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Home My WebLink AboutM-87-0194• TO. Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission r FROM' Cesar H. Odio City Manager • CITY OF MIAMI. FLORIDA INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM DATE: FEB B 41987 FILE: SUBJECT REFERENCES: ENCLOSURES: Casa Project '87 The General Services Administration Department, Property and Lease Management Division, has reviewed a request to the City of Miami for a site to be made available to the Municipalities Trust Fund Corporation, a not -for -profit corporation, for the development of an 11,000 square feet facility. The facility, conceptualized by Casa Project 18.7, will be a multipurpose center offering many kinds of services to the community such as a multitude of referral services, charitable, educational, historical and community relations. It will be occupied by such entities as The Municipalities of Cuba in Exile, Inc., a purveyor of services as outlined since their inception in the mid-1960s, and The Junta Patriotica Cubana, among others. The attached "Casa Project 187" document details these services as provided by The Municipalities of Cuba in Exile, Inc., plus add-tional background information. All costs of operation and staffing will be at the complete and sole responsibility of those entities occupying space in the facility and providing the services. Funding for all development and construction costs for the facility will be solely the responsibility of the Municipalities Trust Fund Corporation. A list of the Board of Directors and Officers, as well as Advisory Members is attached. All maintenance and repair costs of the facility, once completed, will be at the sole expense of the Municipalities Trust Fund Corporation. The City of Miami's only role in making the Casa Project '87 concept a reality is to make a site .available for the development of such a facility. enc. 1 87-�.'94 • • C A S H P R O J E C T ' 81 aka Directors, Officers and Advisors BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS Blas Ramon Hernandez, President Nicolas del Valle, Secretary Ricardo Vazquez, Tresurer Santiago Blanco Luis Cabrera.Celestrin Senator Luis Casero Guillen Mario Goderich Beltran Arturo Gonzalez Antonio Maceo, M.D. Carl s Martinez Roberto Rodriguez Aragon His Excellency Agustin Roman Miguel A. Tudela Ambassador Andres Vargas -Gomez Senator Manuel A. de•Varona ADVISORY BOARD MUNICIPALITIES TRUST FUND CORPORATION Ing. Ernestino Abreu, President, Association of Civil Engineers Mario Beovides, Director, Jose Marti Private School Lydia Cabrera, leading author on Afro-Cuban culture Ramon Canton, SABER, Inc. executive Rodolfo Capote, President, Former Political Prisoners Association Mercedes Chirino, labor leader Uva Clavijo, author/poet Dr. Rolando Espinosa, President, Cuban Teachers Association The Honorable Margarita Esquiroz, Circuit Court Judge Julio Estorino, insurance executive/Orator of the Municipios Guillermo Fernandez Mascaro, Esq., President, Cuban Lawyers Association Rolando Fernandez Padron, Municipalities of Cuba in Exile (Official) Inc. Denio 0. Fonseca, M.D., Vice President, Cuban Medical Association Juan Ferrer, former political prisoner Ernesto Franca, Cuban Lions in Exile The Honorable Mario Goderich, Circuit Court Judge Ambassador F.V. Garcia-Amador, Law Professor, University of Miami Reinerio Gonzalez, Grand Master, Caballlero de la Luz Masons Lodge Santiago Jorge -Ventura, Arch., Cuban Architects Association Enrique Labrador Ruiz, author Alfredo Marrero, Former Mayor of Bayamo Ana Rosa Nunez, Ph.D., Full Professor at the Library, Univ. of Miami Dr. America Parla, President, Cuban Optometrists Association Roberto Perez Fernandez, Secretary, Cuban Journalists Association Ariel Remos, "Diairio Las Americas" daily newspaper Leopoldo Rivero, Rivero Funeral Home Senator Andres Rivero Aguero, Cuba's Last President -Elect Laurentino Rodriguez, President, Cuban Journalists Association The Reverend Max Salvador, "Todos Los Santos" Presbyterian Church The Reverend Francisco Santana Francisco Tudela, M.D. Jose Miguel Morales Gomez, Banker 87-194 tat e of �Co ,WE rib, L9mvl lippttrtment of f _atp 0 I certify that the attached is a true and correct copy of the Articles of Incorporation of MUNICIPALITIES TRUST FUND CORPORATION, a corporation organized wider the Laws of the State of Florida, filed on May 7, 1986. The charter number for this corporation is N14796. CER•101 eiben unber mp banb anb the Great *eat of the btate of ffloriba, at Mallahaggee, the vital, tbig the 7th bap Of May, 1986. George fcrmone btv*arn of