Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutSubmittal at 02-19-2020 PZAB Mtg - Public Comment - Eastside RidgePlanning & Zoning Board City of Miami 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 February 19, 2020 Submitted Into The Record 3 361 7/ liT /Zc' (Jobe, caogestA;•/ Re: PZAB Item #2 — Eastside Ridge Dear Planning & Zoning Board Members: I would like to ask this Board to DEFER approval or denial of Item #2 on today's agenda, the Eastside Ridge SAP FLUM changes. My reasons for doing so are as follows: 1. The status of SAP legislation is currently in flux and is potentially subject to change. In recent months, Special Area Plans have come under fire by both the public and in the media. PZAB itself recently voted to recommend eliminating SAPS from Miami 21 altogether. Meanwhile, some City Commissioners have indicated they are less than happy with the way Miami is being developed under Miami 21 and have called for a comprehensive review which is ongoing. It is reasonable to assume that Special Area Plans will be given close consideration and that changes will be made as to how they are regulated -- if in fact they are not eliminated from the zoning code altogether. Under the circumstances it would be both reasonable and prudent to delay voting on the Eastside Ridge application. 2. The current process for approval of SAPs is flawed and must be corrected before any additional SAPs may be considered. Although both Miami 21 and our Florida statutes require that SAPs and other local development agreements be consistent with existing zoning regulations, it is clear that the City of Miami Planning Department and the City Commission have chosen to ignore the zoning ordinances which require SAPs to be compatible in scale and character with surrounding neighborhoods. It is precisely this lack of consistency and lack of transparency in the process that has generated the controversy currently surrounding SAPs as well as an ongoing lawsuit contesting the recently approved Magic City Special Area Plan. The outcome of that lawsuit, as well as likely changes in the legislation mentioned above, is also in flux and yet to be determined. 3. Approval of Special Area Plans is not "Of Right" but is discretionary. The discretionary aspect involves factors such as whether or not the SAP is consistent with the City's comprehensive zoning code and residents' best interests. It is clear to anyone looking at the Eastside Ridge application that it is inconsistent with both the City's housing needs and zoning laws which call for preservation of neighborhoods. The problem is, as mentioned above, both the City Planning Department and the City Commission have been putting PZAB in the untenable position of seeing its recommendations ignored and SAPs approved that are clearly not in anyone's best interests except for the developers'. For example, in the case of Eastside Ridge, the Planning Department has issued conditional approval. It should be noted that final approval would result in the elimination of 515 existing affordable housing units to be replaced by over 2,000 upscale high-rise (up to 28 stories) residential units. This, in a city whose Affordable Housing crisis has garnered national headlines! And this, in a neighborhood of predominantly single family homes or duplexes already reeling from the impact of the proposed nearby Magic City SAP, which calls for seven 27-story upscale residential condo towers. Clearly, PZAB cannot and should not be put in the untenable position of being required to make any kind of a recommendation on such projects until the problems that currently beset SAPs are sorted out. Sincerely, )1Q A4A40L4tcr Deborah Stander 830 NE 74 Street Miami, FL 33138 Caf fiS\ (19e- P ' ` Z. 2 1t9I-zD2O Submitted Into Th.; Record -2)3-0 2-11117G October 30th, 2019 rev Feb 19th, 2020 PZAB 2 From: Peter R. Ehrlich, Jr. — Lemon City, Upper East Side RE: Eastside Ridge SAP Defer PZAB 2. Do Not approve this scheme "with conditions". Let the developer fix the plethora of problems BEFORE bringing it back for your approval. ottiYnavttl I ask you as a longtime stakeholder in the neighborhood. Since 1998 my companies have owned property located between NE 54th Street and NE 62nd Streets. I have driven through the neighborhood 20,000+ times since 1998. (4 times a day x 6,000+/- days.). I am affiliated with Lemon City, MiMo, the Urban Environment League, Scenic Miami and the Bayside Historic District. We have tried to work things out with the applicants. Neighbors have expressed their concerns to Ed Martos, Vicky Leiva and other paid promoters of the up zoning. Ed Martos refused to respond to E-mails and calls since August 2017. Vicky Leiva, the most recently hired lobbyist/attorney, has NOT addressed our concerns either. And Ms. Leiva has refused to meet with us. Specifically, regarding traffic