Author: commtims

      News that the only Historic Preservation group in Fort Lauderdale was going out of business by the year’s end struck a nerve in the preservation community, and might have changed the group’s plans!

     The Broward Trust for Historic Preservation was out of money and out of steam, and decided their only option was to go out of business, according to the group’s President, Diane Smart.

     Enter a group of citizens to the rescue!

                 
                   

     After I reported the possible folding of the Trust in a blog post a few weeks back, a group of about fifteen residents, concerned with preserving Fort Lauderdale’s dwindling history, and hell bent on saving the group or starting a new effort, met in the 1916 Annie Beck House, (that was saved from the wrecking ball and moved a few years back from off Las Olas into the Middle River Terrace Park) to strategize. 

     For some background, the Broward Trust has been fighting to preserve some of Fort Lauderdale’s historic structures for over a decade. 
 
                                       
                                           Lauderdale Beach Hotel

     One example, the City’s oldest beachfront hotel ( circa 1939) was slated for demolition, and the Trust and the developers came to an agreement to save the important front of the structure, and let the developer go ahead and remove the rear portions of the building for their mega Condo behind.

     But not all of the Trust’s work has been as collaborative with the development community.
 
     The biggest fight between the two lasted about a decade and centered around the oldest house in the City (1905), the Stranahan House. 

                                  
                                      Frank and Ivy’s pad on the river

     A new Condo was planned to go on the north side of the House, and a long protracted fight and lawsuit ensued. Though the development planned on keeping the House, even “showcasing” it, the preservationists felt it would “loom” or obscure the cherished house.
 
     The developers won in the end, but the battle ran right up to the recession, and that scuttled plans for the development ( at least so far). Neither the development community or the preservationists have truly trusted each other since.

     But these possible new members of a reworked Broward Trust just might give preservation a fresh start.

     Steve Glassman , Vice Chair of Broward County’s Historical Commission, says historic preservation has always been perceived as an “us VS. them”  
mentality, but thinks it’s been mostly “fueled by the media” . He says he thinks a new effort can bring the two sides together .

     Here are just some of the “resources” some activists would like to see saved.    

                        
                                       Jolly Roger Hotel on the beach

                                                   
                                                        Oakland Park mall

                                                   
                                                                  
  Pier 66


                                                        
                                                          Sheraton Yankee Clipper

     The group plans on meeting again in September to nail down their plans. 

     I’m curious what you think – add a comment ( just choose a pseudonym if you want to remain anonymous, and I won’t give you up!)

                                                             Tim

     I know some of you will find this surprising – I did !
 
    …… some will be thrilled – some maybe not!



     City Street Sweeper rolling down NE 13th Street – 

             ……Sunday morning around 8 a.m.

                          Thanks City ! ( and thanks Steve )

     It was discovered this morning in the science class at the Bethany Christian School on South Federal Highway in Rio Vista.
                   

   Bomb Squad closes South Federal

     Crytalized Ammonium Nitrate !

               Here is Webster’s definition

Definition of Ammonium nitrate

1. Noun. Used as an explosive and fertilizer and rocket propellant.

     Federal Highway has been closed down and the school evacuated as the Fort Lauderdale Police Bomb Squad took control of the situation this morning. Ammonia Nitrate was the ingredient used in the Oklahoma Federal Building bombing.

     Unconfirmed reports say it was a science lab ingredient that had gone bad and fortunately discovered in time by a new science teacher.

     South Federal is expected to be closed for some part of the day.

     

    

     For those of you that read this blog regularly, (between two and three thousand people a week!), you may want to read the Sun-Sentinel newspaper’s reporting below on the latest machinations to hit the Fort Lauderdale Visioning efforts ….. 

     ……….  but remember the warning – it really does suck !

      


Fort Lauderdale vision project hit with infighting

By Scott Wyman August 10, 2011 05:38 PM


Former City Commissioner Tim Smith is out as the head of Fort Lauderdale’s effort to draw up a long-term vision for its growth.

Smith stepped down as chairman of the Visioning Committee amid a coup d’etat Tuesday night. Members were angry that Smith had not defended a name they wanted for the project and that he supported adding a representative from the city’s Council of Civic Associations to the group.

The tiff adds to the controversy surrounding the vision project – which has drawn objections because of its estimated $300,000 price tag. The City Commission agreed this spring to fund the first phase of the project at a cost of $54,000.

“It’s all sad, and I don’t know what to do because I still believe in the project,” Smith said.

The Visioning Committee had touted the city hiring the consulting firm Wallace, Roberts & Todd to craft a comprehensive look at the city’s future. They said the city’s vision had been too hodge-podge and that officials needed help gaining focus.

