Saturday, May 4, 2013
Friday, June 11, 2010
Airstream Ranch Moving Forward
Looks like things are moving forward at the ranch. We were waiting for the electric permits so we can light up the Airstreams. A fountain will be going in the pond and the college will be putting together some items that will enhance the area and beautify the Airstream Ranch.
Keep your eyes on The Airstream Ranch and we will let you know what is happening next.
Keep your eyes on The Airstream Ranch and we will let you know what is happening next.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Art trails into the county
Art trails into the county
Airstream Ranch at Bates RV
Steve Otto
sotto@tampatrib.com sotto@tampatrib.com
Published: February 15, 2010
Sure Tampa has its fancy-schmancy new multimillion-dollar art museum. But now Hillsborough County has what surely will draw international recognition among art lovers.
It took a court reversal to pull it off, but last week a three-judge panel overturned a Hillsborough County Code Enforcement decision that would have forced RV dealer Frank Bates to remove his "Airstream Ranch" display on Interstate 4, just before Exit 14 as you head east.
Bates angled the seven large Airstreams and a small one into the ground three years ago to mark the 75th anniversary of Airstream. "I'm a Texan" he says, "and I'd seen the 'Cadillac Ranch' display out there and wanted to do something similar."
The code enforcement people, who obviously had no understanding of art and figured it was just advertising for Bate's dealership, ordered it taken down.
"I'm on a couple of album covers; the display has been in lots of photo shoots and I've had tourists from as far away as Japan stop by," he says. Now that the display is going to remain, Bates says he is thinking about adding lights and maybe creating a small park. Go get' em Frank.
•Speaking of art, the mailbag was full of comments on our new art museum as well as a variety of subjects.
Tampa artist Michael Sherard wrote: "Gotta agree with you about Tampa Museum of Art. Judy and I joined the museum and after seeing the opening show I almost asked for my money back. Too bad they didn't fill the place with Tampa art instead of a wrapped toilet (which is sooo 1970s). We've got so many incredible artists here, it's a shame to give such valuable space to FedEx boxes and wrapped crap."
•Donna Olmstead, commenting on a column that noted Black History Month, wrote: "In 1992 I took my grandson Andrew with me to the Martin Luther King Jr. march in downtown Tampa. As we were walking along through the streets, the group (about 300 - mostly black) kept singing 'We Shall Overcome.'
After awhile Andrew asked me if they were going to sing a different song. When I asked him what he would like to sing, he said 'He's Got the Whole World in His Hands.' I spoke with the leader of the march and she talked to the lead megaphone.
Pretty soon there were 300 people marching through Tampa singing 'He's Got the Whole World in His Hands,' just because one 5-year-old boy wanted to sing too."
•There was plenty of mail about the governor of California's remarks suggesting Florida is just for old people. Some of you rallied to the state's defense as well as that of Tampa. Henry "Buddy" Conrad, who retired as chief inspector of Customs in Tampa, wrote: "...Tampa has a special flavor not found elsewhere. We usually take our visitors to the Tropicana in Ybor for Cuban coffee and hot buttered Cuban toast. I also remember when one could ride from downtown to West Tampa on the trolley for a nickel and a full stalk of bananas could be bought on the docks for $1.00. Deviled crabs were 10 cents. Bring back the Forties."
Airstream Ranch at Bates RV
Steve Otto
sotto@tampatrib.com sotto@tampatrib.com
Published: February 15, 2010
Sure Tampa has its fancy-schmancy new multimillion-dollar art museum. But now Hillsborough County has what surely will draw international recognition among art lovers.
It took a court reversal to pull it off, but last week a three-judge panel overturned a Hillsborough County Code Enforcement decision that would have forced RV dealer Frank Bates to remove his "Airstream Ranch" display on Interstate 4, just before Exit 14 as you head east.
Bates angled the seven large Airstreams and a small one into the ground three years ago to mark the 75th anniversary of Airstream. "I'm a Texan" he says, "and I'd seen the 'Cadillac Ranch' display out there and wanted to do something similar."
The code enforcement people, who obviously had no understanding of art and figured it was just advertising for Bate's dealership, ordered it taken down.
"I'm on a couple of album covers; the display has been in lots of photo shoots and I've had tourists from as far away as Japan stop by," he says. Now that the display is going to remain, Bates says he is thinking about adding lights and maybe creating a small park. Go get' em Frank.