and access to the site: A. We strongly recommend that the existing and proposed main entrance on NE 54th Street be moved west to perfectly line up with the existing City owned NE 3rd Avenue. Two lanes in and two lanes out south of 54th Street but definitely line up with the existing 3rd Avenue. (We aggressively oppose the scheme outlined in the Development Agreement.) B. We strongly recommend that the entrance/exit at NE 2nd Avenue at 51st Street be fixed. We recommend 2 lanes coming in and 2 lanes going out. Most importantly, there should be one NE 51st Street intersection NOT two. Line up with the Jewish Home Medical Center and Hotel entrance/exit currently called NE 51st Street. Yes, there are two NE 51st Streets now... There should be one traffic light for NE 51st Street, NOT two. 1 C. We recommend that a new NE 3rd Avenue be extended due south to NE 48th Street and INTO the Archbishop Curley site. NE 3rd Avenue south of NE 54th Street should be perfectly aligned with NE 3rd Avenue going north to 62nd Street. This helps to provide accessibility to surrounding neighborhoods and it would help alleviate the inevitable traffic gridlock. D. We recommend that the property owners plan for the horrible monster intersection at 54t Street/Biscayne Blvd./NE 4th Avenue/Federal Highway/NE 4th Court/FEC Railroad Tracks. There should be an entrance/exit on NE 54th Street as far west as possible to keep traffic away from the horrible monster intersection at 54th Street/Biscayne Blvd./Federal Highway/NE 4th Court/FEC Railroad Tracks. We get 32-40 Brightline trains a day now? We get freight trains. Imagine the gridlock if we get more...? Imagine if we get 32-40 Local trains a day...? E. Traffic Study. The Traffic Study is useless. It was conducted almost FOUR years ago. (January 2016, printed March 2016.) It ignores the Magic City Innovation District SAP and its 2,800 apartments and 1,000,000 sq. ft. commercial space. It ignores NE 4th Avenue. (See pages 5, 17, 30-34 of 558+ pages). The traffic study needs to be updated and redone! In fact, at your October 16th, 2019 meeting your Board made a Motion recommending the applicant update its useless 2016 Traffic Study... Defer this application. Do not approve this scheme "with conditions". Defer it and let the developer fix the plethora of problems before bringing it back. Thank you. Peter R. Ehrlich, Jr. 720 NE 69th Street, #6N, Miami 33138 2 2/19/2020 Skip to main content Supporter comments • Gena Veillard: No more "Special Area Plans" in Miami! • Change.org • o Start a petition o My petitions o Browse o Membership Notifications 0 See all You don't have any notifications. Submitted Into The Record When there is activity on a petition you support, you will see it here. Meanwhile, you can browse Change.org to find other petitions you want to support. Discover petitions Log in Log in with Google or Password Not you? Forgot password? Log in Log in with Facebook By joining, or logging in via Facebook, you accept Change.org's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. • My - petitions • Settings • Start a petition • Membership • Browse • Search • Sagine Taluy Log out No more "Special Area Plans" in Miami! https://www.change.org/p/gena-veillard-no-more-special-area-plans-in-miami/c?source_location=petit!on_show 1/17 2/19/2020 605 supporters Supporter comments • Gena Veillard: No more "Special Area Plans" in Miami! • Change.org Reasons for signing See why other supporters are signing, why this petition is important to them, and share your reason for signing (this will mean a lot to the starter of the petition). Thanks for adding your voice. Alejandra Miller 2 days ago I have been displaced in the past when our 4 story affordable rental apartment building in Edgewater was sold and replaced with new construction "Elysee " a boutique high end condo building that priced us out of the area and left us looking for a new home. We moved to Design Place next and... Read more • 0 Share Tweet Report j Thanks for adding your voice. Adrienne grayson 3 weeks ago I care about the growth of Miami • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Paul Krebes 3 weeks ago https://www.change.org/p/gena-veillard-no-more-special-area-plans-in-miami/c?source_location=petition_show 2/17 2/19/2020 Supporter comments • Gena Veillard: No more "Special Area Plans" in Miami! • Change.org Miami will be plundered once again by developers who will take their profits and leave the city more vulnerable than ever to gridlocked density and displacing of the many by the privileged few through unaffordable housing. • • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Tracy Riley 3 weeks ago Coconut Grove needs advocates that will protect it's beauty. Has anyone thought where there is a tree canopy prices go up? We should all be on the same page with preserving the quaint village