Aging is inevitable, and for many, it signals the beginning of a new chapter - one where you cross off bucket list items and live life to the fullest, on your own terms. However, for some women, aging is a horrible prospect, filled with chronic fatigue, irritability, and inability to perform in the bedroom. If you're concerned about life in middle age and beyond, we've got great news: there are easy, proven steps that you can take to help stop the negative effect of aging.
Global Life Rejuvenation was founded to give women a new lease on life - one that includes less body fat, fewer mood swings, and more energy as you age. If you're ready to look and feel younger, it's time to consider HRT (hormone replacement therapy), and growth hormone peptides. These therapies for men and women are effective, safe, and customized to fit your goals, so you can keep loving life as you get older.
HRT, and growth hormone peptide therapies bridge the gap between your old life and the more vibrant, happier version of you. With a simple click or call, you can be well on your way to a brighter future. After all, you deserve to be the one in charge of your wellness and health. Now, you have the tools to do so - backed by science and applied by our team of HRT experts with more than 13 years of experience.
As women age, their hormones begin to go through changes that affect their day-to-day lives. For women, hormone deficiency and imbalance usually occur during menopause and can cause chronic fatigue, hot flashes, and mood swings, among other issues. Hormone replacement therapy helps correct hormone imbalances in women, helping them feel more vibrant and virile as they age.
Often, HRT treatments give patients enhanced quality of life that they didn't think was possible - even in their 60's and beyond.
The benefits for women are numerous and are available today through Global Life Rejuvenation.
As women age, their bodies begin to go through significant changes that affect their quality of life. This change is called menopause and marks the end of a woman's menstrual cycle and reproduction ability. Though there is no specific age when this change occurs, the average age of menopause onset is 51 years old. However, according to doctors, menopause officially starts 12 months after a woman's final period. During the transition to menopause, women's estrogen and other hormones begin to deplete.
As that happens, many women experience severe symptoms. These symptoms include:
The symptoms of hormone deficiency can be concerning and scary for both women and their spouses. However, if you're getting older and notice some of these symptoms, there is reason to be hopeful. Hormone replacement therapy and anti-aging medicine for women can correct imbalances that happen during menopause. These safe, effective treatments leave you feeling younger, healthier, and more vibrant.
The most common reason for menopause is the natural decline in a female's reproductive hormones. However, menopause can also result from the following situations:
Oophorectomy: This surgery, which removes a woman's ovaries, causes immediate menopause. Symptoms and signs of menopause in this situation can be severe, as the hormonal changes happen abruptly.
Chemotherapy: Cancer treatments like chemotherapy can induce menopause quickly, causing symptoms to appear shortly after or even during treatment.
Ovarian Insufficiency: Also called premature ovarian failure, this condition is essentially premature menopause. It happens when a woman's ovaries quit functioning before the age of 40 and can stem from genetic factors and disease. Only 1% of women suffer from premature menopause, but HRT can help protect the heart, brain, and bones.
For many women, menopause is a trying time that can be filled with many hormonal hurdles to jump through. A little knowledge can go a long way, whether you're going through menopause now or are approaching "that" age.
Here are some of the most common issues that women experience during menopause:
If you're a woman going through menopause and find that you have become increasingly depressed, you're not alone. It's estimated that 15% of women experience depression to some degree while going through menopause. What many women don't know is that depression can start during perimenopause, or the years leading up to menopause.
Depression can be hard to diagnose, especially during perimenopause and menopause. However, if you notice the following signs, it might be time to speak with a physician:
Remember, if you're experiencing depression, you're not weak or broken - you're going through a very regular emotional experience. The good news is that with proper treatment from your doctor, depression isn't a death sentence. And with HRT and anti-aging treatment for women, depression could be the catalyst you need to enjoy a new lease on life.
Hot flashes - they're one of the most well-known symptoms of menopause. Hot flashes are intense, sudden feelings of heat across a woman's upper body. Some last second, while others last minutes, making them incredibly inconvenient and uncomfortable for most women.
Symptoms of hot flashes include:
Typically, hot flashes are caused by a lack of estrogen. Low estrogen levels negatively affect a woman's hypothalamus, the part of the brain that controls body temperature and appetite. Low estrogen levels cause the hypothalamus to incorrectly assume the body is too hot, dilating blood vessels to increase blood flow. Luckily, most women don't have to settle for the uncomfortable feelings that hot flashes cause. HRT treatments for women often stabilize hormones, lessening the effects of hot flashes and menopause in general.
