Scanning the Gilroy radar screen in the Crusader’s cave, a couple things popped-up post-Thanksgiving that need mention. Recently, I initiated the Gilroy TRASH award (unTidy Residences Antagonizing Sensible Homes). The qualification for a Gilroy Crusader TRASH award nomination is any residential property in Gilroy on which there exists a condition described as Gilroy residents who let rundown vehicles, overgrown weeds or excessive trash pile up on their front yards that meet the criteria of blighted property according to the Gilroy blight ordinance code.
Well, November’s TRASH “winner” actually happens to be four residences on Ronan Avenue, all of which are a blighted mess. And it’s ironic that these properties are all across the street from relatively new properties.
Now I’m not going to give the names of the property owners, but the addresses are 100A, 100B, 105, and 250 Ronan Ave. A picture of 105 was in The Dispatch on Oct. 13, 2004. The property located at 400 Ronan comes in with a dishonorable TRASH award mention. As one reader emailed me “Unfortunately, when you drive down Ronan, you will see there is no enforcement [of the blight code]. I wonder if any of the City Council members lived on this street if it would be tolerated.” My answer: No, I doubt if it would be tolerated. To be fair, I checked the properties myself, I agree that the city needs to enforce the code and do something to get these properties cleaned-up.
And don’t get me wrong. My purpose here with the TRASH award is not to attack an individual’s resident because the people living there might be economically or physically deprived, and as some folks might justify, therefore a property mess is permissible. I disagree.
Even a poor person can take pride in having a blight-free residence free of trash and junk, and I’m sure there are poor/disabled people here in Gilroy who actively pursue keeping their properties free of junk and clutter while taking pride in the fact that even if they don’t live in a palace, they don’t live surrounded by a pigpen.
I suspect that some folks may argue that this is all relative and too opinionated on my part, but I would argue that November’s TRASH award indeed meets the test of a “reasonable person”, and I might add that the person who emailed me and made these Ronan Avenue nominations is both qualified and reasonable. As he also noted “I would think if properly managed the [blight] ordinance could go a long way to clean up these eyesores or could be a good source of revenue for Gilroy. Either way Gilroy wins.”
So City Council members, here’s a great opportunity for you to see for yourselves an unresolved Gilroy residential mess, and then determine why nothing has been done to get it fixed. Remember, there are other parts of Gilroy besides Eagle Ridge that have issues to solve too.
Having picked up a cup of java the other morning at Gilroy City Coffee I happened to see the sign in next door window of Monterey Street Antiques saying “FOR SALE.”
As the owner unlocked the steel grating, I curiously asked her what was going on with the business. What she told me is a sad picture what might be the start of a major crack in Downtown Gilroy’s redevelopment plan. She indicated that ever since the attacks of 9/11, the antique business has steadily declined. While her business used to have some 25 antique dealers in the store, it’s now down to just three. The building owner has refused to lower her rent, and the gap between costs and income simply can’t justify trying to keep it afloat.
This situation certainly is too bad, because it will be the third antique store that has recently departed downtown. And it begs the question, who’s next?
I’d guess that Gilroy’s downtown antique stores have been to some extent a magnet in pulling folks from the Outlets into downtown to do some shopping on an antique menu that is not part of the Outlets.
In the meantime, I was told that there are now some great bargains available at Monterey Street Antiques, but hurry, the store shuts for good on Dec. 28.
