Community mobilizes to save Overtown Historic buildings and prevent eviction of local church

In a heated meeting of The Historic Overtown Folklife District Improvement Association (HOFDIA), this afternoon, members of the community squared off against the City of Miami CRA in an attempt to stay a demolition order for three historic properties located at 1020 NW 2nd Ave, 1024 NW 2nd Ave. and 163 NW 11th St. in the Historic Overtown neighborhood.  The properties, while not officially desgnated historic, have special significance for many in the community.  The NW 2nd Ave site once was the Mitchell Rooming House and Phillip Alan Billiards.  The NW 11th street property once was Moe's Garage.  The destruction of the few remaining historic properties in Overtown has been opposed my many in the community, including Dr. Dorothy Fields, prominent local Preservationist and founder of the Black Archives.

Also at stake is the fate of the Apostolic Revival Temple, at the location for 13 years, and holding service for more than 100 local residents every Sunday.

On Feb 11, the Miami CRA passed ordinance 10-00147 to allocate $46,502 of Community Redevelopment funds to demolish the three buildings.  At the meeting the property owner, Rev Nevins, a prominent local figure who was  co-founder of the St Johns Baptist Church, pleaded with the CRA not to demolish the properties.  "I have been seriously ill for more than a year", he said  "The roof caught on fire and the insurance the City recommended to me wouldn't pay so I need more time to save the buildings".

Last Thursday the Overtown Community Advisory Board (OCAB), the official Representation Board  for the community unanimously resolved to write to City to request a 30 day stay of the demolition order in order to give the Reverend more time to save the buildings.

"We don't know what's going on", said Rev Allen, Pastor of the Apostolic Revival Temple, "a couple of weeks ago, the CRA said that they wouldn't demolish our building and now this morning an inspector came by and said that they were demolishing the building March 1, in less than 5 days.  We have received no legal notice nor offer of relocation assistance from either the City or the CRA", said the Pastor.  The Temple sent an urgent request to Mayor Regalado requesting a stay of the demolition order stating:

"The building is in no way unsafe or unsound. There is electricity, running water, and we hold services at the site on a regular basis. Apart from minor roof leaks, we fail to understand why the City would consider this property an unsafe structure and issue a demolition order". 
Some think that there may have been misleading information provided leading to confusion with the issuance of the demolition order, as the CRA Backup information only included photos of the two abandoned buildings, not the property occupied by the church.  This could have led the Board to think that all three of the properties were in the same condition, which they are not.  An independent structural engineer stated "This property (1024 NW 2nd Ave) appears to be structurally sound and is currently occupied by a church ."

The letter also put the City on notice for potential violations of Federal and State law and claimed the City was "racially profiling" "redlining" "block busting" and "in violation of US HUD fair housing laws."

Back at the HOFDIA meeting tempers flared, with the both the executive Director of the CRA and the Overtown NETS adminstrator storming out of the room. "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" Said Irby McKnight, Community Activist,  "now we see that they are acting contrary to the community's needs."

Timothy Barber, Director of the Black Archives, highlighted the importance of preservation "a large part of the Overtown economy is based on tourism.  By destroying these buildings you begin to lose the sense of the historic community that is so important to Overtown."

Two other options were discussed:
(1) A proposal from the OMNI/PARK WEST  REDEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (OPWRA) to stabilize the damaged properties, clean up debris in and around the property, and secure the building to allow a revitalization project and (2)  a potential acquisition of the property to preserve the facade and incorporate it into a larger development by St. John's CDC. 

"what I don't understand is how they can allocate $46,502 slated for 'Redvelopment' to demolish a building when there are other options" said Bradley Knoefler, President of OPWRA "for about the same amount of money, the property can be cleaned up, structurally stabilized, certified safe by an engineer, and the renovation project jump started.  We have the Temple who wants to run a rooming house for the disadvantaged along with a Community Center as well as a restaurant interested so this is both a valid and better option for the community"

Clarence Woods, Assistant Director of the CRA defended the agency's position "the City, not the CRA issued the demolition order, all we are doing is paying for it."  He recommended that the Community speak with elected officials.  " the CRA Board and the City Commission approved this and they are the ones who can stop it. This is definately above my pay grade"

Elected officials, are you listening?  Please help save these Historic and Black-Owned properties from the "Redevelopment Machine" and respect the wishes of the community, not the big developers, as has been the case too often in the past.  We count on you to do the right thing.

To be continued..

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