8 replies to this topic

[rkzenrage]

Business was opened by our mayor, he was also very rude to me about it.
It is a restaurant that was converted from a clothing store, so the architect knew, the engineers knew, the workers knew, the city inspector passed it and the fire chief passed it.
Has changed hands since (it is about a year old), so that means another set of inspections that were "passed".
I am sick of this and want to do something about it.
It is not a historical building and all they had to do was knock down the step (11") and make a ramp out of it.

I am thinking about making one of the old "Whites Only" signs and crossing out the Whites and painting Able-Bodied over it and gluing it to their window with gorilla glue.

[LuckyinKentucky]

From what I understand three complaints are required to initiate an ADA investigation... That means you and two friends are all that's needed to make them uncomfortable enough to adhere.

Good luck and holla if ya need another applicant

[Kev-O]

rkzenrage, on Aug 28 2007, 11:50 PM, said:

Business was opened by our mayor, he was also very rude to me about it.
It is a restaurant that was converted from a clothing store, so the architect knew, the engineers knew, the workers knew, the city inspector passed it and the fire chief passed it.
Has changed hands since (it is about a year old), so that means another set of inspections that were "passed".
I am sick of this and want to do something about it.
It is not a historical building and all they had to do was knock down the step (11") and make a ramp out of it.

I am thinking about making one of the old "Whites Only" signs and crossing out the Whites and painting Able-Bodied over it and gluing it to their window with gorilla glue.

look just have one of you fiends help you up it then take one for the team an fall out of your chair when you go down it, then sue them for embarising you, it will work. you get money, an they have to put a ramp in. everyone wins (by everyone i mean you an us)

[Tim13]

Ran into this kind of thing a lot in the previous state i lived in, there are an amazing number of loopholes and provisions in the ADA that may exempt that business, even Florida statutes have a number of exemptions listed in 553.507 and other areas that may cover them.
You might be doing well to contact one of the many advocacy groups or a center for independent living, I've found that a lot of times a simple phone call from the right person will clear things up in a hurry.
Anymore i just assume that if there's no access, they don't want my money and i go elsewhere.

OK, did a little research and assuming we're talking about the Wiener Haven Hot Dog Restaurant owned by mayor Mike Easterling, according to an article below, the restaurant is in a historical building and since the restaurant is just a tenant, you may have better luck contacting the company that owns the building to resolve the issue of access.

Article:

The historic Times Square Building has stood at 346 Central Avenue West was built in 1911. Originally a two–story bank, a third floor was added in 1920. After the bank left the premises the building housed for many years a medical center, then later was given over to office space with residential al apartments on the third floor. The building has recently been purchased by Park Partners, LLC, a partnership between Joe Bogdahn, Webb and Deanna Tanner, and Michael Walker, who have undertaken a major renovation and restoration project.

“Improvements to the building are over all,” explains partner Deanna Tanner. The third–floor apartments have been removed and remodeled into office space. Windows have been repaired and replaced as necessary, and the origin al high ceilings restored. Carpeting has also been replaced with hard wood floors sanded and refinished, and a central air conditioning system installed. “The building is fully rented with tenants waiting to get in,” Deanna says. The first floor currently houses the popular Café Panino and the soon–to–be–opened Weiner Haven hot dog restaurant.

(if you're talking about an entirely different place-never mind)

Edited by Tim13, 02 September 2007 - 12:48 AM.

[LuckyinKentucky]

Good stuff Kev-O...

[rkzenrage]

Tim13, on Sep 1 2007, 08:21 PM, said:

Ran into this kind of thing a lot in the previous state i lived in, there are an amazing number of loopholes and provisions in the ADA that may exempt that business, even Florida statutes have a number of exemptions listed in 553.507 and other areas that may cover them.
You might be doing well to contact one of the many advocacy groups or a center for independent living, I've found that a lot of times a simple phone call from the right person will clear things up in a hurry.
Anymore i just assume that if there's no access, they don't want my money and i go elsewhere.

OK, did a little research and assuming we're talking about the Wiener Haven Hot Dog Restaurant owned by mayor Mike Easterling, according to an article below, the restaurant is in a historical building and since the restaurant is just a tenant, you may have better luck contacting the company that owns the building to resolve the issue of access.

Article:

The historic Times Square Building has stood at 346 Central Avenue West was built in 1911. Originally a two–story bank, a third floor was added in 1920. After the bank left the premises the building housed for many years a medical center, then later was given over to office space with residential al apartments on the third floor. The building has recently been purchased by Park Partners, LLC, a partnership between Joe Bogdahn, Webb and Deanna Tanner, and Michael Walker, who have undertaken a major renovation and restoration project.

“Improvements to the building are over all,” explains partner Deanna Tanner. The third–floor apartments have been removed and remodeled into office space. Windows have been repaired and replaced as necessary, and the origin al high ceilings restored. Carpeting has also been replaced with hard wood floors sanded and refinished, and a central air conditioning system installed. “The building is fully rented with tenants waiting to get in,” Deanna says. The first floor currently houses the popular Café Panino and the soon–to–be–opened Weiner Haven hot dog restaurant.

(if you're talking about an entirely different place-never mind)

That is the one, the guy who turned me away was the mayor.
I don't understand how, if the building is so "historic" they can change it into a hot-dog shop?

Edited by rkzenrage, 07 September 2007 - 02:11 PM.

[Tim13]

I don't get that loophole in the ADA either, seems like for a building to be designated historic it should only be used for the original purpose.
Sucks that a developer can come in and remodel the place but get out of making it accessable. I'm sure they upgraded the plumbing and electrical and HVAC, seems they could have put in accessable bathrooms, modified doorways and entrances and an elevator if it's multi story as well.
As much as I hate to defend a politician, i doubt as a tenant, the mayor has much power to make all the changes necessary.

[rkzenrage]

For the article.




Made them today.

[HiltonP]

rkzenrage . . . I recently had cause to highlight the lack of wheelchair access to an international art exhibition in Cape Town, held at what is generally considered to be an world-class development (the artwork was upstairs, no lift or ramp was provided).

I threw the proverbial book at them, using all the electronic communication tools I had available. I named names, and places, made quite sure everyone knew exactly who was at fault, and my call to action was for everyone to refuse to do business with these people.

I eMailed the development management, the exhibition organisers, the exhibition sponsors (five global companies), the local newspapers and magazines, disabled websites, photography websites, and finally every media and disabled person I knew or could locate.

It took about 24hrs and the phone started ringing, and it didn't stop ringing for over three days. At all levels there was acute embarrassment. The nett result was the erection of a ramp to the art exhibition, and the knowledge that such a mistake will never happen again.

My advice is to hit them with everything you've got, all at once.