HomeMy WebLinkAboutSubmittal-Melissa Meyer-Article-Planned demo of Church ProtestedSubmitted into the public.,
record f r it m s) 5V,
on City Clerk
- 5\646\ - - \saq\Atis, avuvo oio wfs\
b
CHURCK-FROM ,
;aping open; ;and a small
3yer1anging barrel -tile gable
roof,,and punched out a his-
toric 'plaque; which preserva-
tionists fear was destroyed.
But the crew left shortly
after the preservationists
who .say the church hasa
demolition permit but appar-
ently no 'permit to work after
hours called police.
Historian 'Arv,a Moore
Parks 'said a man who came
to a locked constriction gate
identified himselfas a church
rwarden" and said demoli-
,tion, had begun "on the
ladViee of attorneys."
On Saturday night, Allen-
Taiella said she maynot have
been up up to date on the con-
itraCtoes schedule. She also
deniedthe historic plaque
was damaged, damaged, saying it was
!being removed to be used on
(a new school building:
"I'm not the contractor,"
tAllen-Faiella Said:2'1'm not
r/00 percent on top of the
aontiactor's schedule and
What happens when. I do
know this is a carefully con-
sidered plan, and we're not
going in there With bulldoz-
ers and dynamite."
Although the congrega-
'tion has made no secret of
iplens to expand its down-
town Grove carnpus,:pieser- -went public in recent days;
:vatiOnists say they didn't Meyer, a 12-year..St.":.Ste-
realize the original church phen's member ',who
Would be 'destroyed in ,the congregation leaders
:prOOss'Until Mellisi Meyer, carded her blueprint to pre -
an architect who worked on serve at least the most impOr-„";
,1 tent portions of thechgroh, is
now among thoseprotestmg
the 'planned demolition,
"I'm speaking out because
I've alwaYa:felt a strongbond
with the church," Meyer said.,
: "I think they Made a big
ChadeS.M.- Hill III'
-", MDC Alumnus ,
• Judge of Compensation Claims
otAdmostrativerHeatinor
Call us „''-
REPOLL E PETPMiade
College„-
, vmmindeationni:codi -
Submitted into the publiv\
record for. itepi(s) SV, 1
on 3/ / 1 . City Clerk
:cpasultant to;the
tect, Jenifer Briley,
Jorge Hernandez;aa archi-
tect and UniversitY of Miami:
professor WhO designed new -
buildings for St.Stepheri,s
several years age, concurred.,,
' -He clled. the congregation's,
decision nuts and inco
hermit"
"The bottom line IS, 'eery,„
bit of the original -building is;
there; and it can he brotight-
hack," said .Hernandez; 'a,.
trustee of the National :Trust
for Historic Preservation._
' The _St. Stephen's project;
may have fallen throughthe,
cracks, Hernandez ..said.
Because the' old building
apparently was identified as
Sopher Hallin permit' appli-
cations, 'reviewers may. not
have realized its significance.:
Also; he said; while. Coral'.
Gables requires all demoli—
tion applications to he.
approved by the city preser
vation Officer, Miami does;
"There is. a,gap in `the
law," he said.
Parks .Said She.belieVes.
many school parents and
MARliECOHN BAND/MiAMI HERALDSTO church members den' t know.
;
PREPARING FOR THE NEW: Silvia Larrauri;ai.)o.'Ve-left, pri6-ciPal Of St Stephens Episcopa1.6ayrSchoo . an others the significance of the build
_participate in a groundbreaking for a new school building. The old chufdi,,15elow, may. be demolished:'
Meyer said the church
-
the project, left the job - newbuildings they will misled preservationists': .
construct will he -certified Her original plan, which
"greerThe school domain- integrated the front half Of
nity has raised almost$4 Mil-. the church, its bell tower and
lion for, the effort, said IV-eye:Other main elementSfOr:dae
:,charlfon;:t,he school -board as school offices;,wai: pub=
(,...chairworifam ';- lishellast :Year Ma book by
and Miami historian Paul:Geotge
- . .
ing historic buildings, hoi,vr'', -recounting the ..'.church
ever, has long been regarded school's. -50 years'
as a POor practice among leading many to think most
architects ' and preservat,„ of the building",,Would:-. be
lists. Green building pi -knees saved, Meyer said. Several.
