World Famous Parrot Lounge Owner - Miffed !
It's the "World Famous Parrot Lounge" , and it's locally famous owner Tim Schiavone is fighting mad. He says that the area that includes his lounge "is a f-ing mess". Schiavone is known for his civic participation, as well as his colorful style. He was honored in 2002 as the City's "Citizen of the Year".
Schiavone's nationally known pub is located on the northern part of the Central Beach in Fort Lauderdale. The area is a unique couple of blocks that border on Sunrise Boulevard and the Ocean. It's known by numerous names; Sunrise Lane, The Village, The North End, or according to Tim, "the orphan of Fort Lauderdale that is looking for it's parents" !
Tim and his neighbors have been trying to get the City to cooperate in an ambitious improvement plan that would help the merchants enlarge the sidewalks, install better lighting, and excuse some onerous parking requirements. They say that would put the area back on the road to success, instead of it's current backslide.
The plan, that has been finished for years, is a $800,000 improvement. They are $300,000 short. They have a City Business Improvement grant of $150,000, the merchants are matching that with $150,000, and the Blackstone Group, that owns the old Holiday Inn next door, has committed $200,000.
They have asked the City to agree to the $300,000 shortfall, and believe the investment would come back to the City in no time with increased taxes and improved businesses. Schaivone says they have two votes for the money. Their District Rep Charlotte Rodstrom and Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson are ready to help. He says Commissioner Teel says she can't justify the expense to her rich constituents, and Moore has said he won't vote for it because it doesn't help his poor constituents. About Naugle, he says, "I can't get a straight answer out of that guy".
The area has become grittier as of late. Some of the tourists' restaurants and beach clothing shops have been replaced with tattoo parlors, T-Shirt shops, and sex shops. Schiavone says if the new improvements were to happen, "maybe we'd get a Tommy Bahama Store instead of T-Shirts shops with T-Shirts screaming Beat Me, Kick Me, #!%& Me".
Schiavone came to Fort Lauderdale in 1973 from New Jersey for "sun and babes", and has really made a positive difference in the City and the beach. Rumor has it that he hasn't done too bad with the "sun and babes" either. He's been a fixture at the Parrot for the last 35 years. Let's hope for a good outcome, or Timmy may just hop on his World Famous Parrot Lounge Bus and cruise into the sunset!
Schiavone's nationally known pub is located on the northern part of the Central Beach in Fort Lauderdale. The area is a unique couple of blocks that border on Sunrise Boulevard and the Ocean. It's known by numerous names; Sunrise Lane, The Village, The North End, or according to Tim, "the orphan of Fort Lauderdale that is looking for it's parents" !
Tim and his neighbors have been trying to get the City to cooperate in an ambitious improvement plan that would help the merchants enlarge the sidewalks, install better lighting, and excuse some onerous parking requirements. They say that would put the area back on the road to success, instead of it's current backslide.
The plan, that has been finished for years, is a $800,000 improvement. They are $300,000 short. They have a City Business Improvement grant of $150,000, the merchants are matching that with $150,000, and the Blackstone Group, that owns the old Holiday Inn next door, has committed $200,000.
They have asked the City to agree to the $300,000 shortfall, and believe the investment would come back to the City in no time with increased taxes and improved businesses. Schaivone says they have two votes for the money. Their District Rep Charlotte Rodstrom and Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson are ready to help. He says Commissioner Teel says she can't justify the expense to her rich constituents, and Moore has said he won't vote for it because it doesn't help his poor constituents. About Naugle, he says, "I can't get a straight answer out of that guy".
The area has become grittier as of late. Some of the tourists' restaurants and beach clothing shops have been replaced with tattoo parlors, T-Shirt shops, and sex shops. Schiavone says if the new improvements were to happen, "maybe we'd get a Tommy Bahama Store instead of T-Shirts shops with T-Shirts screaming Beat Me, Kick Me, #!%& Me".
Schiavone came to Fort Lauderdale in 1973 from New Jersey for "sun and babes", and has really made a positive difference in the City and the beach. Rumor has it that he hasn't done too bad with the "sun and babes" either. He's been a fixture at the Parrot for the last 35 years. Let's hope for a good outcome, or Timmy may just hop on his World Famous Parrot Lounge Bus and cruise into the sunset!
If the City of Fort Lauderdale, with the blessing of the delightful-insightful Commissioner C. Teel, can commit $37.5M funding for the DDA's Wave Trolley System, a collossal boondoogle, how come the Commission can't come up with some chump change to help struggling local businesspeople? Ah the priorities of our disfunctional City Commission.
Reply to this
Commissioner Teel should not have to justify to the rich. She certainly did not justify to her rich people when all the tattoo shops located along the beach front.
The Parrot has been around for many many years, I am sure Tim has paid his dues to the city. It is about time that the city listens, & start helping the business owners around that area.
What tattoo or t-shirt area along the beach front has been open for 35 years? Not a damn one of them. Maybe the 2 "blondies" on the commission can talk some sense into the other idiots.
Reply to this
Commissioner Teel and sense; that's an oxymoron. And, how can you use the term idiots to describe our esteemed City Commissioners? We need to find more suitable terms to adequately describe these dedicated, selfless public servants. Perhaps Tim Smith could run a contest so the blogging public could propose names with more decorum. Or, on second thought, maybe the name fits!
Reply to this
Tim Schiavone should run for Commissioner!!! Go, Tim!!!
Reply to this
Schiavone should focus on delivering a quality product instead of worrying about his neighbors. Demographics change. The Holiday Inn closed. Tough luck. Stop blaming the city. If you think that your neighborhood has turned into a ghetto, do something about it or move. Crying doesn't help.
Reply to this
He has continued to invest his time, money and energy in keeping the area vibrant and useful - why should he pay for slum lords, fly by night business and a city that seem to ignore economic development. When you invest a little in your community - the return is great in most cases.....the beach could certainly benefit from this kind of updating. Stop pointing fingers Frances and get out and help...
Reply to this
Schiavone does what's best for Schiavone. Just ask the merchants in his area what they think of him.
If you think that Lauderdale ignores economic development, you haven't walked down A1A recently.
Reply to this
So Tim AND his neighbors tried to get improvements with no success, so now the same people are outcasts. Unreal. He should climb back in his van, which has not been seen in years and moved his gin mill to a nice mall where Tommy Bahama sells overpriced merchandise, just like the Parrot does. His food stinks, his servers are rude and he wounders why his area is suffering . My boyfriend and I were frequent patrons but who needs his place when there are cleaner, nicer and newer establishments on the beach. Good luck to him, but in my opinion he is just a self serving ego maniac in need of a little humility.
Reply to this
Vivian,
There is no doubt that you've been to Schiavone's bar. The guy wants a Tommy Bahama store on the block? His typical patron is wearing a sleeveless t-shirt and a baseball cap backwards.
The ego-maniac thinks that the city owes him something because people want to eat and drink elsewhere in 2008. It will take more than cobblestone sidewalks & street lights to bring the 1980's back.
I also laughed at your comment about the bus. The pics in the article have to be at least 10 years old. The bus is long gone and the front of the building looks nothing like the photo. Time and a few hurricanes have taken their toll. The babes are distant memories, but the sun still shines...
If anything, the city should renovate Schiavone's restrooms as an emergency community service. The fact that the staff uses those facilities is shameful. I guess we should blame the city, right?
Francis
Reply to this