Mood swings are common occurrences for most people - quick shifts from happy to angry and back again, triggered by a specific event. And while many people experience mood swings, they are particularly common for women going through menopause. That's because, during menopause, the female's hormones are often imbalanced. Hormone imbalances and mood swings go hand-in-hand, resulting in frequent mood changes and even symptoms like insomnia.
The rate of production of estrogen, a hormone that fluctuates during menopause, largely determines the rate of production the hormone serotonin, which regulates mood, causing mood swings.
Luckily, HRT and anti-aging treatments in Bayshore Gardens, FL for women work wonders for mood swings by regulating hormone levels like estrogen. With normal hormone levels, women around the world are now learning that they don't have to settle for mood swings during menopause.
Staying fit and healthy is hard for anyone living in modern America. However, for women with hormone imbalances during perimenopause or menopause, weight gain is even more serious. Luckily, HRT treatments for women coupled with a physician-led diet can help keep weight in check. But which hormones need to be regulated?
Lowered sexual desire - three words most men and women hate to hear. Unfortunately, for many women in perimenopausal and menopausal states, it's just a reality of life. Thankfully, today, HRT and anti-aging treatments Bayshore Gardens, FL can help women maintain a normal, healthy sex drive. But what causes low libido in women, especially as they get older?
The hormones responsible for low libido in women are progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone.
Progesterone production decreases during perimenopause, causing low sex drive in women. Lower progesterone production can also cause chronic fatigue, weight gain, and other symptoms. On the other hand, lower estrogen levels during menopause lead to vaginal dryness and even vaginal atrophy or loss of muscle tension.
Lastly, testosterone plays a role in lowered libido. And while testosterone is often grouped as a male hormone, it contributes to important health and regulatory functionality in women. A woman's testosterone serves to heighten sexual responses and enhances orgasms. When the ovaries are unable to produce sufficient levels of testosterone, it often results in a lowered sex drive.
Often uncomfortable and even painful, vaginal dryness is a serious problem for sexually active women. However, like hair loss in males, vaginal dryness is very common - almost 50% of women suffer from it during menopause.
Getting older is just a part of life, but that doesn't mean you have to settle for the side effects. HRT and anti-aging treatments for women correct vaginal dryness by re-balancing estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. When supplemented with diet and healthy living, your vagina's secretions are normalized, causing discomfort to recede.
Uterine fibroids - they're perhaps the least-known symptom of menopause and hormone imbalances in women. That's because these growths on the uterus are often symptom-free. Unfortunately, these growths can be cancerous, presenting a danger for women as they age.
Many women will have fibroids at some point. Because they're symptomless, they're usually found during routine doctor exams. Some women only get one or two, while others may have large clusters of fibroids. Because fibroids are usually caused by hormone imbalances, hysterectomies have been used as a solution, forcing women into early menopause.
Advances in HRT and anti-aging medicine for women give females a safer, non-surgical option without having to experience menopause early. At Global Life Rejuvenation, our expert physicians will implement a customized HRT program to stabilize your hormones and reduce the risk of cancerous fibroid growth.
Endometriosis symptoms are much like the effects of PMS, and include pelvic pain, fatigue, cramping, and bloating. While doctors aren't entirely sure what causes this painful, uncomfortable condition, most agree that hormones - particularly xenoestrogens - play a factor.
Endometriosis symptoms are much like the effects of PMS and include pelvic pain, fatigue, cramping, and bloating. While doctors aren't entirely sure what causes this painful, uncomfortable condition, most agree that hormones - particularly xenoestrogens - play a factor.
Xenoestrogen is a hormone that is very similar to estrogen. Too much xenoestrogen is thought to stimulate endometrial tissue growth. HRT for women helps balance these hormones and, when used with a custom nutrition program, can provide relief for women across the U.S.
Hormone stability is imperative for a healthy sex drive and for a normal, stress-free life during menopause. HRT and anti-aging treatments for women balance the hormones that your body has altered due to perimenopause or menopause.
HRT for women is a revolutionary step in helping women live their best lives, even as they grow older. However, at Global Life Rejuvenation, we know that no two patients are the same. That's why we specialize in holistic treatments that utilize HRT, combined with healthy nutrition, supplements, and fitness plans that maximize hormone replacement treatments.
