Naval History of the FEC Slip in Downtown Miami. By Suzette Rice

Historic Naval Document about the FEC Slip, unfortunately Page 2 is missing.

I have been watching with disappointment, the very public discussion about filling the Naval Headquarters slip located on downtown Miami’s water front.  My late husband, Charles W. Rice spent much time researching not only locally, but at the military archives in Georgia and in Washington DC. I am distressed that those Navy veterans which my husband interviewed are so unimportant to us who benefited from their contribution to our country, that we as a “World Class” community cannot acknowledge their sacrifices and determination, by respectfully maintaining the very symbol of their commitment to our nation.

Miami was central to the coastal war on the German submarines and U-boats. The Germans sank over 400 ships off the coast of the United States from the north all the way around into the Gulf of Mexico.

These attacks gravely affected the free flow of supplies traveling around the point of Florida to our troops, Allies and northern ports. Millions of gallons of crude oil, gasoline, and other petroleum products desperately needed in the Allied war effort were being shipped along the Florida coast in tankers from the south of Miami; places such as Texas, Venezuela, and the islands to New Jersey and New York ports.  Between February and May 1942, twenty-four ships were sank off the Florida coast, oftentimes with tourists watching from beach-side hotels while sipping cocktails. There were even rumors of German crew members snapping photos of the burning ships destroyed by their attacks.

World War II came home to Miami on May 14, 1942, with the sinking of the Mexican oil tanker Portero del Llano which occurred close enough to the Miami coastline that the flames could be viewed throughout the night. As the ship drifted, Miamians were dumbfounded to see it floating just beyond their shores. Survivors were brought to Miami and sadly, thirteen crewmen did not live to make it ashore. Following del Llano's sinking and that of another boat, Mexico joined in the war.

The motto of the sub chaser school on Miami's waterfront: "The difficult things we will do at once, the impossible things will take a few moments longer."

The military presence was so strong along Biscayne Boulevard and Flagler Street that each time an old hotel comes down and a condo goes up, a memorial to Miami’s historical contribution during WWII goes down in a puff of concrete dust.

Miami Beach hosted soldiers on leave on its sandy beaches and ritzy hotels. Coral Gables and the Biltmore Hotel were home to the Army Air Forces Regional Hospital (that's where my husband was born in '46). The Naval Blimp Base was located on what is now known as ZooMiami.

Downtown Miami was the heart of the naval response to the German sub and U-boat attacks. Our good weather coupled with the abundance of hotels available to be commandeered for barracks and offices allowed for the year-round training of Naval Sub-chaser crews. Military boats could be outfitted up the Miami River at the boat yards. Miami city commissioners had to approve zoning changes to accommodate the boat building.

That precious slip by the arena which everyone seems to be so determined to give away, was one of three slips that the sub-chasers were tied to during training. There were classrooms housed in the hangar-like buildings on the edge of the docks. Two of those boat slips now lie filled-in and part of the museum park coastline.

Submarine Chaser in slip. School to right?

Even as early as June 10, 1943, the city of Miami was involved in the care-taking of those slips while maintaining a great interest in the piers on Bay Front Park. In a letter from the commandant of the 7th Naval District, the officials were speaking of the congestion at the slips and that even with the commandeering of the Piers 2 and 3 at Bay Front Park, it was not relieving the congestion. The navy wanted Pier 1 as well. In response to the military request, the city manager, A. B. Curry told newspaper reporters on June 20, 1943 that the Navy’s acquisition of Pier 1, the last non-military facility on Bay Front, would not interfere with commerce thru Cuba and the Bahamas. And indeed, the sub-chaser school was important to maintaining shipping into those areas.

I could go on and on with stories of the historical importance of Miami and Downtown Miami during WWII. The stories are endless and not very well known by county residents.

What puzzles me is: why is it that the endeavor which spurred the after-war growth of our great community, as well played an incredibly important role in saving lives of American and Allied troops, cannot be memorialized by a simple park and waterfront venue. It is freshly updated, clearly historically important and simply needs it's story told via appropriate signage.

Where is the memorial to the greatness of Miami’s wartime contribution to the people of our country, and perhaps, the world?

David Beckham, YOU of all people, should recognize that the very slip that you seek to acquire helped save your homeland. Do the right thing: Find less sacred digs for your concrete monster.

The Historic FEC Slip today (thank you Golden Dusk). This is exactly where Beckham wants his soccer stadium.

More pictures On Save the WW II Sub Chaser Slip (FEC SLIP).
_______________________________

the second page is missing of the attachment - I would guess that it was missing from the file when charlie pulled it.  I am still looking for other stuff that would be raw notes.

The Bicentennial Park FEC Boat Slip: My Blood is Boiling Today. By Geniusofdespair

I am more than angry, my blood is boiling.

We have been through filling in the FEC slip before. Dennis Moss proposed it in 2011. It was proposed in 2002 and countless other times. Bad ideas never die.  I recently wrote about this, this week when they proposed a site at the port of Miami. Another bad idea with legs from idiots.