feel that only Coconut Grove has. • • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. John Nordt 3 weeks ago All SAP's should sunset, and never return they deStroy neighborhoods ! ! • • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Glenn Patron 3 weeks ago Too loose https://www.change.org/p/gena-veillard-no-more-special-area-plans-in-m!ami/c?source_location=pet!tion_show 3/17 2/19/2020 Supporter comments • Gena Veillard: No more Special Area Plans" in Miami! • Change.org • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. • Cel Reyes Oct 19, 2019 NO! Enough is enough! These rich people continue to make their way through investments and preying on those less fortunate. STOP it! STOP THE GREED! • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Jessica Carranza Oct 16, 2019 Development with lack of infrastructure....this is nonsense. Public officials only care about their personal gains, meanwhile it takes affected residents 15 minutes to travel one mile. More buildings equal more traffic in an already over -congested area. They are confusing Miami for one of many... Read more • Share Tweet Report , Thanks for adding your voice. https://www.change.org/p/gena-ve!Ilard-no-more-special-area-plans-!n-m!am!/c?source_location=petit!on_show 4/17 2/19/2020 Supporter comments • Gena Veillard: No more "Special Area Plans" in Miami! • Change.org Valerie Schwarzkopi Oct 16, 2019 I live here and I love my neighborhood, This plan is totally not proportional and visually disturbing. it will kill the privacy of the homes around it. the traffic is bad enough now, imagine with 2000 more cars trying to jam biscayne at peak hours. • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Brandi Baldwin Oct 15, 2019 Im tired of watching the unique character of my city be paved over by giant shopping centers, all in the name of making money. I'm not opposed to making money, I am opposed to sacrificing things way more important to do so. • • 2 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Frances MacIntyre Oct 15, 2019 This is creating another downtown where it doesn't belong. Wrong size, wrong place. • • 0 https://www.change.org/p/gena-veillard-no-more-special-area-plans-in-miami/c?source_location=petition_show 5/17 2/19/2020 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. BK Gardner Oct 15, 2019 Enough is enough! • • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Supporter comments • Gena Veillard: No more "Special Area Plans" in Miami! • Change.org Jordan Levin Oct 14, 2019 SAP's are overwhelming Miami with over -development, gutting neighborhoods' quality of life and community, flooding us with more and worse traffic (while the city does nothing to improve mass transit), sending real estate and rental prices soaring - all so developers and foreign... Read more • • 1 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. victoria saldana https://www.change.org/p/gena-veillard-no-more-special-area-plans-in-miami/c?source_location=petition_show 6/17 2/19/2020 Supporter comments • Gena Veillard: No more "Special Area Plans" in Miami! • Change.org Oct 14, 2019 City planning needs to be designed for the betterment of the people in the city.. not for the increase of short term gains in developers pockets. • • 0 Share Tweet Report j Thanks for adding your voice. Brian Hollenbeck Oct 14, 2019 The scope of the project is grossly beyond the scale of Miami 21 requirements. This irresponsible and illegal and if lobbied to succeed, anyone that touches it should be fiercely investigated. Enough. There is the right plan plus it was already rejected once as is. • • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Eva VICUNA Oct 14, 2019 I support the cause. it's out of control and somethings need to be changed because is affecting us ... • • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. https://www.change.org/p/gena-veillard-no-more-special-area-plans-in-miami/c?source_location=petition_show 7/17 2/19/2020 Supporter comments • Gena Veillard: No more "Special Area Plans" in Miami! • Change.org mariella lop Oct 14, 2019 This over development that only enhances the deep pockets of developers and that of city officials (public servants) needs to stop ASAP! We don't have the infrastructure ? HELLO? And it would be nice to preserve our coastal way of life that once was before all this corruption came to Miami... Read more • • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Brett Ury Oct 14, 2019 Enough! ! ! Stop over developing, stop creating more traffic and infrastructure problems. Invest in our city to make it better, NOT more crowded. Build light rail, metro mover or some new form of mass transit and help IMPOVE our city. Developer care only about profits. Let's see if the... Read more • 1 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Jane Russell Oct 14, 2019 I can't