If you've been suffering through menopause, is HRT the answer? That's hard to say without an examination by a trusted physician, but one thing's for sure. When a woman balances her hormone levels, she has a much better shot at living a regular life with limited depression, weight gain, mood swings, and hot flashes.
Here are just a few additional benefits of HRT and anti-aging treatments for females:
Hormone imbalance causes a litany of issues. But with anti-aging treatments for women, females can better process calcium, keep their cholesterol levels safe, and maintain a healthy vagina. By replenishing the body's estrogen supply, HRT can relieve symptoms from menopause and protect against osteoporosis. But that's just the start.
Global Life Rejuvenation's patients report many more benefits of HRT and anti-aging medicine for women:
If you're ready to feel better, look better, and recapture the vitality of your youth, it's time to contact Global Life Rejuvenation. It all starts with an in-depth consultation, where we will determine if HRT and anti-aging treatments for women are right for you. After all, every patient's body and hormone levels are different. Since all our treatment options are personalized, we do not have a single threshold for treatment. Instead, we look at our patient's hormone levels and analyze them on a case-by-case basis.
At Global Life Rejuvenation, we help women rediscover their youth with HRT treatment for women. We like to think of ourselves as an anti-aging concierge service, guiding and connecting our patients to the most qualified HRT physicians available. With customized HRT treatment plan for women, our patients experience fewer menopausal symptoms, less perimenopause & menopause depression, and often enjoy a more youth-like appearance.
Growth hormone peptides are an innovative therapy that boosts the natural human growth hormone production in a person's body. These exciting treatment options help slow down the aging process and give you a chance at restoring your youth.
Sermorelin is a synthetic hormone peptide, like GHRH, which triggers the release of growth hormones. When used under the care of a qualified physician, Sermorelin can help you lose weight, increase your energy levels, and help you feel much younger.
Human growth hormone (HGH) therapy has been used for years to treat hormone deficiencies. Unlike HGH, which directly replaces declining human growth hormone levels, Sermorelin addresses the underlying cause of decreased HGH, stimulating the pituitary gland naturally. This approach keeps the mechanisms of growth hormone production active.
Ipamorelin helps to release growth hormones in a person's body by mimicking a peptide called ghrelin. Ghrelin is one of three hormones which work together to regulate the growth hormone levels released by the pituitary gland. Because Ipamorelin stimulates the body to produce growth hormone, your body won't stop its natural growth hormone production, which occurs with synthetic HGH.
Ipamorelin causes growth hormone secretion that resembles natural release patterns rather than being constantly elevated from HGH. Because ipamorelin stimulates the natural production of growth hormone, our patients can use this treatment long-term with fewer health risks.
One of the biggest benefits of Ipamorelin is that it provides significant short and long-term benefits in age management therapies. Ipamorelin can boost a patient's overall health, wellbeing, and outlook on life.
When there is an increased concentration of growth hormone by the pituitary gland, there are positive benefits to the body. Some benefits include:
Whether you are considering our HRT and anti-aging treatments for women in Bayshore Gardens, FL, we are here to help. The first step to reclaiming your life begins by contacting Global Life Rejuvenation. Our friendly, knowledgeable HRT experts can help answer your questions and walk you through our procedures. From there, we'll figure out which treatments are right for you. Before you know it, you'll be well on your way to looking and feeling better than you have in years!
Manatee Memorial Hospital, which is marking its 70th year, is expanding its reach with new free-standing emergency rooms.Officials mark the opening of the newest, Manatee ER at Bayshore Gardens, 5506 14th St. W., with a ribbon cutting 10 a.m. ThursdayThe event, which is open to the public, will include tours of the 10,884-square-foot facility, equipped with six exam rooms, three rapid medical spaces, full-service laboratory, X-ray and ultrasound areas. CEO Tom McDougal and U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan are set to offer remarks during...
Manatee Memorial Hospital, which is marking its 70th year, is expanding its reach with new free-standing emergency rooms.
Officials mark the opening of the newest, Manatee ER at Bayshore Gardens, 5506 14th St. W., with a ribbon cutting 10 a.m. Thursday
The event, which is open to the public, will include tours of the 10,884-square-foot facility, equipped with six exam rooms, three rapid medical spaces, full-service laboratory, X-ray and ultrasound areas. CEO Tom McDougal and U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan are set to offer remarks during the ceremony.
