Wilton Manors Gazette: Vol 5, issue 22 by The Gazette

WMG Volume 5 • Issue 22 December 5, 2018

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Businesses Have Mixed Feelings Over Wilton Drive Project Parking continues to be a source of frustration for some

By Sallie James

Photo via the Wilton Manors Police Department, Facebook.

The much-anticipated project to narrow Matt LaMariana gets annoyed every time he looks out the window of his Northeast Fourth Avenue/Wilton Drive business at 2365 Wilton Manors Drive from Sunrise Boulevard to Northeast 26th and sees the congestion caused by Street to two-lanes began in August. The Florida Department of construction crews. The section of Wilton Manors Drive Transportation project that will include outside Boomerangs thrift store is in 7-foot-wide bicycle lanes is progressing the midst of a road narrowing project, north to downtown Wilton Manors. The project will widen aimed at slowing traffic sidewalks, upgrade and making the area more “If people pedestrian signals and pedestrian-friendly. modify pedestrian curb LaMariana said the are going to ramps to meet ADA timing couldn’t be worse. avoid Wilton requirements, upgrade “I would love to know roadway and pedestrian the rocket scientist who Drive because lighting, install new decided this project needed of traffic and drainage structures and to be done at the height upgrade the existing of tourist and holiday construction, drainage system. season,” LaMariana said. that doesn’t do LaMariana is Someone from the Wilton any good.” concerned because Manors Improvement parking downtown is District recently contacted - Matt LaMariana already at a premium, him about promoting his Owner of boomerangs Thrift Store and the ongoing business on their website. construction eliminates But as far as LaMariana is some of the on-street parking as it concerned, it’s a moot point. “It’s a little too late to be asking for my progresses. He already has to chase after motorists input to promote my business that they have already started hurting. If people who park their cars in his business lot and are going to avoid Wilton Drive because leave for other businesses. “No parking forces me to become the of traffic and construction, that doesn’t parking Nazi. I spend far too much my time do any good,” he said.

worrying about people parking here and wandering off on the weekend,” LaMariana said. “There is nothing more frustrating than seeing the parking lot full and have someone drive by because there is nowhere to park.” His frustration has reached a boiling point: he is planning to move his business out of the city in the near future because of parking issues and high rent. Across the street at Gallery XO, co-owner Maciel Cantiero is aware of the coming construction but isn’t overly worried.

He’s heard the construction will last two to three weeks when it reaches his business at 2376 Wilton Drive and figures his customers will be able to park somewhere reasonably close. He isn’t worried that customers may have to walk a few blocks to get to his business. He is worried though that the parking meters they are required to feed will expire and they will get ticketed. Continued on page 4 

