Letter from J. Lummus 1/7/26
't
)
\\'fr.~~d{)i -y: ~.",~.~.
:~%~."iil#~~'~.. 7 .
.:;; -,/:. I .
.,= 'f;
, .
. .'
.,~" . ~'F".: I
, "
. J .' i
'-', .,-_.
.'. ,;, ~
Miami, Florida
Jan. 7, 1926
To The Honorable City Counoil
City ot Miami Beach. Florida
Reter1ng to the tentative ~ro-
position made by The Oo.~n Beaoh
Realty Oompany to The City of
Miami Beaoh, this date.
Gent1emen:-
In all friendliness to your Honorable body I
hope you will give this matter serious thought before re-
Jeoting the proposition made by The Ooean Beaoh Realty
Co. this date.
In the early days the obJect of the oonveyance
to the City carried a sentiment which you have de,troyed.
Ooean Drive North of 5th street was intended
more for a private drive for the property owners faoing
Ocean Drive. That was why it was made narrow. (Atlantic
Bou1.ivard) now Collinl Avenue was made 80 teet wi4e from
5th Street South, and~1t was reduoed to 60 feet North of
that point on account of Ewin Wilson owning a 300 toot
strip and would not allow it wider.
We then made (Miami Avenue) now Washington
Avenue 100 feet in width 80 that there would be plenty of
room tor traffic.
We then built the oonorete walk on the East side
of Ooean Drive 4120 feet in length and 10 feet in width,
cleared, graded, planted trees in abundance and planted
the whole tract in Bermuda grass and oared for the whole
traot up to 1917. In 1921 JOur Honorable body named the
plot of ground Lummus Park.
You now have destroyed the 4120 feet of perfectly
good concrete walk a width of 15 feet. You have abandoned
a strip of ground 15 feet in width and 4120 feet in length
as a park. You have establighed a curb line on the West
side of Ocean Drive up to the property line of all Ocean
Drive Lots, foroing myself, as well as others, to destroy
our sidewalk and plaoe it on our own property. For your
information. my sidewalk was built in 1914.
The proposition of The Ooean Beach Realty Co. I
consider very liberal and benefioial to every property owner
on the Beach, sinoe you have put us in the position that we
are now in. Speaking for The Ocean Beach Rea1ty Co.andmy-
self personally, this matter will be held open for adJuit-
ment for 30 days from this date. If not settled by that time
all negotiations :1'Or~d~~nn;. are 0_.:1':1'0 _ ,"
~~~
...a. .,.;7.
I-a, P-IIO
r
II-a. p...6()3
a-a. f-.4t09
..a. ....a8
0-3, ......
a.a. , ..
.... 'P.MHS
"ilDi;",:j;;'iil..
,
I
.
, ..,
Re,.", .t IMft'eJ" ., 1<,ul8ft1d. "'''21 .1_ Oeeoa sa
..... h*1
------------
a8101utl.. pale. ...38 'aY1Al 00... J)Yl.~~ ',. ......
"'4. ., ..... .... ,. 1.. 'LaM aM 41....81... ....
lcnI1_uct in ...... pa* . .....
-:
-------- ----
leU...,. ..al ,I,13O.tI- -WI
....----..--
....l.'l.. I.. a.. ...as erddtlll .t lotloe - e.31-aa
.---.----- ..
, 'l.o.~
htt., 0'1.'.10. to the Nbllo .1 a..aa h........ *
HIIO..,ftDO.. .. .....:~.a
~~.<<t~".... "~.__._. ;;;;.~''''''
---..---....-
..,t.. _de .... .anted. to pa.. 00.... m.. ..8 ...
"'.t..faId.
.-----.-....-.
A. 1>>111 pl*."_~ed f:f1NI '. B. IIOOBh., t. .-...., ,.
.1.37..00 e.ad. e7dewed J)ata.. W1-18
--....-------
....lutlon 311 .. latentl.. .r Witt..... .t oe... DIt..
'ktlrag lS' ,.... .~n li4-.
.----.-..-...
'" WInDt.
'" ~.
.----=.
~ .,.,," ~,'~ _._.,.~.