' _also- Strongly- discourage chaptersof thehook focits op
demolition of existing strut . the original church
,.:.Opponents of the:elmrdY5 , :But her plan,..was‘-dis7
plans said,a they _haVe lost some of its , original used dt", a church since the Meyer said the 'replica'-- carded as the retail building
approached the details. Dexnolition and,::1950Si:Wlien'the'CongregatiOn of the, Church entrance they grew larger, leaving no room
..preServatiOn' offiCe:ta".:dee,'-iiiieStoi-rernOval-ori the new is inade- to attach to the modern ' for the. original :Church,
whetherthe'dernolitiOn'can riOr:c&-,t4;,chnich building quate fbi-MOdern,1asSronm, conintercialibuildingsiS little -Meyer sail:
be blocked, Allen-Faiella said began last week ' - more than a'eariCature of the.,- On'Friday, George who
Frida3i,.that. church leaders Although the city of;:,:,'!:,She said the congregation original, because itis'net the ' has pointed Out-,thechuiCh
would also keep that ,Cork:..:..Miaipf has conferred historic will replicate the facade of it same 'size or proportion as building on his popular:walk:
;inittrent7 tbmeet with prOS:::'!iaticiniark'sMins,,on„ at leist, the old .chnich,,:kn own the -:1912--Structiire. 'It 'also I ing tours for 20-yearS 7-said
ervatiOnisti--b:Thursday:;-:.-c:::-ninehurChes;:rananingrlini :-.Sopher Hall,,'mathe'fiont'sd., would be a different loca7:: he was
The small churpk,;:waS:;-,cannOt:,be :denioiished,. or '.:!'tlienew commercial building don. directly on Main They're -wonderful peo-
built by Coconut Grove,106;!,•altere&signifidantlY, none is on Main Highway. -,The rep- -Highway. -George Seicirof‘congre-
neerS, including Commodore older than Se. Stephen's. But lice will be CroWnect with the "dhitichit set back a distance..gatiOn leaders, but he added:
Ralph Munroe, on whose for- "'the St. Stephen's s'-:frcin the:Street: • !:-;" "Why they would tear down
mer lands it fie.yelbden*signate'd;',C4,:*-::":We care'.:-Cleely :about:: ".'Simulated Version Of
.' something like this, whythey
. just a horrible situa preservation OffiCer, 'Elien'-r.Preierving'sPmething that is the original goes -against the, would demolish the Single
,.. said Parks, , .Vgie CiOni; -"Could; not- be --'dear • to-,ns,"Ahe rector seictf',;„ principles 6f greenarch4ec7 , most important physical
ele-
recently of the,-ditY's: reached Friday. , ',::!!ThiS is what it looked like ture and against all the prin- ment of theirlcongregatiemis
planning : The-.4iScopal,schobl's when it was historic preserve:. beyond me„ It's super-inippr-
'' Church leaders .r;I;ctor;Allenlaiella,Saidtlie Congiegatii2xi:.leaders :are'. tion;!' jaaid,..Meter,-. who tant. IticOuld be a showl)/2-t7e.
church is dilapidated and has -r'building, Which has not been': also touting the:fact that the :Worked on the project as„a,. .!,`I don't think they get it."
1
Submitted into the public
record fo ite (s) $ V. l
on 5/ / 1 l . City Clerk
COCONUT: G'ROVE .1
DEMOLITION FROM18" 1 warning system to alert city
officials when construction
by Grove,ptoneers: or demolition plans threaten
:;.: The episode; Miami a' -'potentially significant';
:administrators say exposed ,-building or site that hasyet'
gaps in;the citys_preservs- to' be designated as a':land=
.. tion system that they are now mark. Designation . bars'
:taking steps to fill ' A martyr demolition:' or significant
;rto a' cause,' Miami.preserva- alteration of a historic prop
•,tion 'chief; Ellen{ Uguccioni `erty, .
