Tarpon Springs razes troubled store

Police say a symbol of the drug trade was leveled, but some lament the loss of a convenient business.

By KATHERINE GAZELLA

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 19, 2000

TARPON SPRINGS -- A bulldozer crashed into the brittle building Tuesday, and within a few minutes, the small convenience store was reduced to a pile of concrete and crushed signs that once advertised RC Cola, cigars and mobile phones.

For Gene Fernandes, supervisor of the project, the demolition was a relatively easy one.

"This is just a little building," he said.

But for police and residents of the neighborhood, the little building -- known by the names Lime Street Food Market, Mansour Food Mart and Brothers Store -- had great significance.

Police saw the store as a symbol of the drug trade in the city's Union Academy neighborhood. They say people gathered near the store, at so-called Candy Corner at S Safford Avenue and Lime Street, to buy and sell crack cocaine.

By demolishing the building, "the criminal element is being displaced from the neighborhood," said Tarpon Springs police Officer Ed Hayden.

Some residents saw it differently. A small group of people gathered to watch the demolition, and some of them lamented the loss of a store so close to their homes where they could buy bread, milk and hair care supplies designed for African-Americans.

Veronica Joe, who lives down the street from the store, used to go there daily to buy food and hair products for her five children.

"It was convenient for those who couldn't make it to the (grocery) store," she said. For groceries, people in the neighborhood have to go "way down there," she said, pointing in the direction of the Winn-Dixie store several blocks away.

The building has been vacant since late October, when fire destroyed the inventory. Police said the fire was an arson.

Before that, the city filed a lawsuit against the store, asking the court to shut it down. The city's attorney argued that the business had become a public nuisance because its owners allowed gambling, crack cocaine sales and sales of alcohol to minors.

After the fire, the city spent months obtaining permission through the county to demolish the building.

Tarek Said, who owns the building and the property, said Tuesday that he hadn't heard about the demolition. He said he still has 3 1/2 years on his mortgage for the property. His contractor has been on the property during the past couple of weeks, he said, and he had planned to rebuild the store.

"I don't know what's going on," he said. "I know they want to get me out of there."

Police say Said had plenty of warning that the building would be demolished. The city sent a certified letter notifying him demolition was imminent, and city officials told Said's attorney demolition would take place April 13 if he did not appeal, Hayden said.

They waited an additional five days, and still no appeals were filed.

In the next two or three weeks, the city will tear down several more vacant houses and businesses in an effort to revitalize areas of the city, said City Manager Ellen Posivach.

Some people in the community said they were grateful the city demolished the Brothers Store. They said they want better businesses to move into the area, such as restaurants and well-maintained shops.

"I think it should have been done years ago," said Donald Taylor. "I just feel like we have a chance at a fresh start."

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