believe a project of this size is even under consideration; no accommodation of quality of life, public transportation, wedged between NE 2nd Ave & Biscayne Blvd as the main thoroughfares?? https://www.change.org/p/gena-veillard-no-more-special-area-plans-in-miami/c?source_location=petition_show 8/17 2/19/2020 • 0 Supporter comments • Gena Veillard: No more "Special Area Plans" in Miami! • Change.org Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Barry Ekle Oct 14, 2019 These SAPs are being used for excessive and out of scale developments, and worse without any accommodation for increased infrastructure. • • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Grace Solares Oct 13, 2019 Grace Solares • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. https://www.change.org/p/gena-veillard-no-more-special-area-plans-in-miami/c?source_location=petition_show 9/17 2/19/2020 Supporter comments • Gena Veillard: No more "Special Area Plans" in Miami! • Change.org Deborah Dolson May 16, 2019 We must protect the scale and character of our neighborhoods. No loopholes. • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Travis Gardner May 15, 2019 Climate gentrification is a problem and we need no more of it. • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Mimi Gross May 15, 2019 I am signing because this project is not within scale. The traffic on Biscayne Blvd. is a nightmare as it is, I cannot imagine what it will be like if this project is approved. We simply do not have the infrastructure for a project this size. • • 0 Share https://www.change.org/p/gena-veillard-no-more-special-area-plans-i n-miam i/c?sou rce_location=petition_show 10/17 2/19/2020 Tweet Report Supporter comments • Gena Veillard: No more "Special Area Plans" in Miami! • Change.org Thanks for adding your voice. Dulcee Barnes Mar 26, 2019 Stop gentrification and the displacement of minorities in Miami!! End SAPS! • • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Lilit Petrosyan 2 years ago For quality of air and life • • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. https://www.change.org/p/gena-veillard-no-more-special-area-plans-in-miami/c?source_location=petition_show 11/17 2/19/2020 Supporter comments • Gena Veillard: No more "Special Area Plans" in Miami! • Change.org Divinity Bey. 2 years ago I hate gentrification • • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Chaim Lieberperson 2 years ago The large scale SAPs are large impact and reshuffle "life as normal" low density quality of life rhythms we have known. Even one small SAP like on my corner at 47th/NE 2nd Ave is troubling. Out of scale is out of scale! Please stop. • • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. iordan Jordan Levin 2 years ago Unless the city commission stops approving massive SAP's for every developer seeking to maximize profit at the cost of quality of life, sustainability, traffic insanity, and all the other ills of over -development, stop SAP's! They're not 'special' - they're taking over Miami. • 0 https://www.change.org/p/gena-veillard-no-more-special-area-plans-in-miam!/c?source_location=pet!tion_show 12/17 2/19/2020 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Patricia Esteche 2 years ago conciencia • • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Supporter comments • Gena Veillard: No more "Special Area Plans" in Miami! • Change.org Jose E. Gamas 2 years ago Traffic is already unmanageable and more overdeveloped projects will make traffic a true nightmare. This project is out sale with the adjacent residential communities. • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Ruben Marangone 2 years ago https://www.change.org/p/gena-veillard-no-more-special-area-plans-in-miami/c?source_location=petition_show 13/17 2/19/2020 Supporter comments • Gena Veillard: No more "Special Area Plans" in Miami! • Change.org I'm signing because I don't wanna more horrible trafic congestion in this city . No more big buildings . • • 0 Share Tweet Report ; Thanks for adding your voice. David Purpera 2 years ago Before adding thousands of residents to our neighborhood (legion park + design place) consider the people who live there and build more roads & improve the electrical & sewer infrastructure. While we are at it, can we stop putting signs, trees & light poles in the middle of the sidewalks along... Read more • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Sandra Smallwood -Beltran 2 years ago We oppose any further construction of condo buildings. • • 0 Share Tweet https://www.change.org/p/gena-veillard-no-more-special-area-plans-in-miami/c?source_location=petit!on_show 14/17 2/19/2020 Supporter comments • Gena Veillard: No more "Special Area Plans" in Miami! • Change.org Report Thanks for adding your voice. Jo -Ann forster 2 years ago Jo -Ann Forster • • 0 