The new ER will officially open to patients on Monday, March 27, and will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide care for all ages.
“We are honored to be extending Manatee Memorial’s community outreach by opening our first freestanding emergency room for Manatee County,” McDougal said in a news release.
“No matter what the emergency, the new Manatee ER at Bayshore Gardens is equipped to handle everything from minor conditions to stabilizing treatment for major conditions such as heart attack and stroke,” McDougal said.
Manatee Memorial opened its first free-standing emergency room in Bradenton on May 11, 2022, in Sun City Center, at 16504 S. U.S. 301.
Two weeks ago, Manatee Memorial broke ground for its third free-standing ER near the intersection of Manatee Avenue West and 75th Street West. That ER is scheduled to open in early 2024.
Manatee Memorial’s sister hospital, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, in 2022 opened the ER at Fruitville, 6760 Fruitville Road, Sarasota.
Doctors Hospital of Sarasota opened its first facility in Manatee County, a stand-alone emergency room, in 2018 at 8500 State Road 70 E., near Lakewood Ranch.
What’s the difference between an ER and an urgent care center?
Here’s what the Mayo Clinic Health System says:
“An Emergency Department treats life- or limb-threatening health conditions in people of all ages. It is the best option when you require immediate medical attention.
“Urgent Care is the middle ground between your primary care provider and the Emergency Department. If you have a minor illness or injury that can’t wait until tomorrow, Urgent Care is the way to go.”
Manatee Memorial Hospital, originally named Manatee Memorial Veteran’s Hospital, opened its doors Feb. 23, 1953, as a 100-bed hospital.
The Bradenton Women’s Club started fundraising activities in 1939 for a new hospital to replace Bradenton General Hospital, which was outdated, inadequate and cramped.
But those plans were interrupted by World War II and didn’t see new life until after the war, when on Aug. 13, 1946, President Harry S. Truman signed the Hill-Burton Act into law. The law provided construction grants and loans to build hospitals around the country.
With federal support, a $400,000 county bond and resident donations, efforts resumed in 1947 to build Manatee Memorial Veteran’s Hospital.
In May 1954, the hospital won full accreditation by the Board of Commissioners of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals
On July 1, 1963, the state Legislature renamed the medical center to Manatee Memorial Hospital.
“Confusion over the inclusion of ‘veterans’ in the name led many to believe the hospital was a Veterans Administration facility — for military only. The hospital, however, kept its commitment to veterans,” Kevin DiLallo, the then-hospital CEO, said in a Bradenton Herald guest column in 2018.
The Manatee County Veterans Memorial is still located on hospital property near the Bradenton Riverwalk.
Manatee Hospitals and Health Systems, Inc., a nonprofit Florida corporation, purchased Manatee Memorial Hospital in 1984.
In 1995, a subsidiary of Universal Health Services, Inc., based in King of Prussia, Pa., purchased the hospital.
The range of medical services provided today includes emergency medicine, cardiac, cardiovascular, stroke, surgical,orthopedics, outpatient and inpatient radiology services, rehabilitation, respiratory care, sleep services, oncology, wound care and women’s and children’s services, including Manatee County’s only Level II neonatal intensive care unit.
“Not surprisingly, many of the 2,200 current employees were born at the hospital and have children and grandchildren also born there. Manatee Memorial Hospital has been a beacon of community health; ever improving, continuously advancing and always serving the growing needs of the community for seven decades,” a hospital news release said.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers around the country gained new appreciation and respect from the public for their life-saving efforts and for their courage and dedication during a time of great uncertainty.
Manatee Memorial and Lakewood Ranch Medical Center became the first Bradenton-area hospitals to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and start inoculating staff on Dec. 23, 2020.
Manatee Memorial initially received 1,300 doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine about 9:30 a.m. and by 1 p.m. was already inoculating staff members.
For more information on the hospital, visit manateememorial.com.
The Bayshore Garden Center is an institution in North Fort Myers. The winner of The North Fort Myers Neighbor’s annual reader’s poll for countless years for both Best Nursery and Best Landscaping, the pleasant, plant-filled business is a source for both plants and information on gardening and landscaping.The new owner is Terry Chepy, who has taken over from Jan Johnson and Joe Scott who decided after many successful years to retire from the business.Originally from East Lansing, Michigan, Chepy said it was their top...