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Opinion

Holiday Season… By Sal Torre

As 2018 races to the end, many of us are struggling just to Last year’s keep up with all the events that crowd our calendars this time of holiday lights on year. Before I had a chance to leisurely enjoy a few cold turkey Wilton Drive. Photo sandwiches from leftovers of our Thanksgiving feast, holiday via the City of Wilton lights and Christmas trees were popping up all around me. Manors, Facebook. Being no Scrooge, I quickly finished off the last of the cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie and got to work pulling out holiday decorations. The month of December kicks off early with my birthday celebration, races full speed ahead through community holiday gatherings, city events, holiday cheer, cookie production, dinner parties, Christmas, more birthday celebrations, all building to a crescendo as we end the month welcoming in the New Year. Once again, we enter into the holiday season wondering where all the fairies are here in the Island City. I am talking lights, fairy lights, that should be illuminating The Drive from one end to the other, turning our city center into a holiday wonderland. Strings of fairy lights all up and down, over and across, blinking and twinkling above our heads. Alas, looks like I’ll have to ask Santa for that Christmas wish again next year. Wait a minute, I figured out how to expedite my wish and not holiday festivities and decorations will be planned to “wow” wait until next year. I headed over to the City of Oakland Park’s children of all ages here in our Island City. Perhaps the Wilton Drive Improvement District will lead the 3rd Annual Holiday Village this past weekend for a taste of our sister city’s holiday merriment. Santa was there, so I grabbed my way once we get beyond the construction this year and begin to enjoy the new and improved city center. Still looking ahead with wish list and headed right over to see him in person. Oakland Park’s holiday spirit seems to be growing each year. No wishful hopes and excitement of the season, a whole list of new wonders might grace Santa’s return to our Island wonder Santa is over there greeting his believers City next year. and enjoying some cheer at the Funky Buddha. Maybe he will see the long overdue gateway Less adventurous residents not making it over We might signs welcoming visitors as they enter our to the Oakland Park Holiday Village might have wonderful city. Perhaps Andrews Avenue will caught a glimpse of a few of Santa’s elves out and not have our start taking on a new look once the drawn-out about later in the evening at Alibi’s and Hunters fairy lights redevelopment plans have finally been put into having a bit of merriment of their own before draped across place. Perhaps some long dormant parcels and heading back to the North Pole. vacant commercial properties will finally be We might not have our fairy lights draped across Wilton Drive developed into wonderful additions to our city’s Wilton Drive yet, but our island city has many yet, but our landscape. There are plenty of items on our city’s holiday festivities scheduled this season. The wish list that are currently in the works, but we annual Holiday Lighting Ceremony was held this island City has might want to pick up the pace on finally getting past week with the lighting of the city’s Christmas many holiday some of them checked off. Santa is looking Tree, Menorah, and Kinara. forward to seeing a few new things around town Our Wilton Manors Business Association, along festivities when he arrives back in South Florida next holiday with the city, will present “Holiday Spectacular in scheduled this season. the Park” Dec. 10 at Richardson Park. When Santa Our new Mayor and City Commission are now does come to town on Wednesday Dec. 12, he takes season. in place, and I have total confidence in their his entourage on a water sleigh around our Island commitment to move our city ahead in the years City waterways, greeting residents along the way. Local youngsters can have Breakfast with Santa at the Hagen Park to come. Residents can also play an active role in city government Community Center on Dec. 15, along with story time and pony by seeking appointment to a city board, advisory committee, or rides. Tickets are needed for the event at Richardson and for in so many other volunteer efforts. So, after we enjoy this holiday Breakfast with Santa. You can contact the city’s Leisure Services season, finish toasting in the New Year, and putting away the fairy Department for additional information on these wonderful lights until next year, take a moment to ponder what you can do to make life in our Island City even better here. events. Happy holidays to all! WMG As we move ahead with the new Wilton Drive, hopefully future

WMG December 5, 2018 • Volume 5 • Issue 22 2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943

Publisher • Norm Kent norm.kent@sfgn.com Chief Executive Officer • Pier Angelo Guidugli Associate publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley jason.parsley@sfgn.com Copyeditor • Kerri Covington

Editorial

Art Director • Brendon Lies artwork@sfgn.com News Editor • Sallie James

Correspondents

Sal Torre • James Oaksun

Staff Photographers

J.R. Davis • Pompano Bill • Steven Shires

Sales & Marketing For ad placement in the Wilton Manors Gazette, contact 954-530-4970

Sales Manager • Justin Wyse justin.wyse@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Edwin Neimann edwin.neimann@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Clark Rogers clark.rogers@sfgn.com Accounting Services by CG Bookkeeping South Florida Gay News is published weekly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor do not represent the opinions of SFGN, or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations. Furthermore the word “gay” in SFGN should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. All of the material/columns that appears in print and online, including articles used in conjunction with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, at his law office, at Norm@NormKent.com. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs. MEMBER

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Have you joined the Gazette’s Facebook group? Visit Facebook.com/groups/WMGazette to join the discussion. The Gazette welcomes feedback for its community initiative. Email Jason.Parsley@sfgn.comwith comments, suggestions, etc.

Several boats drifting through Hagen Park. Photo via the City of Wilton Manors, Facebook.

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Real Estate

WilMa Sales: Have They Peaked, Too? By James Oaksun They might still be counting votes in California, and the Broward election supervisor doesn’t appear to have found those missing 2,000 ballots yet, but the numbers are all in on the real estate activity that’ll be part of my Yearbook this year. Every year I look at pricing, sales, and inventory trends across specific neighborhoods (not zip codes) of interest to me, to my clients, and to the community at large. It’s free and you can see the prior versions at www.issuu.com/JamesOaksun. Having addressed Island City price trends

in my last column, this time we shall look at sales volume. We’ll wrap up the review in my forthcoming column with a treatise on inventory. As I did with the pricing column, the table included here shows single family home sales trends for the three WilMa neighborhoods – West (meaning west of Andrews), Center (Andrews to Dixie), and East (east of Dixie). Also, when I look at sales here in south Florida, I always consider them on a rolling 12-month basis. Due to significant seasonality, you can’t make valid comparisons with the immediately-prior periods without doing that. Although I don’t show it here, aggregate single-family home sales in the Island City peaked in late 2015 and have been roughly flat ever since at roughly 200 homes (plus or minus a bit) per 12-month period. In volume, that’s about double what we saw at the market trough in 2011. Now, there has been a 10-percent drop in aggregate sales over the last two quarters – from the top end of the range to the bottom.

