Ybor City gets national TV time and Garboza/LaColla win $10,000 in HGTV’s Battle on the Block

"Beautiful historic Ybor City, Florida… this trendy Florida neighborhood is a hot spot for  young chic couples!"

So went the breathless opening voiceover on last night's episode of HGTV's Battle on the Block, which pitted three such Ybor couples against one another in an "epic battle for design supremacy" and a $10,000 prize. Host Genevieve Gorder gave each couple a nickname:  Steve and Lauren Erickson were "The Picture-Perfect Family"; Historic Ybor Neighborhood Civic Association President  Tony LaColla and his partner Jose Garboza (right) were deemed "The Neighborhood Authority for Design and Decor"; Ryan Clements (of Skate Park of Tampa fame) and Jenna Becker were labeled "The Wild Ones" and "The Coolest Kids on the Block."

B on the B, a labor-intensive home-design marathon, gave each family $5,000 cash, $10,000 in merchandise, access to a truck full of tools, a general contractor and  three days to transform their master bedrooms — plus, most importantly for a reality competition show, plenty of opportunity to talk smack.

This article appears in May 13-19, 2010.