Grove Harbour project back on Commission agenda
The Grove Harbour office building project is back on the Commission agenda for this Thursday, May 28, 2009. It's Items 5 and 6. Hopefully it will be heard after 5 pm, so that more people can attend.
As you know, Grove Harbour wants to build a large 21,000 square foot office building on a dock out on the bay -- it's an office building on the waterfront. It is meant to replace a 150 square foot dock master's office. It goes against zoning rules. Will the City Commissioners abide by the rules? That will be interesting to see.
Hopefully it will be deferred as has been the case for a year or so now, but the clueless people at Grove Harbour just will not give up.
Comm. Joe Sanchez, who is running for Mayor under the promise of "Neighborhoods First," can actually prove if he means that. The vast majority of the neighborhood is against the building of a four story office building on the waterfront. Hopefully Joe will be, too, if he is putting neighborhoods first.
I asked him about it not long ago and his exact words to me were, "It's dead." Well apparently it is alive. But he can have a big hand in making it dead. Is Joe Sanchez for the neighborhoods first or for big business? Let's see.
Comm. Tomás Regalado, also running for mayor, can prove the same thing and hopefully our own district Commissioner, Marc Sarnoff will vote how the majority of his neighbors wish -- against the project, which is so out of place for the requested area.
That will be the three votes needed to kill the project. The other two commissioners seem to be in favor of the project, it's not in their neighborhood, so of course they don't care or wish to care. I am speaking of Commissioners Michelle Spence-Jones and Angel Gonzalez.
I do think this vote will be very telling in how the Grove will vote in the mayor's race in November. On that note, there is a debate planned between Sanchez and Regalado for September. Details to come.
As you know, Grove Harbour wants to build a large 21,000 square foot office building on a dock out on the bay -- it's an office building on the waterfront. It is meant to replace a 150 square foot dock master's office. It goes against zoning rules. Will the City Commissioners abide by the rules? That will be interesting to see.
Hopefully it will be deferred as has been the case for a year or so now, but the clueless people at Grove Harbour just will not give up.
Comm. Joe Sanchez, who is running for Mayor under the promise of "Neighborhoods First," can actually prove if he means that. The vast majority of the neighborhood is against the building of a four story office building on the waterfront. Hopefully Joe will be, too, if he is putting neighborhoods first.
I asked him about it not long ago and his exact words to me were, "It's dead." Well apparently it is alive. But he can have a big hand in making it dead. Is Joe Sanchez for the neighborhoods first or for big business? Let's see.
Comm. Tomás Regalado, also running for mayor, can prove the same thing and hopefully our own district Commissioner, Marc Sarnoff will vote how the majority of his neighbors wish -- against the project, which is so out of place for the requested area.
That will be the three votes needed to kill the project. The other two commissioners seem to be in favor of the project, it's not in their neighborhood, so of course they don't care or wish to care. I am speaking of Commissioners Michelle Spence-Jones and Angel Gonzalez.
I do think this vote will be very telling in how the Grove will vote in the mayor's race in November. On that note, there is a debate planned between Sanchez and Regalado for September. Details to come.
posted by Tom Falco at 1:00 PM
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13 Comments:
Will the Grove Harbour High & Dry be effected by the future four story building? Also maybe should this building pass, upon the next hurricane it may end up in the Coconut Grove Bank parking lot?
They won't go away, will they..
Although I think that Grove Harbor project will be a no vote but I would not choose this vote alone as the deciding factor. Too many times have I seen people in the grove take up the mantra for what have you done for me lately.
For instance if Regalado votes yes everyone will forget about the moorings, mercy hospital project, and home depot. Do I think Regalado will vote yes? Probably not since he has pretty much voted no on all neighborhood supported views.
$5 it gets deferred till mid-November
Let me see, from 150 sq feet to 21,000 sq feet and out on the bay, on a dock! About $115-million of commercial properties are lifeless due to noise ordinances in Coconut Grove and/or the economy and additionally down town and on South Beach. If this new office, on the Bay, at the end of some dock can bring life back into the Grove, then so be it. No one walking in this location could honestly state that such a building would block their view simply because the mast and the trees on the small islands to the East already block their views. Will movers and shakers dock their yachts, smoke their cigars from Cuba go downtown Grove and bring to life the Grove community with their infusion of cash to our defunct BID & BIC-----is there a premedicated plan here?
Grape, I ask that you not represent the "view of the majority of the neighborhood" without something to back up your opinion, which is not the opinion of all residents. Many residents I have spoken to are in favor of the project and many more are undecided until they learn more about it.
Just because you write this blog does not mean that you speak for the grove.
I have asked about 30 neighbors about this. Not one is for it. The investors, the marina, one village council member and the developers are for this. Oh, and one old fool on the waterfront advisory board. Not one of the neighbors I spoke with is for this.
To the last anonymous, if the neighbors were for this I don't think this nonsense would have dragged on for so long. Grape actually does speak for me and my neighbors, we are all against it. And I think the proof will be in the vote, those who vote FOR it will not be voted mayor come election time.
Of course all the informed neighbors are against such a big concrete "Office" Building 22 ft from the water. A few exclusive, wealthy minority of boat owners are for it, and probably willing to influence the politicians with their MONEY. Let's see if they take the bait, and keep blocking what little is left of our scarce Waterfront.
Anon 10:21,
Apparently you are unclear on the concept. This is Grape's blog, a place where he can express whatever he likes, whether or not it comports with your views of journalistic accuracy or balance. If he wishes to say, correctly or not, that the vast majority of Grovites prefer Pepsi, so be it. You and all the residents in favor of the Grove Harbour project are perfectly free to state whatever you like on your own blogs.
Waterfront sites should be free of concrete structures. The baywalk should be unencumbered.
Bicentennial Park should never be burdened with two massive concrete structures. Also on the Agenda for May 28th.
Commissioners should just kill this turkey.
I'm a grove resident and I'm in favor of the project on a limited basis. I know several other grove residents who are not opposed to the project, so long as certain restrictions apply.
Anon at 2:13pm. How much do you know about the project? (Size, location, utilization) Do you happen to be a boat owner at that exclusive Waterfront-blocking Marina? Wild guess.
Grove Harbour dock masters and dock crews are really a polite wonderful group of hard working people. Yes I keep my boat there so I know what I am talking about. They unlike the yard next door, keep theirs spotless. Plenty of parking in front and in their own yard. I would expect if they proceed with any other projects, it will be in the same high style as their boat yard and docks. Check it out sometime.
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