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2000-23982 RESO RESOLUTION NO. 2000-23982 A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY 0 F MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER, OR HIS DESIGNEE, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY'S PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND THE ART IN PUBLIC PLACES COMMITTEE, TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS TO "SAVE OUTDOOR SCULPTURES" (SOS), FOR Born AN ASSESSMENT AWARD AND A CONSERVATION TREATMENT AWARD, FOR THE RESTORATION AND CONSERVATION OF THE FLAGLER MONUMENT; ACCEPTING THE GRANT(S), IF AWARDED; AND APPROPRIATING THE AWARDED FUNDS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE GRANT(S). WHEREAS, the Flagler Memorial Sculpture on Monument Island, located in the middle of Biscayne Bay, was commissioned by Carl Fisher in 1919 and erected in 1920 to honor Henry Morrison Flagler; and WHEREAS, the monument, designed by John B. Orr, consists of four figure sculptures at the base which represent Prosperity, Pioneer, Education, and Industry, with a unique obelisk measuring 110 feet in height; and WHEREAS, the sculpture shows evidence of exposed armature, structural instability, broken parts, cracks, guano, black crusts, staining, and spalling; and the base is chalky, with layers of graffiti paint, and etched gouges; and WHEREAS, Save Outdoor Sculpture (SOS), jointly sponsored by Heritage Preservation and the Smithsonian's National Museum of American Art, has a Conservation Treatment Awards Program which provides cash awards for the assessment and conservation treatment of public outdoor sculpture across the nation; and WHEREAS, the Art in Public Places Committee and the City's Planning Department jointly recommend the submission of an application to SOS for an Assessment Award of up to $850, and a Conservation Treatment Award for up to $40,000 to contribute to the Flagler Memorial Sculpture restoration. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, that the Mayor and Commission approve and authorize the City Manager, or his designee, on behalf of the City's Planning Department and the Art in Public Places Committee, to submit applications to "Save Outdoor Sculptures" (SOS), for both an assessment award and a conservation treatment award, for the restoration and conservation of the Flagler Monument; accept the grant(s), if awarded; and appropriate the awarded funds in compliance with the terms of the grant(s). PASSED and ADOPTED this 12th day of July Af'PROVED J>.S 10 FORM & LANGUAGE & FOR EXECUTION .2000. ~T~ P aLcA4 CITY CLERK 11~ , MAYOR 7- 7~ tffJ Oem. F'\SCMB\~.S08 WebPAC: Long View <script> s = "General ...and 6003.L:.S. and ias.lf.<Ib> .w:yUn'i:6lhttp://www.siris.si.edulwebp...06 I 914523906874480+ I +search+select++ I...l~ i?ll!,,:rrr~"!W7k'9~1f'1'~'1;;m;'t;[;f'm1i' ,,"<,', "'" '''''.''. " """''''8'' " 1::' "".'. 'I ",,", ITIl us'onlan ns ''''''',,,;u,~, ~""'k~"1~",,~h,WAjj=1ili;M"""~,,"^,.m ",'" ,~,~w,.,;' .'.;' '''''.0<';; ~"'"'' , . .,....,"1<1".''''''('F'..'.. Ion Sstem ,. , " ,y, , ",' - Long View For Smithsonian American Art Museum - Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture - EXHIBIT "A" Your Search: General Keyword = (Flagler) and 6003.ZS. and ias.lf. Displaying Record: 15 of 26 [Select Catalo!!s 1 [Previous Menu 1 [New Search 1 [Previous Pa!!e 1 [Next Pa!!e 1 [Brief View 1 [Go Back] !orr. John Boo sculotor. IPeterson. H. sculptor. ,Pellegatto. Ettore/Sellick Stone Studio. fabricator. !Flagler Monument, (sculpture), ---'' lA'agler Island Monument, (sculpture). 11920. !Sculpture: painted concrete; Base: concrete. . r- ~-------- ,~....._._-- ISculpture: approx. 100 ft. x 21 ft. 6 in. x 21 ft. 6 in.; Base: approx. 3 x 30 x 30 ft. I(Base of western figure:) Prosperity/Flagler (Base of southern figure:) , ,PioneerlFlagler (Base of eastern figure:) EducationlFlagler (Base of northern jfigure:) IndustrylFlagler iThe work is a tall obelisk with four large figures standing around the bottom of Ithe base, one on each side. The four figures represent Prosperity, Pioneering, IEducation, and Industrialism. The western figure. Prosperity, is a woman holding ,fruit in her proper right outstretched arm and cornucopia in her proper left. The [southern figure, Pioneering, is a man in pioneer dress shading his eyes with his iproper left hand. The eastern figure, Education, is a woman in an empire period ldress holding an open book in her proper left arm with her proper right arm lextended. The northern figure, Industrialism. is a man in a toga with a scroll in ,his proper left hand and a model train in his proper right arm. The sculpture is all Ithat exists on a small island. ..