Protecting Ybor City’s architectural heritage is the worthy role of the Barrio Latino Commission, but sometimes they have a forest/tree issue. Rudy Arnauts and Bryan Roberts, the intrepid pair behind Roosevelt 2.0, used energy-efficient materials to rehab the historic structure into a community center featuring lectures, films, art shows and the Twilight Farmers Market. But when a local artist painted a colorful mural on an alley-facing wall behind the building, the Barrio held three meetings to decide if the Roosevelt would have to cover it up. Really? A final 5-2 vote saved the mural, which was painted, in part, to discourage graffiti.
This article appears in Sep 19-25, 2013.