Monday, November 27, 2017

TONY MARTINEZ BUYS RESTAURANT, REMODELS IT WITHOUT PERMITS

Tony Martinez, Mayor, Restaurateur
Ethics, ethics, ethics.

Mayor Tony Martinez, who pontificated about creating an ethics code for the City of Brownsville during his first mayoral campaign, has zero ethics.

Using his law partner to "negotiate" the purchase of La Casa del Nylon for triple its value, $2,300,000, likely splitting the commission, allowing Abraham Galonsky to sit in on the executive session involving transfer of property, personally spending the $3,060,000 AEP Texas refund on pet projects, until stopped by the city commission, etc., all clear no-brainer violations of Ethics 101.

Tony Martinez is unethical, dishonest as hell!


This year, Martinez bought major interest in a Brownsville restaurant, remodeling it, actually adding a totally new building as "the restaurant," and doing so, WITHOUT PERMITS.

As local builders tell us; construction is relatively easy in Brownsville.  Wages are low.  Hiring undocumented workers lowers that cost.  Locally, construction skill sets are high.  

The most difficult aspect of local construction is getting the permits, especially during the long tenure of Evaristo "Mordida" Gamez, Jr. as Permitting Director for the City of Brownsville.

In September, Brownsville Herald reporter Steve Clark interviewed Abe Avila about a recent remodel of the 1848 BBQ, located just off Palm Blvd. at 5 Avalon Drive. 

Avila described the extensive renovations.  Formerly, the pitmaster grilled from a small H&R Block office, sending his dining customers to a screened in porch area, safe from flies, but without air conditioning.

But now; "Shazam!" as Gomer Pyle used to say, the 1848 BBQ had a totally new restaurant in front of the old H&R Block office and the screened eating area.


A local customer explained:  "Tony Martinez bought the restaurant and remodeled it.  I think, he did it without permits.  At least, I never saw one and I eat there weekly."

The restaurant sits directly across the street from Spanky's Burgers, Lola's Bakery and Bistro and Bates Cleaners, all owned by Tony Martinez.

So, I checked the property records and "sho nuff."  Tony now owns 1848 BBQ as well.  Or, at least, "Saenz Sandra and Martinez Antonio" do.

My Public Information Request to City Secretary Griselda Rosas revealed that the only permit pulled for the building during 2017 was for the two roof top AC units, not the building itself.  


Rooftop AC Units, Actually Permitted 
That permit was paid for by AC contractor Cesar Barrera DBA Barrera Air Conditioning.

Don't you wish you could totally remodel your home or business without permits?  

You can't!  

You're not Tony Martinez!

11 comments:

  1. When I remodelled, no one was lifting a finger until I saw the permit. I have them in a package if for some reason I sell the house and then I can prove everything was done by the book. Even my French Doors have a permit in the file. My neigherbor who was remodelling a house he bought got caught when city inspectors were inspecting the work on my house and saw no permit signs. Yea, a week later he had them in the window. It is not even a challenge to find a builder to break the rules. If you even suggested to me we did not need a permit, you were out the door. I can tell you window and door people will have an engineer sign off as wind storm certified eventhough they are not. It took me a year to find an honest vendor. The permitting department is a joke.

    Bobby WC

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    1. My source, a friend of Abe Avila, the original owner, told me that, once he sold to Tony, that the mayor was orchestrating the remodel on the fly. telling the contractor; "Do this, do that." It was obviously not all in an approved plan by the city.

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    2. Who cares? You're lucky to have more than shitty taquerias!

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  2. Does Tony do any of the cooking or cleaning?

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  3. I'm surprised Wightman has filed "sute" to have him shutdown. Why should we have to pay and follow the rules when your mayor doesn't?

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  4. hey barton, i think you got your goobers mixed up. it was gomer the hick marine who shouted shazam!at sgt carter. jethro was a beverly hillbilly living with uncle jed in a mansion with a cement pond. the show was one of many deviced by the CIA and jews to assimilate immigrants into america. ahoy ese, climb aboard the ss minnow.

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  5. Good bbq. Too bad Tony’s involved.

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  6. What a piece of shit Tony Martinez but just you wIt karma is heading your way

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  7. Surely you can provide (the lack of) documents to support your allegations Jim? You’re typical friend of a friend “source” approach to amateur journalism is bull shit.

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  8. "provide (the lack of) documents to support your allegations Jim?"

    Dumbass Duardo! You can't "provide" something that doesn't exist. City Secretary sent me the only permit pulled on that property, a mechanical permit for air conditioning.

    Just a tip: Your, as a possessive does not include the apostrophe. A writer would know that, a trolling blogger might not.

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