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© St. Petersburg Times, published May 6, 2001
Re: Mall specialist turns eye toward Pier, April 26.
I am concerned about this article covering the management contract for The Pier. The fact that a mall management company would remark that there are "too many events with minimal impact" and "too many local businesses" appalls me. Would you consider the boat races each year an event with "minimal impact"? How about national television coverage of the ESPN X Games? Nominal? Minimal?
The facts are clear. Bill Griffith has contributed greatly to the success of The Pier, which has put St. Petersburg on the map as a result. It was on Griffith's watch that The Pier became a mecca for tourism and a popular place for the locals. The trolley and upgrades on the exterior gave The Pier its unique charm. In fact, almost all aerial pictures of St. Petersburg are of The Pier.
I strongly disagree with the statement that "there are too many local businesses and not enough regional or national tenants." A Dunkin Donuts on The Pier? Who goes to The Pier for donuts?
As a local business owner, I celebrate the independence of downtown St. Petersburg. This is the city that has fought the bulldozer and kept the local flavor that residents and visitors alike seek. The Columbia Restaurant is a beacon to the success of the local business owner. Would you tear down the Columbia in Ybor and put up a Denny's?
I say, "Enough already." Bill Griffith is a local business owner who takes care of business -- period.
-- Tom Bolticoff, president, AllStaff, St. Petersburg
Re: Mall specialist turns eye toward Pier, April 26.
St. Petersburg is considering changing management of The Pier in the hope of reducing the taxpayer funded subsidy required to own, operate and maintain The Pier. Compared to the millions paid out annually by us taxpayers to pay down debt for the Dome, The Pier is a bargain. True, The Pier is subsidized by the city of St. Petersburg and its taxpayers, which is budgeted to be at $1.3-million this year. But is it not truly a bargain at that? Is The Pier not a much better bargain for taxpayers than Sunken Gardens, now supported by taxpayers, but drawing many thousands fewer visitors annually?
I visit The Pier at least twice a month. The view of the bay from the restaurants is spectacular. When my out-of-town guests visit, it's the first place they want to return to for dining and relaxation. The food enjoyed there is reasonably priced. That could all change. The proposal submitted by Urban Retail Properties Co. to manage The Pier would seek to transform it into a clone of yet another mall of boutiques with national tenants and a new food mall on the second floor. Could this become another Dome boondoggle on a smaller scale where taxpayers are sucked into a scheme costing millions with only an imagined prospect for a return on investment? Fortunes, both public and private have been spent on BayWalk.
Many entrepreneurs have risked all to open businesses in the downtown area. Do we really want a public entity in competition with these struggling businesses in the already difficult competitive arena of the downtown area? Do we want to remake this facility into one that the working class taxpayer can no longer afford to visit and enjoy? The Pier is what it was intended to be, a tourist attraction and a place of enjoyment for residents as well. Its uniqueness makes it that way.
It never had a chance of making a profit since conception and just like our beaches, parks and infrastructure, requires nourishment at taxpayers' expense. Nonetheless, it's a bargain by any measure.
-- The present management, in place since 1994 has obviously done a good job. I frequently walk the facility, both indoors and outdoors and have always found it well kept. Having recently retired from work in commercial real estate holdings, I know how difficult a task that is. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Readers might want to contact their City Council members and express their feelings about this important issue, as in a few weeks, for better or for worse, the council will decide it for you.
Edward M. Blau, St. Petersburg
I read with interest your article about a trolley for Mainland's six clubhouses (Officials question demand for trolley, April 22). For your information and as a taxpayer, I wish to advise you that there are seven units in Mainlands. I reside in unit seven.
It would be a great advantage for us to have a trolley service. I commend Pinellas Park council member Ed Taylor for his idea. There are many residents who are unable to drive and would make great use of the service.
Please add unit seven to your listing in this endeavor and to your future references to Mainlands.
-- William McGarvey, Pinellas Park
Re: Cutting water use not easy for board, story, April 29.
When I first saw the headline and read the first three or four paragraphs of the article, I thought I was going to read how the Pinellas County commissioners were practicing the "do as I say, not as I do" approach to governing by passing rules to cut county water use and not living up to those rules.
But since I am a veteran reader of the Times, I knew that the truth was probably buried deep in the story. Sure enough, as I read I discovered that the majority of the commissioners had water usage well below the 8,000 gallons per month average.
In fact, if you remove Susan Latvala's excessive water use caused by leakage (a problem that can happen to anyone), the average usage by the entire board is less than 6,250 gallons per month. Again, this is below the 8,000 gallons per month average.
But the Times didn't stop there. The Times took potshots at individual commissioners, including John Morroni (a favorite target for the Times) by stating his "water usage lately has gone in the wrong direction -- up." Of course, deeper in the article, it stated that his bill had increased a whopping 250 gallons, to 6,000 gallons. Again, well below the average usage of 8,000 gallons.
Based on the facts, the headline should have been: County commissioners setting example for water usage, but then the Times isn't big on facts. I look forward to this fall and winter when the days get shorter and the Times runs an article with the headline: The sun arrives late for work -- leaves early.
-- David Manning, Dunedin
Re: Beautifying Gulf Boulevard, April 8.
What wonderful ideas for improving the looks of our Gulf Boulevard. Naples is certainly a fine example of what can be done.
Some other ideas: Restrict junk shops or require attractive uniform storefronts. The same goes for dumpy motels. Cover or uniformly camouflage streetside newspaper boxes/containers, which are very unsightly, and plant lots and lots of trees and flowers.
Can't wait to see it!
-- Judith Sterling, Redington Shores