Your presence can help save the Playhouse
Commissioner Xavier Suarez's Economic Prosperity Committee Meeting is Thursday March 12, at 2 pm sharp. The fate of the Coconut Grove Playhouse will be discussed. As you know, the commissioner wants to save the current structure while there are greedy developers against this.
From an email from Mayor Carlos Gimenez's office: "The recommendation for the County to hire an expert team of architects, engineers and consultants is scheduled to be reviewed by a committee of the County Commission this week. This group of building professionals will assess the condition of the property."
At the meeting, the 25 year agreement in favor of GableStage managing the operations will be discussed. Arquitectonica International will be discussed as the architect that will deal with engineering and specialty consulting on the job. They will be given $2,398,680 if approved.
The engineering and consulting service does not represent a design solution to the building and property. The goal is to return regional theater to Coconut Grove keeping the integrity of the historic property.
The meeting is at the downtown Clark Center, 111 NW First Street, 2nd floor, Suite 220, adjacent to the Government Center Metrorail station. A large turnout in favor of saving the Playhouse is needed, therefore, your presence is requested.
From an email from Mayor Carlos Gimenez's office: "The recommendation for the County to hire an expert team of architects, engineers and consultants is scheduled to be reviewed by a committee of the County Commission this week. This group of building professionals will assess the condition of the property."
At the meeting, the 25 year agreement in favor of GableStage managing the operations will be discussed. Arquitectonica International will be discussed as the architect that will deal with engineering and specialty consulting on the job. They will be given $2,398,680 if approved.
The engineering and consulting service does not represent a design solution to the building and property. The goal is to return regional theater to Coconut Grove keeping the integrity of the historic property.
The meeting is at the downtown Clark Center, 111 NW First Street, 2nd floor, Suite 220, adjacent to the Government Center Metrorail station. A large turnout in favor of saving the Playhouse is needed, therefore, your presence is requested.
posted by Tom Falco at 1:25 PM
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8 Comments:
Once Raquel Regalado beats Carlos Gimenez then Marc Sarnoff's idea of "only keep the building wings" and demolition of the historic Coconut Grove Playhouse can be nixed. we need some fresh energy and young people in charge.
It won't make me any friends among some circles, but at least I have the guts to use my real name.
I think it is time to bite the bullet and raze the playhouse.
First... people have voted with their feet many times. The playhouse as a business is just not viable. People don't like the theater and don't support it.
Second, it is unfair to those of us who don't like the theater to be made to use our money in the form of taxes to support it. This is not a public work, or a charity or anything like that.
Third, the building is in huge disrepair. It would be a much better solution to just take some pictures, raze it, build another one like it. But that would take us to the first point, there is just no popular support for the playhouse.
OK Marcelo let's raze it to the ground and build a cat park, it wont cost much to operate a cat park, there are a lot more cat lovers here than the cultural type and dog parks have been a hit.
Marcelo - RE your reason 2 - I don't have kids, but have no problem with a good chunk of my property taxes going to public school, for the simple reason that I don't want to live in a world with stupid people!
Marcelo,
I agree with most of what you say: the playhouse was unprofitable, and it will undoubtedly need millions a year from the city , county, and/or state to keep it viable. Further, some sort of redesign, however that is interpreted, needs to be considered by even the most arch conservative of the "Friends" group in order to have some sort of consensus on moving forward.
This doesn't mean that public money shouldn't be used to keep it running, or that some effort should be made for a complete restoration. If the complete restoration is impossible, than it's time to compromise--something Grovites are terrible at doing.
History cannot be replaced. Whatever you want to build, please feel free to build it somewhere else. Saving the Historic Coconut Grove Playhouse is in the best interest of the community. Imagine not having the Gusman Theater. That would be shameful.
Current plan appears to call for a 300 seat
venue. Probably not enough seats to make a profit and attract talented actors. Today's Herald makes a good argument for a larger and more modern venue.
I agree with Marcello. There is not enough demand to support a large venue. The Arscht Center (PAC) loses $25 Mil per year. PAMM loses $15 Mil per year. MiaSci loses $12 Mil per, soon to lose $20 Mil per year. Careful or Terra or Related will get the site.
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