Beach Preservationists Need Protection
By Frank Maradiaga
A breezy Thursday night outside 1001 Lincoln Road. The mall isn’t deserted, but it’s easy to navigate. The GAP is closed, but a group of people stop to window shop. The nondescript one story building, with the handsome curve might be the reason the preservationist gets a little quieter in south beach.
Two prominent preservationist groups may lose their voice in Miami Beach’s historical districts if a new ordinance passes.
A measure coming before the Miami Beach Commission has restructured the membership of the Historical Preservation Board by eliminating the seats long held by the Miami Design Preservation League, and the Dade Heritage Trust.
Those changes were authored by the Planning Board as the ordinance was on their table for review.
“It would be such a sad mistake,” said Becky Matkov, Executive Director of the Dade Heritage Trust. “I think having people who are knowledgeable on preservation should have a voice on the board.”
The Planning Board’s change replaced the MDPL and DHT seats with two at-large seats. Those members would have “resided in one of the City’s historic districts for at least one year, and who have demonstrated interest and knowledge in architectural or urban design and the preservation of historic buildings,” according to the Planning Board’s version of the ordinance. The HPB’s seven members was already composed of two at-large members with the same guidelines.
Herb Sosa, Chairman of the HPB and holder of one of the seats up for possible elimination, described the seats held by the two groups as “instrumental in the protection of our historic legacy.”
“These volunteer preservationists, like myself, are more than qualified to make these decisions,” Sosa said in an email to the SunPost. “They are knowledgeable on local, national and international preservation guidelines.”
That change was proposed by Jonathan Fryd, a local developer and member of the Planning Board.
Fryd questioned why the preservation groups had the ability to put their person on the board, especially when they speak in front of it.
“We don’t have that on any other board,” he said.
“We have no other agenda than protection,” said Charlie Urstadt, Chairman of the MDPL. “We have the same aim and goal of the board.”
“I think it will be a great lost to Miami Beach,” said Urstadt.
The two preservationist seats are filled when MDPL and DHT each hand in a list of three candidates to the city commission. One candidate from each list is chosen then voted upon by commission.
“The way it’s been has worked,” said Urstadt.”It’s been a very successful partnership.”
The Land Use and Development Committee originally sent the ordinance to the Planning Board for recommendations as LUDC looked to broaden up the categorical membership requirements on land use boards.
One of the addictions the LUDC had come up with dealt on the Planning Board itself, and Fryd’s own seat. In the Planning Board one of the members must be a developer-as is Fryd, however the LUDC had said that position could be filed by a developer or a lawyer.
“One developer who has experience in developing real property; or an attorney in good standing licensed to practice law within the United States,” stated the language.
Fryd openly scoffed at the idea an attorney could take the place of developer, calling it “a joke.”
In another instance where the code stated that architects were to be registered in the state of Florida, that was amended to just registered in the United States. Little changes like that can go along way to finding qualified people to fill empty spots.
Urstadt believes that the city benefits from the amount of members MDPL can bring.
“It is often hard for the city to find members to take the abuse,” he said, “ but we have a great pool.”
The Planning Board did not bring up that point in it’s brief discussion on the preservationist seats. The amendment passed 4-1 with Henry Stolar being the lone no vote.
It seems overreaching and inappropriate to me,” Fryd said of the preservation group seats.
Some have questioned the appropriateness of Fryd’s amendment, and vote. He is a partner with developer Micheal Comras who in June of last year brought to the Historical Preservation Board a proposal by Apple and GAP to demolish the property at 1001 Lincoln Road, so that a new two and three story building can be built. Half of which would have been the new Apple flagship store.
Because the current building at 1001 Lincoln Road is listed as a contributing building, a usable structure of historic significance, a proposal of complete demolition came up to some resistance with the board. Apple then pulled it’s plans, with no notice if it would come back.
Following this in October, Fryd made the amendments to the HPB.
“I for one find it unethical and inappropriate for anyone in his position to not have disclosed his business and financial interests and recuse himself,” said Sosa “To have even suggested this change, much less vote on such a motion, is most certainly personal, politically motivated and simply shameful. “
Fryd did not return calls made by the SunPost to his office.
Sosa used his MDPL seat to question if it was the proper thing to demolish the building, while at the same time Preservation Director William Cary downplayed the amount of historic gems found in the structure that currently houses the GAP.
“Because the site has evolved so much,” Cary said. “nothing is left from 1923.”
The site has had a storied existence from a theater in the 1920s to it’s current retail version. It has had major facelifts over the decades- to the point where it is not at all recognizable from when it was first constructed. The earliest historical evidence still inside is from the 50s.
“It does contribute to the district,” Cary said. He also added, that it was still possible for the board to recommend the complete dismantling of a contributing building if in it’s place a grander structure that fits with the district could be build on it.
Sosa did not dismiss the current structure so easily: “it deserves all the protection in the world.”
Commonly the rule of thumb would state that a contributing building would be torn down if it was in a state of disrepair.
He also questioned how a building who had been considered contributing since the 90s, all of a sudden would cease to be.
“I personally find it difficult to understand and justify how a property owner who has benefited from historic preservation tax credits for years,” Sosa said “and has a leading retailer – the GAP, currently in the building in question, would all of a sudden feel this building is in such disrepair that there is no other option but to demolish it.”
Apple withdrew it’s proposal before a vote could be held by the HPB. There were signs that the HPB was willing to work with Apple in building a new home on Miami Beach. During the meeting Sosa went out of his way to praise the designs he had seen, and has gone on record saying he would work with Apple to meet the criteria of the district.
As the board did a few years ago with Apple’s Lincoln Road store.
Sosa says that all through Lincoln Road there are “examples on how the H.P. board can successfully work with architects and developers to achieve a balance between preservation, new developments & investments, and architectural greatness.”
That knowledge, and experience is not accounted for in the Planning Board’s wording of qualifications for membership to the HPB. As the requirements are only a vague ‘demonstration of interest.
As expected, the DHT, and it’s HPB member, Jane Gross, have reportedly sent the commission separate letters detailing their displeasure over the proposed changes.
At print time, it is unclear when the measure will be before the commission. Staff documents indicate that the ordinance is to be heard in “early 2012.”
I plan to go speak when it come up to the commission,” said Matkov.
The HPB chairman highly doubts the measure will pass, he takes solace in the pro-preservationist track records of the city.
“Much like a hospital needs trained medical professionals on their board, or design review needs registered architects,” Sosa said, “preservationists-especially those coming from the only qualified groups in the community, are key within our historic districts. “
Category: COVER
