Is Brickell Roadway to Remain a Checkerboard?

While the median landscaping issue has come to a somewhat satisfactory resolution, Brickell Homeowners Association directors are still trying to work with the Florida Department of Transportation on resolving the rehabilitation project that left Brickell Avenue looking like a "broken checkerboard."

Added to the dilemma of fixing the eyesore, communication from FDOT continues to have its highs and lows. (See letter to District Secretary that follows.

Residents continue to voice their disappointment while BHA directors search for way to improve the appearance of the roadway. A Florida International University professor, Dr. B.N.O. Attoh-Okine, and FDOT experts from outside of South Florida have been called in for guidance. Short of redoing the entire Avenue from 15th to 25th Road, which would be tremendously expensive and inconvenient (again) for residents, the experts say that possible remedies are extremely limited.

Resurface? Redo?
The roadway cannot simply be resurfaced with a layer of nice, black asphalt, because the asphalt would crack over the concrete base and require frequent, costly maintenance, the experts agree.

Paints, plastics or other coatings, such as those used for driveways or patios, would not stand up under all the traffic traveling Brickell, which is officially part of US Highway 1. (Brickell traffic is expected to increase significantly when the Brickell Bridge reopens.) Additionally, such a coating may make for a slippery safety hazard by decreasing road friction, experts warn.

Adding a whole new layer of uniform concrete would require first grinding down the current concrete, making for another lengthy, and messy, construction project.

Testing the Law
BHA Directors are presently reluctant to test FDOT's compliance with the amendment to Florida Statute F.S. 336.045, effective April 8, 1992, which calls upon FDOT to develop standards and criteria for road design, construction and maintenance, specfically including appropriate aesthetics. According to FDOT's District VI Director Jose Abreu, no formal standards and criteria have been developed to date. FDOT has acknowledged that they should have at least addressed trying to match the new cement and aggregate to the old, but it was simply overlooked.

FDOT representatives told BHA directors at their October meeting that they will consider expanding their quest for possible solutions by testing some new products on the market. Dr. Jamshid Armaghani, FDOT's chief pavement engineer from the State Materials Office in Gainesville, is researching products and other states' experiences, but said he needs authorization from this FDOT district before he can conduct actual tests.

FDOT representatives did not attend the November BHA Board of Directors meeting and report any progress, but have promised a report back to BHA Directors in January 1996.

Structurally Sound?
While aesthetic concerns remain unresolved, Dr. Armaghani reported that in his study conducted in October he found that Brickell Avenue is structurally sound. He said that the longitudinal joint down the middle is a deliberate, "orderly crack" and the roadway exceeds today's strength requirements. He said the new concrete slabs added were also sound, although he recommended joint fillers for between the slabs for a quieter, more comfortable ride.

Earlier Dr. Attoh-Okine had raised questions about the structural soundness of the road, but upon conferring with Dr. Armaghani, he reported his concerns were answered by Dr. Armaghani, whom he considers the foremost "expert in the country."

Dr. Armaghani explained that the roadway created in the mid-1930s on the coastal ridge is well built and includes a layer of steel under the concrete. Only six percent of the 35,000 lane miles of state highways are concrete.

Median Landscaping Improved
The Florida Department of Transportation appropriated an additional $30,000 toward the improvement of the median landscaping project that fell short of many residents' expectations. The additional funds covered about 90 more trees, which met most of the requests of the BHA ad hoc committee headed by Roberta Slonim and Fran Zion.

Enrique Nunez, landscape architect with the City of Miami Public Works Department, developed the specifications based on the committee's recommendations.

The landscaping has been completed but will continue to be monitored by FDOT and is still under warranty. The City of Miami Public Works will contract with a private vendor to maintain the planted areas when the FDOT contractor is released.

BHA Hears from Police
In response to the BHA's request for assistance from the City of Miami Police Department in keeping vehicles off the newly planted Brickell Avenue medians, Chief Donald Warshaw sent out an Official & General Bulletin, Aug. 29, 1995, that stated:

"No Parking On Brickell Avenue Medians: The medians along Brickell Avenue are being renovated and landscaped by the Department of Transportation at a great cost to the taxpayers. The City of Miami will become responsible for the maintenance and care of the medians. Therefore, it is requested that no vehicles (including utility company trucks) park on the medians. Officers are to take enforcement action against any violators to ensure that the medians are not destroyed due to parking."

