RE: REQUEST FOR SUPPORT ON THE REDUCTION OF
NEARLY 500,000 S/F OF BLIGHT IN DOWNTOWN FOR
LESS THAN $25,000
Brad knoefler <bknoefler@gmail.com>
Brad knoefler <bknoefler@gmail.com>
Sat, Apr 10, 2010 at 11:10 AM
To: Bradley Knoefler <bknoefler@gmail.com>
Commissioner Dunn,
Congratulations on your appointment as the new Chairman of the SEOPW CRA, which includes
the Overtown and Park West neighborhoods of Downtown Miami. As you may be aware, our
group has been working on several very beneficial projects that can have a major impact in the
quality of life of the residents of Overtown and Park West at a minimal cost to the taxpayer -
win/win by any definition of the word!
We have been working on a beautification project for the Old Arena site and the FEC Corridor
which will result in the reduction of blight on nearly 500,000 s/f in the downtown area at a cost of
less than $25,000, an amazing return on a minimal investment of taxpayer funds. We have
been working on this project for more than five months and have managed to convince the
owner of the site, Mr. Glen Straub, to donate nearly $40,000 of materials with the only
requirement that it be used to beautify the FEC Corridor from Biscayne Boulevard to NW 1st
avenue - you will find attached the formal grant request and legal agreement executed with
FEC Railways to allow the project to take place.
Commissioner Dunn, given the following:
- This proposal was presented to Commissioner Sarnoff in early February of this year, who
expressed his support and specifically sent an e-mail to Mr. Jim Villacorta requesting that it be
placed on the CRA agenda, which it has not for the last three meetings of the CRA Board.
- We have spent a large amount of time and money on a pro bono basis to facilitate this project
and the owner of the site is waiting for the rocks to be removed so that he can grade and
potentially plant grass on the site, which will result in an enormous imporevement in the
neighborhood.
- The donation of the rocks mea