-----.-r:-::-.-. " iHomage --Flagler. Henry M. Artist ,Title Other Titles ,Dates Medium Dimensions Inscription ,Description ,Subject Occupation --Monetary--Financier Occupation --Industry--Oil Occupation -- Transoortation--Railroad Allegory --Oualitv--Wealth Allegory --Other--Progress Alle~ory --Arts & Sciences--Education Allegorv -Arts & Sciences--Industry :Object Type Outdoor Obelisk , .......--.---..--, ",,,..............,,........................................... ..............-.........."..-" .........----.....----............................................... Administered by Department of Environmental Resources Management, o e (0 td 't ) Biscayne Bay Restoration and Enhancement Project, III N.W. 1st Street, Miami, : wn r u oor Sl e Florida 33128 112660'8'0 : ' . Located Flagler Memorial Island, Miami Beach, Florida 112661;8;0 I of 2 6/19/00 3, 15 P~1 WebPAC: Long View <script> s = "General ...and 6OO3.Z5. and ias.lf.<Ib> wlpriJqjp66lhttP.:llwww.siris.si.edulwebp...0619 14523906874480+ 1 +search+select++ 1 + 14 Monument to Henry Morrison Flagler (1830-1913), a financier associated with John D. Rockefeller in developing Standard Oil Company. He organized Florida East Coast Railroad in 1886, extending the line down to Miami (1892-1896) and Key West (1913), building palatial resort hotels along its route, and thus triggering the growth of the southern part of Florida. The monument was repaired in 1970 because it was in danger of sinking. The four figures at the base of the sculpture were sculpted by H. Peterson. For related newspaper articles see the Miami Herald, July 28,1929; Dec. 5,1937; June 23,1940; Aug. 16, 1959; Nov. 28,1961; Sept. 16, 1966; Feb. 3,1967; May 3,1968; and Nov. 8,1968. Surveyed 1994 October. Treatment urgent. Sculpture is painted and paint is not in good condition. The top of the obelisk is eroded away. Sculpture shows evidence of exposed armature, structural instability, broken parts, cracks, guano, black crusts, staining, and spalling. Sculpture is chalky. Graffiti paint and etched gouges are apparent on base. Base shows evidence of guano, black crusts, erosion, and spalling. Base is chalky. Save Outdoor Sculpture, Florida, Miami survey, 1994. Metro-Dade Center, Art in Public Places, 1988. Metro-Dade Center, Art in Public Places, "Monuments in Dade County," Nancy Block, 1988. lIAS 66310005 Remarks Condition IReferences !mustration IControl No [Select Catalollsl [Previous Menul [New Searchl [Previous Pagel [Next Pal!el fBriefViewl [Go Back] Smithsonian Institution Research Information System. 20f2 6/19/00 3:15 PM r-- ~~,. >''f'..,... ",,,,,,,,,,~,,,,,'~"""""~""""'.f':"!,~.I:....,..,,,,,,.,.,.;:;, .""'r.ot~ ~""<i-lP,I 1~. EXHIBIT liB" - EXHIBIT lie" METRO - Statuetory Rape The Flagler Memorial, once a proud paean, Is now floundering In neglect 'Flagler Island has been one of the last things Miami Beach has BY 'LISSEYTE CO,ASA From a distance Flagler Memorial Monu- ment appears pristine against the backdrop of a cerulean sky. Looking northward from the MacArthur Causeway during daylight hours, one sees a 96-foot obelisk that resembles a smooth ivory sword pointing toward the heavens. It stands on a two-acre island surrounded by shimmering Biscayne Bay and four Italian cement statues that represent pioneering, industry, engineer- ing. and prosperity. "It's a beautiful and unique situation to have this monument, which has been likened to the Statue of Liberty, on an island in the middle of the bay," says Charles Buck- les, a designer for the Miami Beach planning department. The illusion. however. disap- pears when one approaches the manmade isle. From 150 feet away, the scars become visible. Parts of the obelisk and statues are crumbling. A top corner of the