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. steve SAULS 2 years ago there is no comprehensive development plan for the area between 36th St & 79th St. between I-95 and the bay. Haphazard zoning exceptions are destroying the current scale and diverse charm of the area. There has to be a better way. • • 4 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Wendy Stephan 2 years ago We've experienced the discomfort of having the Design District SAP right up against our historic neighborhood of Buena Vista East. It has meant noise, endless construction and nonexistent setbacks that mean no transition between residential and commercial https://www.change.org/p/gena-veillard-no-more-special-area-plans-in-miami/c?source_location=petition_show 15/17 2/19/2020 Supporter comments • Gena Veillard: No more "Special Area Plans" in Miami! • Change.org zones. Let's put an end to this... Read more • • 2 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Virginia Vela 2 years ago I am against threatening plans to over develop the affected areas of Miami and do not want to see the terrible impact they will have as far as gentrification, out -of -scale buildings, and horrible traffic that will surely result if they go through. Thanks. • 1 Share Tweet Report Thanks for adding your voice. Cassel Paul 2 years ago Other than financial windfalls for developers, and others, who's primary responsibilities should be ensuring the overall welfare of the community they serve, and most of whom will not be affected by the enormous negative impacts of such overdevelopment, there's no sound reasoning for this... Read more • • 1 Share Tweet https://www.change.org/p/gena-veillard-no-more-special-area-plans-in-miami/c?source_location=petition_show 16/17 2/19/2020 Supporter comments • Gena Veillard: No more "Special Area Plans" in Miami! • Change.org Report Thanks for adding your voice. Kevin Gray 2 years ago We need to protect MIMO and UES • • 2 Share Tweet Report Load more COMPANY About Impact Careers Team COMMUNITY Blog Press SUPPORT Help Guides Privacy Policies CONNECT Twitter Facebook English (United States) • © 2020, Change.org, PBC Certified B Corporation This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. https://www.change.org/p/gena-veillard-no-more-special-area-plans-in-miami/c?source_location=petition_show 17/17 2/19/2020 Design Place Addresses Some Complaints Raised in Discrimination Lawsuit 1 Miami New Times NewTimes Design Place Addresses Some Complaints Raised in Discrimination I.L.wsuit FRANCISCO ALVARADO I JANUARY 30, 2013 1 8:OOAM A nonprofit organization that fights housing discrimination recently scored a partial court victory against SPV Realty, the New York -based company that owns Little Haiti apartment complex Design Place. HOPE Fair Housing Center is suing SPV in Miami federal court, alleging the rental real estate firm discriminates against African - American renters. On January 24, U.S. District Judge Cecilia Altonga ordered SPV to post signs explaining the Fair Housing Act throughout the complex, including the leasing office, stop using advertisements that depict only Caucasian people, and make sure all the ads contain a declaration against discrimination of anyone based on race, creed, or color. "Plaintiffs have made a strong showing as to each of the claimed violations," Altonga wrote in her order. SPV owner George Dfouni -- whose ads for Design Place claim it is located in the Design District -- did not return a call seeking comment, but in a previous interview he flatly denied shunning African -Americans. "The allegations are false," Dfouni said at the time. "You can't discriminate, especially in Miami." According to court documents, SPV claims it had already implemented the measures in Altonga's order prior to her ruling. However, the judge did not grant HOPE's request to take away management of Design Place from SPV. https://www.miaminewtimes.com/content/printView/6561799 1/2 z 2- 2-j /2-0Z0 Fz ,d7L( aid 6/2 2 ic 1 -W Little Haiti residents fear being pushed out and are pushing back on big developments BY JOEY FLECIIA8 jflechas@miamiherald.com Pastor Erick Jules shouted into the night, one voice in a chorus of about 25 people chanting outside Miami City Hall around 1 a.m. "Little Haiti not for sale! Little Haiti not for sale!" they shouted Thursday morning, hoisting signs that said the same. They cele- brated after a late -night meeting where they had just succeeded in delaying a large-scale redevelopment of 22 acres that many see as the opening salvo in an wave of gentrification that could rapidly transform their swath of Miami and boost housing prices be- yond what they could af- ford. "Here in Little Haiti, we are sitting on some of the most precious land in the city," Jules had told the board an hour earlie , Jules, the pastor at One God in Three Persons First Baptist Church, was one of