For more than four decades, the Dade Heritage Trust — with a mission to protect what little historic resources there is in Miami-Dade — has been housed in a cute little cottage by the bay in the Brickell area that was the 1905 clinic and office of Dr. James Jackson, Miami’s first physician, for which our public hospital is named.
But now, faced with future budget shortfalls from the COVID-19 crisis, Miami city commissioners could sell the land from under them, ignoring the will of the people who voted in 2016 to give the Trust a low-rent, long-term lease. Ladra is sure voters meant longer than four years.
City commissioners were supposed to approve a no-bid 30-year lease agreement for $600 a year at the Sept. 24 meeting. It was on a consent agenda but was pulled by Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, who seemed to know that Commissioner Joe Carollo wants to sell the land (which is not the only time Ladra has wondered if the Sunshine Law has been broken between those two).
Carollo said everyone wants to see the house preserved, but that it could be moved from it’s current 6,000-square-foot lot at 190 SE 12th Terrace. “Even though this is a small lot … it is in a very, very, VERY expensive area. In the times we are living in, we could get a sizeable amount of payments for that property if we put it for sale.
“This house could be placed in so many other areas,” said Carollo, who has obviously given this some thought and even apparently scouted possible areas in Simpson and Southside parks. “It wouldn’t cost nearly as much to move as what we could get for this property,” he said.
Diaz de la Portilla agreed with him, of course, like it was planned. “I’m looking at anything we can do to generate revenue for our city,” DLP said. “We’re going to be facing some real difficult times and, for me, that’s not the highest or best use of that property. If we can generate revenue for our city, I think we should do it.”
Commissioner Manolo Reyes couldn’t wait to agree also.
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It seems like the Three Amigos have an interested buyer already chomping at the bit. They seemed in such a hurry to put it on the market. Carollo believes the value of the property could be five times the assessed $1.3 million. He even speculated that someone could build a 48-story building there, which seems impossible for that skinny strip of land.
“If it was a larger parcel it’d be worth even more,” Carollo said. “But just with the size it has, being where it’s at, and even if you’re limited to a smaller amount of stories you can build, that is a very expensive piece of property.”
Can’t you hear him drooling? He was pretty adamant about it.
Commissioner Ken Russell, whose district includes Brickell, had to reign his colleagues in and convinced them to wait until Thursday’s meeting so that they could get a report from city staff on how the land may be developed. While that report was not attached to Thursday’s agenda, sources familiar with it say that city staff concluded that even the same size bungalow cannot be built under current zoning and setback restrictions.
Does anyone think that would stop a deal in the works by ADLP? Setbacks can be waived, too. Also, Chairman Keon Hardemon noted that there is public right of way that could be added to the site for more square footage.
What about adjacent properties? The mostly vacant but bayside parking lot across the street is owned by developer Jerome Hollo, and his family could be looking to add the skinny parcel for some auxiliary use to some future highrise there.
After the Dade Heritage Trust moved into the building in 1976 and have maintained the interior and exterior and provided insurance, landscaping improvements and hurricane protection. Voters approved a referendum in 2016 to extend a long-term, low-rent lease. But it still takes a 4/5ths vote to waive competitive bidding and execute the lease. City Attorney Victoria “Tricky Vicky” Mendez said that — just like with the Miami Freedom Park referendum — commissioners are under no obligation to make it happen.
Preservationists are rallying support to save one of the last historic landmarks in the area, asking people to speak at the meeting Thursday. The Dade Heritage Trust has submitted a 2.5 minute video to make their case.
“The building is a lasting symbol of Miami and the Brickell neighborhood and should remain in its current location,” says Trust Executive Director Christine Rupp.
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“Everything we do at this building promotes the city of Miami and educates residents, visitors and students about the importance of preserving the cultural, environmental and architectural heritage of our diverse and dynamic city,” Rupp says.
“We are very proud to call this building our home and wish to remain here.”
Over 44 years, they have proven to be good stewards.
The building is open 7 days a week to residents and tourists. It has an official visitor’s center, a small exhibit space, a botanical native garden and information about tourism, tours, transit options and cultural destinations around Miami. The Trust also has an educational program with the school system and partners with the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Development Authority on several initiatives, Rupp said.
It operates as a sort of unofficial Miami city tourism office.
Commissioners ought to consider the value of that — especially in the recovery of the pandemic’s economic burden — before they sell one of downtown’s gems to the highest bidder.
Miami may sell historic building’s Brickell lot to private developers added by Ladra on
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