98 Million Dollar Mercy Hospital Land Deal Dead. By Geniusofdespair

The Miami Herald reported today that Mercy Hospital, after twice losing in court, has abandoned plans to build a controversial condo project on its property. We reported on this issue and the developer, Jorge Perez/Related Group,
a number of times, including September 1, 2007. You might remember these are the 3 towers that were slated next to Vizcaya.

Jorge Perez: Reminisces about Mercy Hospital Project in his Book. By Geniusofdespair

Harry Emilio Gottlieb sent me some text From Jorge Perez’s new book: "Powerhouse Principles, The Billionaire Blueprint for Real Estate Success". Since I did not research it myself, I am leaving out quotes but Harry says this is from Page 126:

Always think what can go wrong will go wrong. I was once putting together a deal to build a condominium tower project in Miami. The site belonged to a well-established private hospital, Mercy Hospital, and sat right on the water next to ritzy Coconut Grove, overlooking Biscayne Bay. Beautiful view.

He outlined all the steps he took to prepare for the project and then he talks about the curve ball:

Page 127:
And then all of a sudden, someone presented a photograph that showed through some trees, which had fallen because of a hurricane that blew through, how if you went out to the garden and looked almost a mile away, you could see the building.

Page 128:
The lesson is: Expect the unexpected, because what can go wrong will. But you can limit the number of unexpected things you’ll run into if you do your research, you prepare, and you meet with the people with properties around your site to hear their concerns so you can work out compromises, gain allies, and neutralize opposition.

The Orchid and Onion Award Presentation. by Geniusofdespair

The Urban Environment League held it's annual award presentation last night. Onions (the bad award) were awarded to Related Group, for the proposed Mercy Hospital Towers. Also getting onions: Commissioners Joe Martinez, Natacha Seijas, Javier Souto, Rebeca Sosa, Bruno Barreiro, Barabra Jordan, Dorrin Rolle, Audrey Edmonson and Pepe Diaz for voting to move the Urban Development Boundary. Mayor Manny Diaz got an onion but I am not sure why. Councilman Micahel Pizzi was honored with an orchid for his community activism. Former Miami Beach Mayor David Dermer jointly presented the award to Pizzi with Redland Community Councilwoman Pat Wade. I took some bad phone photos of the event. A lot of other people got awards, hit read more at the bottom for the list and for two more bad phone photo:



Best Opening - Virginia Key Trust
Long Haul Environmentalist - Harvey Ruvin
Voting to Hold the Line:
Mayor Carlos Alvarez
Commissioner Sally Heyman
Commissioner Carlos Gimenez
Commissioner Katy Sorenson
Commissioner Dennis Moss
Superb Activists:
Elvis Cruz
Councilman Michael Pizzi
Public Space Champion - Steve Hagen
Creative Redevelopment Initiatives - Scott’s Project Charette
Emerging Green Builders - Sonia Succar Ferre, USGBC
Public Servant of the Year - Mayor Shirley Gibson
Conservation Organization - Tropical Audubon Society
Dogged Reporting Dan Ricker - The Watchdog Report
Best Teamwork - Miami Neighborhoods United
Best Plan - Miami-Dade Parks Master Plan
Champion of the River - Commissioner Marc Sarnoff
Profile in Courage - Commissioner Tomas Regalado

Related Group: Resorting to Slapp Suits? By Geniusofdespair

It has been reported this week that the Vizcayans and Commissioner Mark Sarnoff are facing legal battles with the Related Group. Oh, no! Two lawsuits have been filed because of - yes again - those three Mercy Hospital Towers! Damn that Catholic church. According to the Miami Herald: "Vizcayans member John Hinson called the lawsuit the latest ''bit of skulduggery'' aimed at squelching his group's opposition."

Do these suits constitute Slapp Suits? You be the judge. What is a Slapp Suit you might ask? Every single one of you should know what a Slapp Suit is because you might be facing one at some time in your life. And you will go broke. According to the not always reliable Wikpedia, this happens to be a good explanation:

"A Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation ("SLAPP") is a form of litigation filed by a large organization or in some cases an individual plaintiff, to intimidate and silence a less powerful critic by so severely burdening them with the cost of a legal defense that they abandon their criticism. The acronym was coined in the 1980s by University of Denver professors Penelope Canan and George W. Pring. One marker of a SLAPP suit is whether the costs outweigh the claimed damages by a large amount: for example, damages of a few hundred dollars and costs in the tens of thousands. Lawyers are thought to be particularly conflicted in SLAPP suits, since a marginal case can lead to high legal fees, and lawyers are encouraged to run up costs by their clients."