more than a dozen local residents who spoke ou.t against the specific project and against gentrification in general. The project at hand was Eastside Ridge, a large complex of more than 10 buildings, including towers rising about 20 stories, that would replace low -slung Design Place apartments on the corner of Northeast Second Avenue and 50th Street. Architect Kobi Karp designed the residential, hotel and commercial pro- ject for landlord SPV Realty. Some residents who at- tended the meeting were either supportive or luke- warm on the development, which is proposed to come with public benefits that would include workforce housing, jobs for people in Little Haiti and new park space. But the louder and larger part of the audience voiced strong criticism of the East - side Ridge proposal and, on a higher order, Miami's approach to redrawing neighborhoods using large- scale redevelopment. Many opponents who spoke are hospitality workers repre- sented by Unite Here Local 355, the county's only hotel union, and they insisted that Eastside Ridge can provide more benefits for the community and ensure that the development keeps Little Haiti residents from being displaced. One resident after anoth- er decried the influx of "special area plans" on the horizon. Such plans allow developers who own nine acres or more of contiguous land to ask for greater den- sity and height in exchange for public amenities, such as parks. Five of these projects are in the works for tracts of land north of Interstate 195, with Eastside Ridge furthest along in the planning pro- cess. Residents want the city to consider all the pro- posals together because they fear the identity of Little Haiti is going to be wiped out one mega devel- opment at a time. "We have five major, mammoth developments like Eastside Ridge coming to the area," said Marleine Bastien, executive director of Haitian Women of Mia- mi. "This is overdevel- opment on steroids." Besides Eastside Ridge, four other similar plans are in development: • Legions West, a 1.2 million -square -foot com- plex that would abut Legion Park. • Miami Jewish Health Systems, across Second Avenue from Design Place, which is planning an expan- sion of an existing campus. • Magic City, a 15-acre assemblage including in- dustrial buildings and a demolished trailer park straddling Little Haiti and Little River that developers Tony Cho and Bob 2angril- lo want to convert into a technology, residential and cultural center. • Archbishop Curley -Notre Dame High School site, 15 acres directly south of Design Place, where the developer wants to build apartments, condos and retail space. The devel- oper is the same team be- hind the recently approved American Dream Mall in Northwest Miami -Dade. Late Wednesday, plan- ning board members al- lowed the Eastside Ridge development team to make a brief presentation, but the hearing was mostly ded- icated to allowing the pub- lic to weigh in because people had waited hours through other unrelated votes to speak on Eastside Ridge. After the meeting stretched. into Thursday morning, the board asked the Eastside Ridge team to meet with activists and /e negotiate further so more consensus can be built before the proposal comes back in September. Among the requests from the board: that the developer include onsite affordable housing. Ric Katz, a publicist and lobbyist who is represent- ing the owner, said on Thursday that the team is open to talks with the com- munity. "I have no doubt they will talk to us," he said. "I have no doubt Marleine and her group will sit down and talk specifics. We would greatly welcome that." The board agreed to hear the proposal again Sept. 5. Little Haiti Continued from page 41 a meeting at the One God in Three Persons Baptist Church, located on the bottom floor of an old apartment building at 473 NW 77th St. Attended by several dozen people, most of them Haitian, the gathering was organized by Pastor Erick Jules, the service workers union UNITE HERE Local 355, and Fanm Ayisyen Nan Miyami (also known as Haitian Women of Miami). Discussion at the meeting included stories of the Po kp-fatxc ' ast con- troversial ions in New York, whit m volved ony convictions. Two Podolsky bro rs, along with their father Zenek Po lsky (who died in 2015), pleaded gi 1ty to 37 felonies in 1984 in connec- tin with a scheme to hire "professional v.. ators" to intimidate rent -control to ants • m three buildings they own - a in New York "We're geari . " , ANM's executive director, Marleine Bastien. But the fight isn't just about Eastside Ridge. There were also stories of how developers and real estate investors are swooping into the Little Haiti area and forcing out small businesses and churches. In addition, speakers talked about real estate agents continuously contacting Haitian homeowners in the area, encouraging there to sell their