What was once poised to be a shopping destination has been troubled for years.
Pasco County residents say the Trinity Town Center has continued to degrade, and now a petition is circulating to get the county to take action.
The petition has already caught the attention of the county. Officials came out to the center last week and saw violations in its agreement with the developer.
Broken glass, boarded up windows, over grown weeds, trash, and wide open walls are among the obvious problems at the abandoned Trinity Town Center.
Several years ago the project was left largely unfinished and the developer was riddled with lawsuits. In an agreement with the county, the property is supposed to be maintained. However, that hasn't been the case.
Nearby residents like Carolyn Kuzniewski say they are sick of it. She says its become a popular place for kids to break the law. In fact, the sheriff’s office has been called there 53 times since 2011.
“We’re constantly having to call the sheriff because the kids are in here vandalizing,” she said. “The homeowners associations here have now hired off-duty police officers here to patrol the area.”
Kuzniewski started the petition in hopes of getting the county to take action and either develop or demolish the center. In the meantime, the county attorney’s office says the management company is in violation of its agreement and has been in contact with them.
The county says eminent domain can’t be used in this instance because there is no public purpose or necessity as required under state law.