HomeMy WebLinkAboutCover MemoAGENDA SUMMARY MEMO
Date: July 12, 2010
Commission Meeting Date: July 22, 2010
Sponsor: COMMISSIONER RICHARD P. DUNN II
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Agenda Item: COMMISSION CODESIGNATING NW 10" ST. FROM NW 3`d AVE. TO NW
4'h AVE., AS "WILLIS-RICHARDSON STREET"
Subject: CODESIGNATION
Impact: CITYWIDE
Purpose of the Item:
The purpose of the proposed resolution is to Co -designate NW loth St. from NW 31d Ave. to NW
4th Ave. as "WILLIS-RICHARDSON STREET."
Background Information:
Arthy Willis was one of the African-Americans signers of the charter incorporating the City of
Miami in 1896. He was a successful businessman who owned several large parcels of land,
which made him one of the wealthiest African—Americans in Miami, second only to D.A. Dorsey.
Arthe Willis, his daughter, along with her husband open the first African—American owned
funeral home 1926, making it the oldest such funeral business still in existent. The business was
first open in and operated in the rear of a building owned by D. A. Dorsey on loth Street between
2nd and 3rd Avenue. Unfortunately, the business failed the first time, but later was resurrected in
1931 at NW ioth Street and later relocated to its present location at 45oo NW 17th Avenue as a
result of urban renewal relocation in the Over -town area.
BellSouth, in 1996, commemorated Arthy Willis in its African .American history calendar.
Agenda ItemORDNANCE —