closed businesses just sitting there

[deb be]

Are they ever going to do something with the old Winn Dixie and Kmart buildings?  Wouldn't it be nice if they had some kind of tech school there instead?  Theres plenty of parking and there they sit going to waste.  Their not hurting anything per say but it would be nice to see something open to benefit Americans in need of job skills. 

I saw on tv yesterday about a school called the "American College of Building Arts."  They were teaching old world crafts in what was a previous JAIL.  It was a nice show and the kids were said to all graduate and walk right into JOBS that didn't involve flipping burgers.   

[polomare]

Don't forget the Albertson's building on Crestwood/Southern.

Personally, I don't mind if they sit empty for a while.  Let it be a big reminder to the developers (and city commissioners who keep OK-ing rampant development) that they need to chill.  We have more commercial space than we need.  Let's fill that first before building more.

And the old argument that building/construction creates jobs is bogus.  It only creates temporary short term jobs for transient type people who usually aren't even from our area and move on afterward.  The Powers That Be just keep approving unnecessary development to line their pockets and beef up the tax rolls!

[Ingrid Taskin]

I think the Albertsons location or the Win Dixie location would be perfect for a covered and/or covered and closed riding ring.. pay by the hour to use it.. plenty of parking...  There are enough organizations/individuals that would love to have a covered arena to ride in the summer or when it's raining...

My two cents worth
Ingrid

[SJM]

Did I hear that B-u-r-l-i-n-g-t-o-n Coat Factory is coming to the old KMart on Southern/441?  Anybody else hear/read about that?   Are they already there?  Haven't been that way for awhile?

[callalillies83]

Bington took over Kmarts spot and just opened within the past few weeks,

[equisician]

Ingrid, thanks for making me smile on a very hectic day, love the indoor ring idea. We should have live music in it as well!

[SaddlebredShowMom]

Personally, I don't mind if they sit empty for a while.  Let it be a big reminder to the developers (and city commissioners who keep OK-ing rampant development) that they need to chill.  We have more commercial space than we need.  Let's fill that first before building more.

And the old argument that building/construction creates jobs is bogus.  It only creates temporary short term jobs for transient type people who usually aren't even from our area and move on afterward.  The Powers That Be just keep approving unnecessary development to line their pockets and beef up the tax rolls!

I can't agree more with this!  Every barren vacant lot - stripped of trees and vegetation and all signs of life, every half started home or building decaying away, needs to haunt them and be a constant reminder of how they allowed this County to be overdeveloped and trashed.

How many jobs did we lose here because of all the businesses that were bought out to grab their land - the nurseries, farms, etc.. They will never return and now acres upon acres just sits there like a vast desolate waste land.

Sorry but this just gets me riled. 

[deb be]

Alot of us just don't take time to read the newspapers these days and we learn stuff on sites like this and forwarded emails.  

I just read one that the Chinese are the builders of the new bridge in San Francisco that will  connect to Oakland.   What is it all coming to for American laborers when this is allowed?  

 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/8602786/New-San-Francisco-bridge-built-in-China-to-be-shipped-to-US.html

[Simba]

I just read one that the Chinese are the builders of the new bridge in San Francisco that will  connect to Oakland.   What is it all coming to for American laborers when this is allowed? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/8602786/New-San-Francisco-bridge-built-in-China-to-be-shipped-to-US.html

The US's infrastructure of bridges and roadways is in a lot of need.  Some areas have bridges that will not pass inspection, yet the funds are not there to replace them.  Here in FL, the DOT is looking for the best way to get infrastructure projects in place.  This is leading us to what they call Design-Build-Fund - where the Engineering Firm & Contractor have to have funding in place before proposing on the job.  Thus, the DOT is taking a loan as a third party via the Engineer & Contractor, that win the project.  Unfortunately, with any Design/Build job, it is the lowest bid that wins ... not necessarily the best technical score from the potential designer.  Other countries use Design/Build/Fund.  Many firms in the US will not be able to secure the funding for the projects which can be in the $150M+ price tag.  This leaves room for larger international contractors to come in, bid, and take the opportunity away from the local firms.  One local example .. Dragados.  The contractor is an international firm, yet they have a US division which is currently working on I-595 with a firm from Spain, ACS.