bums" for that last post, man it's late!

Anonymous said...

Florida Arts School hands down. They have that tacky art that is supposed to be by a famous artist, rotted plywood and a million stucco patches. If you look at that building, the actual features are beautiful. Just like the earlier post mentioned, this is another beautiful building that will be torn down due to poor upkeep. Does anyone know if there are programs through the city to help the business owners fix up the buildings?

Anonymous said...

Speaking of Bums. Has anyone noticed that George guy riding through the neighborhood on a bike. I see him almost every day all hours of the day. He is on a different bicycle every single day. He is the bum that stole all the tools when S and L were renovating the house on New Orleans. He is trouble. Lock up your tools and bikes!

Anonymous said...

How about the mini-mart that Rose built. It has to be the most trashiest looking convienience store in the whole of Seminole Heights. How about the Dutch Motel on Hillsborough. Home to thieves, junkies and ho's. How about all those trailors at MLK and Florida. What about the junk lot next to Tampa Hardware. It streches from Nebraska to 9th St. How about House of Meat on Sligh. Meta mart looks Good Housekeeping clean compared to that foul dump.

ugh

Anonymous said...

Flyer, I am confused. I thought you WERE the owner of the building that houses Dis and Dat. Are you just a renter, and still you want to paint it?
BTW there should not be any paint out for SWEEP that is not dry in the can.

Anonymous said...

Please be sure to include the Auto Repair/Junk Yard at the corner of Osborne and 15th and the Bodega across the street. Both places are a filthy disgrace and lately appear to be a hang out for some drug dealing. NOT GOOD!!

Anonymous said...

I think the owner of dis and dat should get it "stuck to her" greed is an ugly thing. Now she is stuck with a building that she can't upkeep or can't afford to upkeep. She shoul have 2 options. 1) Sell the property since she can no longer take care of it. 2)Fix the property. If this can't be done, then maybe she is a perfect candidate for foreclosure throught our tough Code Enforcement Department. Looks like she may be the one getting stuck!

Anonymous said...

That's just great, flyer anon - your going to mix up a bunch of paint to creat one uniform color? Lovely. Just what this neighborhood needs - another building crappily painted in a color that resembles poop. Most of the building is unpainted brick, isnt it? Here's a tthought. Pressure wash it. Don't you realise when you paint, your committed to paint forever?

I don't feel sorry for the owner of that building. He or she is a slumlord. No, a greedy slumlord. She could have sold to Eckerds, but seems like she just cut off her nose to spite her face. And you want us to cry in our oatmeal for her. Not a chance.

Anonymous said...

If the Freakin' city would do the jobs they are paid to do, they would force the owner to make the repairs or face foreclosure. I am tired of having whimps working downtown. When is election coming. Kick all the bums out! I warn you know, we should begin looking at if we can protect what few commercial, historic buildings we have. It is just a matter of time before they are torn down and replaced with modern crap!

Anonymous said...

Has anyone ever notified the city about the safety conditions and concerns at Ybor Pizza? That entire stip center looks a bit seedy and unsafe. Surely there are fire code issues, health issues, zoning, code and I am sure much more. Maybe start with the Neighborhood Improvement office to see if they can get the ball rolling.

Anonymous said...

The Puerto Rican Building, now converted to Office Building is looking awesome. If only someone would do something about the illegal semi trailer that has been back there for the past 8 years.

Anonymous said...

hey, thats my trailer, my home!

Anonymous said...

Why does everyone keep picking on ybor pizza? From the years in ybor till now Kerry (the owner) has done nothing but support local struggling artists by giving them space to work in. Look at caesar carbajal, who worked in the pizza shop for many years, he's one of the few nationally recognised artists we have here, and Dorsey too! Weekly I see the gatherings there of several local artists, Experimental Skeleton people, etc.. I know of several well known musicians that make an effort to stop in while touring Tampa.

Anonymous said...

flyer anon, did you use to go there when Floyd Self had the gym there? I saw your post when you mentioned him. I was training there with him and a guy named Benny. I dont think most people know how many big name boxers in the late 80's and early 90's trained there. It was a cool place. Real "old school" type. I remember running up and down that staircase. Let me know.

David Scott Banghart said...

tell us the story, flyer or put it on your blog and tell us. i'd be interested in hearing it

Anonymous said...

I honestly could care less about who is brave enough to eat or stop at Ybor. The place is filthy. My daughter and I used to walk down the alley when we would walk the dog insted of walking on Nebaraska. The place looks like a rat infested pit. I can't understand how these business owners allow thier property to decline like this. Even more importantly, how does the city allow it. You can't tell me that this Pizza place's insurance company allows him to operate a restaurant like this. I would bet anything there is no insurance on the property. This guy is a liability in the making! I will not order anything for my family there. First of all, my family is much more important, secondly, TOTINOs 99 cent frozen pizza is better!

Anonymous said...

Amen, now that Cappys, Stephano's and ABC have the best pizza in town. I say good riddance to Ybor. They have held back Nebraska Ave for too long. Shut them down, run them out of business and open a awesome Bagel Shop. I need Bagels for breakfast!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Yes, put Ybor Pizza out of business if they do not clean up and Open a bagel shop with homemade bagels. Yummy

Anonymous said...

Mix up the colors of the paint so it looks like Poopermint.
Doo Doo colors.
What's wrong with poop?

Anonymous said...

Are there any bagel (Homemade) shops in the neighborhood?

Anonymous said...

I agree with the comments of Bloggerswife. If you all remember the old automotive building "Automotive repair at Crackhead prices". This is a perfect example of letting someone leave the neighborhood and something better will come in. I remember the issues with the Crackhead automotive. When the neighbors complained there were those that argued this was just a business owner that did not have money to fix it up. Eventually, they left and the Taco Bus moved in. What a difference. It is know a very charming addition to the neighborhood that has recieved national attention. (New York Times and the Food Network or Travel Channel) If the business do not keep up their establishments, I do feel like sometimes, them going out of business is a good thing. On our commercial corridor, we have very little historic buildings. We should do everything we can and encourage business to restore these buildings. The building at Nebraska and Osbourne (Opposite end of the Ybor Pizza strip) could be one of the most beautiful gems in SESH. The owner has done some renovations, but drive by and imagine the windows being put back in. I would love to know the history of that place.

Ben said...

While Ybor Pizza sucks and is dangerous, they have a expansive clientele list that orders their crap for lunch daily. I don't think they are going anywhere anytime soon. I used to work at the crematory (Florida Mortuary) a few blocks down the road, and they ordered it bi-weekly. As does Richard's Automotive order Y.P.&S alot. By the way, those are both nominees for great SH businesses.

Long live Cappys.

Anonymous said...

Is Florida Mortuary still in businees? It looks pretty DEAD most of the time! :o)

Anonymous said...

Over the weekend, did anyone see the "Driven Concepts" by Giddens Park. This is a perfect example of a business owner that needs to be shut down. You can't tell me that he has not had run-ins with the City. However, over the weekend, he had two cars, or should I say one car with busted window and a Car Frame that was choppped to hell. Being by a city park with children walking there to play, the car frame would look all to fun to play on. How is it that this kind of Crap is continually allowed. I will never let my kids go there unattended, but let's be real. Many parents in this neighborhood do not watch thier kids as careful as others so it becomes our responsibility.

Anonymous said...

If that is true, you know the old saying...

If it looks like a dump, (and quacks like a dump) people will treat it like a dump.