Now return to my Sunday July 22nd post and re-read that Related Group Letter: "What is Related Group Up To?" Now we know.

What is the Related Group up to? Writing Strange/Obtuse/Warning Letters. By Geniusofdespair

(Hit to enlarge.)
Looks like Related is writing scary letters, or would this be better characterized as a sarcastic threatening, know-it-all letter? Or is it just a case of: "I have more money for litigation than you have?" You be the judge.

Oh, Jorge, why oh why are you doing this? You are worth 1.2 billion, of course you have more money than a bunch of egg heads. Leave them be. They don't want your massive condo towers to spoil the feeling that for an afternoon people are transported back to another century. They love Vizcaya. And why not, it is the most beautiful place the County doesn't deserve to own.

(I watched the County Commission Meeting on TV that the letter above speaks about, what a bunch of jerks those commissioners are. It seemed like they read someone's playbook - and it was not the Vizcayans).

Paying for Deviant behavior: $660-Million of your dollars from the collection basket. by Geniusofdespair

Catholics: your money went from the basket to settle these priest sex abuse cases. I think the pope should have sold the Vatican to fund it...or some of their priceless art, why should you fund bad behavior? It is like paying your babysitter to beat up your kid.

And Catholic people you should know this $660 million is for 508 people. Five hundred and eight lives touched by horror. These sick priests are the bottom of the human chain, preying on children that trust them, that think of them as stand-ins for God. there is no excuse. On top of it all the church knew about it and tried to protect the priests. They just transferred them around, so they could abuse in new neighborhoods...for shame. To add to this mess, there were $114 million in previous settlements.

The total liability for the priest sexually deviant behavior and the church cover-up: A whopping $774 million. No wonder the Mercy Hospital land had to go.

I hope you Catholics think about this next time you fork over money to the Catholic church. They suck. I for one left the church just like I left my political party. Be brave: Turn your back on the basket if you can't turn your back on your church.

P.S. Monday: Miami Herald said: "The settlements push the total amount paid out by the U.S. church since 1950 to more than $2 billion." Nice, that is almost Miami-Dade's budget for 1 year paid because of predator priests.

Coconut Grove: Heed the Evil County Commission by Geniusofdespair

Hit on pages to enlarge.

Always ready to aid their pal Jorge Perez, the Miami Dade County Commission voted on this resolution today in an attempt to unfund/stop the Vizcayan lawsuit that is trying to stop the two Perez towers at Mercy Hospital.

Katy Sorenson and Carlos Gimenez voted against this resolution. Even the vile Natacha thought the last sentence was too harsh and asked Souto to take it out. He refused.

See Coconut Grove...I have been telling you, get interested in the County because they will screw you.

Too much to write about today in Miami, the land of OZ. By Geniusofdespair

First we have the letter by former Commissioner Maurice Ferre where he says about the impending HUD takeover of the corruption ridden Miami-Dade Affordable Housing Dept:

"...but the April 25 story "Feds give county ultimatum on housing takeover says": ''Miami-Dade housing is overseen by county government, the commission, which has had the same 13 members since 2005; county manager Burgess was appointed in 2002.''

Ferre says: "That is, during the coming together of this perfect storm. Has this County Commission mended its ways or is it still ''helping'' to administer Miami-Dade County? How can we question HUD's conclusion?" And:

“The county is not heading into a gunfight with a knife, but rather with its hands tied behind its back. HUD is facing today's reality of Miami-Dade. Don't blame HUD, blame our single-member commission-district system.”

The Herald reports on YET ANOTHER example of the County wasting our money, reported by Chuck Rabin: Scam to defraud Miami-Dade County alleged. So far investigators have found $300,000 in stolen funds. Don’t they ever check to see if work is done before paying? I will work as a checker for them. Note, the State Attorney is investigating. You would think this could have been uncovered internally. JUST GO LOOK!

Third article in the Herald: There are millions of dollars tucked into the budget for Miami-Dade . And tucked into that funding list are two surprises. Yes, I was there when Hialeah annexed the land on the other side of the UDB and when they moved the UDB for that land at another meeting. I heard the Mayor of Hialeah, Raul Martinez, boast to County Commissioners that his city was going to build a desalination plant. He said WE (not us) are building it. We in the audience, all supposed that "WE", besides Hialeah, could be with the financial help of the developers, like the Codina group, who would profit by it (they were there at the meeting).

