Playhouse in the spotlight

Playhouse in the spotlight

Residents protest rebuilding plans

Grovites are gearing up for a good old-fashioned showdown, throwing their support behind a cause as big as any other they have supported in the past. Having historically honed their battle skills on fierce fights against over development, activists are preparing to defend the community's venerable grand dame: the Coconut Grove Playhouse.

The battle cry went out as soon as producing artistic director Arnold Mittleman announced contractual agreements with builder Henry Pino of Strategic Properties Group to develop the property on Main Highway in the Grove.

            Plans by architect Jose Gelabert-Navia of Perkins+Will reflect a 650-seat main theater and a smaller stage with 250 seats; a home for the Coconut Grove Arts Festival; 100 condominium apartments, and a parking garage with 250 spaces.

Although the carefully crafted press release did not say the building would be demolished, it did quote Mittelman as stating: "Our present facility is rich with history but wholly inadequate for the staging of a full array of theatrical productions ... We look forward to [creating] an exciting new home for the Playhouse."

Mittleman's office has confirmed that a portion of the site - which the Playhouse board received title to from the Stake of Florida just last year - will be sold for $8 million to establish an endowment for maintenance and operation.

Within hours phones were ringing as activists planned their strategy to save the 70 year-old building, starting with a showing of solidarity at the Historic and Environment Preservation Board (HEPB) meeting on June 7 at 3 p.m. One Grove Alliance spokesman Marc Sarnoff encouraged residents to show up in their now familiar T-shirts decrying the proposed: Home Depot on Bird Ave.

According to Luciana L. González, special project coordinator for the city's Planning Department, the HEPB will be discussing a historical designation report for the playhouse that has been in the pipeline for many months. "It's certainly a prominent building in the Grove," says HEPB vice chairman Andy Parrish, adding, that he will listen carefully to the report before casting his vote on the first hearing.

Activists are also contesting claims made by the Playhouse that the 1926 building was constructed using salt-saturated sea sand, which is steadily eating away at the metal supports inside the structure, substantiating demolition plays, The property must be rezoned, and a state covenant that restricts its use to arts, culture, education arid ancillary operations must be removed which will also provide leverage and negotiating power to those opposing the development.

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