Comments

A sleazy swipe at Ken Bradley and Florida Hospital. This newsletter is a joke.

Bonnie Jackson
February 12, 2015

There is no justification for a municipality to purchase a piece of property from a private entity for the purpose of tearing it down for re-sale. It is irrelevant if people object to the aesthetics of a building that was constructed in accordance with the existing building code and zoning law at the time. While I abhore what the building stood for and the business it attracted, it remains a legal business. Furthermore, it is relevant to the story for the Voice to note that the Mayor, Ken Bradley, is the CEO of Florida Hospital, which owns adjacent property. It certainly makes one wonder about the real motivation for this unusual move to purchase private property. This is just one more example of the appearance of a conflict of interest, which causes people to lose faith in government.

IloveWP
February 12, 2015

Thank you to the VOICE for hosting a balanced, well run debate for the citizens to hear the candidates. The standing room only of over 300 was evidence of the respect and high regard your publication holds in the community. Also, the in-depth coverage revealing details of our elected officials performance is insightful & appreciated. By the way, many of my neighbors came to the debate, many had to be turned away because of fire code. Swipes are good at politicians when they use their office to benefit themselves or their cronies. Free press is a b*tch.

Citizen
February 12, 2015

Well as far as for being a sleazy swipe at our Mayor, I would love to get a definition of a swipe. As far as for Florida Hospital the only mention of them is that they are The Mayor’s employer and they own the property that is right next to the property in the article. Are those not true? How is that statement a swipe of the Hospital. Personally I will miss the building. I never got to go inside but it was something I have remember ever since I was a child. We are in such a warped world that even the shape of the breast is not considered offensive. It is a body part of a woman. A very soft and enjoyable part. Why are we so prudish that we are offended by our own bodies.

Unknown Reader
February 12, 2015

I am a reader of the Winter Park Voice. Your comments seem to imply you enjoy complaining about it. There is such an easy solution. Avert your eyes and don’t look at it. You can do it. Click somewhere else. Ohhh you don’t want too. That is because you enjoy reading about our great city and the information in the newsletter. Or you just want to see what they are going to say next. Why don’t you join the Facebook group and put your name where your post is. AHHHH didn’t think so.

Laughed at it since I was a kid
February 13, 2015

The building was both an eyesore and a kitschy landmark. That aside, I’m not sure I would call the article a “swipe” at Bradley and Florida Hospital like some commenters did. Explain why we taxpayers should pay over appraised value….that is suspect. Winter Park code enforcement is notoriously strict….and has no problem red tagging and fining anything and everything. Seems to me a dilapidated building like that is RIPE for code violations and fines. When the owner doesn’t pay the fines, lein it. Then if he doesn’t clean it up, sue to take it. Overpaying for it seems like giving the owner a couple hundred thousand dollar gift from WP taxpayers. Who was it anyway???

orlando native
February 13, 2015

I bet you Florida hospital will buy that property. Who else can afford $1 million empty lot on Lee Road?

Unknown
February 13, 2015

I think some of the other commenters have identified the major issue here – what outrageous level of government hubris is necessary to overpay for a piece of property and then turn around and put if on the market for more than was just paid? If the aesthetic sensibilities of WP residents demanded this action, so be it (not that that’s actually the case). The mayor and other officials who engineered this deal must think their constituents are a bunch of passive, uninformed dupes. Sadly, I suppose that’s true enough to allow stuff like this to happen.

Maybe the economics of the health care industry are so perverted the mayor actually thinks this was a good business deal. Disgusting…