It's always distressing to hear the sound of houses being torn down in Coconut Grove. It is loud and the backhoes claw for days. The demolitions are a surprise as neighbors are usually given no notice (as is required but the City of Miami code). If you are informed, you have 15-days to fight the "demo" permit.
The city does not publish the addresses of the houses that have received them. There is even more obfuscation as the city calls them "waivers" (what are they "waiving", the right of the neighborhood to remain intact?).
As you sink deeper in the bureaucratic muck you realize why we're surprised when the two-ton house-rippers show up. We could not tell when the wrecking ball would fly next...until now.
This month, Grove residents can receive some forewarning. I have a list of the next Grove houses scheduled to fall this month. A couple have been torn down already.
I only have the list because Grove 2030's David Villano made a special request to the city's Department of Zoning. This list should be online, all the time.
Thanks to Mr. Villano, this month we can see the the addresses of the,
TWENTY-ONE GROVE HOUSES DOOMED
FOR DESTRUCTION (May, 2016)
1. 3950 Leafy Way
2. 3945 Loquat Ave.
This house had a permit but it has expired.
It is safe for now.
3. 3147 Matilda St.
4. 4197 Braganza St.
5. 3828 Kumquat Ave. (partial demolition)
6. 3226 Elizabeth St.
7. 3966 Park Ave.
8. 3701 Park Ave.
9. 3150 Hibiscus St.
10. 3160 Shipping Ave.
11. 3621 Noc-a-tee Dr.
12. 3210 Calusa Ct.
13. 3145 Ohio Street
14. 1935 Secoffee St.
15. 3093 Emathla St.
The list address is probably a mistake. There is no "3093" and "3003" has a new construction posting on the front wall.
16. 2550 Overbrook St.
17. 2050 Bay Heights Dr.
18. 3220 Day Ave.
This looks like a simple
2/1 built in the 40's.
Unfortunately it will
probably be replaced by a bulky four-plex like those surrounding it. There will be no room for anything but a driveway and a white box stretching the length of the property.
Is this the future of Coconut Grove?
19. 3127 Matilda St.
20. 3220 Matilda St. (torn down last week)
"3127" has a colorful
front wall but the aging
plain Jane behind it probably should have been flattened years ago.
And rounding out May's list,
21. 3550 Curtis Lane
That's how wrecking ball bounces this month. The Grove community and its leaders must decide how to respond to developers tearing down our houses with greater frequency. If they continue to fall, the Grove may have to adopt a more Princely name,
"The Community Formerly Known as Coconut Grove".
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