The Bayshore Garden Center is an institution in North Fort Myers. The winner of The North Fort Myers Neighbor’s annual reader’s poll for countless years for both Best Nursery and Best Landscaping, the pleasant, plant-filled business is a source for both plants and information on gardening and landscaping.
The new owner is Terry Chepy, who has taken over from Jan Johnson and Joe Scott who decided after many successful years to retire from the business.
Originally from East Lansing, Michigan, Chepy said it was their top pick in buying a business.
Chepy said he looked all over Michigan for a business to acquire, but then he heard Bayshore Garden Center here was for sale.
He and his family have been frequent vacation visitors to the Fort Myers area. “I then decided, why not look at a place I wanted to be, for the next 10 or 20 years, or the rest of my life? I love the area.”
He came first in February to look at the business, and was impressed with what he saw. “Actually, I fell in love with it (the business) and the people in the area.”
He’s now working at the center seven days a week, saying that getting up every morning and getting to work is a joy. “It feels more like a hobby than work.”
All but one of the previous staff members are still at the center. “They are the most knowledgeable group of professionals I’ve ever been involved with; that’s why people like to come here.”
The staff is helping him get to know local customers. “The local customers have been friendly and very accepting,” he said. “I really appreciate that.”
He said the business was run so well, it really didn’t need an overhaul when he took over. “I’m trying to maintain what they (the previous owners) have done over the years.”
When you enter the center off Bayshore Road, you see the friendly outdoor kiosk that serves as the cashier’s stand, and many plants and trees on display. The size of the center is misleading – a horizontal layout, there are thousands of plants in different varieties and numerous trees for sale. “We have 20 to 25 different types of palm trees and dozens of types of citrus trees,” Chepy said.
They even have Florida peach trees. “I tried one of the peaches — my first Florida peach — and it was delicious,” he said.
One thing he hopes to promote to customers is many free services. For one, they offer free landscaping evaluations at your home. “For example, if someone wants help with a landscape design, we can take it from nothing to a complete, fully designed and installed landscape.”
They also invite customers to bring in problem plants. “We can tell you what’s wrong, it could be anything from disease to nutrient deficiency to too much or too little watering.”
They also have brochures from a Citrus Care Guide to those on caring for plants in general.
He also plans to restart the popular free gardening topic classes in the future.
A Cape Coral resident, married to wife Sharon, he is the father of two. An avid tennis player and golfer, he hopes to do more of those in the future, but right now his business is his priority.
Bayshore Garden Center is at 5870 Bayshore Rd. Hours are Monday through Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The phone number is 543-1443.
North Fort Myers News
North Fort Myers Civic Association to host Clash Charity Golf Scramble June 17
Join in the North Fort Myers Chamber blood drive Wednesday, May 24
DISTRICT ONE DISTRICTWIDE ROADWATCH REPORT – MAY 21 – 27
One Boston family new to Sarasota is bracing to ride out their first hurricane — 10 days after moving to the Suncoast."We just literally came down ... and we get the worst hurricane Sarasota has had in 100 years," said Mike Cahill, who moved to the area with his wife and 26-year-old son.As some residents rush away from the coast to ...
One Boston family new to Sarasota is bracing to ride out their first hurricane — 10 days after moving to the Suncoast.
"We just literally came down ... and we get the worst hurricane Sarasota has had in 100 years," said Mike Cahill, who moved to the area with his wife and 26-year-old son.
As some residents rush away from the coast to escape Hurricane Ian's devastating weather conditions, Cahill tried to join them. He said he called several hotels further from the ocean.
"I checked hotels two to three hours southeast and they were all booked," he said, adding that he looked in Arcadia and Okeechobee.
2 p.m. Live Updates:Hurricane Ian still on track to hit Sarasota County, historic flooding possible
Related:Venice now looks like Florida landfall for shifting Hurricane Ian
The Herald-Tribune called several hotels across Sarasota and Manatee County to check for availability — every single one was completely booked, including The Carlisle Inn & Conference Center near Fruitville, a Days Inn off of 301 and 41, and a Best Western on Cortez Road West.
As of Tuesday morning, Manatee and Sarasota issued mandatory evacuations for both Level A and Level B zones. Florida officials expect more orders within those counties and the Tampa Bay region.
As locals fled their homes, Interstate 4 and Interstate 75 were busy with evacuees, according to several social media posts from Sarasota and Manatee County residents and state officials.