Otate `'2—/ 87!r194 3 i MUNICIPIOS DE CUBA EN EL EXILIO 4600 N.W. 7th Street_ Miami, Florida 33126 Teldfono: 447-8866 ` C A S A P R O J E C T '87 The Municipalities of Cuba in Exile All Fldridians of Cuban background have their "roots" in one of Cuba's 126 municipalities located in one of the island's six provinces. In the early 1960s, following the Castro -Com- munist takeover, "municipalities in exile" began to be established in Florida to assist the arriving Cuban exile families. By the mid-1960s, 126 "municipios" in exile were organized. Together, they formed the Municipalities of Cuba in Exile (MCE), a non-profit Florida corporation. "Municipalittas" (or persons active in muni- cipio life) elect their own municipio's governing board and their own provin.ce's Provincial Executive Committee. Each municipio has one vote in the election of the MCE's "National President." Nearly 10,000 voters cast their ballots in the 1986 elections; countless more participate in the municipios' weekly educational, charitable or social activities. Activities of the Municipios: A Generation of Service Social Welfare. A primary function of the municipios has been to advise and assist immigrants arriving in Florida. A Cuban exile in need of orientation and support will naturally go to his own municipio organization, where persons from his own hometown will help in a culturally sensitive environment where the language bar- rier is non-existent. Ever ready to assist, the municipios are ports of entry into the community at large and its complicated network of'public agencies offering essential services. The settled immigrant returns to the municipios for assistance in overcoming the handicaps of linguistic and/or cultural isolation. The municipios help bridge the barriers in many ways: *Referral services for persons entitled to unreceived benefits; *Orientation about life in America, i.e., driver licenses, insurance requirements, social security, rents/deposits, public utilities, discount centers, etc.; *Assistance in completing forms, including translation; and familiarization with application processes, facilitation of applications and information about where and how to present them; *Information about applying for U.S. citizenship and voter registration; *Coordination of temporary relief for needy immigrants by helping to locate their friends and relatives, contacting groups likely to help and when necessary providing direct relief - clothing, shelter, food, cash, etc. y 87-194 CASA PNUJLCT '81,_11n&e 2 A Generation of Service. Cont'd. Charity, Education & Good Community Relations. The more than 100 active municipios render charitable, educational and cultural services continuously throughout the year. Hundreds of yuletide "jabas" (or shopping bags) are distributed to the needy. Contributions are made to special charitable fundraising activities such as radio or T.V. marathons, to established charities such as United Way, March of Dimes and "Liga Contra el Cancer,"- and to individuals with special needs. Former political prisoners are received with baskets, cash and the muni- cipios' array of social services. Cuban refugees in "third countries" pending U.S. entry receive monthly assistance including clothing, medicines and checks. In addition to the formal celebration of patriotic and civic anniversaries, not a week goes by without municipio-sponsored activities. Municipalistas keep their municipios' identity alive in picnics, dances and other social events. The general public attends all kinds of educational activities such as lectures, seminars and book reviews. Young people are encouraged to partic- ipate in cultural activities such as art shows and competitions, exhibits, recitals, folkloric displays and fairs. The annual Tobacco Festival organized by the municipios of Pinar del Rio province - famous for its rich tobacco, said to be the world's best - features a fair, parade and the coronation of the Tobacco Queen. Virtually all municipios help organize their great Annual National Fair under the auspices of the Municipalities Fair Cor- poration, a non-profit 'Florida corporation. At the Fair, Cuban Americans and other ethnic groups come together to enjoy Cuban culture: song, dance, exhibits, the art museum, booths, dishes and faces from every municipio in the Cuban American version of a County Fair. Drawing over 60,000 Floridians, the Fair is one way the municipios foster good community relations. The Casa Community Center The dream. The proposed "Casa de los Municipios" is envisioned as a multi -purpose community center offering many kinds of services