November 30, 1995

Jose Abreu, P.E.
District Secretary, District VI
Florida Department of Transportation
1000 NW 111 Ave., Rm 6207 C
Miami, FL 33172

RE: Brickell Avenue Pavement Rehabilitation

Dear Jose:

On September 15, 1995, we sent to you by messenger Dr. Attoh-Okine's Survey Report of Highway Surface Condition on Brickell Avenue from S.W. 15th Road to S.E. 25th Road, along with a covering letter asking you to call with your comments.

As you know, Dr. Attoh-Okine of F.I.U. is a member of the FDOT Pavement Research Advisory Board. We had asked Dr. Attoh-Okine for recommendations at to what, if anything, could be done to improve the appearance of Brickell Avenue pavement . . . to remedy the patchwork, checkerboard look of the roadway. To our surprise and dismay, Dr. Attoh-Okine identified some structural problems with the newly installed slabs.

Though we did not get your direct response, we were advised by FDOT staff that there were no structural defects.

On Friday, November 17, 1995, a minimum of six new concrete slabs were installed in the 10 blocks of Brickell Avenue between 15th and 25th Roads. In fact, the barricade at Brickell and 15th facing north read "ROAD CLOSED" with no notation of "Local Traffic Only." We have two problems with this:

1. If there were no defects, why were the slabs replaced?

2. FDOT District VI staff had assured Brickell Homeowners Association that they would be represented at our monthly board meetings until the project was completed and that we would be advised in advance of all construction work.

FDOT was not represented at our November 15th board meeting and we were not informed of the weekend barricades and concurrent pavement repairs.

We are sorry that it appears that District VI staff have not been able to live up to their commitments to Brickell area residents.

We were very appreciative of FDOT's Gus Graupera bringing Dr. Jamshid Armaghani of FDOT's State Materials Office in Gainesville to our October Board Meeting. Dr. Armaghani was most understanding of our concerns regarding the mismatched pavement coloration and agreed to explore solutions, including the testing of various paints, stains, coatings and bleaches as suggested by BHA members, provided the tests were approved by District VI. He also suggested testing use of a joint filler to provide a quieter, more comfortable ride.

Since the October 18th meeting, District VI staff has not found time to follow through with Dr. Armaghani.

Jose, awhile back, we agreed that there had been some communications problems between FDOT/District VI and the Brickell residents. We thought we had overcome the problems and established not only good communications, but also a climate of goodwill and mutual respect. During the "honeymoon" period you were most gracious in funding enhancement of the median landscaping.

At this time, it appears that the honeymoon is over. Must it be so? Must the Brickell Homeowners Association change its name to "Checkerboard Square" Homeowners Association?

Sincerely,

T. Sinclair (Tory) Jacobs, President, BHA

New Date To Coincide Bridge Reopening & Art Unveiling

A year overdue from the original plan, the Florida Department of Transportation announced December 8th as the new date set for the Brickell Bridge reopening.

The most recent delay from the October 6th date (reported in the summer BHA News) has at least made it possible to unveil the bridge artwork at the same time it is reopened.

Located where the city of Miami began, the bridge will be adorned with Sculptor Manuel Carbonell's bronze statues, columns and bas-reliefs to mark the important historic landmark. The area's earliest inhabitants, the Tequesta Indians; city founders Julia Tuttle, Henry Flagler, D.A. Dorsey and William and Mary Brickell; and environmentalist Marjory Stoneman Douglas will be
depicted.

The new six-lane bridge, 50 percent higher than the old bridge, will decrease the number of bridge openings needed for river traffic, which cause vehicular traffic delays and congestion.

When the project began in summer '93, FDOT said it would take a year and a half to complete. Reopening was scheduled to be in time for the Summit of the Americas held in Miami last December. Early problems with pile-driving that caused cracks in nearby garages shut down work, delaying progress for weeks.

