The Great Wall of Jeter
Yankee shortstop gets tall wall
By JANIE CAMPBELL
Updated 9:47 AM EST, Thu, Aug 13, 2009
There goes the neighborhood! The City of Tampa stuck it to the little Davis Islands Civic Association today, ruling that stalker-averse Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter could build a 6-foot fence around his new 31,000-square foot mega-mansion.
At least residents weren't ordered not to look him directly in the eyes.
The neighborhood, comprised of two small islands off Tampa's downtown, doesn't have many fenced lots. It doesn't even have a grocery store, or much traffic. But after construction began on the All-Star's giant compound, neighbors in Rays Country began to notice Yankees fans in Jeter jerseys popping up everywhere -- a horror so undesirable, a group so unwelcome, they won their hero an extra two feet of fencing.
"We are pleased," said Jeter's attorney Jonathan Koch, "and we will proceed to build the nicest fence we can."
Considering "we" is earning about $22 million this year, Davis Islands residents ought to expect platinum-coated bricks, or a moat full of machine gun-toting gators. But all they want is something attractive to hide the monstrous dwelling -- soon to be Hillsborough County's largest -- which sits in contrast across the street from a 2,300-square foot home its owner purchased for $42,000.
"This house looms over our street," said future neighbor Taylor Ward. "It's already a wall. We call it the Great Wall of Jeter."
Copyright NBC Local Media
First Published: Aug 12, 2009 12:09 PM EST
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