Old Green Thumb Nursery getting brought down by the city

GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) - After many years of neglect and two fires, the abandoned Green Thumb Nursery is finally coming down.

“This has come down to an issue of safety,” said Gulfport Communications Manager Jase Payne. “We’ve had multiple reports of vandalism out here. We have businesses around this area that has to pass this everyday, their customers have to pass this everyday, residents have to pass this everyday, and so we’re very happy to see this getting cleaned up. We’re happy that people in the businesses are happy about this, and we’re looking forward to see what we can do about this property in the future.”

Demolition started after the owner didn’t appear before the city council.

“So after multiple violation letters going out to the property owner, without any word back from that property owner, then they are asked to come to the city council to discuss the blighted property with the governing authority for the city,” Payne said. “If they don’t come to the city council meeting, then the city will go out for bids for demo, and that’s what you’re seeing today.”

It’s a sight that many business owners are excited to see.

“It’s awesome,” said Jason Shurtz, owner of IGY6 Cycles. “Coming in, starting my own business and having a blighted property when I first moved here, when I was cleaning out my building I was finding needles,. That building has been broken into from homeless people, in which, its the way of life, I get it, for some people. Business owners that come in here and want to make a difference in Gulfport and bring their business in Gulfport, those properties need to go.”

The property owners of the blighted building will be billed $19,000 for demolition, which will be applied to their tax bill.

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