“We’re going to start having traffic issues,” Kevin Guthrie, the Florida Emergency Management Director said on CNN Monday night.
He said the state is likely to employ an “emergency shoulder use” strategy to add more lanes in an effort to ease heavy traffic volume along I-4 and I-75.
Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue also said his agency has the ability to open the shoulder of the interstate to vehicular traffic.
"As soon as travel speeds get below 40 miles per hour, we typically are able to do that," he said.
Emily Maddy was preparing to join bumper-to-bumper traffic southbound on I-75 Tuesday afternoon.
She lives in Bayshore Gardens in Bradenton, now under a mandatory evacuation order. Her husband, who works at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, will ride out Ian as part of the airport's emergency crew, but she's struggling to decide where she'll take shelter.
"I'm supposed to be heading down to North Port soon, but now the area I was going to shelter in is in an evacuation zone as well," Maddy said in a Facebook message.
Hurricane Ian:Sarasota-Bradenton closings and cancellations due to the storm
Cindy Schultz, a Bradenton resident, said she’s considering evacuating with her family to Orlando after her work closed at 1 p.m. Tuesday, but she is struggling to find an affordable hotel.
“I'm also worried about spending the night stuck on the interstate," Schultz said.
For some, they didn't notice a difference on the road. Sarasota resident Kendalle Anderson left for Orlando Tuesday morning and said she was surprised to see "pretty normal" traffic leading up to Hurricane Ian's landfall.
"There really wasn't any at all. We were shocked," she said. "There was one fender bender but was only 15 minutes of back-up."
At a Tuesday press conference, FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue said the department suspended certain tolls to aid in the evacuations, including the Alligator Alley toll and many of the toll facilities in the Tampa Bay region. Depending on Ian's path, FDOT could expand toll suspensions throughout the state.
Along US-41 from Bradenton to Sarasota, there were little to no lines at several gas stations Tuesday.
Perdue said that all of Florida's ports also have adequate gas supplies.
"They're well positioned to quickly reinstate operations following the storm and keep fuel supplies moving," he said.
When word got out last November that Kmart was closing its store at 7350 Manatee Ave. W., the last Kmart in Manatee County, rumors began to swirl almost immediately that Target might be interested in that location for one of its stores.The rumors turned out to be true.“I can confirm Target has plans to open a store in Bradenton. Located at 75th Street and Manatee Avenue, the store will be approximately 49,000 square fe...
When word got out last November that Kmart was closing its store at 7350 Manatee Ave. W., the last Kmart in Manatee County, rumors began to swirl almost immediately that Target might be interested in that location for one of its stores.
The rumors turned out to be true.
“I can confirm Target has plans to open a store in Bradenton. Located at 75th Street and Manatee Avenue, the store will be approximately 49,000 square feet. As we get closer to opening the store, we’ll have more specific details to share – including how the shopping experience will be tailored to serve local guests and the grand opening date,” a spokeswoman for Target said in an email on Tuesday.
The proposed Target would be the second in Manatee County. The existing store is located at 6150 14th St. W., in Bayshore Gardens.
There is also a Super Target at 101 N. Cattlemen Road in the University Town Center shopping district. Sarasota has several other Targets, including at 5350 Fruitville Road and at 8401 S. Tamiami Trail.
In February, workers took down the iconic K from the facade of the former Kmart building on Manatee Avenue, leaving an empty building and lots of questions about what might be coming next.
At the same time, just on the south side of Manatee Avenue and 75th Street West stood an empty parking lot where a Lucky’s market had been planned, on the site where a former Albertson’s supermarket was demolished.
Lucky’s pulled out of plans to build at the intersection after it lost Krogers as an investor. Ultimately, Lucky’s filed for bankruptcy and closed many of its stores. A WaWa store, which won city approval in 2018, was also planned for the intersection but has yet to be built.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made a difficult time for large box retailers even more difficult with national brands Tuesday Morning, J.C. Penney, Neiman Marcus, J.Crew and Stage Stores, and Steinmart all filing for bankruptcy this year.
The decision by Target to takeover the former Manatee Avenue Kmart space means that at least one down-on-its luck Bradenton retail location will be spared what is frequently happening in many other big box spaces.
“What is happening with the big boxes is that they are being repurposed with smaller tenants. Some are becoming fitness facilities, others are becoming entertainment venues, and some are becoming mixed use. Some are being turned into storage facilities,” Janet Robinson, commercial director for Coldwell Banker Commercial NRT, told the Herald earlier this year.
