Heckert’s letter was an insult to property owners

Posted 9/28/16

To the editor:

This letter is in response to Brandt Heckert’s political statement about neglected storefronts.

We are highly insulted that you stated that “us” landlords …

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Heckert’s letter was an insult to property owners

Posted

To the editor:

This letter is in response to Brandt Heckert’s political statement about neglected storefronts.

We are highly insulted that you stated that “us” landlords and property owners have no desire to improve our properties and we choose to neglect and take no pride in the upkeep of our buildings, which is why they are empty. How dare you?

Speaking for us, that is not the case. We recently re-paved our entire parking lot which you obviously didn’t notice. We have nice awnings running across the entire front of the building which face Main Street. We employ someone to sweep and clean the sidewalk on a weekly basis and we have painted the entire bottom half of the bottom of our brick building, just to name a few.

As far as our empty storefront is concerned, we have had quite a few people look at it, however, they said the space was too big but priced right. I have inquired about other rentals in the area and found that our unit is the lowest per square foot for what we offer anywhere in the area. Not only do we have plenty of parking spots on a private lot but also rear access and this particular unit has a three-year-old heating/cooling system. In addition, we give one month’s free rent to the new tenant. What more would you like us to do?

Our units aren’t overpriced but would it be fair to our existing tenants to lower the rent considerably for a new tenant just to rent it? I think not.

Also, our unit isn’t empty because of a lack of funds or neglect on our part, it is empty because someone needs to open a new business or re-locate an existing one, which is hard to come by. These aren’t residential apartments where everyone needs a place to live.

I don’t know where or how big your property is sir, but I am willing to bet that it is neither large nor in a well-trafficked area which is why you rented it at a discounted price.

I cannot understand how people like you write such horrible letters about your perception on the condition of Warren knowing full well that people that aren’t from the area might pick up the paper to read about renting or buying here and all they see is negativity.

So seeing that you seem to have all the answers about why there are so many empty units in Warren, why don’t you and the rest of the town council go “round up” some tenants for all “us” neglectful and uncaring landlords instead of sitting at your cozy desk writing letters to the paper criticizing hard working property owners who pay high commercial property taxes, most of whom I might add, you have never met or spoken to, including ourselves.

Maria Antoniadis

464 Main St.

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Mike Rego has worked at East Bay Newspapers since 2001, helping the company launch The Westport Shorelines. He soon after became a Sports Editor, spending the next 10-plus years in that role before taking over as editor of The East Providence Post in February of 2012. To contact Mike about The Post or to submit information, suggest story ideas or photo opportunities, etc. in East Providence, email mrego@eastbaymediagroup.com.