Saving the Coconut Grove Playhouse

Today, the County Commission will discuss the fate of the Coconut Grove Playhouse. The following memo went out last Friday, March 2, from District Commissioner Xavier Suarez to County Mayor Carlos Gimenez:

This regards our meeting of yesterday, in which I asked you what your response was to my memo to you dated February 18, 2012 and also reminded you that the Playhouse property is not secure and (as per photographs provided by Miami City Commissioner Marc Sarnoff) in great danger of having its historical documents damaged or stolen.

You were unable to respond to my specific recommendations on a settlement that would clear title of all claims, at a cost of about one-eighth of the debts incurred by the previous owner-operator of the facility and about one-fourth of the filed encumbrances.

Instead, you once again insisted that you had to complete the “due diligence” analysis that has been presumably going on since I first started reporting to you on negotiations towards obtaining clear title, releases from all those claiming development rights, and a state-mandated title reverter to government by the current lessee-operator. (Note that the first written memo I wrote you containing a report of negotiations by me/my staff/pro bono third parties was dated August 22, 2011 – well over half a year ago…).

I have explained to you on more than one occasion that the title report, initially performed by the County Attorney’s office, was updated by a pro bono counsel with a major law firm late last year. I have indicated that potential donors are considering major gifts, in connection with naming rights, but want assurances that the theatre will not be reduced to a tiny facility, dwarfed by commercial developments around it. Obviously, the design, restoration and new operating agreement, as well as the immediate securing of the site against deterioration and vandalism, are matters that require our attention going forward.

But nothing is as important as obtaining clear title to a venue worth (according to the property appraiser) well over five million dollars and key to the commercial revitalization of that area of Cocoanut Grove.

Your response was that you had no specific response, but would consult staff, in advance of the discussion item I have asked to be placed on the March 6 county commission agenda.

In addition, you mentioned the possibility that “two schools in the area” might want to get involved in the project. When I questioned you as to the “two schools” having any kind of restoration funding approaching our $20 million G.O.B monies already borrowed pursuant to voter approval in 2004, you clarified that you did not mean to suggest that the County would pass on the opportunity to take title.

I presume that you are simply concerned about operating losses – and that is a fair concern for all of us involved.

However, that concern cannot override the urgency of obtaining clear title and possession of the premises, after negotiations that have taken the greater part of my first three months in office and that have – due to the cooperation of city officials, of many essentially private parties not subject to our jurisdiction and of one prominent legislator – resulted in our being on the cusp of a final settlement of all claims for a comparatively paltry sum.

I trust that by Tuesday next, you will have something concrete to report to the commission as regards my very specific memo of February 18, 2012. And I remind you that the elements of the proposed settlements were conveyed to you in a call that took place right around Thanksgiving of last year, or more than 3 months ago. Since that day, nothing concrete has been done by you or your staff – even while the facility continues to deteriorate and the surrounding area continues to suffer the absence of this historic arts jewel.

Xavier L. Suarez
Commissioner
District 7