The most recent October reopening did not occur because mechanical and electrical parts that open and close the bridge were not properly synchronized. Jose Abreu, FDOT district secretary, said that problem has been corrected and is now in testing up until the December 8th date.

This opening, however, is not likely to see the fanfare that was planned and scrapped when the October 6th date was not met. The Downtown Development Authority, the organization coordinating the festivities involving neighboring hotels and restaurants, said they do not want to be stung again if more problems arise, so they are playing it low key.

The most people should hope for is a trip over the bridge. Many are just keeping their fingers crossed and gears in neutral.

President's Column By T. Sinclair (Tory) Jacobs

In a perfect world, there would not be a need for the Brickell Homeowners Association.

It should come as no surprise to our members and friends that even in our Brickell World, the ultimate is yet to be achieved.

As long as there are insufficient public revenues and staff to fulfill the wish list of all the neighborhoods, there will be a need for BHA.

As long as we must compete for our share of municipal services, BHA will have a mission.

As long as public officials, no matter how well intended, make mistakes (as all of us humans do from time to time), whether by omission or commission, we will need the BHA.

We recognize that public officials have many calls for their time and attention. We can hardly expect others to be as aware of our neighborhood's needs as we who are daily exposed to its deficiencies. BHA's job is to keep those responsible for providing public services and amenities informed of what is required. . .and then to follow up as needed.

It doesn't look likely that BHA will be out of a job any time soon.

Neighborhood Updates

What's in a Name?
South Bayshore Drive is the name given to the drive along Biscayne Bay just north of the Brickell Condominium corridor, from 8th Street to 15th Road. The problem is, according to businesses and residents on the drive, that people unfamiliar with this street one block east of Brickell don't know it is there and frequently have difficulty finding it. Seems they often confuse it with South Bayshore Drive in Coconut Grove, where the South Miami Avenue name changes just south of Mercy Hospital.

A resolution came before the City Commission in November to change the name to "Brickell Bayshore" for 8th Street to 14th Road, but the Point View folks pointed out that the final block, from 14th to 15th should also be included. The resolution is being rewritten and will come up again before the commission for passage.n

BHA Meets Candidates
Eight candidates addressed residents of the Brickell and Miami Roads areas at the groups' fourth annual Candidates' Forum in October. Two seats were up in the City of Miami Commission. J.L. Plummer retained his seat while incumbent Victor deYurre lost to Joe Carollo in a runoff election. Carollo was in office eight years ago.

The BHA will continue contact with these and all other elected officials on matters of importance to its residents.n

Thank You
The Brickell Homeowners Association extends its gratitude to all who participated in the 4th Annual Candidates' Forum. A special thanks to our cosponsors of the event, the Miami Roads Neighborhood Civic Association, and Cal Norman and Eleanor Florio of the Immanuel Lutheran Church who graciously provided their Fellowship Hall for the event.n

Chief Praises BHA News
City of Miami Police Chief Donald H. Warshaw recently wrote to the BHA:

"It was a real pleasure reading the Summer 1995 edition of BHA News. Congratulations to everyone involved in its production, as well as to the members of the BHA and all area residents for this fine undertaking.

"Projects such as this, which keep the community informed about the issues affecting us all, are crucial steps towards resolving the problems and creating a sense of community pride and involvement.

"The Miami Police Department is strongly committed to projects which have a positive impact on our neighborhoods and looks forward to working closely with your association as we continue to strengthen our community/police partnership...."

Blockbuster Video Part of Publix Plan

Blockbuster Video is now included in the plans for the new "Brickell Village Publix" coming to the neighborhood. Demolition began mid-November and involved about eight buildings, including small residences and apartment/office buildings, Harvey Taylor, developer for the project, said.

The opening date has been moved a bit later, now targeted for June 1996 instead of earlier in the year, but Taylor said the project is "pretty well on track."

The store will be located on a tract bounded by Coral Way on the north, SW 2nd Avenue on the west, 14th Street on the south and the Metrorail right-of-way on the east.