;calla:the', old church "We ''would have ,aa
St —Stephen's leaders stand heads -up when something;
r,by the 'decision, to.,demolish like;. this is afoot which; we
`.the.chureh contending. it had didn't have before Ugiic,-,c
outlived its usefulness and to cioni said 't.
replace it with,new school 'City officials stress that St.
andconitnercialretailbuild-:'Stephen's applications', met
u ings::They insist they, made ;all requirements; in effect at',
,city+'officials .."'and Grove the tinie,.and they cant>say.'
neighbors fully aware ofz why church•offi'cials omitted'
their'plan`s t;; . seemingly.pertinent informa::
City -and county:officials, tion about the old chapel.
t. Stephen's rs'tii'ed
erng the wh'ipprng-
Wehave
o'llowed`the rules
e did: everything we
we r•e supposed to do
'e had no intent of,:
isleading anyone':
EV WILIFRED ALLEN•FAIELLA,
St. Stephens rector
Lion decided to expand,tiie.
`retail building according;to'
-.Melissa-llMayer ail.architec-
°^�� onr the dal e igns and subseant who a
Last week city planning BLAME, GAME m .^ -�� quentlyalerted preservation-.
director; Aria'Gelabert San But St. -Stephen's rector teat"µ+ x r ` t— ists about the impending '
chez retooled Miami s devel= the , Rev. `. W ilifred, ";Allen t - • s w ° �" `` `demolition: Instead;'congr•e-
.'opinentpermit,applications Faiella;calledpublicofficiais st •"e° .gation leaders.` decided."'to'
%'and procedures'to:trigger`a conclusions` `and 'media "'-PATeuxFASREIL MIAMIHEk tosrA build a'replica in a different
:"r`eview;when buildings older ,reports On ',tile demolition 'AN.AVOIDABLE DEBACLE' S,t Stephen's'feaders'stand by`:thederriolitlon,of Miami g:. place using' sortie •sal`vaged
than St). years care; affected: erroneous and distorted: oldest�standing church sa• ying tb•e'Mission="style,chapel •outlived its usefulness. `- mat•erials. George sa d,he was
%'A pplic"ants would ':be St:. Stephen's is tired'.of ', ' " t not told of the change.
Planners and preservatiOnlsts•have Condemned the demolrtion:as unnecessary:' But Allen-Faieha disputes
required to disclose the date being thewhipping boy," she ,„ s ; p
of construction of. buildings said:"'We have'- followed'. the ' < r ' ;` ;;`, that account, saying only the
the seek tear1down,'spec- rules, We did everything we tier office and preservation;„ ing it sought to dernoh'an sh,d very;'few of ;the original', final plan' was presented,to
Y, to ,
ify.their use;'and' provide were' supposed to do: We had;:groups',and.; thus was never'accompanying'photographs m .•details°reain)the congregation She said its
detailed photographs no,intent of misleading°any ;designated,lnstonc and. drawings which did -not The description whichf ;planners considered saving
1Y. ^ City' administrators are one :" , - '•" rUguccioni said .the city;_: depict ;theold
o, church contains 'no: ;other- exxplicit4 those of the church;but
also. considering. having: the :..She continued to insist the lacks ,the resources=td sys- ..readily;identifiable front, and reference:to the chapel,' goes diScardedt the idea because
Fhistoric;preservatlon.officer church had made its ,;p' lans' : teniatically survey neighbor-,!; labeled; it only as a school on to say:. ""The new. build the building contained mold
review all demolition appli plain..to,.all, .but acknowl ,hoods for' significant- build .'building,; left•,offcials,,the.ings are replacing existing; and drained, poorly:—prob'
cations,for such older build edged' the; congregation did ings or places relyinganstead ;:impression nothing;of note:1 structures . 'lens often' found in historic
ings F' notspecify the:age or nature; on volunteers and.preserva ..was affected,= and no rea- .Moore contends the use of ;.buildings and;ustially easily