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It’s definitely a cautionary note of a sort as we head into season. Fourth-quarter data will be critical in further assessment. The data show some significant variability among the three neighborhoods. You can never predict exactly when homes will come onto the market, as that is a decision with many moving parts in it. But there can be instances where buyers who insist on living in WilMa might not be totally

December 5, 2018

committed to one neighborhood versus another, particularly if a home is available that meets their needs. Next time: inventory. WMG James Oaksun, Florida’s Real Estate Geek(SM), is Broker-Owner of New Realty Concepts in Oakland Park. In addition to having degrees from Dartmouth and Cornell, he is a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (GRI).

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community

NEWS

Have You Joined the Gazette’s Community Facebook Group?

 Continued from page 1

By WMG Staff

The Wilton Manors Gazette launched a Facebook group six months ago to keep readers up to date with the latest happenings and news in the city and to distinguish itself from its parent company, South Florida Gay News. “What started out as a supplement to SFGN has really taken on a life of its own. Because of that we felt the Gazette needed a voice of its own, separate and apart from SFGN,” said Publisher Norm Kent. “We realize there is a community here in Wilton Manors that does not necessarily want all of SFGN’s news, from

around South Florida and the world, so the Gazette will focus on just hyper local news.” By targeting just the Wilton Manors community SFGN’s staff will be able to highlight even more relevant news, stories and events geared towards locals. The Facebook group gives the Gazette a place to highlight local events. “We hope this Facebook group will provide a new way for readers and residents to interact with our newspaper and their community,” Kent said. WMG

Visit Facebook.com/groups/WMGazette to join the discussion. The Gazette welcomes feedback for its new community initiative. Email Jason.Parsley@sfgn.com with comments, suggestions, etc.

Forget morning coffee...

SFGN has what you need to

WAKE UP.

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Businesses Have Mixed Feelings Over Wilton Drive Project

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Photo via the Wilton Manors Police Department, Facebook.

Cantiero thinks the city should stop charging for the metered parking during the day when parking is usually widely available. Wilton Manors makes most of its parking revenue during the evening, when the bars and nightclubs are hopping and parking anywhere is tough to find, he said. “The only thing I would want them to change is the parking being charged from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Why don’t they give people a break?” Cantiero said. “I have had clients come in to the framing shop and all of a the area, the more pedestrian-friendly. There sudden they go out and they have a ticket - will be more pedestrian walks and more because we get busy and it takes longer than greenery. It will help the environment and 15 minutes to do the framing - most of the it will have curb appeal. The people who are busy part of it is during the weekends. They whining about having to pay $2 and walk shouldn’t have those meters running during a few blocks, so what. If you want to go to a business, you go to the business.” the day.” Wilton Manors Mayor Justin Flippen said Cantiero likes the idea of Wilton Manors being narrowed to one lane. He lives in a the narrowing project has been planned for condo above his business and said he has more than a decade. “Once FDOT is complete we will have seen many bad accidents due to speeding more of a viable main street where motorists right below his home. “I have seen nasty accidents — one guy won’t just race through the heart of the city lost control at 5 a.m. and hit a palm tree and while pedestrians have their hearts race as knocked down a lamp post. Another time they risk their safety getting from one side a guy flipped over on the corner of Wilton of the road to the other,” Flippen said. “We’ll Manors Drive and Ninth Avenue,” said have improved sidewalks and crosswalks for Cantiero, who’s been in business 11 years. pedestrians, better bicycle lanes, and more of a tree canopy - all to create “Making it one lane in each a more inviting business direction is not going to allow corridor to which residents people to go crazy and drive “Making it one can walk from their homes like maniacs.” lane in each and a destination to which He thinks a parking garage direction is not visitors will include in their would be a good solution to travel to come and spend time the city’s parking woes. going to allow shopping, dining, or exploring “Parking issues in the city people to go our nightlife, art galleries, and continue to get worse. It’s crazy and drive museums.” always been bad,” he said. The road reconfiguration Down the street at To the like maniacs.” is expected to take about a Moon vintage candy, gift and - Maciel Cantiero year. After completion, the novelty shop, owner Antonio Gallery XO co-owner landscape/streetscape phase Dums has been watching the of the project will commence. road narrowing project with The construction and landscaping phases interest. He thinks it is a great thing and can’t wait can’t be done simultaneously because state rules don’t permit two phases of the same for it to be complete. “I am for it because it is going to slow traffic, project to occur at the same time. The state of Florida and the Metropolitan save lives and make the businesses more visible,” said Dums, whose store has been at Planning Organization are paying for the 2205 Wilton Drive for 14 years. “It works on approximately $5-6 million project. The city of Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale and it works on Wilton Manors will pay for the streetscaping A1A in Lauderdale-By-the-Sea. The smaller in downtown Wilton Manors. WMG