The mini store is a new concept for Publix. This one is promised to be upscale in design, buffered by extensive landscaping and offer ample parking for customers.

At 27,000 square feet, the new mini store will be about half the size of a typical Publix.

Pioneers Honored with Road Name

Spearheaded by Carmen Petsoules, local history advocate and director of the Miami Roads Neighborhood Civic Association, 26th Road has been named "Pioneers Road" in honor of the organization, the Miami Pioneers.

The City Commission passed the resolution which Petsoules pursued after the Miami Pioneers lost their headquarters at 250 N. River Drive.

"It was a joint effort of the Mary Brickell Club, the Miami Pioneers and the Miami Roads Neighborhood groups," she said. "We wanted a way to recognize our pioneers."

Twenty-sixth Road was chosen since it the area where Miami's earliest inhabitants settled.

While City Commissioners unanimously approved the name for 26th Road from where Rickenbacher Causeway begins to St. Peter & Paul Catholic Church at 900 SW 26th Road, they did not provide funds for signs, Petsoules said. The groups are going to work to raise the money for three large signs for Brickell and Coral Way, and for smaller intermittent signs along 26th Road. The Pioneers name will be added above "26th Road" on signage.

The large signs cost $400 and the smaller ones $200, but Petsoules, who has been through this before to raise money for "Mary Brickell Road" signs, is undeterred. She is already accepting donations.

Speaking of Mary Brickell...

Mary Brickell will be in the spotlight for a special exhibition and "Pre-Centennial Gala Opening" on Dec. 8th at the Women's Club of Coconut Grove. Everyone is invited for the evening which includes three never-before-seen photographs of Mary Brickell on exhibit with other personal belongings; a keynote address by author Helen Muir; Master of Ceremonies Dr. Paul George; and other treats. The cost is $20 per person, to benefit the restoration of the Women's Club. For details or reservations for this one-night exhibit, call Echos of South Florida at 1-(800) 656-1896. The exhibit is dedicated in memory of Mrs. Henriette Harris, a Miami pioneer who lived on Brickell Avenue for 73 years.

Point View Neighbors Hire Extra Police

Brickell Homeowner Association neighbors have taken matters into their own hands, dug into their pockets and hired extra police protection for themselves, their property and their neighborhood. Frustrated by a City of Miami Police force too stretched to consistently enforce laws and patrol their area, residents from 14th to 15th Road on South Bayshore Drive have employed off-duty police for key times on weekends.

A Convenient Haven
Tucked away on what should be a picturesque bayside drive, the "street was taken over by crime, drugs, and trash," said Nellie Zamora, a leader of the concerned Point View residents.

People without any respect for the neighborhood, the sidewalks or Biscayne Bay were treating the bayside walkway like their personal camping area and dumping ground, she explained. In addition, unscrupulous characters, known to come to the area looking for an opportunity for crime, were hard to distinguish from the legitimate fishermen and sightseers.

Although the neighbors obtained the proper signs prohibiting loitering, fishing and polluting, people ignored the signs, she said. Now officers, hired by residents of the five condo and co-op buildings, enforce the laws on certain nights and on weekends.

"Our street is now clean, you can walk down the sidewalks and avoid the fishing mess, knives and beer drinking," Zamora reported.

But trouble still comes around, usually in the form of random vandalism and theft, so residents would like to expand the coverage to 24 hours a day, an even more costly undertaking. They are also exploring the possibility of adding a gatehouse to control the criminal traffic in the area, but that too is expensive, even if the details can be worked out.

"We don't mind if people come and park to enjoy the street," Zamora said. "We just want to protect our neighborhood."

An Option for BHA?
BHA Directors considered whether hiring an off-duty police patrolman for around-the-clock coverage would be of benefit to its member residents. One patrolman 24 hours a day, 365 days a year would work out to about $3 per month per unit for all the BHA member units. However, even if affordable, the effectiveness of one officer for the considerably large area was questioned.

