They arrived by Route 50, turning on to East Main Street (they stopped at the County House, first), and then drove downtown, where they were shocked by the "derelict theater" (Movies 6) that they first noticed looking thru the old railroad bridge, which they said reminded them of the "rust belt" and "Appalachia". They proceeded to and thru the Downtown Plaza, which they said seemed to be "abandoned", with nobody in
sight in the middle of the day, and drove past the condo but did not care to even look at the units after their "introduction" to Salisbury.
I met them in a restaurant on Route 13-North, where they stopped for lunch before heading to Delaware to see property there. They mentioned that the sex and porn business on Salisbury Boulevard was quite noticeable as they drove by. The realtor they had dealt with at the beach mentioned that Salisbury has become "seedy" under the current mayor. When I told them that this situation has gotten much worse under
the mayor who has been in office for 10 years, they were amazed. And when I told them that the mayor and City Council majority had budgeted funding to enter the "All-American City" competition, they thought I was kidding.
They told me that after seeing it they would not consider moving to Salisbury, which reminds them of a town near Baltimore called Glen Burnie, even before I told them that our city taxes and sewer and water rates are going up as rapidly as the crime rate. And this is really bizarre, when I introduced myself to the couple named above, they identified themselves as the Larson family!
The Larsons could not understand why the City allows the old theater to exist as an eyesore that is the first thing you notice when you enter downtown. So, I went to see for myself whether this is something that has existed so long that we who live here have ceased to notice how cruddy it has become. As these photos show, that is clearly the case. Apparently it's now owned by one or more FOB's and is on Barrie's "don't touch" list for code enforcement.
These photos and this commentary are being sent to the outfit that runs the "All-American City" contest, compliments of Mr and Mrs. Larson, to go with the application that Barrie and Comegys plan to submit. How about sending you comment and photos to them, too. Here's the address -- website: aac@ncl.org , or snail mail: All-America City Award, National Civic League, 1445 Market Street, Suite 300, Denver, Colorado 80202-1717.
And tell them to read this blog for a few weeks to see what Salisbury is really like if they are not going to see it in person like the Larson family did.
21 comments:
this really opened my eyes to how much salisbury is falling apart and how nothing is being done.. like said in the blog it is something we've come to not even take notice to because we see it everyday. Rt 13 from say south blvd to the car dealships north really does look like ass with Porn stores and old buildings falling apart.
Let's not forget once you are inside of your "luxury" condo you have a lovely view the oil tanks down the river, a ship yard, Brew Rivers' sounds and smells, Ghettoland, and very dirty river.
Why would anyone who lives here want to send comments to the "All American City" council? Do we really want to humiliate ourselves even more than we already are?
About 4 years ago I inquired about renting out that theater for an event but I was told it was unusable because it was infested with rats! That was 4 years ago. I'd hate to see what it looks like in there now.
I've been in Salisbury for 15 years now. It's frankly discouraging to see how this town has been run down during her tenure.
Just incredible!!!! It kills me to see a city like ours with soooooo much potential go down the drain. Absolutely unbelievable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i was born here,and it seems "here" is gone now. its not just here its everywhere. the social classes are getting further apart and it shows everywhere.
Salisbury, 1978: A picturesque little city-"The Hub of Delmarva"- a nice place to live and to visit with a zoo that was a pleasant place to visit full of animals. Decent shopping areas and low crime. Nice downtown area with a great restaurant. Didn't have to lock your doors to your house or your car.
Salisbury, 2008-Hardly picturesque, buildings sitting and rotting, big empty space where the mall used to be, stinky river, zoo whose animal population has been almost decimated completely. Many stores closed, including at the highly-touted Centre, downtown dead, restaurants that are passable but not great, including some I wouldn't eat in if you paid me, and crime to rival the big cities that Shamie compares it to.
THANKS A LOT, BARRIE!
P.S. Zoo has a beautiful website (full of lies) that needs to be updated. Still shows Gary on the Zoo Commission. Didn't he resign?
Anonymous said...
Just incredible!!!! It kills me to see a city like ours with soooooo much potential go down the drain. Absolutely unbelievable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
12:07 PM
Then work your ass off for the next election to assure we will be getting a new mayor. You/we have to start now.
Many investors have looked into buying that building but they just can't get the numbers to work. I hear the roof will collapse in on itself any day now.
If you think Salisbury is run down, then you haven't visited other cities, where you will find the same, i.e. Baltimore, Philadelphia, etc. If every building was beautiful, then the natives would not feel at home.
Why can't we all count our blessings? I count mine, even when I see the old theater. One day something nice will come along to replace it. Wait and see.
10:41 said:
Why would anyone who lives here want to send comments to the "All American City" council? Do we really want to humiliate ourselves even more than we already are?
