Obscene, Offensive Graffiti Continues To Be An Issue For Abandoned Miami Gardens Hospital
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Under the cover of darkness, you may miss it.
But during your morning or afternoon commute, you can't.
There is no mistaking the graffiti on the abandoned Parkway West Hospital.
"Oh my goodness. Ugh. You know what that means. It's inflammatory," Moses Johnson said.
The graphic sexual sign, or mushroom depending on how you look at it, is a billboard welcoming you into Miami Gardens and Hard Rock Stadium.
Some 400,000 cars use the golden gate interchange, many of them rolling by the 'art' every day.
"It should have been knocked down a long time ago. I don't know why it's still up. Whoever owns it just needs to knock it down and sell the property," Johnson said.
Parkway West closed more than 15 years ago. It's changed hands a few times.
The current owners have been in foreclosure for years, and then bankruptcy.
Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert says he's quite familiar with the building.
"Over the years we have had racial slurs removed from the walls. We've had swastikas removed from the wall. You know all manner of derogatory statements and graphics removed from the wall. So this will just be another one," Mayor Gilbert said.
Mayor Gilbert says the city will be in touch with the owners to get rid of this latest installation.
"They've been pretty good about getting up there, even the highest points and removing stuff," he said.
But ultimately Gilbert wishes he could do more.
Current owners have aspirations to turn the property into a hotel instead of an X-rated billboard.
"What we are trying to do is redevelop the property. Work with the owners, who are having trouble to develop it, because the best remedy to blight is actually redevelopment," Gilbert said.
To add to the pressure in all this is what is across the street; Top Golf.
The entertainment complex has been a huge hit in the area.
Yet right across the street the abandoned building with graffiti sits.
