CHURCH, OWNER FILE $17 MILLION LAWSUIT AGAINST CITY OF MIAMI, LAST SERVICE SUNDAY AT 11:00 AM

The owner and tenant of the threatened Overtown properties filed a last minute legal action Friday against the City of Miami CRA, the City of Miami and Miami Dade County requesting a stay of the demolition order slated for the morning of Monday, March 1.  The suit also requested $17 million in damages.  The action claims that the City acted "in clear error" by grouping three buildings together and selectively showing pictures of only the damaged buildings to the Unsafe Structures Board, not the stucturally sound building at 1024 NW 2nd Ave currently occupied by the Apostolic Revival Temple, the tenant of the building.  The Defendants are also accused of violating Federal Fair Housing laws by "redlining, blockbusting, racial profiling, forced gentrification and non-provision of temporary relocation; manufacturing of slum and blight," using eminent domain-like actions in violation of State Law as well as acting contrary to their own Redevelopment Plan which calls for "preserving and revitalizing historically significant stuctures in the redevelopment area.".  A Fair Housing Complaint was filed with the DC office of US HUD late Friday as well.

Meanwhile the City of Miami Community Redevelopment Agency seems determined to charge ahead with the demolition.  A PR spin campaign was launched with a WSVN Channel 7 News report which showed the CRA Director donning a gas mask to justify the demolition of the property while barely mentioning the Pastor's building and the large development project in the works.  Phil Bacon, the developer who wants to buy the property, posed as representing 'local business interests' and stated that "When buildings get into these conditions, they are simply economically irretrievable"  This is despite the proposal on the table to stabilize the property and allow revitaization for $25,000 when the CRA has allocated $46,502 to demolish them.  "I can't understand why they can't delay the demolition to explore preserving the properties," said Derek Cole, Board member of the Overtown Community Oversight Board (OCOB), "As a community we voted unanimously to request a stay of execution and so far the CRA has ignored the wishes of the Community."  Irby McKnight, community activist and past Chariman of OCOB, also wrote to Commissioner Dunn to express concerns about the demolition of the properties.  David Chiverton, past candidate for City Commissioner, has expressed his support for saving the buildings.   

Bradley Knoefler, president of a local neighborhood group, said "the CRA themselves own a property located at 1201 NW 3rd Avenue that has been declared an unsafe structure.  They also treat their own tenants very differently, requesting a $260,000 grant to relocate their current tenant, Two Guys Restaurant.  "Where's the demolition order on the CRA owned property? probably because they plan on putting a big development there and can control it."  At a meeting last Wednesday to discuss the demolition,  Irby McKnight said "Back in the 1970's, when we were setting up the CRA, we thought that they would look out for the interests of the community - now we see that they are acting contrary to the community's needs."

The Apostolic Reveval Temple plans to hold its potentially last service tomorrow at 11:00 AM in spite of the Redevelopment Agency.  "We still are unsure what is going as we have still not received a single thing in writing from the City", said Pastor Allen of the Temple.  The CRA Director called me late last night to tell to say they were cutting off electricity today but FPL tells me they have no order to do so.  It would be a shame to have our last service in the dark because the CRA cut off our electicity."  Several local media outlets plan on attending the service tomorrow, and concerned residents are planning on rallying behind the Pastor. 

"We would invite anyone who is concerned about preserving what is left of the Overtown Community to attend and show your support." said Pastor Allen.  He also appeared unfazed at the intimidation efforts of the Community Redevelopment Agency.  I'm here in the ghetto and have dealt with much worse than this in my lifetime," he said, "we will be right here Monday morning when the bulldozers come."

The Apostolic Revival Church is located at 1024-1028 NW 2nd Ave, Miami, Fl in the CRA named "Historical Overtown" neighborhood.  Service is at 11:00 AM

Photos Courtesy of The Black Archives History and Research Foundation of South FL, Inc./Historic Overtown Building Photographic Collection.