Buried in the Miami Herald today, reporter Chuck Rabin wrote that Mayors Carlos Gimenez and Tomas Regalado think it is a good idea to fill in the FEC slip (South of Bicentennial Park) NOT to put a soccer stadium (like we believe that one) -- next door to the American Airlines arena. Besides gargantuan traffic jams they would be barring the public from a waterfront stroll (a walkway is/will be errected around the slip). It is a colossally bad idea from two mayors without any funds, historical reverence or vision. Gimenez said filling in the slip will give us more greenspace. Carlos we already had greenspace and all that they did was plop building after building in it. I would rather have the water.

Moss wanted to use the Port Tunnel dredge material fill the slip in 2011.   

Here are some things to think about:

The FIND (Florida Inland Navigation District)  contributed millions of dollars, toward the $16,000,000 for the seawall and 50% of the $1,700,000 for the bollards for the tie-up of visiting ships.  We would probably have to pay that  money back. The  City of Miami had to match those funds to get the FIND grants.

While Bicentennial park is undergoing construction with those stupid museums the slip has not been usable since there is no land access. This is temporary. To say the slip is not being used in disingenuous. For example, the boat show wanted to use the slip but because of the construction they couldn't.

Biscayne Bay Aquatic preserve does not allow filling of Biscayne Bay, severe mitigation costs and years of permitting would not insure filling would be allowed.

It used to be the Port of Miami and a military site during WWII the city tried to fill in the first 100' bordering Biscayne Blvd. in 2002 and found many state federal and local regulations and stopped the project.

Historically: Suzette Rice, whose recently deceased husband Charlie Rice wrote a WW2 history of the area (THE SUBMARINE CHASER TRAINING CENTER: DOWNTOWN MIAMI’S INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR) wrote:

That slip is the last remaining slip of the WW2 Naval base that was located on Biscayne Bay. In WW2, the naval training center and the Key West Naval base were located along the bay. We should be building a memorial/museum to the military that were training and housed in Miami and Miami Beach, not filling-in the very last vestige of our history that reflects the efforts of the brave military during that war.

For you who don't know, over 400 ships were sunk off our shores during WW2.

People sat on their butts on the beaches drinking cocktails from Jacksonville south down the coast. They actually watched as merchant marine ships burned, like it was some sport. German subs were in the waters off the coast and there are even tales of the crews visiting the Mainland in Miami.

Please leave that slip alone and actually make the effort to tell the story.

Historic photo of the slips Piers one, two and three Right to Left

We have the last remaining of the 3 slips pictured here (1943)

Charlie Rice said: "This picture is actually from 1941 when the first two PT Boat Squadrons with prototype boats, were on a shakedown run (you can tell by the numbers on the boats). They were to go from Miami to Cuba. Squadron 1 had PTs 3-8 and Sqaudron 2 had 10-19. I just discovered that the PT-boat picture on the same page that you posted my downtown/Bayfront Park photo shows the Navy's "PT-boat Shakedown Detail" commanded by Guadalcanal veteran Lieutenant Commander Alan R. Montgomery. It was established in April 1943 to shake down the PT-boats manufactured by the Higgins and Elco companies. I thought you might like this information."

USCGC Eagle To Visit FEC Slip, Marc Sarnoff Invites You To the Park Opening and Ship Arrival. By Geniusofdespair

Come Join Us to Celebrate A Soft Opening of Museum Park! By Marc Sarnoff

On Saturday June 14, the iconic United States Coast Guard Cutter Eagle will visit the FEC Slip next to Museum Park. The vessel, used to train future coast guard officers, will dock at 10:45 a.m. followed immediately by a welcome ceremony and press conference. Please come and help us give the Coast Guard a warm reception and to celebrate a soft opening of Museum Park, which is nearing completion.

After the welcome ceremony on the pier, the ship will be open to touring by the public from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. If you cannot make it on Saturday, the ship will host public tours on Sunday and Monday from 1 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. before departing Tuesday morning, June 17th.

June 14th is also Flag Day, a day set aside to acknowledge and pay respects to our national flag. I cannot think of a more patriotic soft opening of Museum Park than to host the Coast Guard's premier training vessel for four days, including Flag Day, at the FEC Slip.

This is what we envisioned the only deep water slip in Miami could be used for: to attract historic ships for our citizens to discover and enjoy. We look forward to this event and to the separate grand opening of the park that will occur in the near future. Please come out and experience a fun-filled morning and afternoon for the whole family.

Here is the schedule of the USCGC Eagle at the FEC Slip for reference:

June 14th:

10:00 a.m.: Moor starboard side to Museum Park
10:45 a.m.: Arrival
11:30 a.m.: Welcome Ceremony and Press Conference
1 p.m. - 5 p.m.: Public Tours
7 p.m. - 9 p.m.: Coast Guard Foundation Reception

June 15th:

1 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.: Public Tours

Commissioner Mark Sarnoff told the Beckham Group the slip was off the table before the press conference Tuesday, because of events just like this one.  Let's be polite here, I mean it.

Andres Viglucci Herald Reporter on the Beckham Soccer Stadium on the Waterfront. by Geniusofdespair

Mayor Carlos Gimenez calls the Historic FEC slip "not beautiful to look at" I call it a rare opportunity to see the aquatic preserve from Downtown.