The BHA member area stretches for 10 blocks on Brickell, plus the condominiums on 15th and 25th Roads, plus Brickell Key. The officer would have a lot of territory to cover. In addition, if the officer apprehended an offender, he or she would have to take the perpetrator to the station for booking if no other units were available, leaving the area uncovered.

While BHA directors encouraged Point View's efforts, the solution did not seem workable for the Brickell Area. Many lamented the fact that residents are resorting to taxing themselves for needed services even though they already pay huge city and county taxes.

Column: Art & History to Adorn New Brickell Bridge By Ricardo J. Gonzalez III

The soon-to-be inaugurated Brickell Bridge will be an important artistic and historical landmark with works of art created by Cuban born, Modern Master Sculptor Manuel Carbonell. The artwork will serve as a lesson on the history of our city and honor our pioneers.

For the most part, when people from all around the world think of Miami, they think of the sunshine and the Miami Beach Art Deco District. But there is much more to the history of our city. It was here, right at the foot of the new bridge, that Miami began.

Sculptor Manuel Carbonell spent many hours of research to learn about Miami's first inhabitants: The Tequesta Indians, a branch of the Calusa Federation under King Carlos. The first Spaniard believed to have reached Miami was Ponce De Leon who arrived in July of 1513, and named the area Chequesta. (The Spaniards named their settlements by the Spanish perception of the name of each chief.)

Most of what is known about the Tequestas came from Don Escalante De Fontaneda, who at 13 years of age, was shipwrecked on the west coast of Florida and lived among the Indians for 17 years. One day, to the surprise of Don Menendez de Aviles, he appeared in a canoe, painted and naked and holding a crucifix above his head.

Due to wars and disease, the Tequestas were practically extinct by the mid-1700s. In 1763, the last remnants of the Tequestas, consisting of about 80 families, left their last possessions and native land and went to Havana, Cuba. It is an historical irony that almost 200 years later, Carbonell, a Cuban who left everything in Havana to escape oppression, is creating a monument in the Tequestas' honor in Miami.

Carbonell learned all he could about the Tequesta's civilization and was fascinated by it. He researched their appearance, their lifestyle and their social and religious practices. Then he let his creative imagination loose to create this work of art that consists of four parts: a bronze bas-relief column, 36 feet in height, which graphically narrates the life of the Tequestas; a 17-foot sculpture of a Tequesta family and four bronze bas-reliefs of Miami pioneers Henry Flagler and D.A. Dorsey, William and Mary Brickell, Marjorie Stoneman Douglas and Julia Tuttle. In addition, 12 bronze bas-reliefs of Florida fauna will adorn the base of flagpoles.

Carbonell's artistic journey began in Cuba where he studied at the Academia de Arte de San Alejandro. There he studied under Jose Sicres, who had been a student of Bourdelle, Rodin's favorite assistant. Later, he traveled extensively through Europe to study first hand the works of the great masters. After many successful years of an artistic career, during which he received many national and international awards, Carbonell came to America in search of personal freedom and the opportunity to freely express his art.

Carbonell's artistic creations for the Brickell Bridge are the climax of a man's life of study and dedication to his art and the realization of a lifetime dream. According to Carbonell, "Creating the works of art for this bridge, has allowed me the to give something in return to a country that has given me so many opportunities and that welcomed me with open arms."

The conceptual design and preliminary sketches were done by Carbonell in Miami. Later, he traveled to the city of Pietrasanta, Italy, where he set up a studio and completed the works of art and cast the bronze. Pietrasanta has been a haven for the world's most famous sculptors because of the craftsmanship and quality of casting of its foundries. Michelangelo went there to select marble for his sculptures. Modern masters Marini, Moore, Lipchitz and many others have had their studios or have done their castings there.

When the works of art and the bridge are inaugurated December 8th, this monument of the Tequesta family will be a testament to the legacy of the Tequestas and their permanent place in Miami's history.

Ricardo J. Gonzalez III is the director of Beaux Art Collections Ltd. and exclusive agent for the works of sculptor Carbonell. A permanent exhibit of his bronze sculptures, bas-reliefs, serigraphs and etchings are on display at the Gallery open to view by appointment six days a week (858-6776).