HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff ReportHISTORIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION BOARD
STAFF REPORT
NAME DuPont Archeological Conservation Area (Met Square Development Site)
ADDRESS 300 SE 3 Street
PROJECT DESCRIPTION Review of an Action Plan for preserving and interpreting significant
archaeological features uncovered at the Met Square development site.
ANALYSIS The developer of Met Square, MDM, has submitted an Action Plan to the
Historic and Environmental Preservation Board (HEPB) in accordance
with Resolution HEPB-2002-68 and City Commission Resolution 02-
1249. Resolutions HEPB-2002-68 and 02-1249 require that significant
archaeological discoveries at the Met Miami development sites be
reported to the HEPB and Action Plans be considered and voted upon.
In the fall of 2013, a significant discovery at Met Square was reported to
the City of Miami Preservation Office. The discovery included a complex
pattern of postholes representing the foundations of a Tequesta
settlement at the mouth of the Miami River. The pattern includes
numerous circular features and dozens of linear alignments connecting
those features, likely representing the foundations of circular huts and
connecting pathways or defensive walls. This discovery, in conjunction
with the discovery of a Seminole War — era well and the foundations of
Henry Flagler's Royal Palm Hotel have led many to call this site the
"Birthplace of Miami."
Since that time, the City of Miami has worked closely with the Florida
Division of Historical Resources, the Miami -Dade County Preservation
Office, the developer, and the project archaeologist to evaluate the
significance of the site and to explore possibilities for preservation of the
significant archaeological features on the site. As a result of this
collaborative process, a Case Studies document was produced and is
included as background information for the HEPB.
The Action Plan proposes the following:
• Full excavation and exposure of all areas east of the pre -historic
shoreline at one time to allow for documentation, aerial
photography, and laser scanning
• Study and cataloguing of all artifacts collected from the site
• Completion of a final report detailing all findings and the methods
employed, with specific reference to all recovered specimens.
• Archaeological monitoring of all construction activities in the
unlikely event that such activities result in previously
undocumented discoveries.
• Relocation of the Royal Palm Circle, the Royal Palm hotel steps,
and the Royal Palm veranda piers into a dedicated plaza along
the east side of the building.
• Incorporation of interpretative exhibits into the dedicated plaza
that depict site findings, describing the historical significance of
the site over different eras and the current understanding of the
way of life of the original Tequesta inhabitants
February 14, 2014
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RECOMMENDATION
• Donation of all movable artifacts recovered from the site that are
not used as part of the interpretive exhibits within Met Square or
the plaza to History Miami.
• Donation of soft -copy versions of the three dimensional mapping
surveys of the site to universities within the State of Florida
The Action Plan proposes archaeological mitigation and preservation
measures that are already required by Warrant 13-0013, issued in April
2013 approving a minor modification to the Major Use Special Permit for
the project. In light of the significance of the findings at this site, which
are eligible for local historic designation, National Register listing, and
potentially eligible for National Landmark and UNESCO World Heritage
listing, it is appropriate that additional efforts be made to preserve the
archaeological features, above and beyond those already required by
past development approvals.
Previous development agreements made for this project support
preservation of significant archaeological features:
HEPB-2002-68 and City Commission Resolution 02-1249 require:
In the event of an unanticipated discovery of a significant feature
such as grave(s), structural foundations, or other unusual or
unique features of historic or archaeological significance... it is
the intent of the developer that such discoveries will be fully
documented and preserved whenever possible.
Warrant 13-0013 requires:
All future significant archaeological discoveries on the site,
including but not limited to: human remains, post hole features,
building foundations, or features associated with Fort Dallas,
shall be fully documented and preserved to the greatest extent
possible.
The Preservation Office reiterates that the developer must comply with all
archaeological requirements of previous development approvals from the
City of Miami. Further, the Preservation Office recommends that the
developer, in accordance with the intent of HEPB-2002-68, City
Commission Resolution 02-1249, and Warrant 13-0013, further explore
all possibilities to redesign of the current project to fully preserve the
significant archaeological features that have been discovered on the site.
February 14, 2014
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