Playhouse gets a one week deferral
County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, who was present at the meeting agreed to a one-week deferral. There will be a special commission meeting on Wednesday, May 8, where the commissioners will decide whether to approve the county's demolition plans. The HEP Board already voted against it.
Residents and others spoke for and against the County's plans for the Playhouse and the question arose as to where was Ms. Wilson this past decade and why is she interested in saving the Playhouse now in the 11th hour?
Some feel that one week for her to catch up is not enough but again, where was she for 10 years?
Others wondered why only one plan is being considered. Why can't other plans be considered?
posted by Tom Falco at 8:00 PM
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6 Comments:
I hope US Representative Frederica Wilson has enough true love for Coconut Grove and its pioneering history to save its oldest public landmark.
Other plans cannot be considered because there are no other plans. Others have opinions and ideas, but no other entity has come up with plan for financing, renovating and programming the theater. The first public charrette for what to do with the Playhouse happened nearly 10 years ago and the RFP that led to the GroveStage/GableStage management/renovation plan was an open process where other proposals were welcomed. If the county plan doesn't pass I believe we will watch the Playhouse crumble for another 10 years.
Dennis Edwards - as the attorney who represented the Coconut Grove residents that appealed the HEP Board decision, I can tell you unequivocally that Dade-County that the invitation to sit and work out a compromise was ALWAYS on the table. The County sat with us twice, and both times refused to entertain ANY compromise short of the demolition of the main building. The idea that there is only one plan and we have to accept that is factually wrong. There is an alternate plan that preserves the main building. Had the County worked on a compromise instead of acting like spoiled children we would have reached a mutually acceptable resolution TWO YEARS ago. Dade-County has not resorted to impeaching the character of a highly respected member of our community in the attempt to further their paternalistic plan to demolish a historical 100-year-old building in a neighborhood where the residents want the building preserved. I hope the Playhouse property reverts to the state where it can be properly preserved - which is the will of the people of Coconut Grove.
Dennis is right in his belief there is no plan but then the belief stands on the premise that all plans should start with a demolition. So he believes preservation cannot be a plan because that does not entail a demolition! It is a really funny belief system as belief system are full of substantive contradictions.
Tear down the coolest building in the grove? All the new construction in coconut grove ought to be torn down and all the old cool funky buildings of the 70’s restored. The place has no soul today, wake up south florida, turn that place into a music hall - it’s the only cool building left
Hopefully, commissioners will vote to affirm the appeal and vote to accept the County plan. If not, the County money and support goes away and the State will probably auction the site. Then the Melo's or Terra Group will build another ugly condo tower.
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