homes. Bastien called it a plot to remove Haitian people from Little Haiti. "You can't sell your house. If you sell your house, we are going to lose Little Haiti!" Bastien shouted as the audience applauded. "You need to keep your house!" Actually, the plot has more to do with making money than simply forcing out Haitians. In July 2016, RealtyTrac rang the dinner hP11 fro- hn,aoa quadruple the monthly rent. Jules says he left, even though he had spent some $70,000 renovating the space. Now developers are making offers to buy the apartment building where his church relocated. "We're not okay with the way inves- tors and developers, the way they work, the way they fight with us," Jules says. Evan Philias, One God in Three Person's youth director, says they're also organizing with other churches in the area. But Philias says they don't neces- sarily want to stop the project outright. They want concessions that will benefit working-class people, particularly Hai- tians, who live in the surrounding area. "Right now, there's nothing to help e community, and the things that will help the community are better housing and better jobs," says Philias, who is also affiliated with UNITE HERE. "Small businesses are being displaced, and there's nothing to help them." To obtain their desired zoning, Eastside Ridge's developers are going through a process to evaluate a special area plan, or SAP. As part of that pro- cess, developers must demonstrate com- munity benefits. Three activists at the April 9 meeting told the BT that they'd like an arrangement similar to the one that Miami Worldcenter's developers had to follow in Park West three years ago. In exchange for receiving up to $108 million in tax rebates, the develop- ers agreed to hire at least 30 percent of its workforce from within the Southeast Overtown Park West Community Re- development Area at salaries starting at $11.58 an hour for unskilled labor. The arrangement was negotiated largely by City of Miami Commission Chairman Keon Hardernon, whose EXCLUSIVE: Shady real estate clan aA, ,er of New York City's plan to convert homeless apartments into affordable housing By Michael Gartland ;:in _ii. 2019 ; :56 PM <rrk dal!). n,", From left: Zenek Podolsky and sons Jay Podolsky and Stuart Podolsky are pictured in the 1980s. (Obtained by Daily News) The city's plan to convert nearly 500 "cluster site" homeless apartments into affordable housing hinges on acquiring 17 buildings controlled by the notorious Podolsky family, known for years as one of the city's worst landlords, the Daily News has learned. The deal — which Mayor de Blasio announced in December and abruptly placed on "pause" Friday — would involve the city financing the purchase of the properties at market -rate prices. That could cost the city anywhere between $40 million and $60 million or more, based on an analysis of available records. The Podolskys — whose methods have included maintaining squalid buildings run with rats, raking in millions of dollars from the city to house the homeless, and allegedly forcing tenants from their apartments through intimidation — own dozens of properties throughout the city, including hotels in Midtown. Stuart Podolsky, an unidentified woman and Jay Podolsky are pictured Feb. 15, 1988. (Clarence Davis / New York Daily News) The Podolsky brothers, Jay and Stuart, are now under investigation for potentially evading taxes, according to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal. A spokesman for the brothers said they are unaware of the probe. A de Blasio spokeswoman said the city is "putting this deal on pause to conduct additional appropriate due diligence," but declined to define the terms of that pause. The administration also did not immediately respond when asked why the landlords, who pleaded guilty to grand larceny and coercion in 1986, didn't raise hackles before learning about the federal probe. The cluster site properties in question are in the Bronx and Brooklyn. Since announcing his plans in December, Mayor de Blasio and city officials have for weeks kept the properties' locations and the landlord's identity a closely guarded secret. City Hall officials have confirmed that only one landlord controls all 17 properties and that they are in the Bronx and Brooklyn, but contend making any more information public could derail the deal. Among the 17 properties in question, four are located in Brooklyn, sources with knowledge of some of the deal's contours told The News. Two other sources confirmed the Podolskys have been negotiating with the city for months to sell. The Brooklyn properties — 1629 Eastern Parkway in Brownsville, 135 Albany Ave. in Flatbush, 594 Park Place and 1180 President St., both in Crown Heights — are all held by shell companies, city records show. Those limited liability companies all list the Podolskys' attorney, David