The friction between Key West and some communities at the other end of the island chain is generally a dull but persistent sort of discord, muttered under the breath but rarely debated publicly.Key West, to some, is the intrusive diva whose showy excesses and pouty demands make life difficult for those around her, despite their dependence on her income.But that quiet conflict between communities has grown louder and more public in recent weeks, as county officials consider whether to assume responsibility for Poinciana Gardens....
The friction between Key West and some communities at the other end of the island chain is generally a dull but persistent sort of discord, muttered under the breath but rarely debated publicly.
Key West, to some, is the intrusive diva whose showy excesses and pouty demands make life difficult for those around her, despite their dependence on her income.
But that quiet conflict between communities has grown louder and more public in recent weeks, as county officials consider whether to assume responsibility for Poinciana Gardens.
Key West’s assisted-living facility has been struggling financially since its opening in July 2018, when only nine of its 106 units were occupied — and those residents were paying $3,000 per month for apartments.
Rents were much higher than anticipated under the original management company, making the brand-new units too expensive for most Keys seniors.
In 2019, the Key West Housing Authority, which owns the property, found a new management company that lowered rents and increased occupancy, but the facility continues to operate at a loss that the housing authority can no longer afford.
County Commissioner Craig Cates wants the county to take over operation of the facility from the housing authority with additional financial support from the city of Key West.
Cates in May called the arrangement “a no-brainer” due to the money it would save the county in the long run.
Monroe County is spending $1.2 million a year to operate Bayshore Manor on Stock Island, which currently houses only 11 residents.
“If we can move the Bayshore Manor residents to Poinciana Gardens and close Bayshore Manor, we’ll have more than a million dollars a year to put toward Poinciana Gardens,” Cates said in May. “Plus, we’ll get back the Bayshore Manor property on College Road. Plus, we’re currently spending about $250,000 to rent office space at the Professional Building and other locations in town. We can move those offices to the Bayshore Manor property that we already own to save another quarter-million dollars a year. To me, it’s a no-brainer. I hope the other commissioners see it as clearly. There’s also space available at Poinciana Gardens to have senior day care services and other activities bring in additional revenue.”
But not everyone agreed.
Resentment, dissent and political threats became apparent in recent weeks, with some Upper Keys community groups opposing the proposal, wondering why their taxes should fund something their seniors won’t use.
“This isn’t about Upper Keys vs. Key West; or Poinciana Gardens vs. Rowell’s Marina, which the county bought, but Key West doesn’t use,” County Commissioner Mike Forster told the Keys Weekly on Tuesday. “We’re not going to divide the Keys. We’re going to take care of each other. But I want to know the appetite of Key West for this project.”
Forster said he would not vote in favor of Cates’ proposal “if Key West is only putting up $400,000 the first year, then $300,000 the second year, then $100,000 the third year. We need the city of Key West to be a full partner in this with us.”
Commissioner David Rice agreed, saying, “My hope is to continue these services for our seniors with three groups — the county, the city and the housing authority — all working together, and I’ve gone from hopeful to optimistic that County Administrator Roman Gastesi is making good progress with his discussions and negotiations,” Rice said.
Commissioner Eddie Martinez said he would back Cates’ proposal.
“Our seniors are not disposable,” Martinez said. “Also, Poinciana will operate in the black when run properly, and it will be. So there should be no issues. If we move Bayshore Manor residents to Poinciana Gardens, and move some county offices to the Bayshore property, it will all be offset. Are you willing to dispose of your parents? Or anyone else’s? I don’t think so. I wouldn’t either. Search your heart and just do what is correct.”
The county commission will hear the latest from Gastesi and consider their options at their meeting on Wednesday, July 21.
Until then, the group of Key West residents who fought for 20 years to get an assisted-living facility built, is hoping the commissioners will see fit to serve the senior citizens of Key West however possible.
“The basic thing here is they need to not let our elders down,” said Joan Higgs, a former administrator at Bayshore Manor and a founding member of the Florida Keys Assisted-Care Coalition, which got the facility built. “Somehow this has become about politics instead of about taking care of our seniors. The county will protect coral reefs and old buildings, but not our elders? Their refusal to support this would be completely outrageous and inhumane, and I’ve never seen that from our county commissioners.”