•Speaking of art, the mailbag was full of comments on our new art museum as well as a variety of subjects.
Tampa artist Michael Sherard wrote: "Gotta agree with you about Tampa Museum of Art. Judy and I joined the museum and after seeing the opening show I almost asked for my money back. Too bad they didn't fill the place with Tampa art instead of a wrapped toilet (which is sooo 1970s). We've got so many incredible artists here, it's a shame to give such valuable space to FedEx boxes and wrapped crap."
•Donna Olmstead, commenting on a column that noted Black History Month, wrote: "In 1992 I took my grandson Andrew with me to the Martin Luther King Jr. march in downtown Tampa. As we were walking along through the streets, the group (about 300 - mostly black) kept singing 'We Shall Overcome.'
After awhile Andrew asked me if they were going to sing a different song. When I asked him what he would like to sing, he said 'He's Got the Whole World in His Hands.' I spoke with the leader of the march and she talked to the lead megaphone.
Pretty soon there were 300 people marching through Tampa singing 'He's Got the Whole World in His Hands,' just because one 5-year-old boy wanted to sing too."
•There was plenty of mail about the governor of California's remarks suggesting Florida is just for old people. Some of you rallied to the state's defense as well as that of Tampa. Henry "Buddy" Conrad, who retired as chief inspector of Customs in Tampa, wrote: "...Tampa has a special flavor not found elsewhere. We usually take our visitors to the Tropicana in Ybor for Cuban coffee and hot buttered Cuban toast. I also remember when one could ride from downtown to West Tampa on the trolley for a nickel and a full stalk of bananas could be bought on the docks for $1.00. Deviled crabs were 10 cents. Bring back the Forties."
Airstream Ranch Not Junk or Advertising
Airstream Ranch isn't junk, advertising
Airstream Ranch
By DAVE NICHOLSON
dnicholson@tampatrib.com
Published: February 13, 2010
DOVER - Airstream Ranch, a row of partially buried travel trailers that is a favorite spectacle among highway sightseers, does not violate Hillsborough County codes, a three-judge panel has ruled.
The panel this week overturned a Hillsborough County Code Enforcement Board determination that that the trailers constituted junk and off-site advertising for the adjacent Bates RV dealership at Interstate 4 and McIntosh Road.
Assistant County Attorney Nancy Y. Takemori said she was reviewing the judges' order and had not decided whether she will suggest an appeal.
Lawyer Luke Lirot, who represents Airstream Ranch owner Frank Bates, said he was elated at the decision by three Hillsborough circuit court judges.
Bates said he was "tickled to death" about the victory.
"It's not every day that you can fight city hall, so to speak, and win," he said.
Bates, who also owns Bates RV, contends the 2-year-old display is art.
Residents have complained of motorists crowding their neighborhood to get a better look at the creation.
The judges found there was no "competent, substantial evidence" to support the 2008 code enforcement board's findings that the display either was junk or any type of nuisance, that it was "open outside storage," or that it was an improper "off-site sign" advertising Bates RV.
Reporter Dave Nicholson can be reached at (813) 627-4727
Airstream Ranch
By DAVE NICHOLSON
dnicholson@tampatrib.com
Published: February 13, 2010
DOVER - Airstream Ranch, a row of partially buried travel trailers that is a favorite spectacle among highway sightseers, does not violate Hillsborough County codes, a three-judge panel has ruled.
The panel this week overturned a Hillsborough County Code Enforcement Board determination that that the trailers constituted junk and off-site advertising for the adjacent Bates RV dealership at Interstate 4 and McIntosh Road.
Assistant County Attorney Nancy Y. Takemori said she was reviewing the judges' order and had not decided whether she will suggest an appeal.
Lawyer Luke Lirot, who represents Airstream Ranch owner Frank Bates, said he was elated at the decision by three Hillsborough circuit court judges.
Bates said he was "tickled to death" about the victory.
"It's not every day that you can fight city hall, so to speak, and win," he said.
Bates, who also owns Bates RV, contends the 2-year-old display is art.
Residents have complained of motorists crowding their neighborhood to get a better look at the creation.
The judges found there was no "competent, substantial evidence" to support the 2008 code enforcement board's findings that the display either was junk or any type of nuisance, that it was "open outside storage," or that it was an improper "off-site sign" advertising Bates RV.
Reporter Dave Nicholson can be reached at (813) 627-4727
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