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It's A Sign Of Tradition

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By JOSE PATINO GIRONA

jpatino@tampatrib.com

Published: November 26, 2008

YBOR CITY - The Spanish name La Setima lives - for now.

The Ybor City Development Corp. board last week voted to keep the street signs on historical Seventh Avenue with the Spanish spelling La Setima.

Some board members had maintained the Spanish name was misspelled and was more of a colloquial spelling from the early 20th century when Spaniards, Italians and Cubans populated the now-historic entertainment district.

They said the accurate spelling is La Septima.

The Ybor development panel on Nov. 19 submitted a letter to Mayor Pam Iorio and Tampa City Council members to let them know the board had voted to maintain the signs with the existing spelling.

"It should be a moot issue," said Vince Pardo, the development board's manager.

But board member Fran Costantino said she wasn't happy with the vote. She said it needs to be more of a community decision and plans to address the city council in the future.

"I don't agree," Costantino said. "It just makes us look more ignorant longer."

Costantino, president of the East Ybor Historic and Civic Association, said she has been contacted by old-timers who grew up in Ybor City who want to see the street signs read La Septima.

At the development board meeting held Nov. 18, she brought Braulio Alonso, who is 91. Alonso said while growing up in Ybor City in the 1920s and 1930s he never heard Spaniards or Cubans pronouncing Seventh Avenue as La Setima. They pronounced it La Septima, he said.

Alonso, the inspiration for naming Alonso High School, said in Spanish the word "setima" is acceptable as long as it is a noun. But once it is an adjective - such as La Septima Avenida - it is spelled "septima," Alonso said.

The existing street signs that read La Setima were installed 10 years ago. Ybor City historian Frank Lastra wrote a book, "Ybor City: The Making of a Landmark Town," where he explained that the Spaniards, Italians and Cubans pronounced Seventh Avenue La Setima.
Lastra added that the Royal Academy of Spanish Language and major dictionaries in Spain define both spellings as meaning "seventh."

Most of the development board members said a change wouldn't satisfy all parties, and some group would be left disappointed.

Reporter Jose Patino Girona can be reached at (813) 259-7659.

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