Danube Plaza is a blend of the surrounding Azalea Park community it serves, reflecting both its age and heritage. Anchored by Las Americas Supermarket, the center is a mix of English and Spanish storefronts, a collection of restaurant/bars offering Latin and Mexican dishes, and a clientele that is both hardworking and, at times, hardscrabble.
The Semoran Boulevard strip mall, south of Lake Underhill Road, also possesses a long history of criminal activity and city code violations, but is now undergoing a transformation — in both style and substance. Mark Khoudmi has seen the worst of it. Proprietor of a discount beauty supply store in the plaza for the past two years, Khoudmi has witnessed drunks and homeless people hanging out in front, trash strewn about in back, and customers fleeing because of it.
“If the plaza looks bad, it becomes less appealing to customers,” he said. At his store, shoppers are greeted with metal bars at the front door. While admitting it’s not the most inviting look, it’s necessary. But the iron gates cannot keep out the rats who leave their droppings behind every morning, and the pigeons that nest in his ceiling.
And he has become more and more vocal about the conditions at Danube Plaza, and critical of the center’s owner, Ramzi Boutros. But the only response from the center’s owner, he said, was an act of vandalism at his store. “I spoke out at [a public] meeting, the next day my sign was ripped away. He didn’t speak with me.
He just had his men rip the sign down,” said Khoudmi, who called police after the incident. The sign was a temporary one erected during the extensive renovations now going on at the plaza. The facelift is being undertaken after a lengthy list of Orlando code-enforcement violations piled up against the plaza, followed by a lien on the property when unpaid fines exceeded $3 million. Boutros said the lien, which was lifted earlier this year, was the result of improper signage by his tenants.
As the fines mounted daily, Boutros, who resides in St. Petersburg, said he was unaware of the situation because the city was sending notices to the wrong address. He only discovered the problem when applying for a loan to build on another piece of property he owns at Clarcona Crossing. Eventually, he settled with the city and paid an $80,000 fine.
That is why the sign issue with Khoudmi so rankled him, he said. When he saw the sign go up without a permit, he responded immediately. A fresh facelift The renovation, intended to erase years of decline, is not progressing as quickly. Boutros said work on the 81,500-square-foot center is moving forward, but admits it is not as fast as tenants would like.
“People don’t understand. It is not magic — one, two, three, you’re finished,” he said. But when it is done, he said Danube Plaza will be reborn. A completely new stucco facade and rich, copper color will replace the dilapidated exterior. There will also be new signage, a new canopy extending over the outdoor walkway and better lighting.
The roof is also in need of major repairs, as would be expected of a 30- year-old center. In addition, there will be an expansion, with a new storefront connecting the two buildings of the plaza. “Everything will be updated and new. I am remodeling the whole center,” said Boutros, who is spending $330,000 on the project.
“Everything will be done 100 percent by the end of the year.” A history of neglect But while Boutros downplayed past problems, city records and tenants say the maintenance problems associated with the plaza have been longstanding and a threat to health and safety. The unsightly conditions include garbage and debris littering the premises, unemptied trash cans and urine stains left for weeks; gang graffiti on the walls; cracked concrete; and overgrown landscaping around the perimeter.
As recently as Aug. 15, a city inspection cited a safety problem with “lighting almost nonexistent.” In the past dozen years, the property has received at least 30 code-enforcement violations, primarily maintenance problems. “These are mostly aesthetic issues, not very serious violations,” said Cassandra Lafser of Orlando’s Economic Development Department, “but the blighted look has a negative impact on the community.”
Also well documented at Danube Plaza is a litany of criminal activity occurring on the premises over the past two years involving drugs/narcotics, sex offenses, aggravated assault, vandalism and break-ins at four different businesses.
During this time two murders have also taken place. In November 2006 a man was killed; and, in the early morning hours of June 16 this year, a fight broke out resulting in five persons stabbed, one fatally. Following the first murder, tenants banded together to urge the plaza owner to make improvements — without success.
In a letter sent to Boutros on Dec. 14, 2006, tenants stated: “Roofs are leaking, mold and mildew in the walls have not been replaced, rats are all over the plaza…” In another letter, sent June 19 after the second homicide, the tenants charged: “There’s no doubt these poor conditions have contributed greatly to the rise of the most dangerous crime in this plaza.”
The recent stabbing death took place outside one of the restaurants, where investigators believe the fight may have started. Some believe that the restaurant/ bars located in Danube Plaza are responsible for drawing problems to the center by serving alcohol late in the evening after the restaurant has shut down. “It attracts anyone who has bad intentions,” Khoudmi said. On this front, Boutros also claims progress, blaming the violence on a bad tenant who has been evicted.
“I rented it as a restaurant but it changed to a bar,” he said. “The new tenant will be a family restaurant. I don’t want trouble.” Orlando Commissioner Tony Ortiz, a former Orlando Police Department officer, is well aware of the troubled history of Danube Plaza, and vows to have the plaza’s owner clean it up — or the commissioner will. “If he doesn’t meet this [renovation] deadline, there will be repercussions. We will no longer have stabbings at 3 a.m.,” Ortiz said.
“We want to bring the population of our neighborhoods to the plaza feeling safe. Right now, they don’t feel safe. ”Danube Plaza is a very sore subject. I am not going to take my eyes off of this place. We will be more proactive with these issues and not just reactive to problems.” Certain to help the situation will be the added presence of police officers when a new OPD substation is opened in the plaza in the coming months. “I don’t want crime,” Boutros said.
“This is one of the reasons why I want the police here, so they will patrol the plaza 24/7.” Tenants speak out One longtime tenant, who wished to remain anonymous, said only minor problems existed in the days before Boutros took control. And she agrees the plaza is not safe. “Things have been crazy at the plaza,” the tenant said. “It has drastically affected our income. People have to feel safe to shop in our plaza.” Still, many tenants can’t afford to leave a shopping center where rent is less than the market rate. But the savings come at a price. Maria Torres, who has run the Pizza and Ice Cream store in the plaza for 13 years, said her business used to make $600 on a Saturday. Now she’s lucky to take in $100.
“Business is very down. My husband had to get another job because we don’t make any money here,” Torres said. “We’re late with the house payments, we’re late on the rent, we’re late on everything.” A tour of her store, revealing a bucket catching water dripping through a ruined ceiling in the back room, shows needed repairs are also late in arriving. Despite the hard times, she often shuts her doors in the evening, turning away business due to concern for her own safety — and her loyal customers.
“Parents are telling their children to stay away out of fear for their safety,” she said. “I have to close early because I don’t want to be alone.” The plaza owner maintains that he is concerned about his tenants’ security and of his center’s appearance. Pointing to the renovation work, Boutros said he takes pride in Danube Plaza.
“I look at my property as I look at my house. As you care about your house, I care about mine,” he said. The city of Orlando’s Lafser said the situation does seem to be getting better. “The number of violations is not typical of other shopping centers. This property has gone through different problems, but things seem to be turning around and the city is excited,” she said. “It is about having respect for the other properties in the community.”
Khoudmi also has pride — in his store, his life and Azalea Park. And he won’t let that be taken away. “I’m an immigrant. I was not born here, but I take pride in the community,” said Khoudmi, who worked at Disney World for 17 years, earning a marketing degree at the same time in order to start his own business.
“This is my dream. I came here to fulfill by American dream. “So many customers simply don’t come here because they are afraid. We owe it to the community to make this plaza more appealing, to make it safe. There are challenges, but I work hard. I’m still waiting for that sweet success.”
