Riverside Market Fights For Adjacent City-Owned Land

​Riverside Market owner Julian Siegel will speak in front of the city commission on Tuesday at 6 p.m. regarding the city-owned plot of land he currently uses as a parking lot for his restaurant at 608 SW 12th Ave. Last week, the land was awarded to winning bidder, taxi czar Jesse Gaddis.

On Tuesday, the commission will hear Siegel and anyone else who wants to comment on the item, then decide whether they will reconsider their decision to sell the land to Gaddis.

Chaz Adams, public information officer for the city of Fort Lauderdale, explained. "Whenever we sell off city-owned surplus properties, we have to put an ad in the paper. We noticed after it ran, the ad had the wrong date." As a result, the commission will allow Siegel to speak and decide whether to reconsider their decision.

"They did not email, call, or contact me in any way to let me know that the land was up for sale," said Siegel. Once he was added to the Tuesday agenda, he received a letter and email from the city commission, he said.

Clean Plate Charlie awaits a return call from Gaddis on the matter.
 
Riverside Market had seen conflict earlier this year, when the fate of the restaurant was in question because Broward County has deemed the property commercial while the city lists it as a residential zone. Because of the conflict, the city has not moved forward on inspecting the building. The inspection is necessary to award Riverside Market a license to sell beer and wine. The last inspection of the building had been in the 1970's.

"The city told me I had to have parking to address the zoning conflict," said Siegel. "So I've been waiting to buy this piece of property. Then I wasn't notified when it actually went up for sale," he said. "It's comedy."

Those who wish to show their support for either Seigel or Gaddis can attend the meeting on Tuesday, in the first floor commission chamber of City Hall at 100 N. Andrews Avenue.

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