Business Owner: City Crews Cleaned Graffiti, Destroyed Brick
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A Deep Ellum business owner said graffiti didn't ruin his building -- but the city crews who cleaned it up did.
"They knew it was damaged, I knew it was damaged and I asked them what they were gonna do about it and they basically said 'have a nice day and left'," said Balloon City U.S.A owner Eddie Heyland.
This latest tag session on the outside walls of Heyland's business wasn't the first. Taggers have left their colorful mark before, and Heyland has always carefully cleaned it up.
But this time the city stepped in, sending crews to paint over the graffiti.
When Heyland complained about the results, crews returned and power-washed the paint away -- tearing up the brick in the process.
"Don't just leave, don't just walk away, don't say 'have a nice day'," Heyland told the workers. One replied, "I did you a favor."
Now the brick is in need of replacement, according to Heyland, from the same '50s era too to match the rest of the building.
The city has not commented on the lawsuit.
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