obelisk has completely chipped away. Pieces of concrete have fallen from some of the stat- ues, exposing the reinforcement bars; wind and sea spray have eaten away facial features, fin- gers have broken off, and cracks connect like varicose veins. A history of neglect and decades of vandalism have exacerbated the decay. "This is a classic piece of sculpture that is just deteriorat- ing." Buckles observes. "Sealers should have been applied every five years to protect it. How can we expect to get more outdoor art when we can't even care for what we have?" Located just north of Star Island and west of Miami Beach, Flagler Memorial Island has long been a ramp for Jet Skiers and a dump site for boaters, who picnic or party and then jettison their waste, as evidenced by a rusty three-leg barbecue halfburied in the sand. Budweiser cans and Corona bottles litter the land- embraced." On Flag1er Memorial Ialand, the muses are uninspiring They last made rounds two months ago when boaters cut the underwater cables with their &cape. Doritos bags and empty tubes of sun- tan lotion are tangled in the brush. Trash cans brim with garbage. Anti-litter signs have been knocked down and covered in weeds. "The rats are having a field day," Buckles complains. The abuse ofhistoricaI sites is ahallmark of South Florida, evidence that 100 years after its founding. the area has yet to catch its breath, ponder its past, and move gently for- ward. Buckles and other City of Miami Beach officials and activists want to change this by applying for grants and enlisting vol- unteer help to fix up this and other commu- nity treasures. "We are in the process of put- ting pen to paper," says Lisa Liotta, chairperson for the Miami Beach Beautifica~ tion Committee. Indeed the island has a raison d'etre. Carl Fisher, the automobile baron from Indianapo- lis who developed the Beach, had the island dredged from the bottom of the bay in 1929 to honor South Florida rail- road magnate Henry Fla- gler. Fisher, a real estate pioneer, admired Flagter, cofounder of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil empire. Although he arrived in South Florida a few years later, Fisher often compared himself to Flagler, says local historian Arva Parks. "There was a mania of creating islands dur. ing that time," recounts Paul George, also a South Florida historian. Even before Flagler Memorial Island popped up, spoil islands such as Star, Hibiscus, and Palm were play. grounds for the rich. "But in terms ofpreser- vation," George adds, "Flagler Island has been one of the last things Miami Beach has embraced." In 1939 the property and the memorial were donated to the City of Miami Beach. In the years since, the city, county, and private sector have made haphazard attempts at preserving it, but with little success. Since the mid-Eighties Miami-Dade County's Department of Environmental Resources Management has contracted Best's Mainte- nance and Janitorial Service, Inc., to do biweekly c1eanups.ln addition Miami Beach has organi?;ed volunteers to pick up trash about five times per year. The city's sanita- tion workers, the Miami Beach Kiwanis Club, and Environmental Cleanup of Miami Beach also have sponsored some work. Their task. however, is Sisyphean. After each new wave of enthusiasm to tum the vennin- infested trash bin into a respected landmark, the place returns to a state of abandonment. propellers. "Too many hands have been involved," says william Cary, division director for design preservation and neighborhood planning for the City of Miami Beach. "But not a single one has made a continuous effort." Perhaps the greatest damage to the island was done in 1998, when a careless picnicker set the island ablaze, destroying $250,000 worth of trees and landscaping planted in 1994. Although several public groups have set aside $100,000 to repair the damage, so far nothing has been done. These days City of Miami Beach crews maintain the island's spotlights under metal cages that make the monument visible from the causeways at night. They last made rounds tWo months ago, when boaters cut the underwater cables with their propellers. Currently the bulbs are out because vandals smashed them. Brad Judd. property