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December 5, 2018

Photos

Dog Obedience and Rally Training By J.R. Davis

On Thursday Nights from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. the Doberman Rescue League, inc. hosts its all breed obedience and Rally Training Classes at the basketball courts in hagen park. For more information, call 954-563-7061 or visit doberescue.net/all-breed-obedience-classes.

To see more photos and news from WMG, join us at Facebook.com/groups/WMGazette

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Photos

Nown... Ope

The Grille on the Drive!

By J.R. Davis

The Grille, a budding new restaurant that has taken the place of Tropics, has already shown — with its range of flavor and sound — that it can easily stand on its own. Check it out for yourself at 2000 Wilton Dr, Wilton Manors.

To see more photos and news from WMG, join us at Facebook.com/groups/ WMGazette

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community

Wilton Manors to Host Holiday Spectacular By Nick Adkins

Outside Richardson Park Manor House. Photo via Facebook.

A holiday concert on Dec. 10, 7 p.m., will help to herald in the season when the Wilton Manors Business Association (WMBA) in conjunction with the City of Wilton Manors, presents “Holiday Spectacular In The Park” with sensational international vocalist Jonathan Hawkins and friends. “This family friendly outdoor concert is the perfect way to celebrate the holidays! With all of your favorite holiday classics, performed under the stars in Wilton Manors’ own, Richardson Park!” according to the Eventbrite description. The Holiday Spectacular will be featuring “America’s Got Talent’s” Yoli Mayor, The Bombshell’s Heather Lundstedt, and internationally celebrated tenor Jonathan Hawkins, who will also direct the evening. In addition, there will be appearances from an array of local talent, including Tommy Paduano, LeNora Jaye, Antonio Edwards, as well as Jennifer McClain (2017 & 2018 SFGN Best Artist/Musician). The event will offer VIP tickets with guaranteed premium seating, admission to pre-event cocktail reception (from 6 until 7) and live entertainment, along with a meet & greet with the performers! VIP Table Sponsorship has premium seating directly in front of stage and can seat up to 8 guests, as well admission to the pre-event cocktail reception, as well has a meet and greet with the event’s performers. “‘America’s Got Talent’s’ Yoli Mayor, The Bombshell’s Heather Lundstedt, and internationally celebrated tenor Jonathan Hawkins, who will also direct the evening, will attend the Meet and Greet,” Peter Jackson said on behalf of the WMBA. “Local

performers Tommy Paduano, LeNora Jaye, Antonio Edwards, as well as Jennifer McClain are also expected to participate.” General Admission allows individuals and/or families to bring their own chairs, blankets, and even picnics to set up in the great lawn to enjoy the evening’s festivities. This is an open-air, family concert with adult seating as low as $15, kids under 12 free. Proceeds for the evening will benefit the Wilton Manors Children’s Fund. “The holidays are about children. The Wilton Manors Business Association chose the Wilton Manors Children’s Fund to be the beneficiary for this reason,” Peter Jackson said. Performer and director Jonathan Hawkins directed and performed around the world from the Cathedal of Notre Dame in Paris to the Lincoln Center in New York. Hawkins has become one of the most sought after crossover tenors with his “tour de force” voice. Hawkins last appeared in South Florida as the artistic director of Our Night Out, as well as performances at GLBX’s Artopia, El Tucán in Miami, and Andrea Bocelli’s- One Night in Central Park Revisited at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. “To produce what hopefully will become an annual tradition for the first time in Richardson Park, is a great honor. But what is even more exciting is the line up of talent I’ll be joined by,” Hawkins said. “This community is so lucky to have some remarkable local artists, and I am overjoyed to share the stage with them, for what is surely to be an incredible evening, filled with holiday spirit!” WMG

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