I think Andres Viglucci wrote the definitive article on filling in the Historic FEC slip to put up the Beckham Soccer Stadium.  I especially like Terry Riley's quotes:

In a dissection of the Beckham plan during an interview, Terence Riley, a prominent architect who as director of the former Miami Art Museum guided the development of the lavishly praised and heavily visited PAMM, called the stadium site plan “mind-boggling,” “preposterous,” “misguided” and “kind of crazy.”

“I can’t understand the urban logic behind it,” said Riley, former chief curator of architecture at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. “I’ve done a lot of research on stadiums and arenas, and, no matter what is promised, they are virtually always empty.

“The only population it would bring is a very large crowd on occasion, and that’s not what the park needs. It simply doesn’t fulfill its promise as a large urban park,” Riley said. “This puts a bad light on whoever’s advising them.

“Show me another example of an American city that after all this thoughtful planning and strategizing just sets it aside. It doesn’t exist. This is not the way urban planners who are experts in reviving cities would do things. This would be considered anathema.”

Why I keep calling the FEC slip historic:

Magazine of the Historic FEC Slip when it is was a Submarine Chaser Training Center in 1943.

Andres Viglucci has been with the Miami Herald since 1984 and remains one of the paper's best writers.

Andres Viglucci from Random Pixels.blogspot.com

Save the green and blue space for our residents Mayor Gimenez and Mayor Regalado! Put a moratorium on helping Arena's and Stadium's till you can balance your budgets without a sleigh of hand.

Picture of the Day: Dolphins Swimming in the FEC Slip. By Geniusofdespair

As a resident of the Marquis located at 1100 Biscayne Bay for over 3 and half years, I wanted to share the fact that the ecosystem in the FEC slip is thriving. I’ve attached a photo of a dolphin family and baby, I see frequently when walking my dogs.  There are at least 2-3 manatee that use the slip for shelter and sunbathing during early morning. The local “shrimpers” troll during full moon events at the entry of the slip.

We are all meeting at the slip "Occupy Museum Park" on June 14th by utilizing it as a public space: enjoying picnicking kayaking, boating, etc. We meet by the boat slip. The Coast Guard tall ship EAGLE will be in the slip that weekend. You can get a tour of the former Nazi built warship and learn about its history, like how we ended up with it.

Also see Channel 6 Video, Nurse sharks and coral.

More on the historic FEC SLIP. Gregory Bush Speaks Out on Helen Ferre Show. By Geniusofdespair

Slide from Channel 6 News - Shows how much interlopers know. See yesterday's picture of the day with 3 dolphins swimming in the FEC slip.  It is not polluted and it is not a man-made mega yacht marina. It is what is left of our port and it was a submarine training center during World War 2. It is not a mega yacht marina. The only yacht that docks there regularly is owned by billionaire Micky Arrison owner of the Miami Heat. Biscayne Bay came up to Biscayne Blvd. You are looking at fill around the slip the FEC Slip is not a dug basin. It was dredged for the port but it is the original bay not man-made.

Gregory Bush on Helen Ferre Show:

"There are many who have been vocal about their reservations to a water front location for the proposed soccer stadium.  Greg Bush from the Urban Environment League joins us to discuss why he and his group so strongly oppose what they call a “hastily drawn plan”."

Issues: Pt. 1 Opposition to Soccer Stadium Plan
Issues: Pt. 2 Opposition to Soccer Stadium Plan

The FEC Boat Slip in Bicentennial/Museum Park will be hosting tall ship Eagle. By Geniusofdespair

U.S. Coast Guard Tall Ship, Eagle, will be docked at the FEC slip that Beckham and investors want to fill in. Remember it was Carlos Gimenez pushing the idea to Beckham.

Once a German ship in 1936, it is now part of the spoils of war. They restored the parlor of the 295 foot ship as it was when Hitler occupied it. It is eeire to visit the ship and think of its history when you are in it. The US got the tall ship in May 1946. "The USCGC Eagle (WIX-327) (formerly the SSS Horst Wessel) is a 295-foot barque used as a training cutter for future officers of the United States Coast Guard. She is the only active commissioned steel hulled sailing vessel in American military service."

You can visit the ship after its arrival on June 14th at 10a.m. It Departs June 17th. I would suppose the slip will be guarded by the Coast Guard, will find out for you. Don't know if kayaks will be allowed but you can certainly picnic nearby and visit the ship. Last time the Eagle was in town it had thousands of visitors a day, many were school children. I wonder if David Beckham will tour the ship.

The Coast Guard HAS JUST REQUESTED THAT NO ONE FROM THE PUBLIC ENTER THE SLIP WITH WATERCRAFT WHILE THE EAGLE IS THERE.

Here is the history of the FEC slip with some great photos from Curbed Miami, I have a suspicion some photos are mine, and mention of an early deed.

FEC Slip and Parcel B Public Records Search For the Beckham Soccer Crap. By Geniusofdespair

I did a public records request of Parcel B and The Historic FEC Slip.

When you go in for a public records request, you just don't know what you will find. Sometimes it is one page (I wasn't broad enough) sometimes it is this cart (too broad). Well I took a quick look, read a few deeds, got overwhelmed and went home. 

Could it possibly be that the City threw the FEC slip in the deed to the County by mistake? I saw some yellow post-its that said something to that effect. Hmmm. It says on the Property Appraiser's site that city GSA owns it but the truth is buried in a deed description. Why this is important: Only the City votes if the own it. We ALL get to vote if the County owns it.

Filling of The FEC Slip: City of Miami Resolution 7/1/2011 Against Miami Dade County And Manny Diaz Letter … by Gimleteye and G.O.D.

In the absence of credible sources, anything passes for a reasonable idea in Miami. When the Miami Heat arena was pushed through the sausage grinder by then mayor Alex Penelas, Parcel B was a piece of adjacent property held out to the public as "a future park". It mollified critics until the deal was signed, then promptly ignored by both city and county officials.

Breaking the compact made made with the public of Parcel B by former Miami mayor Manny Diaz and city commissioners including Johnny Winton, makes the holy tone of their recent letter expressing concern for Miami's waterfront a parody. The issue: whether elected officials ought to approve or reject a plan for a David Beckham Soccer Stadium on the bay.

"Let us not purge this gift by building a stadium where it does not belong. Let us keep the waterfront in public hands."

Miami's waterfront and water quality was lost a long time ago by these self-same authorities who stained Miami by turning their backs on Biscayne Bay.

Here is what they ought to have pointed out.

There are some insurmountable problems with filling the FEC slip, as matters of regulatory authority. But the most practical problem is they made horrible mistakes piling traffic gridlock around and into their "world class" museum and cultural venue investments on Biscayne Bay.

"We apologize for creating the traffic nightmare of Biscayne Boulevard and Brickell Avenues," they should have written. "And now it is time to back off until you voters and taxpayers fork over more money to build subway lines in the Biscayne aquifer to move people around like they do in Tokyo or Boston or New York City."

There ought to a special law, then enforcement, trial and prison for past elected officials who impose traffic nightmares on Miami residents and visitors with thoughtless zoning and permitting decisions. And a cellblock for lobbyists and the Great Destroyers.

Instead, they give each other awards and buy plaques on buildings to imprint their names.

Miami, according to a recent survey, is one of the most stressful cities in the US. Why? Because the Great Destroyers fomented so much development without planning or investing for either protecting quality of life or concern for mass transit. Great cities provide for their citizens. They don't just build colosseums. This is plain common sense.

We don't feel sorry for David Beckham, who is just another wealthy guy flying into town in a spiffy squirrel suit. (And by the way, Gimleteye loves soccer and played NCAA Division 1 for four years. Go Liverpool.)

David Beckham said the boat slip is a great stadium site:

"The site, formally known as the Florida East Coast Railway slip, falls under the city of Miami’s jurisdiction, as does the adjacent Museum Park. The county only owns Parcel B, the waterfront property behind the basketball arena. Gimenez asked Beckham’s group to turn Parcel B into a park and connect it, perhaps with a bayfront promenade, to the museums."

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/05/07/4103903/david-beckham-says-boat-slip-would.html#storylink=cpy

Filling in the slip is such a bad idea, even the City Commission thought so:

An open letter from Former Mayor Manny Diaz:

KEEPING MIAMI’S WATERFRONT IN PUBLIC HANDS

SOCCER STADIUM WOULD ESSENTIALLY DESTROY VISION OF

MUSEUM PARK

During the early part of the last decade, a professional sports team came to us requesting that we turn over Bicentennial Park (now Museum Park) to build a baseball stadium. We refused to hand over one of the few remaining public waterfront locations to them because we wanted to safeguard public access to Biscayne Bay.

Today, we are shocked to hear that another professional sports team wants to build a soccer stadium on the same waterfront. A sports stadium no more belongs on the scarce waterfront today than it did in the year 2000.

With thousands of new urban dwellers and thousands more on the way, the need for green space has never been greater. There is no reason that Miami, a city graced with unrivaled natural beauty, should not also be graced with great civic and green spaces, with public parks, plazas and museums.

Great cities, large and small, are all embracing the opportunity to enhance the public realm by creating the zones, spaces, and buildings that create pride, areas equally owned by the people, irrespective of economic or social circumstance.

Through the efforts of many, we are creating an unrivaled public space, with museums, an opera house, a symphony hall and a beautiful park all set against the background of the beautiful vista that is Biscayne Bay. This work must continue.

We have done this because we owe a lasting legacy to those who will call Miami home long after we have gone. Miami has become one of the world’s leading urban centers, fulfilling its long awaited destiny. This is our gift to the future. Let us not purge this gift by building a stadium where it does not belong. Let us keep the waterfront in public hands.


Manny Diaz, former Mayor, City of Miami
Johnny Winton, former Commissioner, City of Miami
Joe Sanchez, former Commissioner, City of Miami
Angel Gonzalez, former Commissioner, City of Miami

County Commissioner Dennis Moss You are a Dunce To Push This Forward. By Geniuofdespair

You can see in this picture of the FEC slip, the 16 NEW bollards (right side) that cost the City of Miami $1.7 million dollars. Also look at the beautiful new sea wall around the slip that cost the city over $10 million dollars. Well Dennis Moss sponsored a resolution to look into filling in this slip. It passed in Committee with no discussion. Yep, lets throw almost 12 million dollars down the drain. Much of the money was secured from Florida Inland Navigation District funds that the City of Miami would have to repay if the County fills in the slip.

This is totally insane. The City doesn't want to fill it in and they own the bay bottom. Why is the County using our hard earned tax dollars to look into the feasibility of filling in the slip if the City doesn't want to do it? The County resolution says they want to make more park space and link the museums to the American Airlines Arena. Meanwhile the City put in bollards so tall ship could safely anchor in the slip. Almost 9,000 people visited the Eagle tall ship when it was in the slip. If the county thought we needed more park space in downtown, why did they give all that bond money to put 2 museums in Bicentennial Park and why did they let the city put a shopping mall in Bayfront Park? We are getting fed a bunch of bullshit if you ask me. They never cared about parks in downtown before, always eager to jam buildings into them, why now? I believe they want to build the port tunnel and dig the port channel deeper and they don't know what do do with the dredge material (see the box below). This is their stupid solution.

Commissioner Moss: Let us walk along the water for a spell and see sailing ships. We have seen enough land. We have very little waterfront to view our beautiful Biscayne Bay. This slip is great. Stop looking for ways to waste our money. If you don't have a place for dredge spoil, make a ski slope in your district.

Who Wants to Fill the FEC Slip? By Geniusofdespair

Moss: It is a BAD idea to fill it in.

It is being discussed AGAIN at the County! First of all it is the city of Miami's call not the County. The City owns the slip and the land around it. Mayor Regalado said no way. I have it on tape. Marc Sarnoff would never do it because it would be suicide for his wife's campaign. Carollo wouldn't do it because he is too smart and is a good steward of the City owned land at the Bayfront Park Trust.  I also assume Suarez is like his dad and would NEVER vote for anything this stupid. There are your 3 votes.

Now the County is another story. Moss has no business proposing it he is getting his zoo theme park and his museum should go on Virginia Key and he knows it or they could make room on Parcel B for all these museums. Has anyone at the county heard of multiple stories? We have an abundance of edifices in this part of town. Audrey Edmonson, didn't you just get an award from the Urban Environment League for "Dedication to downtown open space and waterfront access"? I am quite sure you wouldn't screw with them this quickly.  This is a bad idea: All of you: Put it to bed once and for all.

Naval history of the FEC Slip.
Eye on Miami History of the stupid idea of filling in the slip.

City of Miami Commissioner Frank Carollo is pissed over the Historic FEC Slip! By Geniusofdespair

BREAKING NEWS: STUPID WATERFRONT BECKHAM SOCCER STADIUM

 

The Bayfront Park Management Trust governs the slip.  Frank Carollo is the chairman of the trust. Without warning TODAY the Trust was given documents taking the slip's governance away from the Trust.  I suppose they were expected to approve and execute them.

Apparently Frank does not like to be blindsided. He was shouting in English and in Spanish. Other members of the Trust were aghast but no one was as vocal as Frank Carollo Chairman of the Trust. Members include Marlene Avalo, Alex Cardenas, Pedro R. Diaz, Ralph Duharte, Jeanie Hernandez, Nathan R. Kurland, Marie Louissaint and Jesse Manzano.

I do not know where the document came from but I assume the Mayor's office. This freight train for a David Beckham soccer stadium on the waterfront is going to be hard to stop with all the idiot elected officials we have.  Frank, stay strong, don't fold. Don't wall off our waterfront.

The Army Corps of Engineers has told me that they would have to review this project if any filling of the bay is involved. Unless built on uplands, they said they have jurisdiction and they have not received an application on filling in the Historic FEC slip. That process likely would take over a year.

Also see Al Crespo on this....

FEC Slip in Bicentennial Park is a Historical Site With a WW II History. By Geniusofdespair

County Commissioner Dennis Moss wants to fill in the FEC slip in Bicentennial Park. I don't think he or any of the other County Commissioners know the slip has a historical component. This was the location of the Submarine Chaser Training Center (SCTC) during World War II. The Chaser Magazine Cover from 1943, seen above, shows three slips depicted with a soldier with a hammer putting up a sign on the pier bordering the only remaining slip. The two slips on the left have since been filled in. Also see photo below of the three slips. The SCTC was downtown Miami's international graduate school of anti-submarine warfare during the World War II.

Are we going to throw away our history just so we have a place to put dredge fill? I hope this idea gets what it deserves, no traction.

(Click on photos and magazine cover to enlarge them)

As an ever-increasing number of students poured into the SCTC, McDaniel told the local press that its rapid expansion necessitated the procurement of more housing and additional space for the training center’s operations. The City of Miami permitted the Navy to build temporary dressing rooms and shower facilities for its personnel in Bayfront Park at N.E. First Street.

And:

The subchaser center continued its expansion in the port as well. There had been damage to the engines of subchasers attributed to adulterated fuel and lubricants, so the Bureau of Ships required the SCTC to construct a fireproof laboratory on its pier with the appropriate testing and treatment apparatuses and personnel experienced in petroleum chemistry to analyze fuel and oil. That complex building had to be specially equipped with exhaust blowers to eliminate toxic fumes.

- Charles Rice

Tall Ship Eagle Came June 14. It Docked at the FEC Slip that County Mayor Gimenez is dying to fill in Against The Will of the People and City of Miami Officials. By Geniusofdespair

The USCGC Eagle (WIX-327) (formerly the SSS Horst Wessel) is a 295-foot (90 m) barque used as a training cutter for future officers of the United States Coast Guard. She is the only active commissioned steel hulled sailing vessel in American military service. She is the seventh U.S. Navy or Coast Guard ship to bear the name in a line dating back to 1792. Each summer, Eagle conducts cruises with cadets from the United States Coast Guard Academy and candidates from the Officer Candidate School for periods ranging from a week to two months. These cruises fulfill multiple roles; the primary mission is training the cadets and officer candidates, but the ship also performs a public relations role. Often, Eagle makes calls at foreign ports as a goodwill ambassador.

Built as the German training vessel Horst Wessel in 1936, it served to train German sailors in sail techniques until decommissioned at the start of the war. Given anti-aircraft armament it was re-commissioned in 1942. At the end of the war Horst Wessel was taken by the US as war reparations.

This is where the Soccer Stadium was wanted by David Beckham and Mayor Gimenez. They wanted to fill the slip. Since the City owns the slip, they nixed the deal. People were free to go on board the vessel for a tour.  The salon has been restored to the way it was decorated when Hitler Christened the Eagle. Howard Slotnick of Op Sail New York (he was the Op Sail Vice President and Seaport Trustee) is going to encourage more Tall Ships to visit Miami's FEC Slip.


Mayor Reglado at the soft opening of Museum Park and the Arrival of the Eagle. Everyone was in a festive mood when the Mayor said NO to the Soccer stadium on the waterfront.

School Superintendent Alberto Carvalho with the Lovely School Board Member Raquel Regalado.

Grateful Citizens

Bicentennial/Museum Park - not as ugly as Mayor Gimenez thinks.

Beckham Stadium on Biscayne (filling in the slip). By Geniusofdespair

ALSO READ BENDING OVER FOR DAVID BECKHAM BY AL CRESPO

 A Chevy for a Cadillac? A People’s Club?

The Urban Environment League Condemns the Soccer Stadium/Wall Against the Waterfront in Downtown Miami --A Resolution by the UEL’s Board of Directors

Contact: Gregory Bush, Vice President: 305-926-5001; publicbush@gmail.com

While explaining why the plan for the new soccer stadium in Miami’s FEC slip (and Bicentennial Park) was so valuable for residents, David Beckham’s adviser David Altschuler recently said that trading a Chevy for a Cadillac should be a “pretty fair transaction.” His comment underscores a fundamentally elitist misunderstanding of the needs of our community under the mantle of attracting a major league soccer team to Miami. Such a notion of status is not the central issue to define this issue, nor is Michael Putney’s recent assertion that soccer legend David Beckham strikes him as a “regular guy” as a rationalization for deference. The stadium - in the last open space in downtown Miami - is wrong because it insults any sense of smart urban design in contemporary times by deferring to a soccer legend as a front man for financial backers. How dumb can we be - again?

The UEL strongly condemns the action by City and County Mayors in strong-arming a hastily drawn plan to wall off more of our long forlorn downtown waterfront against residents in favor of a Major League Soccer stadium. While some of the arguments in favor of the stadium in the FEC slip strike us as old and tired, it is important that we remember what we have experienced – and forgotten - in the recent history of attempts by sports corporations to “take” our rare public waterfront through complex formulas that disguise the theft of public space for private interests. The UEL believes that the public is, finally, tired of these games and will show their anger to public officials over the coming months in a variety of ways.

Why take Parks for Buildings County Commissioners? Enough. By Geniusofdespair

Note that the Museums ate up 8 acres of the park taking 4 each. If you think two new Museums will  use up only 2 acres,  you are an idiot. Parcel B is a piece of shit. Use that if you really want to appease certain groups that already have museum space, but leave Bicentennial alone - I am begging you.

They renamed Bicentennial Park, Museum Park and then forced down our throats two Museums there -- in the park leaving us with about 21 acres -- using up what little green space is left downtown. Now those clueless County Commissioners want 2 more museums except instead of in parcel B, they want to use Bicentennial Park. I am sure they will want to fill in the slip AGAIN that spans between Parcel B and Bicentennial Park. That was the plan when they wanted to put the Soccer Stadium in the park, or was that the Baseball Stadium.

Buildings don't need the waterfront. People do. Do you know how many people are downtown now? You can't drive anymore. Brickell is one big parking lot. They now say they only want 2 acres of Museum Park Bicentennial Park. It is never two acres, you need parking roads etc. Again filling in the slip might get pulled into this very bad plan. Even though the Virginia Key Trust, once headed by Athalie Range,  is planning a history museum celebrating African American and Caribbean Culture, Commissioners want a SECOND museum. And, even though the Freedom Tower is there with significant Cuban history, they want another Cuban Museum almost across the street.  NO NO NO.  Build them somewhere else. DO NOT FILL IN THAT DAMN SLIP MORONS.

Doug Hanks and Andres Viglucci of the Miami Herald reported:

While engineered to defuse a brewing fight over putting the museums on county parkland, the plan to double the museum count at Museum Park hasn’t mollified opponents. And pulling off the Museum Park strategy requires approval from the Miami City Commission, where a key commissioner overseeing the park is already grumbling about the scope of the plan for a two-acre parcel.

 Museum Bicentennial Park. Little green space left with a few trails, parcel B behind the American Airlines Arena on the right in the photo. Green space here is stupid. If you must build build in Parcel B. No in the small bit of green space in Bicentennial Park.

Take friggin' Parcel B. Pile all your damn museums and other crap there. It is so noisy from the causeway you can't hear yourself think from Parcel B. Leave what is left in Bicentennial Park and don't fill in the damn FEC Slip.

Old bad ideas do resurface....I wrote a blog in 2011.

Viglucci Article: Should we have a Private Conservancy For Bicentennial Park? I Say "NO". By Geniusofdespair

I love the walkway along the water. There are shade trees yet open space for a concert, craft show, yoga or to throw a frisbee. There is a bathroom  and a sewage pumping station, what else do you need? Oh there are also the two stupid museums in the north side of the park separated by a colonnade of trees.

Andres Viglucci, usually one of my favorite reporters at the Miami Herald, curiously didn't ask the opposition for comment on an article he wrote on a proposal for a private conservancy that would upgrade and run Miami's Museum Bicentennial Park. He did report on enthusiastic support from two very popular people in the City of Miami:

Supporters of the proposed Museum Park Conservancy, including Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff and former Mayor Manny Diaz, say they’re off with a bang. They’ve secured at least $7.5 million in pledges from private donors, an amount they say is just the start to a campaign that aims to raise tens of millions more to create an iconic downtown park.

Andres is usually very thorough in his reporting. Anyway, I decided to help him and I found some people with long histories in park preservation that were not all that enthusiastic to the idea of a Conservancy and the fancy plans by politicians to fill up every available space of Bicentennial Park.

South Side of Park Where Tall Ships Can Dock in the FEC Slip

PERRY WHITE (ME):

The Park has nice clean bathrooms and people use them.

Leave well enough alone. Bicentennial Park is a nice park, quiet in a sea of squalor around it. People will find it and love it. Give it time, the dumb Science Museum isn't even finished yet. Everything doesn't have to be filled in to the brim. If not for Mayor Tomas Regalado, all that green and blue in the photo at top would be the Beckham Soccer Stadium. Regalado nixed Mayor Gimenez's idea to fill in the slip for the stadium.

The park is managed now by Bayfront Park Trust and they are doing a great job. It looks very inviting and it is kept clean. You are automatically drawn down to the water by a cavalcade of trees and a wide sidewalk of pavers. When you reach the Bay there are movable chairs and tables so you can eat lunch in the shade. It is quite a nice spot for relaxing, watching the cruise ships and viewing the water. Did I mention they had bathrooms? Rich people go away. You now have a 1/3 of the park for your galas. That is enough for less than 2% of the population.

CLARK KENT SAID:

The park looks great now. It's better to leave well enough alone. For the first time, I actually like a park in the City of Miami and thought the City had done a good thing for the public. The park is not cluttered with crap or commercialism. The open green spaces are so few in downtown Miami, to have this in the heart of the city is an unexpected delight. But of course, this being Miami, anything that is free and good and open is eyed by private for profit special interests for their own enterprise. Let's not let that happen. What a dumb idea to consider tearing up the park to build an underground parking garage - on the Bay - and all this for an upscale restaurant?

Opening Day of Bicentennial Park

LOIS LANE SAID:

Bicentennial Park was saved from the Marlin's Stadium by activists like all of us at the Daily Planet Newspaper.

We didn't do it so Concrete Manny and friends could come along and take over the park for ridiculous and expensive "features" like a grand entrance, pavilions and a parking garage and a restaurant(s) catering to the wealthy. We did it for the public to enjoy. In the end, the 2 museums took up one-third of the park but at least we got a nice green space and waterfront park for the public to enjoy. And now they want to take that way.

Of course, this area was also eyed by David Beckham for his retail lined (Bayside-like) soccer stadium. This valuable waterfront land will be eyed by other developers for their own private enterprises. We can't let that happen.

Let them raise money for more shade trees and garden areas, more park benches, for maintenance. And that's all. The public needs to speak up now to claim this park as their own. Did the public ask for a "grand entrance way?" Are they demanding an upscale restaurant? Is there a need for an underground parking garage? I don't think so.

The idea of a conservancy to manage the park is fine in theory - but in Miami, this will be abused. Even when there are deed restrictions and rules, like the Carollo amendment that requires a public referendum before allowing private uses of public waterfront land, we have seen time and time again how the City of Miami gets around these rules. Examples are Watson Island, where there will be hotels and private businesses on public waterfront land. Or Virginia Key, where the City allowed the Miami Marine Stadium, the City is proceeding to spend $20 million of taxpayer money to develop the land around it to create a private event space - the Miami Boat Show - on what should be waterfront parkland.

Opening Day of the Park

The excuse that Museum Park needs to be "programmed" to get people to use it is bogus. That's what they told us the Museums were for. Didn't work did it? To see an example of parks that are not programmed but are immensely popular for picnics, walking, biking, people watching, dog walking - go to Margaret Pace or David Kennedy Park. These parks also are severely overcrowded - it shows how much people want and needs parks, without fancy entrance portals or upscale restaurants.

If Manny Diaz and Marc Sarnoff want to propose stuff to do - why don't they don't propose volleyball nets or a small playground? A hot dog vendor would be fine.

If these so-called park advocates want to raise money - they should focus their sights on other urban and neglected parks - like Allappatah and Douglas Parks which have been closed to the public for years because of soil contamination. These parks need to be 'elegant,' too.

Miami is more than Biscayne Boulevard and Bayshore Drive - the residents in other neighborhoods pay taxes, too. Maybe not as much as the hedge fund millionaires buying the $5 million penthouse suites but, so what? Elected officials represent all the people of the City of Miami and serve in the public interest. Right?

Isn't the waterfront view enough? Do you really need to satisfy a politician's wet dreams?

JIMMY OLSEN SAID:

Not sure it would be bad for the park. Central Park and Prospect Park have benefited from Conservancies. The key thing is that there be no disadvantage to the general public in terms of full access and use. Donors can have their galas and the public gets a better park. Of course in Miami I do worry.


...There you have it from all of us at the Daily Planet that Andres Viglucci forgot to interview.

Parcel B Legislation to be considered at May 15 Economic Development & PortMiami Committee. by Geniusofdespair

 

Commissioner Edmonson is trying to pass legislation to secure the Parcel B property as Open Space on the waterfront next to the AA Arena.  It is Item 2B. GOOD

There is also conflicting legislation sponsored by Commissioner Esteban Bovo on the same agenda 2A, he wants a museum.  NOT AS GOOD but better than Soccer Stadium.

The final May 15 agenda (where the items will be available on-line) should be available at this link .

Please be advised that Commissioner Audrey Edmonson’s Parcel B legislation has been scheduled for the May 15, 2014 Economic Development & PortMiami Committee (EDPC) at 2:00pm in the Stephen P. Clark Center, 2nd floor Commissioner Chambers. 

The EDPC members are as follows: Lynda Bell (8) Chair; Javier D. Souto (10) Vice Chair; Commissioners Jose "Pepe" Diaz (12), Barbara J. Jordan (1), and Juan C. Zapata (11)

If you could alert individuals who agree with the concept of public open space on the waterfront downtown, it would be very helpful.

If you attend, please fill out a speaker card.  If anyone cannot attend the meeting in person, you may also email your comments to the Mayor and Board members.

Thank you Audrey Edmonson for caring about the needs of the public for open space. Lets not clog our waterfront with a wall of buildings like Sunny Isles Beach.

Traffic in this area will be unbearable if stupid David Beckham and his money men get their way to build their Soccer Stadium here on the waterfront (that no one will go to like the Marlins Stadium).  However, Bekham has been working for Sheldon Adelson (Republican mega donor) of the Sands in Las Vegas promoting casinos. Maybe this isn't about soccer at all, instead it is a way to get the gambling foot in the door. Why else do they need waterfront land? SOCCER DOESN'T NEED WATERFRONT. Are we dumb or what? I see a boutique,  exclusive casino in our future on the site.

David Beckham has been working for Sands owner Billionaire Sheldon Adelson.

Now Beckham wants Parcel B, the FEC slip filled in and they want part of Bicentennial park. I say no fucking way. Show up at the meeting at 2 pm. Tell the Beckham's group to go to Broward (Too bad they aren't as stupid as our Miami politicians). By all means: support Audrey Edmonson.

Beckham Soccer Rebellion in Miami. By Geniusofdespair

Small start, but only one day's notice for this protest! The natives are restless, wanting to preserve their green space and blue space (the historical FEC slip). No Soccer here they say. Parks are for people not just fans of soccer and more cement. Take the stadium off the waterfront. Our waterfront is not on the table, it is not for sale.

Dan Paul Park Named and Dedicated June 13th: Doing Away with Parcel B Name. By Geniusofdespair

 A DAY AT DAN PAUL PARK

The young professionals did what the Government couldn't. They took over their parkland and dedicated it with a name: Dan Paul Park. Dan Paul was the one responsible for the park section of our Home Rule Charter. I did a picture post of the day's events. By the way, County Commissioner Audrey Edmonson said she had no problem with the new name.  Parcel B is officially Dan Paul Park on this blog. Following is a pictorial of the festivities:

Of course the Miami Heat paved it over since this rendering, but that is Dan Paul Park on the far side of the FEC slip. Bicentennial Park is in the foreground (the 2  Museums in it call it Museum Park). Why is it everyone wants to take over the people's parkland? Well finally the people have done it!

County Commissioner Audrey Edmonson, The Commissioner for the Area of Dan Paul Park was not happy about the park's paving by the Miami Heat but she said she read about the name - Dan Paul Park - and had no problem with that. Sorry I didn't get a better picture.

The heat had a chain link fence at end with a big lock on it, they took it off (at least for the day). Legally they cannot fence off the property from the public because they got public money to do the seawall from the FIND commission. The property was recently re-leased to the Heat by the County. they use it for a parking lot.

The young professionals were out in numbers for the dedication of Dan Paul Park.

County Commissioner Xavier Suarez (looking mighty trim) attended the event. Ralph Rosado on the left.

Some people found the spit of green on the site and took a yoga class.

Others, made the best of the blacktop.

Oops!

What else could you do with all the blacktop the Miami Heat put down on Dan Paul Park. When the Heat got the land in a referendum, this acreage was promised to the people to be a soccer field, not a parking lot.