Friends To Celebrate Holland's Life

By KATHY STEELE The Tampa Tribune

Published: Nov 28, 2007

TAMPA HEIGHTS - A memorial service is planned to honor the life of Mark Holland.

The owner of Gram's Place, a landmark bed and breakfast/youth hostel in Tampa Heights, died Nov. 4 in what police and friends said was a suicide. He was 56.

"We're going to have a party and celebrate our friend's life," Marlene Dusz said.

The service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Plymouth Park, across from Gram's Place, 3109 N. Ola Ave. The event will be low-key and a "loving memorial," Dusz said, with recitations and some of Holland's favorite music.

A 1989 trip to Amsterdam was Holland's inspiration for creating Gram's Place, named in honor of country rock legend Gram Parsons, a Winter Haven resident who founded the Flying Burrito Brothers and died at age 26.

The hostel is a honeycomb of music themed-rooms, tropical patios and kitschy decor. Holland's establishment is given credit by many residents for jump-starting redevelopment in Tampa Heights.

Friends remember him as a community activist who worked to clean up the neighborhood and pushed to drive drug dealers out of the park.

At a city council meeting soon after his death, Chairwoman Gwen Miller called for a moment of silence.

"He was a Tampa Heights visionary," Miller said.

In conjunction with playground improvements, the city is planning to rename the park. The Tampa Heights Civic Association recently submitted Holland's name for consideration, said friend and former state lawmaker Sara Romeo.

Holland's family is exploring ways to keep Gram's Place open; there are bookings through this year.

"They do want to keep it going," Romeo said.

For memorial service information, call Dusz at (321) 544-6518.

Reporter Kathy Steele can be reached at (813) 835-2103 or ksteele@tampatrib.com.