to the entire community. The municipios' social services, central- ized and coordinated under one roof, would be available to more people in a central and accessible site. In this way, the municipios would lessen the burden of government to an even greater degree. The Casa would be available for the charitable and educational activities of the municipios and other communuty groups. Library -Museums. The public would ha museums" where books,- art works, displays, the histories, traditions and folklore of where all Cuban Americans originate. The be devoted to U.S. contributions and prese interrelated histories of the U.S., Caribb ve access to six library - etc., would tell about Cuba's six provinces - library -museums would also nce in each province; the can Basin nations and-Flor- W. / 87-194 S CASA PROJECT '87 The Casa, Cont'd. ida; and Afro-Cuban culture and the areas in Africa where Cuban American blacks came from. In addition to their historical and educational uses, the library -museums would be available to Flor- idians for research on their families' historical "roots." The six Provincial Executive Committees of the Municipalities of Cuba would be charged with the maintenance of the library -museums. (Casa Project's Advisory Board includes Lydia Cabrera, perhaps the world's,leading student of Afro-Cuban culture, and Dr. Ana Rosa Nunez, Full Professor at the University of Miami's Otto G. Richter Library.) Rent space would be available in the Casa for other recog- nized charitable or educational institutions representative of active community sectors. A large meeting facility planned for the Casa's second floor would be available to all community groups. Maintenance for the Casa and its grounds would be funded from the proceeds of the Annual National Fair and rents from the use of the center's facilities (in addition to private events, over 100 community groups are expected to hold events there). . b 87-194 Mr. Fantiago Blanco President, Municipalities Trust Fund Corporation 4600 NJ% 7th Street Miami, Florida 33135 i3oi S.W. 46TH-LANE MIAMI, FLORIDA 33115 (305)552.6377 May 15, 1986 Re: "Casa de los Municipios" Dear Mr. Blanco: Pursuant to your request, and the requirements you outlined, I have made an approximate estimate of the construction costs for the above -referenced project. The two 3-office suites, six rooms for the six "p.ovincias," a meeting hall for about 500 persons, an area for the social services program and miscelaneous areas will require about 11,000 square feet. Estimated at $70 per.square foot., construction costs for the "Casa" would be approximately $770,000. Including my fee (at the agreed 6% of construction cost: $46,000) the total cost would be approximately S810,000. This does not include the site, which, I understand, you and Mr. Arturo Gonzalez, the Treasurer of the Dunicipalities of Cuba in Exile, Inc., are presently working on obtaining from the City.Neither included in_the figure is the site work, such as landscaping and parking. As soon as the site is made available, I'will.start working, on a pro bono basis, on the preliminary drawings for the building. This will take about three weeks: Upon your approval of the preliminary drawings, I will start work on the construction documents, which will take about ten weeks to complete. This firm shall also advise the Municipalities Trust Fund Corporation in the preparation of the bid documents and will perform the on site inspections of the work. From our conversations, I would ct to participate in a ground breaking ceremony during or b forr August, subject to selection of the sire. SiA,ce�e�y yours, Gus GM: be Enclosure cc: Commissioner"Plurlmer Commissioner Kennedy hitect GUSTAVO MORENO A R C M I T E C T 7 �� 87-194 MEMORA11DUM To: Santiago Blanco, President Municipalities Trust Fund Corp. Fr: Gustavo Moreno, Architect Re: "Casa de los Municipios" Project/ Estimates Two three -office suites 1. For the National Executive Committee (Board of the Municipalities of Cuba In Exile, Inc.) 13801 S.W. ISTH.LANE MIAMI, FIOIRICA 33175 ( 3 0 5 ) 552.6311 1,200 sq.ft. 2. For the Cuban Patriotic Board (a conglomerate of over 200 community groups) 1,200 It One Room For Florida Cares, Inc. (social service activities) 300 " Six Rooms One for each of the six Cuban provinces and their "municipios;" also to be used by community groups and social services activities 2,250 It Meeting Hall For 500-600 persons 51000 " Miscelaneous Foyer, staircases, elevator, corridors, lavatory facilities (both floors), kitchen/ coffee area 11050 " 11,000 sq.ft. GUSTAVO MORENO A R C H I T E C T 87�194