Well, look who is paying for the desalination plant? US! It is on the list: The Construction of a Water Treatment Plant in Hialeah: $5.3 million. And to add insult to injury: Hialeah Construction of Water Mains for the Annexation Areas: $800,000. I told you, we all pay for the infrastructure outside the UDB. A lot of good programs were cut out of money because of these projects that were SUPPOSED to be paid for by Hialeah. The UDB was moved on the promises made by Hialeah at the meeting. There was no mention that State monies would be used.

And last but not least let’s skip to the SunPost, read about the Jorge Perez, Yellow Shirt fiasco by Rebecca Wakefield. All That Glitters Is Green:The Related Group’s Crack Team Exposed. One Yellow shirt person (those in favor of the development wore yellow shirts) said:

“There were a few people like myself,” he related. “But did you see the people there? 95 percent of them were crack heads. Half of them were asleep.”

The people hired for $100 to wear the yellow shirts in support of Jorge's 3 Coconut Grove Towers at the Commission Meeting, are so confused, now they are calling Mark Sarnoff’s office looking for the money: They are calling the Commissioner who was most opposed to the development!

Darn it Jorge, give those people their hundred dollars. They wore your crummy yellow shirts.

Miami Commissioner Sarnoff on Jorge Perez's 3 Mercy Hospital Towers. by Geniusofdespair

This is Commissioner Sarnoff's Request to Mayor Manny Diaz asking him to Veto the Mercy Hospital Project:


April 27, 2007
Re: Grove Bay Residences
3663 South Miami Avenue

Dear Mayor Diaz:

Pursuant to the Commission Hearing of Thursday, April 26, 2007, District 2 would ask that you veto the City Commission’s 3-2 vote in favor of PZ Items No. 1 and 2 concerning 3663 South Miami Avenue [“Grove Bay Residences”]. As you are aware, PZ-1, a change to the Neighborhood Comprehensive Plan, pursuant to the record, this project would:

1. Act to harm the quality of life in the neighborhood.

2. Foster a decline in the surrounding neighborhood.

3. Promote a negative economic impact, reducing job opportunities.

4. Harm the City’s ability to foster downtown as a regional center.

5. Foster land use conflicts in Coconut Grove.

6. Harm our significant natural and coastal resources [diminishing in the City of Miami].

Further, I would ask that you veto PZ-2, a zoning change from GI to R4. Specifically, Zoning Ordinance Section 2210, requires the Commission to apply certain standards when considering a change of zoning request. Although the City of Miami staff concluded a zoning change was acceptable under certain conditions, it failed to address and demonstrate the required standards were met – as they could not be. The overwhelming competent and substantial testimony demonstrated that:

· The proposed change is not in harmony with the established land use pattern. There was no competent evidence showing that this proposal is in harmony with the neighborhood.

· The proposed change is not related to adjacent and nearby districts, and no evidence is in the record showing how it is.

· The change suggested is out of scale with the needs of the neighborhood and the city, and no competent evidence was presented to the contrary.

· The proposed change does not maintain the same or similar population density pattern and does increase and overtax the load on streets and on public facilities;

· The proposed change to multifamily high rise residential, by this application which allows more than 250 units units, will create an adverse impact on traffic both in the short term, during construction, and during the life of any multi family high rise residential development, due to traffic generated by the residents, visitors, and the myriad of service people required to support the dense development allowed under R-4 zoning. South Bayshore Drive is a designated scenic corridor, which cannot be widened or enhanced for traffic.

· This change will negatively affect public safety to a greater extent than the existing classification;

· The testimony from the uncompensated neighbors shows overwhelming concern over the negative impact on already congested streets in the immediate neighborhood.

· There are no changed or changing conditions which make the passage of the proposed change necessary (unless you consider the increasing value of our neighborhood shoreline). The change in zoning to R-4 – High Density Multi Family Residential - will establish a dangerous precedent for additional massive development in this single family neighborhood. It will create the “changing condition” which will be used to support the next application for a similar such use.

· The proposed change will not positively influence living conditions in the neighborhood, and in fact, will negatively influence quality of life and living conditions in the immediate neighborhood as well as throughout the Grove.

· The proposed change will have a negative impact on light and air to adjacent areas as the existing classification;

· The proposed change will have a negative impact on property values in the adjacent neighborhood;

· The proposed change will not contribute to the improvement or development of adjacent property.