~:jl'~~II~-
~ -,~
';I~{."Ifi4."t<::~.- "~~',~~~r~l'1~""" 7P'".,
I ,:,ie'; ""':'" .
~'",..,..-.
-"Tlr.
/J/
.""',
~._._-
HOlf. CIn COlJltJL or THE CITY OF JlIAIlI BEACH. FLORIDA.:
Gentlemen:_
M7 attention has been ca11ed to the attached
clipping on my return home a few days ago and I appreciate
the sentiment and express10n but wish to oal1 your attention
to the fOllowing extract from a Directors' Meeting ot The
Ocean Beach Realty Company held September 20, 1915, whieh
meeting was called and held for the purpose' of oftering the
property to the Town of Miami Beach:
"In making this proposition, it is distinctly
understood and agreed tha~ The Ocean Beach Realty Company are
selling this lalld to the Town ot Miami Beach for WCH LESS TRAJ{
ITS REAL VALUE; it being understood that a part of the con-
sideration upon which said sale is based i8 that said land sha11
be perpetually used and dedicated as park purposes, and should
the Town ot Miami Beach at any time divert or attempt to divert
said prope~ty for OTHER PURPOSES or offer same for sale for
residential or commercial purposes, then in such event all
rights that may be vested in the Town ot Miami BeaCh under this
proposition, or under any contract or deed that may be entered
into hereafter shall immediately become null and void and the
title shall immediately re-vest in the Ocean Beach Realty Com-
pany."
The contract was entered between The Ocean
Beach Realty Company and the Town of Miami Beach. The said
contract is a matter of record in Book 146 of Deeds, Page 28.
Records of Dade County, Florida. a180 a matter of record in
the City of Miami Beach.
Since the C1ty bas out a portion of the park
off for the purpose of making a street out of it, .e now assume
that the entire property conveyea tor ~arks now belongs to
The Ocean Beach Realty COlIll>any. The land has never been dedi-
oated as a park and oannot be without the signature of !he
Ooean Beach Realty Company, or its assigns.
I ~attaohing hereto a pencil sketch which 1s
a tentative proposition tor adJustments for all time to oome.
--_.~__~,_. ~ i;~;,
.....,.
- ..,.
..........
-~,,"i'~c";l-~~;i..~~~~~t;_>t,~~
-2-
I 8l1g,..t the fo1.1.ow1Dg:
!he Ooean Beaoh Realt1' Compan,. and The Oit,.
ot K1ami Beach dedicate LUMMnS PARKS .umbered Wo. 1., 2, ~
I, 5, 6. " 8 and 9 Shown on saidsketoh to the perpetwal
118e o't the pultlio.
The Oit1' of Miami Beaoh w1l1 have prepared
b,. its eDgin..r a plat to be reoor4ed~ with all dedication8
ahown on the 8ai4 )1.at. similar to the penoil sketch.
!hen
The Ooean Beaeh Realty Company will d..d
Lot 1 to the City of Miami Beach or its assigns for the
purpo8e ef upke.p of parks.
The Ooean Beaoh Realty Compaa1' will deed Lot
Bo. 2 to the City of Miami BeaCh for a Cou.ncil Hall and
General Munioipal Building.
The Ooean Beaoh Realty COIllp8.!17 will deed Lot
No. 3 to the ~ami Beaoh Chamber of Commerce, a body cor-
porate, for a permanent home.
In cou14.ration of the above being done by
!Dbe Ocean Beach Realty Cempa:l1y, the City of M1ami BeaCh
w11.1 convey a fee 81mple title to The Ocean Beach R.a1.ty
Company. a carporation of Florida or its assigns, Lots No.
4.5,6,'.8 and 9 as shown on said sketch.
This will, 1n my op11110n, beau\ify the parks.
The people will then know that the Cit7 of 111am1 BeaCh owns
9 Ooean Front Lummus Parks, also a Municipa1. Ocean Front Lot
and another Ocean Front Lot for d1sposa1 b~ the C1t7, credit
for The Park Fund, all of Whieh has oost the City of }liami
Beaoh ..thiBS.
The Ohamber of Commerce of The City of MialDi
Beach owns an Ocean Front Lot whioh has oost them nothing.
