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1668-15 Economic, Development, & Real Estate 1943-1993 • TENANTS ASSOCIATION OF FLORIDA INC. 924 LINCOLN ROAD MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139 532-1774 President FRANK T. REINER Board Chairman SHEPARD W. DAVIS Executive Vice President My name is Harry Plissner: I speak for the Tenant's Association of IRVING G. CYPRES Florida. Vice President Nowhere in the State of Florida does the conversion of rental units BONITA ARGOS to condominiums cause more distress than it does in Miami Beach. Vice President The people who are being uprooted are mostly over'65. They are MOE SCHIFFMAN middle-income people who can pay as much as $500.00 a month for a Treasurer one-bedroom apartment but there are no rental apartments available. EVE LEVIN A recent survey by the City of Miami Beach in the month of July showed that the largest high-rise rental apartment buildings were Secretary fully occupied. CLARA FISCHER Parliamentarian Condominium purchase for these people is not the answer. The average HARRY PLISSNER cost of a one-bedroom apartment on Miami Beach is about $70,000, requiring a minimum down payment of at least 10%, or about $7,000. To meet mortgage payments, assessments and utilities would mean a WE HAVE MEMBERSHIPS monthly expense of about $700. They must remain renters, tenants. IN THESE BUILDINGS The problem lies in the fact that there are no rental vacancies. You may very well ask, "Why do they have to live on Miami Beach?" BAY TERRACE The answer is ENVIRONMENT. They are shattered at the thought of BELLE PLAZA living elsewhere. It is here that they have a house of worship BOSTON PLAZA within walking distance. It is here that they find their kosher BYRON HALL food, their peers with like background and culture. It is ironic CAMELOT HALL that there are hundreds in our so-called civilized society who fight CARRIAGE HOUSE to protect the environment for fish and wildlife, but are deaf and CASABLANCA APTS: CORINTHIAN blind to the plight of helpless, elderly people in pain and anguish ETON HALL because they are being forced to abandon THEIR environment. EXECUTIVE HOUSE FORTE TOWERS The situation could be relieved to some extent if more apartment (ALL BUILDINGS) buildings would be constructed, but there are no buildable sites FOUR FREEDOMS HAMPSHIRE TOWERS in Miami Beach except Pelican Island. It is in limbo. We bought and HARBOUR HOUSE paid for it, but it was hijacked and given to the birds. The 102 acres LANCELOT APTS. could be developed and provide 10,000 units. Today it is worth sixty-two LINCOLN MALL APTS. million dollars. (An economic evaluation is attached to this statement) . LINCOLN TOWERS MANHATTAN TOWERS MONA LISA Your committee, in all probability, will gather convincing evidence MORTON TOWERS that will result in legislation to curb the dash to condominium con- NORMANDY HOUSE version, but under our judicial system the developers will manage to OCEAN PAVILLION tie up the legislation for years. A condition prevails on Miami Beach OCEANSIDE PLAZA OLIVER HOUSE which offers a sure approach to an early solution of our housing 11X) LINCOLN ROAD problem. It is a matter of supply and demand , Unlock the door that PLAZA WEST prevents the development of Pelican Island, amend the 1974 Biscayne RONEY PLAZA Bay Preservation Act to exclude Pelican Island. You can start by ROYAL EMBASSY requesting the Attorney General to advise you as to the right of SEACOAST TOWERS the State of Florida to restrict the use of property bought and (ALL BUILDINGS) p p y g paid SHERRY FRONTENAC for by the City of Miami Beach. CI enclose the closing statement SOUTHGATE APTS. which shows that the seller paid city and county taxes). Should that THE SEASONS NORTH approach fail, it will be for the legislature to provide relief by THE SEASONS SOUTH TREASURE ISLAND APTS. amending the Preservation Act. TRITON TOWERS VICTORIAN PLAZA TENANTS ASSOCIATION OF FLORIDA INC. 924 LINCOLN ROAD MIAMI BEACH. FLORIDA 33139 532- 1774 President { FRANK T. REINER Board Chairman The loss of Pelican Island in 1971 was due to the assult by the SHEPARD W. DAVIS property owners of Di Lido Island aided and abetted by professional Executive Vice President environmentalists. In 1974, the State Legislature closed down the IRVING G. CYPRES entire 400 square miles of Biscayne Bay despite the finding of the Florida Board of Conservation that "the area of Pelican Island had Vice President been previously affected by surrounding development and the turbidity BONITA ARGOS of the water prevents sea-grass growth. The bottom is sandy and Vice President unvegetated and development of Pelican Island should have little MOE SCHIFFMAN adverse affect on the marine life of the area." (That information is Treasurer contained in a letter attached to this statement) . EVE LEVIN Miami Beach needs quick and effective action if a grave wrong is to Secretary be averted. You have a heavy responsibility; you and your colleagues CLARA FISCHER will be the angels or the heavies - it is unavoidable. Parliamentarian HARRY PLISSNER WE HAVE MEMBERSHIPS IN THESE BUILDINGS • BAY TERRACE BELLE PLAZA BOSTON PLAZA BYRON HALL CAMELOT HALL CARRIAGE HOUSE CASABLANCA APTS: CORINTHIAN ETON HALL EXECUTIVE HOUSE FORTE TOWERS (ALL BUILDINGS) FOUR FREEDOMS HAMPSHIRE TOWERS HARBOUR HOUSE LANCELOT APTS. LINCOLN MALL APTS. LINCOLN TOWERS MANHATTAN TOWERS MONA LISA MORTON TOWERS NORMANDY HOUSE OCEAN PAVILLION OCEANSIDE PLAZA OLIVER HOUSE • 100 LINCOLN ROAD PLAZA WEST RONEY PLAZA ROYAL EMBASSY SEACOAST TOWERS (ALL BUILDINGS) SHERRY FRONTENAC SOUTHGATE APTS. THE SEASONS NORTH THE SEASONS SOUTH TREASURE ISLAND APTS. TRITON TOWERS The Island contains 102 acres. 20 acres would be used for roads and public space - alleys , etc. It would cost $20 million to bulkhead, fill, add utilities and make the Island suitable for development. If the zoning were 125 units per acre, and the land cost per unit would ( on today's market) bring $8,000 or $1 million per acre for a total value of $60iillion. (The development costs to be advanced by the developer) . . • snxuuLpz;-aoacxe ,v:...t.. • • It %% 7seJtr.•oi.■ 22,1141 • ' 1 • . C'I.AU F R. KIRK. JR.. Oorer rno _ TO\I . 1),1).1):. Seen-fun, o/intr. , .,.•�" EARL t•'A111I•1.1)T11, Attn►nr flenrrol . X y Florida ` :� �ti - •"- 1•11 Kt t) 1)I1•KltAXt)ty. JR.. Comptrotl.•r HG � -.1: 4-- .'✓ :rft- Board IIROA/HU N11.I.1AN1. Treuafire, JL °L •-fr i of � er/J) YLnYD T. ClIJ1JSTIAN 4, �Ot�J V♦ {/ y� ZOn •Superintl)Vient p/ �, Publir. /nNtruction 107 NEST GAINES STREET • TALLAHASSEE 32145 I)UYL[;CONNER. ro.arniaaion.r o/.1p►icuk, r ) • f ' • /� AUG 1.1 . -. i••-.-;.1 n • 7 191C August 6, 1968 Y[s:+J:: V. ...... . _.....c..::i.f • • $Y,._..,,,_„ _ DJit : Mr. Frank Aymonin, P.E. Acting Director of Public Works • • .. : City of Miami Beach, Florida • Dear lis. Aymonin: • . • Application by City of Miami Beach to Dredge and Fill in Biscayne Bay South • of. Julia Tuttle Causeway, Dade County. . • Our marine biologist, Robert Routa, has inspected your project • area and reports as follows: • . "The subject area has been previously . affected by surrounding development. • • The water depths (-4 to -10 feet mean' _ low water) are such that the turbidity of the water also prevents seagrass growth. - The bottom is. sandy and un-• vegetated. This project should have ' little adverse effect on the marine life of the area. " As I mentioned in my letter of 17 July 1968 to you, your application was referred to W. T. Carlton, Director of our Beaches and Shores Development for review by him and his consultants as to whether a hydrographic study is needed. I am enclosing a letter from Dr. Robert Dean, Chairman, Department of Coastal and Oceanographic Engineer- ing to Mr. Carlton about the Miami project application and a memorandum about this same matter from Mr. Carlton to • Randolph Hodges, Director of the Board of Conservation. From the enclosed material you will note that the hydro- graphic study is indicated in accordance with Chapter 253.124 (3) . . • .