'x* g p 2 ast tense. in "occupied addressed,; architects`and
; And-U ucciont;� the res= of the :old church m rts'apph tionists to; identif .them ,son to;in uire further the p
:,ervation 'officer,. is helping cation because we.weren t thus the idea'for the Heritage,,., No fl gs went'up for any • .suggests• the church was no preservation' officials say., ;
,, spearhead an ambitious lan asked,to ' ' Network eviewin this lan," lon g er standing, when in'fact =
p �� one r g `. p g. g 'A REAL JEWEL'
;witht•he;countypreservation CouIda ,ry woul'da ,.Preservationists'say they`tlguccionisaid .',; .:'itwasverymuchintactatthe
.office; architects and preser- should„' , " she added: "Had .,-bear some responsibility for •••;' Parks°and preservationists', time of demolition. ,.: ' . 'There is little; doubt now
vationists to identify- rand therebeen different rules in 'not..actin sooner to safe have also zeroedin on a "pro- : Moore the' county.preser that the little' church building
safeguard other;. overlooked ' placeat,the time, I'm sure we 'guard the.chapeL ;_ ject description 'submitted . vation' board•,and preserva would have'merited"consid-
shistoric',buildings'.and sites" would have complied?! '`: "The situation made peo ', to'the'city by St. Stephen s — tionists have also criticized - eration for.historic,'.designa-
across Miami Dade'County' She"'blamied the+:.;city i:ple realize that lust: because ? and nelled;outby the;con ;the congregation s issuance ,.tion Uguccioni said:.:
.± Dubbed Heritage Net- -They' didn't: do their home -':,something is important does .,agregationtor adjoining prop- of brochures -and a history LJM,:students and ,profes-
work, the' project. would' ask work: So the city has, learned `- not mean that its necessarily 'f erty owners ',which" they :book `,commissioned ='from. sors who were."allowedc to
? county residents to7noininate . something from this'•.Well 'safe said ,Miann historian believe' to' be misleading. historian Paul. George that 1;survey the structure before •
properties important to that s' great AMo rva oore, Parks, ne '' of a :`' depict the front • of the old" demolition `concluded the.
`them. The ' :nominations •-„ City officials;'''concede the '= up gro, of -.preservationists; VAGUE DESCRIPTION -;, .church including';, the .building with an early',:1919
wouid,be;'culied by Umver,, old ;cliurch;, fell,: through •. who vainly,'.tried at, the last The "' congregation entrance, beiltower;•sections addition on its flank and an
city, oftMianii:architeeture.,bureaucratiecracks minute to.'"persuade. St Ste .'>described'the,relevant-new oforiginalDada County -Pine ;attached .colonnaded
+students=end professors for For one thing the modest '.plien s'leaders to;'consider 'portion; of the project:this • ceiling trusses, a.section -Of': entrinceWay, was intact ''
rtcatalogingand-subnussion.to Missiott style church con alternatives to demolition ";';-way:'-1".An entryy`. building.;the original Ludowici=tiled . '"1'his could have been a
'county'and municipal preset .verted into classrooms, and Moreover, Uguccioni and incorporating,. elements of ,roof and covered'.entrance -: real Jewel," -,said architect and
'•vation'boards f r; - replactid ;by -a .larser and,;-.'plannig dcpartmcntspokcs r:,thc-;origins front-facade'tif way:- as,baing,incorporated;--preservationist .Jorge Here
I.:- ,The sum of, those mea- : modern sanctuary nearby in' woman „Luciana' Gonzalez- . the Mission Style, Chapel that into a new building.' nandez; who designed an ear
sures,,Uguccioni said, would the l956s, had' long,escaped , said the: vague :descriptions,''occupied the site in the'early;' : That idea was later aban=' _flex expansion ; of Si. Ste-,