It's because the suggestion that might occur that this is an "All-American City" would be played by Barrie and/or Comegys in next year's election with the support of the Daily Times (if it's still in business). It is essentially a sham contest in which cities compete by presenting propaganda, so we need to "tell it like it is" to the outfit that runs the contest.
Anyone who has been here is shocked that someone might think that Salisbury is now an "All-American City". We would actually lose by winning this contest.
1:13pm.....kiss my native ass! I was born and raised here, nearly 50yrs now. I have never ever seen this city in such terrible shape, and especially that building. There are ordinances in place to keep this from happening, somebody needs to be ripped a new one for not enforcing them! The real criminal element in this city is the mayor and her thugs, bleeding us dry, squandering revenue thats in place to keep this city's maintenance going. With taxes so much higher than they were 10yrs ago, theres absolutly NO EXCUSE!! She should be charged as a terrorist and put to death for the desimation and destruction of this city and its people.
hip.boots
Hip.boots,
You need to chill out. Calling for the execution of the mayor as a terrorist is a bit over the line! Okay, so she hasn't been a great mayor, but it is ludicrous to compare her to a terrorist and advocate execution. Comments like that just undermine any valid criticisms you might have.
Hip Boots,
Let me tell you this. They have been calling me a Terrorist on Duvall's Site and the other Anti Albero Blog Sites. If Barrie Tilghman hasn't done anything to stop her people from Posting such statements, she'd have no right going after anyone else who feels that way about her, hence my allowing the comments.
Is she a terrorist? Think good and hard about that one before you judge others. Look it up in the dictionary and then think, she writes down names at Council Meetings and then these same people get harassed with certain violations on their homes. There's many stories people can tell you about how horrible this woman is and can be.
LOOK, the woman is suing ME for defamation. She's an elected official, she can't sue me! Doesn't matter though, she's doing it any way.
1:13---Shanie, is that you? Did Barrie/Gary tell you to write that or is it some more of that Nanticoke Rd McDonald's wisdom you've been raving about lately?
1:13 pm--Are you Shanie Shields? I doubt it; the spelling and grammar are okay. STOP comparing Salisbury to Baltimore and Philadelphia! Or do it the right way. Use the per capita formula to see if Salisbury doesn't have more crime, more blighted area, etc. than the large sities. I'll bet you would be shocked.
hip.boots--While I agree that this mayor and her "thugs" are responsible for a lot of what is wrong with the city, death based on her being a terrorist is a little strong. I just hope someone can come up with charges that would stick and she can learn a lesson while sitting in jail. It might save her life, since she seems to be drinking herself to death.
I posted just about 10 days ago about the brown bottle on the sidewalk in front of the theater that was there for 3 days. I didn't need to go downtown after that so I have no idea when it was cleaned up. Also, I thought I mentioned that the grass under that railroad bridge was terrible and last winter homeless people stood there with signs will work for food, hum. doubt that. I also wondered why the prisoners could not be used to clean up the grass in the broken sidewalk. Our town is in sad shape. Where are you Mayor Martin when we need you. Looking down from Heaven for sure.
Sign me as "Sad in Salisbury"
Anon 1:26
a) there is no way we could win
b) we know the propoganda Barrie was capable of and this would not help her win another election (if she even has the balls to run)
c) there is nothing good that could come out of notifying the commission that votes on an "all american city"
d) how bout we spend our time doing something more constructive like ousting Barrie and her gurus
e) you never know..... winning a contest like that (whether deserved or not) looks good on a city's resume when trying to attract new employers and industry to the area
Take your horse blinders off and look at the bigger picture!
If you want to see a pathetic building and a business still in operation just stroll down the street from your nice office, Joe. Visit Market Street Antiques. I was in there yesterday and if this isn't a possible death trap and health hazzard then I don't know what could be considered as such!
The place smells musty, the carpet is NASTY. There are buckets around to catch water coming in and tiles are broken out of the ceiling. I would hate to see the second floor (that has been in bad shape for years).
That is not all. The smoke detectors beep every few seconds! I am assuming from low batteries. The elevator, which no longer is in operation has the door left ajar. The small stairway that leads into another wing has items placed down the steps so the railing is not usuable. I don't know how people would get out if there was a fire during business hours.
You just need to go see it for yourself. This was once a thriving furniture business downtown!
if salisbury sucks so bad, why do all of you still live here? Barrie Tilghman cannot control every single little thing that pisses every resident of Salisbury off. I think all of you are a bunch of haters who need to chillax get off the computer and focus on the good things this area has to offer in this day in age of 2008. The 1978 Salisbury that was described doesnt exist here or anywhere else anymore. Get used to it.
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