· The proposed change does not convey the same treatment to the individual owner as to owners within the same classification and the immediate area and does not further the protection of the public welfare;

· There are absolutely no reasons why the use of this site is unfairly limited under existing zoning;

· It would not be difficult for the developer to find other adequate sites in the surrounding area for the proposed use in districts already permitting such use.

Finally, I would strongly urge you to utilize your veto powers provided to the Mayor under our City Charter, failing in same, I urge you to veto PZ3 and instruct the Commission to come back with conditions to the MUSP, in the event you fail to exercise your veto power for PZ-1 and PZ-2, by demanding:

1. A green construction, LEED Gold Standard and nothing less.

2. A well lighted bay walk of a minimum of twenty-five feet (25-ft.), open to the public at all times.

3. A public bike path sidewalk on a wider road leading to the public bay walk from South Bayshore Drive, with signage located on South Bayshore Drive.

4. A public park of at least Ten Thousand square feet (10,000 sq.ft.).

5. Free public parking reasonably close to the park, in an amount to allow the free use of the park.

6. The Park, Bay Walk, Bike Path, Sidewalk, Signage and parking for park/bay walk users shall be completed and open to the public prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy for the first phase of the three building project.

7. The requirement of an off duty police officer to direct traffic along Bayshore Drive for construction vehicles.

8. The complete obliteration of the sight of the three (3) towers from Vizcaya, with the use of mature massive oak trees on the Vizcaya property, if permitted, or on the property of 3663 South Miami Avenue.

9. The staggering of times for construction vehicles’ arrivals and departures so as to not coincide with hospital shifts or peak usage of Bayshore Drive.

10. The shuttling of all construction workers to and from the building site from a remote location away from the Grove (perhaps from under the Metro rail parking, station, or lot).

District 2 strongly urges you, Mr. Mayor, as a resident of district 2, to exercise the veto power provided to you under the City Charter, to protect the health, welfare and safety of District 2 voters and more specifically, Coconut Grove. Your words at the State of the City Address were profound and with the deeds behind it we truly can create a sustainable city.

I look forward to your prompt response.

Yours very truly,



Marc David Sarnoff
Commissioner District 2
--------------------
And, Xavier Suarez weighed in on the letter:

This memo from Commissioner Sarnoff is about the most compelling that I have ever read - certainly the best by a sitting commissioner.
Besides making powerful policy arguments, it sets up an excellent public record for judicial reversal of the city's actions.
My congrats.
Xavier Suarez

George "Jorge" Perez: His Three Mercy Towers Approved. by Geniusofdespair

Jorge's Three Towers (which are to start at three millions dollars each) were approved by Three on the City of Miami Commission today. 3+3+3= Ick. If the Catholic church hadn't spent so much money on covering up for predator priests, maybe they wouldn't have had to make this really crappy deal. Let's get real, they didn't have to make the deal anyway, the church has more money than God (and so does Jorge Perez for that matter).

I have one word: 1 = Lawsuit!
Someone sent me this image below, they couldn't post it in comment section, read what they wrote about it in comment 9. They called it: The Shroud of Mercy (looks like Jorge doesn't it?)

Vizcayans: What is all the fuss about? By Geniusofdespair

As you can see in the photo above, the proposed high rise buildings at Mercy Hospital will hardly impact Vizcaya at all! Well, maybe just a little...

There was a meeting last night at Vizcaya (hosted by the Vizcayans, a non profit) to discuss the proposed 3 towers at Mercy Hospital. As you all know already, the Related Group, led by billionaire Jorge Perez, wants to build 3 400 foot towers (or a bit less, couldn't quite figure out what height he has since settled on) on land from Mercy Hospital. The highest building now at Mercy is 146 feet. The tower condos would sell to multi-millionaires: I'll take two.

However, if you look at the view above, does it seem like these buildings will impact Vizcaya? You be the judge. If negotiations don't continue, expect a vote on April 26th.

Harry Emilio Gottlieb's (Guest Blogger) Plea: Mercy Please No More Unnecessary Condos!

Grove Activist Glenn Terry was absolutely correct when he wrote in his Sunday Miami Herald column In My Opinion, that “Coconut Grove needs another high-rise like Johnny Winton needs another drink.” It was a most sobering observation!

What Mercy Hospital needs to do is to build a quality Assisted Living Facility and not sell off a portion of its G/I zoned property to the Related Group for them to add more luxury condos to the glut that already exists.

Selling this property to a condo developer will only be a short term fix for Mercy’s financial crisis.

What our community really requires and what will be of greatest benefit in the long run for Mercy Hospital is a very high quality Assisted Living Facility.

The demand for a good A.L.F. is very strong and getting stronger with each year that the Baby Booms continue to age.

The Mercy property is properly zoned for an A.L.F..

An A.L.F. will be a much needed and a most profitable revenue stream for Mercy Hospital.

There is no justification to rezone Mercy property from G/I to R-4 or even R-3 just to accommodate the building of more unnecessary luxury condos and provide Mercy with a temporary solution to their many years of mismanagement that have resulted in this financial crisis.

There is no reason to compromise on reducing the height and density of the three luxury condos that the Related Group insists on planting on this property that is zoned for medical and health care purposes.

The final City of Miami Commission meeting takes place April 26th, to decide the future of the Mercy Hospital property, the Pandora’s Box that may result with all other G/I zoned properties and the future of our community.

Please contact your City of Miami Mayor, Commissioner and Manager and request them to please respect our zoning codes and the Grovener Rule that our community insisted on and that they helped pass and are responsible to honor and protect for the good of us all.

Grove Bay Residence/Mercy Hospital Update by Genius of Despair

Commissioner Carlos Gimenez's Resolution File No. 070290, asking the county attorney to look into the impacts to Vizcaya by the 3 proposed Grove Bay Residence towers at Mercy Hospital site, has been tabled until Thursday. Don't know the details.

Grove Bay Residence at Mercy Hospital by Genius of Despair

In a new twist on the Condos at Mercy, County Commissioner Carlos Gimenez has requested by Resolution File No. 070290, that the County Attorney shall consult with appropriate County staff to ascertain the impact, in terms including, but not limited to, size, scale, height, density, traffic and viewshed, that this proposed development of 3 staggered residential towers - the highest of which consists of 37 stories - will have on the County's Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.

The County Attorney is directed to determine the County's legal position with regard to the development or any aspects that may impact Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.

The plot thickens...

According to the website Miami Condo Lifestyle these condo's will be quite affordable: Price Range: $2,500,000 - $10,000,000. A reader alluded to my wealth: sign me up for 2. Unfortunately, I am much closer to Umoja village than Grove Bay. I don’t know anyone personally that could afford these.

Mercy Hospital Towers: I Say Ick! by geniusofdespair

Mercy, Mercy Me... I don't know much about these towers except what I have read: that they are incompatible with the neighborhood (but the neighbors might have been given incentives to ignore that),Vizcaya Brass are not happy campers and Lucia likes them and is being paid to help them move forward - and she has; got 3 commissioners yesterday!

Here is my take on the deal.

Mercy Hospital's assessed value in 2006 was $159,266,644 and they pay “0” taxes. The property owned by the Bishop McCarthy next door (to the North) is assessed at over $20,000,000. And, just west of that piece is another parcel - again owned by the bishop assessed at $9,696,400. That is — let me get a calculator - $188,963,044 of assessed value for all the property. And they pay “0“ taxes on almost $200,000,000 of assessment. Now if we go down the street a bit to what was Sylvester Stallone’s compound, they are assessed and paying taxes on $16,000,000 and they are not even close to the size of Mercy/Catholic properties. The total millage rate for 2006 for Miami is 24.64430 (8.37450 for the City). What this means I haven’t a clue but someone must. But anyway it is not part of my point. Yes, I do have a point.

The former Stallone compound paid $403,891.89 in taxes in 2006. Are the church people saving over $4,000,000 a year (I am not good at moving decimals)? At that rate, the good Mercy Hospital and Bishop McCarthy have saved multi millions over the years. How can you get away with saving millions and millions and then say: Oh, by the way, we are now going to sell this property at a profit and not give the city any tax money back. You can’t have it both ways. You can’t make profits if you are a non-profit at the citizens expense.

God, I wish I were better at math...If someone told me in 6th grade I would need this subject for blogging...I would have been more attentive. Nah, blogging wasn’t invented yet. I digress.

But from my little seat in my 100 square foot office, this seems like a really bad deal for the city of Miami. Make that rich church/hospital -- which is spending a lot of their money paying for the handiwork of pedophile priests -- pay their taxes if they are going to sell and make a profit. The city didn’t give them a break on taxes to make a windfall profit. It was for them to do good. I am pissed off at this deal.