TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Residents Worried About Mobile Home Park's Fate

ADVERTISEMENT

By GEOFF FOX, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 5, 2007

ZEPHYRHILLS - Bruce Gould wanted to spend the rest of his days in the Brightside Mobile Home Park.

Tuesday, he learned the park is under contract to be sold.

"I'm going to lose everything I've saved for in my life," said Gould, who moved here nearly four years ago.

The 10-acre mobile home park sits northwest of U.S. 301 and Pretty Pond Road, the heart of a growing commercial center at Zephyrhills' north end. There's a Wal-Mart Supercenter and a Lowe's home improvement store to the north, shopping centers up and down Gall Boulevard and another planned across the street, where Gore's Dairy operated for decades.

That prime location has fueled speculation the park would be sold for commercial development.

Christian Robin, who has owned the 78-lot park since 1993, isn't saying who the potential buyer is, though. A "change in the market" inspired him to sell, he said.

Robin didn't disclose terms of the pending deal, and Brightside residents who attended a meeting of the Federation of Manufactured Home Owners of Florida on Tuesday left with conflicting information about the sale.

Residents said they were given 90 days to match the buyer's price, but Gould said he didn't think that was likely.

Herb Goltz, a part-time resident since 1996, said it's too soon to get excited. Many residents didn't know the park was for sale, he said.

"If the park is sold to someone who wants to keep it as a park it may not make a lot of difference," he said. "But if they want to clear the land, it could make a big difference. We just don't know. It could be a big expense."

Reporter Geoff Fox can be reached at gfox@tampatrib.com or (813) 948-4217.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT