The Grove First - Coconut Grove, Miami's Online Stakeholder Community

Walking Away

Last Updated: Thursday September 22, 2005

Walking Away

Developer Backs Out of Proposal to Redevelop Coconut Grove Playhouse

“We have a playhouse that we need to bring into the 21st century.” – Shelly Spivack, chair of the Coconut Grove Playhouse Board of Trustees/Directors

By Mario Martinez
Staff Writer

As the Coconut Grove Playhouse celebrates the opening of its 50th season, its neighbors are celebrating the fact that plans to build 100 new condos and a parking garage on the property suffered a giant setback when the developer announced he was pulling out of the deal.

In May, the Playhouse’s Board of Trustees and Directors approved an $8 million deal with Henry Pino of the Strategic Property Group for construction of a 250 parking space garage with retail storefronts, 100 condominiums and two new theaters on the property at 3500 Main Highway. But the plan came under heavy criticism from county residents, historic preservationists and neighboring merchants when it was announced that some or all of the theater would have to be demolished to make way for the new construction.

Pino’s plans also would have converted the theater, which now consists of 1,100 seats at the main stage and a 135-seat “encore room,” into a 650-seat main facility and an intimate 250-seat stage area.

Originally built as a movie house in 1926, the Playhouse has been a fixture along Main Highway and on the national regional theater scene for the last 50 years and Groveites showed they were not willing to part with their theater without a fight.

Upon learning of the construction plans for the Playhouse, a group of residents urged the Historic and Environmental Preservation Board (HEPB) to designate the property as historic. On June 7, Playhouse officials went before the board and dozens of concerned Groveites to say they fully supported a historic designation for their theater. The HEPB then decided to prepare a site designation report that would be completed by the October 5 meeting.

But Pino and the Strategic Property Group are no longer interested in developing the Playhouse property, regardless of how the HEPB votes.

“Under the preliminary agreement between Henry Pino and the Playhouse, there was a period of due diligence established for the parties to explore the agreement and make sure it was a fair deal that could be worked out,” said Seth Gordon, whose firm Gordon & Reyes represents the Playhouse. “[Pino] wanted to have the due diligence period extended and although the Playhouse was willing to provide an extension, they could not agree on one.”

Gordon said it remained unclear whether the Playhouse’s directors would explore further development of the property and directed questions to the Playhouse’s new board chair, Shelly Spivack.

Spivack said the Playhouse has not made any decisions regarding redevelopment of the property and insisted the board’s main concern is the theater’s continued progress.

“We have a playhouse that we need to bring into the 21st century,” Spivack said. “Everyone is focusing on developing the property and historic designation, but no one has focused on the fact that we’ve been doing live theater for 50 years now. We need to focus on the fact that we’re a part of the County General Obligation Bond (GOB) and that we have $15 million sitting with the county to refurbish the Playhouse and that needs to be our focus at the moment.”

In November voters approved a $556 million GOB for countywide art programs, museums and educational facilities and allocated $15 million for the renovation of the Playhouse. In 2003, the state conveyed the 2.3-acre site and the building to the Coconut Grove Playhouse, Inc., but a deed restriction demands the presence of a theater on the property.

It was unclear exactly how Pino’s proposed development would have stood up to the deed restriction; many neighbors felt it clearly breached the deal. Grove residents and activists greeted news of the developer’s withdrawal from the project with enthusiasm.

“We are very excited that the Playhouse can be restored and has the opportunity to be historically designated,” said Marc Sarnoff of The Grove First, one of the most vocal opponents of the proposed Playhouse development. “Hopefully this will also prevent the city manager from trying to move it to the waterfront.”

Sarnoff said City Manager Joe Arriola is backing an idea to relocate the Coconut Grove Playhouse to Dinner Key. Back in February at the monthly Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Arriola said although nothing was set in stone, plans to move the Playhouse to the Convention Center site were being considered. However, Arriola has not formally announced any proposed move for the Playhouse.

The Miami HEPB will present its historic designation report on the Playhouse during its meeting on Wednesday, October 5 at 1:30 p.m. at City Hall.

Comments? E-mail Mario@miamisunpost.com.

http://www.miamisunpost.com/secondstoryfrontpage.htm