Pubdate: Thu, 05 Jun 2003 Source: Bradenton Herald (FL) Copyright: 2003 Bradenton Herald Contact: http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradentonherald/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/58 HOPE AMID DESPAIR 14th Street Cleanup Needs Consistent Effort Despair and hope echoed in equal measure from Herald reporter Aaron Quinn's provocative report, "Wanted: Miracle on 14th Street," in Sunday's edition. The despair resonated from the accounts of life on the street by drug- addicted prostitutes, whose lives are measured by their next trick and their next fix. It comes across, too, in the conversations with frustrated residents and property owners who see their neighborhood blighted by junkies and prostitutes, the homeless and the lawless - who watch the sex and drug trade flourish in front of their homes and businesses. But glimmers of hope shine through the gloom. One is represented by Bradenton Police Sgt. Jim Racky, a beat policeofficer who knows 14th Street West well and whose patrols cause the outlaw element to live in fear. Another comes from the law-abiding families who struggle to survive in the run-down motels that don't cater to the sex trade, whose owners fight to keep their places clean and their tenants safe. Most encouraging is the commitment from Bradenton Police Chief Michael Radzilowski to clean up 14th Street. Since taking office early this year Radzilowski has concentrated on the prostitution and drug-dealing that are the main sources of 14th Street's criminal activity and that most contribute to its seediness. Along with steady prosecution of prostitutes, the chief's tactics include reverse stings to make life difficult for the customers of those street walkers, as well as using undercover officers to buy drugs from suspected dealers. County Commissioner Ron Getman, a former Highway Patrol officer who shares Radzilowski's concerns for 14th Street, has been working to coordinate county efforts to clean up the portion south of 26th Avenue that lies in the county's jurisdiction. This is not the first 14th Street sweep. For at least 10 years mayors and police chiefs have targeted the street for revitalization, trying to drive out the criminal element and help business groups upgrade properties with new facades and landscaping. And here and there, signs of progress show. Several buildings have been remodeled or rehabilitated, especially on the upper end closer to Ninth Avenue West. But somehow the effort isn't sustained. Prostitution and drug-dealing may dip while police temporarily target that activity, but both return when police turn to other areas. Inconsistent code enforcement is also a factor, as absentee owners of seedy motels flout code standards and their dumpy premises thus lure an undesirable element to the neighborhood. It's a vicious cycle that can be broken not with a miracle but with consistent enforcement by all elements of city and county government. Fourteenth Street may never regain its former glory when it was a highly desirable business address, with restaurants, hotels and retailers lining its blocks. Changing market conditions, including the development of big shopping malls, ended that era. But 14th Street can rebound to become a lively mixed-use avenue where residents and business owners feel confident in improving their properties and customers feel safe to patronize offices and stores. We commend Radzilowski for identifying one of Bradenton's sorest points and making a commitment to bring it back to health. With sustained efforts, this gateway to downtown can become a source of pride instead of shame. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake