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390-13 Controversy over Collins Park and new City Hall in 1920s MIAMI BEACH'S CONTROVERSY OVER COLLINS PARK AND PLANS FOR A NEW CITY HALL IN 1920 by Abraham D. Lavender, Ph.D. Department of Sociology and Anthropology Florida International University February 2002 As 1920 began, Miami Beach's city hall was located on Collins Avenue, on the east side, just north of Sixth Street. On March 26, 1915, the town had been incorporated at the Lummus Building on the corner of Biscayne Avenue and Ocean Drive (IN. Lummus, The Miracle of Miami Beach, Miami: Miami Post Publishing Company, 1952, p. 25), and many city council meetings had been held there. But, faced with the prospect of rent being doubled, the Collins Avenue site had been "snapped up" from the Miami Ocean View Company, headed by Carl Fisher. The first payment, $2,500, was made on January 8, 1920, and the balance of $7,500 was to be paid in three equal yearly installments with six percent interest. The City Council viewed the site as sort of an emergency home, and planned to sell it or exchange it for "a site upon which a city hall building in keeping with the growth and demands of the city will be erected" ("Miami Beach Makes Its First Payment on Home: Temporary City Hall Is Bought in Order to Save Rents and as Investment," The Miami Metropolis, January 9, 1920, p. 2). Meanwhile, the Collins Avenue building had to be the city hall, so the approach was rocked and rolled because heavy cars were stalling in the soft ground, the windows were to be screened, and the words "City Hall" painted across the window on the front ("Improve the City Hall of Beach Municipality," The Miami Metropolis, January 23, 1920, p. 8). However, the need for a permanent city hall had become even more evident because the city had purchased a combination fire engine and chemical apparatus, but had no place to put it ("City Hall and Jail Are Required by the Beach," The Miami Metropolis, March 12, 1920, p. 7). By early March, it was reported that "If plans of the city council of Miami Beach materialize that rapidly developing municipality will soon have underway the erection of a modern city hall building, a fire department headquarters, a city jail and sanitary department stables" ("City Hall and Jail Are Required By the Beach," p. 7). The City Council had instructed Councilman Richard A. Coachman, Jr., to secure a site for a new permanent City Hall building that could also 1 include space for a fire department, a city jail, and sanitary department stables. Coachman stated that he had in mind an entire block of fourteen lots between Eleventh and Twelfth streets and Euclid and Pennsylvania avenues. The city owned two valuable properties which could be sold-- the city hall site on Collins Avenue, and several lots on First Street where the sanitary department stables were located ("City Hall and Jail are Required by the Beach," p. 7). A few weeks later, Councilman John Levi, in his capacity as vice-president and general manager of Fisher's Miami Ocean View Company, announced that the company would not sell the land which Coachman "had his eyes on." Levi said one reason was that the company did not want to charge the city the real value, but that they didn't want to sell for undervalue. Coachman was told to keep looking ("Must Seek a New Site for Beach City Hall," The Miami Metropolis, April 9, 1920, p. 3). Later in May, the Miami Beach Improvement Company, comprised of the John S. Collins family including Collins' son-in-law, Mayor Thomas 1. Pancoast, announced that it was giving the city three blocks of land between Twenty-First and Twenty-Second streets, from the Atlantic Ocean west to Sheridan [park] Avenue. The land had been donated to Miami by John S. Collins in June 1912, before Miami Beach was founded, with "no strings attached" except that it be transformed into a park within a reasonable time ("John S. Collins Attaches No Strings to His Donation of a Park Site on the Ocean Front to the City of Miami," The Miami Herald, June 11, 1919, p. 1). However, Miami was having financial problems, the park remained unimproved, and in June 1919 it was noted that Miami Beach had "recently purchased" the park from Miami for $1,000 ("Miami Beach to Beauty [sic] Old Park," The Miami Hera/d, June 11, 1919, p. 10). Although Miami and Miami Beach were talking about a sale of the park to Miami Beach, the Miami Beach Improvement Company got title back and announced it planned to give the three blocks to Miami Beach. Mayor Pancoast had been used to negotiating and signing contracts and making public statements for the Miami Beach Improvement Company (Howard Kleinberg, Miami Beach: A History, Miami: Centennial Press, 1994, p. 1929), and in May 1920 he reported that the three city blocks between the ocean and Sheridan avenue, which the Miami Improvement company had formerly given to the city of Miami for park purposes, had reverted to the company. This company presented this valuable land to the city of Miami Beach for park purposes and on this property the city will build its office building, fire department, police headquarters and jail. These three city blocks were estimated at being worth not less than $200,000. The property was 400 feet wide, from Twenty-First to Twenty-Second streets. From the ocean to Collins was 360 feet, from Collins Avenue to Liberty Avenue was 300 feet, and from Liberty Avenue to 2 Sheridan [park] Avenue was 270 feet. The blocks were referred to as being ten acres, although, according to the quoted measurements, four hundred feet times 930 feet equals about 8.54 acres. The municipal building was proposed for the block between Sheridan [park] and Liberty avenues, probably facing Sheridan [park] Avenue. The council recognized the location was not central for a city hall, but said that with development north of Collins Canal the location would no longer be north of the geographical center of the city ("Fine City Building is Planned for the Beach: Council Decides it Must Have City Headquarters for Various Departments," The Miami Metropolis, May 22, 1920, p. 5). Anticipating the land, the City Council in April made a proposal' to issue $200,000 in bonds, including $50,000 for water works extension and maintenance, $25,000 for the fire department, and $125,000 for a municipal building ("$200,000 Bond Issue to be Put to Beach Voters: City Wants to Raise Money for Water Works, Extension, Fire Department, Etc.," The Miami Metropolis, May 21, 1920, p. 4). A proposal was made to build the municipal building on the western part of the property, probably facing Sheridan [park] Avenue. The local famous architect August Geiger had drawn preliminary sketches for the municipal building which would be two-stories reinforced concrete in semi-Spanish style, with twin towers. It was shown that the building would include city hall, a fire department, and a jail: The main frontage of the building is to be for city offices. On either side of the main body of the building are to be wings facing the front, one for a police headquarters and a jail, the other for a fire department, with engine room on the main floor and dormitories above. One tower is to be used as a hose tower and the other for an entrance staircase ("Fine City Building," p. 5). A little later, it also became known that plans included leasing part of the building for a post office ("Beach Council Calls for Election on Bonds: Voters Decide on Issue of $200,000 for City Hall, Fire Department and Water," The Miami Metropolis, June 3, 1920, p. 1). A question of the right of the city to lease any part of the building because of the gift of the land brought out the fact that the post office site would be in the city hall building, with a room to be leased to the postal department for the post office. By June 10, it was announced that Geiger, the architect, had taken a modified Spanish motiffor his design, and that Mr. Robinson of Geiger's staff was preparing a water color of the proposed city hall and municipal headquarters. More details noted that tentative plans called for: a frontage of 140 feet. The council chamber, mayor's office, dormitories for firemen to be on the second floor. The first floor as now considered will have rooms for the post office, fire department headquarters, city court and police department with lock-up ("Plans of New City Hall to be Shown to Council," The Miami Metropolis, June 10, 3 1920, p. 6). A verbal bombshell was dropped at the first council meeting in July. Mayor Pancoast was still up north, but a letter he had written on June 29 from Moorestown, N.J., the Collins' hometown, was read in which he withdrew his agreement with the city to give the land for the municipal building. It had been understood by the Miami Beach City Council that the Miami Beach Improvement Company, owned by the Collins family and Mayor Pancoast, would give title and rights in the land to Miami Beach "for public purposes and a city building." With the unanimous understanding of the City Council that the site had been settled, and with plans already underway for a building, reaction was strong and cutting. Without debate, the letter was tabled to await Mayor Pancoast's return. In his letter, Mayor Pancoast had written We have just had a meeting of officers and stockholders of the Miami Beach Improvement company and had under discussion the subject of the city park and the proposed building to be erected thereon. Our people feel that the proposed building itself would be an attraction to the surrounding property, but do not feel that the purpose for which the building would be erected would be an attraction, but, on the contrary, would be a detriment and, therefore, they are not willing to deed this property for any other purpose than a public park, except, however, that a public library or perhaps a public convention hall or meeting place of some sort might be erected thereon, but from the standpoint of a jailor a court proceedings and fire department, they feel this would not be an attraction and would defeat to a great extent the intention that they have in mind of making this a thorough high-class hotel and residential property ("Won't Give Miami Beach Park for Building Site: Jail and Fire Department Would Not Sustain 'High Class' Tone of Section," The Miami Metropolis, July 9, 1920, p. 3). Councilman Richard A. Coachman, Jr., had been elected to the Dade County Commission on June 8, and soon would be leaving the Miami Beach City Council. But, he was a committee of one to find another site, although there still was hope that the Twenty-First Street to Twenty- Second Street site would work out ("New Location Sought for Beach City Hall," The Miami Metropolis, July 10, 1920, p. 6). At the city council meeting of July 14, Mayor Pancoast explained that when he went to New Jersey, partly to attend a meeting of the Miami Beach Improvement Company at the Collins hometown in Moorestown, he had no idea there would be opposition to the land transfer to the city. He had discussed the issue previously with John S. Collins and found no objection. The opposition came from other members of the company. Mayor Pancoast expressed his great regrets ("Pancoast Expresses His Regret at Late Action: Had No Idea Officials of His Company Would Oppose Building on the City Park," The Miami Metropolis, July 17, 1920, p. 6). 4 Meanwhile, changes continued to be made slowly at the City hall building on Collins Avenue. Reconstruction of the south half of the building into fire department quarters was delayed because the contractor could not obtain cement for the concrete floor, and "an ironical result of making the city hall a fire station is noticed in that the insurance rate on the building will be increased because of the storage of gasoline within the building" ("Beach Brevities," The Miami Metropolis, July 26, 1920, p. 2). Shortly afterwards, it was announced that a concrete floor had been put in for the city's new fire engine, the engine room had been painted, the bunk room was being furnished, members of the fire department would install a shower bath, and a hose rack was being built on the outside of the building by permanent members of the fire department ("Changes Are Being Made in the Beach Fire Hall," The Miami Metropolis, August 13, 1920, p. 4). In an article entitled "That Park Strip Before Beach Council Again," reflecting perhaps the feeling of some readers that some things never die, readers were informed that ex-Mayor IN. Lummus had been at the council meeting of Monday, August 2, asking about the three blocks. Mayor Pancoast told ex-Mayor Lummus that the deed specified that the land could be used only for park purposes. Lummus replied that if the deed so specified then he did not believe a public building could be built on the park land, and Pancoast said that his company intended to deed the land back to the city of Miami Beach ("That Park Strip Before Beach Council Again," The Miami Metropolis, August 4, 1920, p. 3). Regarding the special bond issue election scheduled for August 14, there was concern that the municipal bond issue had to be defeated because it specified that the building would be built on the now no-longer-available land, land "which the city does not hold title to and has no likelihood of acquiring for building purposes." It was noted that the article on the municipal building would not invalidate the vote on the fire and water bonds ("Voters Urged to Come to the Polls Saturday: Want a Big Vote for Bonds in Order to Assist in Their Sale Later On," The Miami Metropolis, August 13,1920, p. 4). At a Friday night special meeting of the city council on August 13, Mayor Pancoast again explained the fiasco over the three blocks ("Many Matters Before Beach Council Meeting," The Miami Metropolis," August 16, 1920, p. 3). Recognizing the considerable controversy that had arisen, he explained his actions, defended his negotiations, read abstracts from the original deed of the property to Miami which positively stated that the land was to be used exclusively for park purposes and was to be maintained and improved only for park usages "with the possible exception of its later becoming a site for Public Library or Convention Hall," said that the Miami Beach Improvement Company would deed the property to Miami Beach under the same conditions as those which applied to Miami, and read correspondence from Carl G. Fisher stating 5 that he "was 'willing to let the matter drop' after learning from Irving Collins the source of opposition and what caused it" ("Miami Pancoast Tells About City Hall Site: Explains to Miami Beach Council Why Property Could Not Be Used for That Purpose," The Miami Metropolis, August 16, 1920, p. 1; Miami Beach City Council Minutes, August 13, 1920). The Miami Metropolis also reported on August 13 that Mayor Pancoast would not seek election to a second term, although the newspaper said that there was no doubt that he would have been reelected. The mayor noted that with the forthcoming opening of the Flamingo Hotel (on December 31, 1920) there would be councils and conventions which "in the absence of a chamber of commerce the mayor will be expected to welcome visitors and help to entertain them." He noted that with the growth of the city, he would not be able to handle the greatly increased mayoral duties because of his health and his increasing responsibilities to two land development companies ("Pancoast Will Refuse Second Term at Beach," The Miami Metropolis, August 13, 1920, p. 4). Only a few days later, it was reported that Mayor Pancoast had had the deed drawn and sent to Moorestown, New Jersey, to be signed by John Collins. It was reported that the deed was drawn for "making a conveyance of three blocks of property, formerly a city park of Miami, to the city of Miami Beach under the same conditions as the property was transferred to Miami, to be held and used exclusively for park purposes." It was noted that the land was a gift of "much more than a quarter of a million dollars" and that it had been suggested that ''the city give the official title of Collins park to the property" ("Deed for Park is Drawn and Sent to the Signer," The Miami Metropolis, August 19,1920, p. 3). The special bond election was held on August 14, and the City Council opened the ballot box and counted the votes at the meeting on August 18. The South Atlantic Telephone and Telegraph Company was approved to establish and operate the telephone service by a vote of 35 to 0, the $50,000 bond issue for the Water Works System was approved by 31 to 1, and the $25,000 bond issue for the fire department was approved by 32 to 1, but the $125,000 bond issue to build a city hall building between Twenty-First and Twenty-Second streets was defeated by 18 to 10 (Miami Beach City Council Minutes, August 18, 1920). Apparently the city leaders solved the quandary about the "bond issue but no available land" simply by encouraging people to vote against the bond issue. With only eighteen votes cast to successfully defeat the bond issue, the mayor, council members, city officials, and their spouses, probably could have defeated the issue by themselves. On September 15, correspondence was read at the city council meeting that progress was being made in the transfer of the property. The city's check for $1,000 already has been deposited in the Southern bank in escrow ("Now Getting Ready for Transfer of Beach Park: City's Check for $1,000 Now on Deposit-Alton Road to be Made Pleasure Boulevard," The Miami 6 Metropolis, September 17, 1920, p. 3). On city election day, October 25, 1920, the newspaper reported that one of the important actions for the newly-elected council in the coming two years would be to build "a new city hall, a municipal building for courts, city offices, jail and fire department. This building should also include a room for a library and a hall for public uses" ("Miami Beach Election is Being Held Today: Mayor and Five Councilmen are Among the Officers to Be Chosen at the Polls," The Miami Metropolis, October 25, 1920, p. 3). Thomas E. James was unopposed for mayor, was elected the city's third mayor, and served a two-year term. But, the 1920 election made history not because of the controversy over the city hall building and Collins Park, but because women voted for the first time. The entry of about. fifty women into Miami Beach politics increased the number of voters to 179. Of the women who had registered to vote, all except one voted, and she was out of town. Of the 179 registered voters, 173 cast ballots. The newspaper noted that it was not possible to tell if women and men had voted differently on the issues. Two days after the election the newspaper reported that Mayor James had been issued a permit to build a handsome new residence of eight rooms at 1023 Lenox Avenue at the cost of$II,OOO. Collins Park became a real park, but the new city hall was not built until 1927 when an impressive art deco building was constructed at 1130 Miami [Washington] Avenue (J. Calvin Mills, Highlights of Greater Miami: Miami Shores: Mills Pu1?lications, 1952, p.61). 7