management director for the City of Miami Beach. says this year alone the illumination has gone out on five occasions. "We've had to pull out the cable and splice it numerous times," Judd says. It seems the only visitors who have been able to make a permanent mark to date are Rich, Yol, Joel, and Rey, who have carved their names deep in the monument's base. But Liotta, Buckles, and Bruce Henderson, a Miami Beach environmental regulator, believe the place can be saved. They are trying to link efforts to save the island and attract public and private money to restore the monument In July they will seek money from the Beach commission and a group called Save Out- door Structures, which is supported by Tar- get stores. According to William Cary, director for design preservation and neigh- borhood planning, Buckles will also submit a plan for the restoration and regular Il1ainte- nance of all historic structures on Miami Beach. "It's not just this monument, it's other monuments," Cary says. Buckles and Liotta have big plans for the island. They want to have plaques printed with the islan,d's history, add new garbage receptacles, construct a picnic area with a tiki hut, and build trails made out of crushed shells. And they'd like to replace a drooping chainlink fence that surrounds the monu- ment with an elegant wrought.iron model. The pair aims to raise at least $200,000 for the project, beginning with a fundraiser in September. If they are successful,.the lights will truly shine again on Flagler Monument Contacttbe authOJ ordtscuuthe story ~ with other readenlet mlamtnewtlmes.co.n mlemlnewtlm".com JULY 6-12, 2000 MIAMI NEWTIMES 15 _~,,'" ~fF~ CITY OF MIAMI BEACH CITY HALL 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139 http:\lci.miami-beach.fl.us COMMISSION MEMORANDUM NO. ~'2.'2-oo TO: Mayor Neisen O. Kasdin and Mem bers ofthe City mission DATE: July 12,2000 FROM: SUBJECT: A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER, OR HIS DESIGNEE, ON BEHALF OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND THE ART IN PUBLIC PLACES COMMITTEE, TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS TO "SAVE OUTDOOR SCULPTURES" (SOS), FOR BOTH AN ASSESSMENT AWARD AND A CONSERVATION TREATMENT AWARD, FOR THE RESTORATION AND CONSERVATION OF THE FLAGLER MONUMENT; ACCEPTING THE GRANT(S), IF AWARDED; AND APPROPRIATING THE AWARDED FUNDS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE GRANT. ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDATION: Adopt the Resolution. ANALYSIS: The Flagler Memorial Sculpture on Monument Island is located in the middle of Biscayne Bay. It was commissioned by Carl Fisher in 1919 and erected in 1920 to honor Henry Morrison Flagler. The monument, designed by John B. Orr, consists offour figure sculptures with a unique obelisk measuring 110 feet in height. The statues at the base represent Prosperity, Pioneering, Education, and Industry. The island had to be stabilized in 1971 because it was in danger of sinking. The monument was surveyed in 1994 and urgent treatment was recommended. The sculpture shows evidence of exposed armature, structural instability, broken parts, cracks, guano, black crusts, staining, and spalling. The base is chalky, with layers of graffiti paint, and etched gouges. Save Outdoor Sculpture (SOS) is jointly sponsored by Heritage Preservation and the Smithsonian's National Museum of American Art. The Conservation Treatment Awards Program provides cash awards for the assessment and conservation treatment of public outdoor sculpture across the nation. The Art in Public Places Committee and the Planning Department recommend the submission of an application to SOS for an Assessment Award of up to $850, and a Conservation Treatment Award for a matching grant of up to $40,000, to contribute to the Flagler Memorial Sculpture restoration. AGENDA ITEM CIA DATE (- 1:2-.-DU T:\AGENDA\2OOO\JUL1:wo\REGULARICQMMAIPP.SQS Commission Memorandum July 12, 2000 Save Outdoor Sculptures Page 2 The following exhibits (A-C) are attached: "A" Smithsonian Research Information; "B" recent photographs indicating damage; and "C" recent article from the New Times. LAL:RS:~:J~~ T,\AGENDA\2OOO\JULI2OO\REGULARICOMMAJPP.SOS