Are we Coral Gables' dumping ground?
A reader contacted me and we had a conversation on the phone. He owns one of the big white boxy houses and he told me he was tired of so many people complaining about the changes going on in Coconut Grove. He said that there are two sides to every story. He was tired of being put down because he knocked down an old Coconut Grove house and he built a big white house. He was actually angry at another publication that showed an image of his house but he took it out on me since he couldn't reach the others by phone or email.
I told him that I am not per say against big white boxy houses. I am against multiple big white boxy houses on one plat of land. And I am against trees being destroyed in the process.
He assured me that he did not destroy one tree and that he got 63 permits in the very long process of building his house including impact fees, and I told him I don't know how I feel about that. It does affect the taste and feel of the Grove. But to be honest, I don't really agree with people thinking it's ok to just come in and do what they want because they are paying permits and fees.
I feel like I'm not alone, this one post (A murder caught in the act) got over 300 shares on Facebook. People were furious.
Now the reason I'm writing this is something he said in our conversation. He said that it's a free country and he could do what he wanted. But not really, because another thing that he said disturbed me. He said that he had wanted to build a big white boxy house for his family for years, but was unable to where he lived in Coral Gables. So he came to the Grove to do it.
Let that sink in for a minute.
As for Coral Gables. I wrote a story in my Tomversation blog (you can see it here) about this ugly flower sculpture in Coral Gables that the neighbors are furious over. They don't like it, they feel it's ugly and the city paid $1 million for it. That's all well and good, but I read somewhere where a Gables neighbor was quoted as saying that it's something that belongs in Coconut Grove.
What are we the dumping ground for Coral Gables? We have lax rules, if any, for development, and now apprently we have no taste when it comes to art.
* crickets *
I told him that I am not per say against big white boxy houses. I am against multiple big white boxy houses on one plat of land. And I am against trees being destroyed in the process.
He assured me that he did not destroy one tree and that he got 63 permits in the very long process of building his house including impact fees, and I told him I don't know how I feel about that. It does affect the taste and feel of the Grove. But to be honest, I don't really agree with people thinking it's ok to just come in and do what they want because they are paying permits and fees.
I feel like I'm not alone, this one post (A murder caught in the act) got over 300 shares on Facebook. People were furious.
Now the reason I'm writing this is something he said in our conversation. He said that it's a free country and he could do what he wanted. But not really, because another thing that he said disturbed me. He said that he had wanted to build a big white boxy house for his family for years, but was unable to where he lived in Coral Gables. So he came to the Grove to do it.
Let that sink in for a minute.
As for Coral Gables. I wrote a story in my Tomversation blog (you can see it here) about this ugly flower sculpture in Coral Gables that the neighbors are furious over. They don't like it, they feel it's ugly and the city paid $1 million for it. That's all well and good, but I read somewhere where a Gables neighbor was quoted as saying that it's something that belongs in Coconut Grove.
What are we the dumping ground for Coral Gables? We have lax rules, if any, for development, and now apprently we have no taste when it comes to art.
* crickets *
posted by Tom Falco at 5:00 AM
YOU MAY NOT LIFT THE PHOTOS & TEXT. IT'S COPYRIGHTED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. YOU CAN HOWEVER SHARE A STORY ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY USING THE LINKS HERE.
For linking to this one story, just click on the time it was posted & just this story will open for sharing - only through social media. Not copying and pasting.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home