Highlighting her deep and abiding concern for the City of Tampa, as well as her admiration for its mayor, Commissioner Storms in June unveiled her proposal for the future use of the Fort Homer Hesterly Armory in West Tampa. While others were thinking film studios or luxury hotels or European-style markets, Storms said: homeless intake center. Storms’ idea was called “mostly tongue-in-cheek” by another commissioner. But we think it was heartfelt and real; after all, you know what Jesus said about the homeless: “Hey, I’d love to help you out, dude, but I just spent my last two bucks in this Wendy’s.” RUNNER-UP: Two actual redevelopers who wanted to use the Armory (or nearby land) for an ice rink, an homage to the great Latin skating heritage that brought us “Fidel on Ice!”
This article appears in Sep 13-19, 2006.