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Thursday, July 24, 2014

Venice and the Grove; it's about charm and scale

The story below about the changes in the Grove sort of remind me a bit of the news coming out of Venice, Italy, about people complaining about huge cruise ships taking over the waters of the ancient city. (Story here in Wall Street Journal). It seems to be a case of charm and scale in both places.

Many Hollywood celebrities have taken on this fight. They feel the ships tower over the highest structure in Venice and they take away the charm of the whole experience of Venice, calling it "senseless devastation."

They claim the ships are brushing up against the famed architecture. They call it a lack of respect. Some ships are more than 96,000 tons and are twice as long as St Mark’s Square. The church domes are dwarfed by the ships massive height. Sort of like a soccer stadium built right on our waterfront in downtown Miami.

This reminds me a bit of Key West where the once quiet streets are bombarded by cruise passengers now, Key West's assault is on foot after people leave the ships, in Venice, the actual ships in the waterways and historic canals is the problem. 

At least here in the Grove we don't have to worry about this type of activity. But who knows what's going on at our waterfront these days anyway. 

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12 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

You used Key West and quiet in the same sentence. I've been visiting the island two or three times a year for the past 10 years and don't recall it ever being quiet. Maybe on the outer fringes. Was this before then?

July 24, 2014 10:22 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Absolutely agree. I've been in Miami for over 30 years and the Grove has always been unique for its village charm. Nothing else like it in Miami. The homes, its people and shops. The Grove should become its own city and stop being subjected to all the interests of developers and politicians. some people believe the Grove needs to change with the times. They are probably not residents. There are many other places that have changed with the times and in my opinion have regretted it. Traffic, crowds, trash.

As it is, the new condos, and "shula project" will definetely ruin this last piece of the 60's charm. Residents need to look into separating from Miami. After all, the city is broke and we barely benefit from services such as roads, trash pick up, lighting, sewer upgrades, etc.

July 24, 2014 11:55 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I've lived on the same street in the Grove since 1965, own properties and find the services to be okay to great. Since recorded history, way back to BC, folks have been made uneasy with invasion from strangers/tourist; everyone except those who profit[use to make their dogs bark a lot]. Thanks to our waterfront & other past charm(s) we still enjoy our historic bohemian status and are constantly building to the NEW GROVE. There is plenty of room and need for that OLD GROVE CHARM that is easily transposed to cash flow if one genuinely adheres to providing a truly old Grove application/experience. Jobie Steppe

July 24, 2014 1:16 PM  
Blogger Sledge said...

At least in Venice and Key West you can still get to see a lot of water.

July 24, 2014 6:19 PM  
Blogger Sledge said...

" Thanks to our waterfront & other past charm(s) we still enjoy our historic bohemian status"

Waterfront?? Where? Oh! that remote little glimpse on the back of Kennedy Park..

Bohemian? Yeah, the Gifford art show once a year.. and that store, what's it called, Maya Maya, next to the tatoo and pipe places..

July 24, 2014 6:23 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jobie, I disagree with the services provided by the city. Broken roads, clogged gutters, lack of proper street lighting. Maybe you're lucky enough to live close to a big wig or Sarnoff himself. The rest of what you wrote, unfortunately, I wasn't able to figure out where you stand on the issue. Sorry.

July 24, 2014 6:29 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey, Sedge. WATERFRONT, Peacock down to Bayside & on - - - - all waterfront with easy, easy, easy access by car, Metrorail, bike or walking, plus numerous boat ramps, all the parks and parking areas on Virginia Key & Key Biscayne, get real folks we have great views from land & from boats. Plus, plenty of lobster, stone crabs, snappers, groupers, snook, sun rises & sunsets & plenty of water in Lake Okeechobee all the way to Key West and with the Grove right in the middle!? What a place to live! Jobie Steppe

July 24, 2014 6:46 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think sledge's time spent on whining about the waterfront would be better spent on looking for another place to live

July 24, 2014 7:46 PM  
Blogger Sledge said...

LOL, If that's "waterfront", shut down the Seminole boat ramp, build something big there instead, and block the last few feet of open water left in what used to be 5 miles of true Bayside in the Grove.

Or I'll give you 2 tips, drive down Royal Rd, North Grove, about 200 yds, and you'll catch about 12 feet of "waterfront", or go behind Vista, North Grove, and enjoy about 10 feet of open water!

July 25, 2014 9:21 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I guess if you have a a problem with a lack of waterfront views, you probably have an issue with the whole concept of private property and the way land has been developed in the county since 1900.

July 25, 2014 1:07 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sledge do you have any pictures showing this wonderful, unblocked waterfront you claim once existed?

July 25, 2014 2:11 PM  
Blogger Tom Falco said...

The waterfront was open at one time, very open. At Kennedy Park, Peacock Park, etc. Sledge is right.

OK< no more of this non stop arguing. comments are closed.

July 25, 2014 2:15 PM  

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