MIAMI'S HISTORIC LITTLE HAVANA HAS LOST ANOTHER LANDMARK -- PART 3

DEMOLITION OF THE SHENANDOAH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WAS WRONG 

In ancient Rome, a not so glamorous building -- repurposed with a B&B and monthly rental among old families that have been there for generations – lives into its 500^th year.

In Miami, we declare landmarks obsolete before they turn 100 and pretend it is impossible to restore and re-purpose them with adaptive re-use.

I think good leadership could have easily found a way to retrofit an old church into something economically viable that does not conflict with the neighborhood next door.

We have no shortage of brilliant urban designers and architects in Miami as well as a wealth of creative developers.

There is no reason an historic church had to be razed for a likely cookie cutter replacement structure devoid of character.

I know we must look forward rather than point fingers, but I hope the Little Havana-Shenandoah community demands a "demolition autopsy."

Maybe such a report can outline what when wrong.

And most important, we can all learn how to prevent this from happening again in the future.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/little-havana/article235777177.html?fbclid=IwAR0bCsnmKUDt3fBNk6GYsluE54s6IljIYoJRw_5qeDaCUbBajOeql2kuOCo

https://calleochonews.com/shenandoah-presbyterian-church-a-thing-of-the-past/?fbclid=IwAR3f1OzfO5iRnHTm0BIF5gHH3NkAd8pLuPpAGpwlAPCJuV-Ljn0XY5m6N1Q

MIAMI'S HISTORIC LITTLE HAVANA HAS LOST ANOTHER LANDMARK -- PART 2

DEMOLITION OF THE SHENANDOAH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WAS WRONG 

I found out about the razing of Shenandoah Presbyterian Church while staying at a 17th century palazzo while working in Rome.

My tiny rental unit had all the modern conveniences and the building's group of tenants even sprung for a tiny, not so beautiful elevator retrofit to allow folks to age in place.

The building I lived in for half a month is NOT famous for belonging to some legendary family.

It's not appeared in a movie and it does not house tourism-worthy art.

But it lives on, through so many generations.

It has restaurants, shops and even an ancient machine shop (pretty heavy industrial use) on the ground floor.

It all adds so much character.

But Miami never seems to understand the intrinsic value in character, scale, history and authenticity.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/little-havana/article235777177.html?fbclid=IwAR0bCsnmKUDt3fBNk6GYsluE54s6IljIYoJRw_5qeDaCUbBajOeql2kuOCo

https://calleochonews.com/shenandoah-presbyterian-church-a-thing-of-the-past/?fbclid=IwAR3f1OzfO5iRnHTm0BIF5gHH3NkAd8pLuPpAGpwlAPCJuV-Ljn0XY5m6N1Q

MIAMI'S HISTORIC LITTLE HAVANA HAS LOST ANOTHER LANDMARK -- PART 1

DEMOLITION OF THE SHENANDOAH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WAS WRONG 

The City of Miami allowed the demolition of the historic Shenandoah Presbyterian Church at 2150 SW 8 Street. 

It is nothing short of a tragedy.

Maybe the old church, neglected by recent tenants, was a coffee table book cover-worthy building.

But it was a Calle Ocho landmark and a classic structure with tons of history inside its walls.

It's so painful to see so many US cities operate this way -- allowing history, character and authenticity to fall to the wrecking ball -- when you see European cities that get it.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/little-havana/article235777177.html?fbclid=IwAR0bCsnmKUDt3fBNk6GYsluE54s6IljIYoJRw_5qeDaCUbBajOeql2kuOCo


https://calleochonews.com/shenandoah-presbyterian-church-a-thing-of-the-past/?fbclid=IwAR3f1OzfO5iRnHTm0BIF5gHH3NkAd8pLuPpAGpwlAPCJuV-Ljn0XY5m6N1Q

WE SUPPORT HISTORICAL DESIGNATION FOR PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

A PORTION OF CHURCH AND ADJOINING BUILDINGS COULD BE 
RE-PURPOSED AS INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY CENTER FOR ALL ON CALLE OCHO

We understand the property has not been kept up and nearby neighbors were not happy with noise, trash and other problems coming from the most recent church tenants. 

All of that can and should be fixed. 

This site could become a model for preservation, adaptive re-use and community building. 

There are dozens of successful public-private partnerships that preserve history, blended with a properly-scaled mix of commercial, residential, office and community-based uses.

The core 1920s church building could serve as a much-needed community center. 

It could be a signature example of restoring a facade while reprogramming the interior to provide barrier-free access to all.

This could be a center of information and assistance for the many immigrants and working poor residents of Little Havana.

That would make it a source of pride for residents, visitors, merchants, public officials and more.

We live less than 7 blocks from this historic structure and can see (out the front windows) its potential for rebirth via historical designation.

The petition is at:

https://www.change.org/p/historical-groups-historical-designation-for-presbyterian-church-on-2150-s-w-8-street-miami-fl-33135

WE SUPPORT HISTORICAL DESIGNATION FOR PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

A PORTION OF CHURCH AND ADJOINING BUILDINGS COULD BE 
RE-PURPOSED AS INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY CENTER FOR ALL ON CALLE OCHO

Residents of the Shenandoah neighborhood in the City of Miami are petitioning the Mayor, City Commissioners, City Manager, Planning, Zoning and Appeals Board, and Historic and Environmental Preservation  Board to approve the former Shenandoah Presbyterian Church, located at 2150 SW 8 Street, for designation as an historic building.

I signed because Little Havana is one of the great neighborhoods in America and Calle Ocho has the potential to be one of the best main streets in the region. 

Highway-like traffic and demolitions to make way for bland buildings have gutted too much of SW 8th Street as it is. 

Preserving this historic church provides an opportunity to invest in the community's soul -- not just an investor's bottom line. 

The petition is at:


https://www.change.org/p/historical-groups-historical-designation-for-presbyterian-church-on-2150-s-w-8-street-miami-fl-33135