The group wanted to call the project “Imagine Fort Lauderdale.” But Smith learned behind the scenes that Mayor Jack Seiler had concerns because Austin, Texas, uses “Imagine Austin.” Then former Mayor Rob Dressler suggested a naming contest, which the City Commission then decided to pursue.

That led to a recent city survey of residents about what to name the project and then a vote on four choices. The top vote-getter was “Fort Lauderdale – Our City, Our Vision.”

At the same time, the civic association – which is the umbrella organization of Fort Lauderdale’s powerful neighborhood groups – sought a seat at the table. The City Commission agreed before it went on its summer break and is set to name a representative of the civic association when it returns later this month. Smith – who rose in politics as an activist in Middle River Terrace – backed the idea.

The Visioning Committee, though, does not – even though its members include Dan Lindblade of the Chamber of Commerce. Smith’s critics said they didn’t want special interests on the committee and voted to tell the commission that they didn’t want a civic association representative.

Smith said he resigned in the face of the challenge, but still plans to stay on the committee and fight for the visioning project.

“It was going downhill, and it wasn’t about me but the future of the city so I just decided to step down as chair,” he said.

     The Fort Lauderdale City Commissioners are in their last year of a three year term. 
    
     Soon you will be seeing them on the campaign trail, looking for another three years of employment. 

     So I decided to check back on their work product over the last year to see just  – what they been doin? 

       
  

   ….. Here is a list of the items that they have talked about in their planning meetings, at least two times or more, and the outcomes ( if there were any!) 

    these items came up twice over the last year                     the outcomes

   ………..  surplus city owned property                        new policy/ sold some of them
   ………..  palazzo lawsuit                                            settled with developer for about $450,000
   ………..  red light cameras                                        program in flux due to statewide problems
  
    these items came up three times                                      

   ………..  Lockhart stadium                                      negotiating for a water park there
   ………..  Vision for the City                                     hired consultant for first phase at $50,000
   ………..  Neighborhood Stability                             formed city policy/doled out federal monies

    four times

   ……….  Las Olas/ Downtown                                   changing policies/ appropriated money
   ……….  PUD (Planned Urban Development)           placed the zoning in moratorium

    five times

  ……….  City’s 100th birthday                                   planned events/ appropriated money
   ………  City Manager                                              looked for one/ hired one
   ………  Southside School                                       investigated management possibilities
    
     six times

    …….   homeless                                                    no progress
    …….   North West                                                 planned and progressed/ spent money

     eight times 

     ………  City Pools at the beach                            talked alot – tentative plans

     eleven times 

     ………  the beach                                               planned/ progressed – spent lots of money!

     Robin Merrill, of  Mission Gifts, is always a woman with a mission! 

   But today, her mission is a little different than usual – she’s trying to save the Las Olas branch of the United States Post Office from closing. And if energy means anything, it just might stay open!

      
                          Las Olas Post Office branch – 1400 block of E. Las Olas

     The station dates back to the 1940’s, according to Marilyn Rathbun of the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society, and is an integral part of the Colee Hammock neighborhood it resides in.

     But this year, as part of the restructuring of the USPS, all locations that gross less than $600,000 a year are being slated for possible closing. The Las Olas branch grosses about $500,000, so they are now in the middle of an evaluation that will take 60 days to see if they should be on the hatchet list.

     Merrill says the community needs and the importance of the stations are also being taken into account, so Merrill is telling anyone and everyone who will listen about the importance of the L.O. station

     Merrill owns and runs the Christian Cultural Development Foundation, which is located a bit east of the Post Office on Las Olas. The non-profit foundation, and its Mission Gifts and Art Gallery on Las Olas, sells fair trade items from around the world and furthers its belief in social justice and curbing global poverty.

     She says all the businesses and residents rely on this station, and love the fact that they can walk to it.

     
                                                    Merill Mailing !

     Merill has set up a Facebook account, Save the Las Olas Post Office, and wants you to visit the site and “like it” so she can show the USPS the positive responses. She also has a website ”  SavetheLasOlasPostOffice.com ” and asks if you will write and call your Congressman and Senators! You can reach Robin Merrill at 954-828-1505.

                             Good Luck Robin !        

                     Name That Vision !!! 

     That’s right, the finalists have been picked, now it’s time for you to vote! Do your civic duty !!

     You’ll remember ( I hope!),  that  Fort Lauderdale’s project to let the citizens have a say in the City’s future has begun ( preliminary interviews, findiing the issues, choosing the meeting sites etc.), but that elusive name for the effort  has not yet been decided on.

     Last month, you, and over 100 of your neighbors submitted their ideas for a great name for the effort, and the advisory/steering committee for the Vision effort has chosen four finalist for you to choose from  ….

                         Here are the four finalists!

         Fort Lauderdale, Forward Focused
        
     Vision Fort Lauderdale – Dream it, Do it !