Property owners on Ocean Irive have no ob.truct1oD
to the Ocean when these Lots are built upon exoept J.N.Lummua
and he consents and a:pproves the plan if' pro:per1y and legally
....".-
-3-
\
\
exeouted.
\
11
J
<j
J1
No buildings are to be ereoted on any of the Lots
at a cost ot leBS than $50,000.00
The legal end of the whole plu to be worked out
by your attorney and the attorney ot The Ocean Beach Realty Com-
pany BO tbAt all concerned will have a good marketable tee simple
title. and know where we stand..
The above to be acoepted or re3ected at an early
date as the writer expects to go &8&Y within the next thirty day.
and will probably be away from the City tor some time.
.~
~!
,~
Dated: January '. 1986
>>eliverea to Oity Clerk,
Miami Beaoh. P1a. Jan. 7th.1926
.
-'" ~ ... ,~~,~~;.:....
"(i"~^',,
'~.Iii~~
....."" .'......
.
T '~SVSliES!~\
/ ' ' 'REfU6N Qt~ " , , ~,~
. ~:;,~'.
, ". .:.<" '....,. ',', , .~
;.,'.',.-~_'i,;~:~~. :: ,Ii -' " \~,: _ .< ;',1 " . .~", I
Councilni'ari./ Asks>.Gift,o:f
\./ ).:i~.,'.'c6:~~r:'pg~.'~~~~~;(/':
-I f.;, ';';'.I'>;.~,~~".~;'~1imin u~" ~:.".:~1'<.
( ."." '.C'
:::~_. " :,~' ." ..< __;, _' ,~., .' ~~'i:"- .~. .:_ ~/~', ~<~',~" ,:,' . ~~_
i '<PropositI' ;to.~give;'I~",;.;i.'.~;~'$u~uiuS;
" p~minent .~esideJl~:,;,of'~~Ufmf:,:aeaeIi~ .;,
;' 1 -~'~.orner-~1~t")~tb~~;.trl(et':fN;6.f.,1~n4 .
;~.. . ", w1uch he~o:nated,to2>the~'etty!.for
.;., ... '., playgrot1#d;.p.ii~~j~~}l8'::~Dutd({~./~
-"~;"'2 ~~t~rl~~~~~~~ti~~~Wu{:~~~~
F ;: c;rtied'?-v~r,~.Iltl1,~~~:~ext;~eeHni..,
..~ \ CQunclltnan >S<:()tt':~po1Pted .,out tha~ .\
, .. 1 W." h~li. tb. e~.,t.r..~ct...w. :-.till'..;gil:e.#..:...t~. ......t....,...b.....e".C1..:"..~:..... -'il..'
.- ..';:..-~~~~r:,',~..bY Mr. ~~mmu8:.::severaLftear8(~,i~ ,;J
itwas\"a.lued \at"app$x~a't~1i...~;~, 'f
000, although .JtB;'Pr~sen*..vahlation .', is. 1
1~ in tlte neighbOrho.odof"-'f15.000~{)Q(). .t
i He asserl-edthllt thepropO$~d';,iitt~]oj
~l . Mr.. LUIlprius..for'a hOJIiei!Jt~~j1V~W.~~'"
in nowa~ ~nt~~ere '~lth:th~';:ope~-: ..'.
tion of. the playground ':tpid 'publiC:..
} ;~~;:~:&B:~~~i~~:g.t
;.} connected "1tl1 ,~tbe gift:- ~;?{hef:.trac.t: . ~
'~~ to al1o~~, the . ~ty Jo..' op~n a relre~- .
I: ment bOO;th "'from' . ",1(1ch \ a sl;IlaU In- .
....,....cJi~.'. co.n\.e ~m. ,ig.'.h.t.b. e.t...d...er.iv,ed.:.'..~.or..:::..m.. .ain-. '. ~
'.' - . " .... t, tenance. Ot~ ~ ~..~ und~t ." .. ;' : {
~. :;..;...,i. " ~.' '. __.',c.~.. '..' ~,~#"..I#'
'\.,...<: .. ,.~ l,.. . '.' ;.