Satnick, as the primary point of contact, according to state records. They are also tied to two holding companies, Tristate Realty Holdings and Amsterdam Hospitality, which are both family - controlled shell companies. Satnick said he is not involved in the negotiations. "I know there have been negotiations over the course of the year, but I don't know if they're going forward," Satnick said. "Let's face it, the city can take it anytime they want whether it's through negotiating a price or through eminent domain." Satnick declined to comment on specific property addresses. Brooklyn buildings (from left) 1629 Eastern Parkway, 1180 President St., 135 Albany Ave. and 594 Park Place are all held by shell companies, city records show (David Wexler for New York Daily News) The Bronx properties — which include 941 lntervale Ave., 751 East 187th St. and 976 Tinton Ave. — are all linked to the Podolsky family through shell companies that list Satnick as the primary point of contact People living and working in the Podolsky-controlled Brooklyn properties offered scant detail about the landlords because, according to some of them, they don't know who they are. Willie Badger, 74, said he's been the super at 1180 President St. for decades, but that he doesn't know the building owner's name. Advertisement He only knows of "management," the people who occasionally provide him with new supplies. Those people, he said, are always different and always call from different phone numbers. For the past 10 years, about half of the units in the building have been used to house the homeless. "They're in some kind of program. A New York City shelter thing," he said. The super at 594 Park Place, Akim Roseman, said he doesn't know the landlord either, but heard about the city's plan to convert units into permanent housing from a tenant caseworker. Saifur Khan of Amsterdam Hospitality, which manages the building, confirmed a deal is in the works. "I don't think they're buying," he said. Officials have said the city has ruled out using eminent domain in this deal, but Mayor de Blasio himself has floated the general idea, which could take years to finalize due to likely court challenges. During his most recent State of the City speech, de Blasio again touched on the prospect of forcing landlords to forfeit property if they fail to rectify dangerous conditions. At 594 Park, inspections are constant, according to Roseman. A search of city records revealed there are four current open violations issued by the city Buildings Department Boiler Division. But that shouldn't come as a surprise. In the world of New York real estate, members of the Podolsky family are known as players with a checkered past. The family's now -deceased patriarch Zenek Podolsky was born in Poland and, by his own account, survived the Holocaust through working for the Gestapo as a welder who'd clean out the safes of fellow Jews sent to their deaths. Zenek Podolsky is pictured at the district attorneys office after being indicted on May 2, 1984. (Obtained by Daily News) Zenek came to Brooklyn after the war and began to buy property in Coney Island. In the '80's, the family set its sights on the Upper West Side, where prosecutors from the Manhattan DA's Office found it hired "professional vacaters" to bring in "drug addicts, prostitutes, thieves and other criminals" to make living conditions so bad tenants would flee. Eventually, then -Manhattan DA Robert Morganthau indicted the vacaters and a dozen landlords, including Zenek and his Jay and Stuart. The trio pleaded guilty to more than two dozen felonies, with Zenek sentenced to 90 days in lockup, and his sons each getting hit with five years probation and 250 hours of community service, according to the DA's Office. "They were pretty nasty in their interactions with tenants," said Larry Wood of the Goddard Riverside Community Center, which was instrumental in bringing evidence against the Podolskys to the DA's Office. MOST READ ® ' The Podolsky brothers said through a spokesman they "agree with Mayor de Blasio" that cluster -site housing should be run by non -profits, not landlords. "We have worked with the city in an ethical and transparent manner for many years providing housing for some of the city's most vulnerable populations," the spokesman said. "That work continues today." Politically complicating de Blasio's plan to convert cluster units to permanent affordable housing is the fact that he accepted contributions from associates of the Podolsky clan in the run-up to his 2013 mayoral victory. DeBlasio ended up returning more than $4,950 from Alan Lapes, who has managed Podolsky properties, campaign finance records show. But he held onto more than $10,000 in contributions bundled through Robert Hess, the now - deceased founder of Housing Solutions USA, a non-profit also tied to the Podolskys.