     Fort Lauderdale – Our City, Our Vision

        Fort Lauderdale – Future in Focus

   …….  In order to vote for your favorite, you can go to the City’s web site, or just click on the link ( the word vote below) –  and vote ! It’s that easy ! 

                                                     Vote  





                                See you on the Vision trail …..   Tim








 

     Whether your house, car, or business has gotten broken into, so far this year in Fort Lauderdale, generally depends on where exactly you live!

     Check out this map –  no, it’s not today’s thunderstorms !

  

       ……   it’s the intensity of crimes so far this year in Fort Lauderdale …

     Those bright orange circles are crimes, and plenty of them. They are either robberies, burglaries, vehicle burglaries, vehicle thefts, or business burglaries … 

     The worst areas of the city’s crime intensities are – the center of the Northwest, the areas north and south of Broward Blvd., centered around Andrews Avenue, and the area north and south of Sunrise Blvd. , between Andrews ave. and  Powerline Rd..

     There is also a somewhat less crime intense area at the Fort Lauderdale beach, but it’s mostly vehicle burglaries, ( leaving your purse on the car seat when you go to the beach?)

     The core of crime seems to be in the dead center of the city.

                 Check out these neighborhood crime stats so far this year 
                                      and tell me  …… 

        …….  Bal Harbor ……0
        …….  Birch Finger Streets ….. 0
        …….  Dolphin Isles ……. 0
        …….  Seven Isles …… 0   
        …….  Sunrise Intracoastal ….. 0
        …….  Nurmi Isles ……    1
        …….  Idlewyld …… 2
        …….  Harbor Beach ….. 4
        …….  Bermuda Riviera ….. 6
        …….  Rio Vista ….. 14
        …….  Coral Ridge ….. 63
        …….  Sailboat Boat Bend ….  80
        …….  Flagler Heights ….. 84
        …….  Riverside Park …. 86
        …….  Dorsey Riverbend ….88
        …….  Croissant Park …..  91
        …….   Melrose Park …… 124
        …….   Lauderdale Manors ….. 133
        …….  South Middle River …..  169      

             …..  is there something wrong here ? 

                                is this acceptable ?     

    

     Seen during my travels today ……



     Invitation? ….  I think I’ll pass !!!

     The Broward Trust for Historic Preservation, the only organized group fighting to save some of Fort Lauderdale’s most important historic structures, is calling it quits!

     Their leader, long time historic activist Diane Smart, confirmed today that the organization would go dark on December 31st, the last day of the city’s 100th birthday .

                                                
                                                        preserved 1939 Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel         

     The group was successful over the last few decades in saving many important historic buildings in Fort Lauderdale, including the brokering of a deal with a beach developer to save the Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel, the first big hotel on the beach (pictured above). The deal saved the front portion of the structure, but allowed the rear portion to be built into one of the beach’s new mega-hotels.

     Their latest success in preservation was the relocation of the Annie Beck House, a turn of the century bungalow owned by two of Fort Lauderdale’s most famous residents, Annie and Alfred Beck. Annie started the first garden club, and Alfred was one of the first pharmacists. 

      The famous Beck house had been moved off of Las Olas a few blocks, some decades ago, to accommodate redevelopment, but faced the wrecking ball again, when the off Las Olas location was also to be redeveloped.

     Former Commissioner Tim Smith ( that’s me – picture at the top , suggested they move the historic gem to Middle River Terrace Park, where it sits today. The House has been completely renovated by the Trust, who planned on locating their offices there and offering meeting space to area non – profits. The Trust must now try and secure the house’s long term fate now that they are going out of business.   

       The Trust ” never got large enough” to be viable, says Former Commissioner John Aurelius, who is credited with restoring ( and opening for tours), one of the City’s oldest Fire Stations, Station 8, in the historic neighborhood of Sailboat Bend.

     Aurelius says the City has made ” grave mistakes” in dealing with it’s history, but says in today’s economy, other priorities will take place “like making sure our sewers work!”.

                                     
                                former Aurelius with current Roberts at St. Pats parade
   
     Commissioner Rodstrom, who says the dissolving of the Broward Trust concerns her, also says that today’s economy ” is hitting all levels, including historic preservation”.

                                                        
                                                         Commissioner Rodstrom


     Smart, who has been the biggest voice for preservation for quite some time, sounds angry about the Trust’s fate. She says she is “disappointed” that the City and County have canceled their preservation efforts, not funding the professional experts needed to save the important history before it is all gone.
She says the Trust “cannot function without that professional assistance”.

     Smart says the Jolly Roger hotel on the beach is a ” huge loose end”, that will probably be lost. The Trust had been working to save the nautical front portion of the building in much the same way that the Lauderdale Beach Hotel was saved. She fears it, and many other important parts of our history are doomed ( like the “McCrory’s Five and Dime” downtown, and the Sheraton Yankee Clipper on the beach.)