Coral Gables Historical Archive
The Coral Gables Times
Thursday, February 22, 1962, page 2 (of 20)
The page
The text of this pageRead by computer from the scan, so some words may be wrong. The page picture is the original.
CORAL GABLES TIMES
2 CORAL GABLES TIMES Thursday, February 22, 1962
Brake and Thomas Seek Metro Seat
I. Tommy Thomas, a Coral Gables real estate appraiser, is the second Gableite to announce his candidacy for the Metro Commission seat in District 1. Thomas announced his candidacy this week. The only other person to announce he was running is attorney Robert Brake. Both men are vying for the Commission seat of Robert Haverfield, who has decided not to run for re-election. Thomas, who lives at 1257 Ortega Ave., has been a real estate appraiser for 15 years. Thomas is chairman of the Metro Zoning Board. He was previously on the Gables zoning board for five years. He is a senior member of the Society of Residential Appraiser, on the Miami Board of Realtors and past president of the Gables Board of Realtors. Robert M. Brake, 35-year-old law partner with City Commissioner Joe Murphy, is a candidate for the County Commission from Group 1. Brake tossed his hat into the ring for the seat presently held by Robert M. Haverfield, another Gableite who served until recently as chairman of commission. Haverfield is not seeking re-election. Group 1 includes most of Coral Gables, the southwest area, Coconut Grove, West Miami and the unincorporated area between Tamiami Trail and Hardee Road. Brake said he favors the establishment of industry compatible with tourism; completion of the expressway system; a rapid transit system; and development of the tourist and aviation industries to maximum potential. In the unincorporated area, he said, he favors increased fire and police protection and coordinated recreational programs. Brake is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and served in the Army in World War II and was recalled to serve in the Korean War. He holds the rank of major in the Judge Advocate General's Department, U.S. Air Force Reserve. He is past president of the Coral Gables Bar Association and served as associate municipal judge for the City of Coral Gables. In 1955, he won the Dressel Trophy as the outstanding member of the Coral Gables Junior Chamber of Commerce. He organized the Tropical Park Jaycees in 1956 and is a past president and area governor of the Toastmasters Club. Brake is a member of the Gables Kiwanis Club and has served on the Minimum Housing Appeals Board and Congressional Activities Committee of the Chamber of Commerce. He is married to the former Eileen Murphy. The Brakes have two children and reside at 451 Majorca Ave. TOMMY THOMAS . . . Metro candidate R. M. BRAKE Metro Candidate
Home Sales
Real estate transaction totalled $2,278,050 in Coral Gables for January, the Coral Gables Board of Realtors reports. Forty-four residences accounted for $1,237,800 of the total. Also sold were nine multiple units, $340,450; four commercial, 261,500 and 66 lots, $438,300.
Tall Building Hearing Set This Month
A public hearing has been set for Feb. 26 by the Zoning Board on Developer Ed Rogers' request for a change in zoning on the southeast corner of Alhambra Plaza and Galiano Street that would make possible a proposed seven-story office building. The R & N Corporation, which Rogers heads sees a change of zoning from A-15 apartment use to CA Commercial use. Rogers also seeks an amendment to section 6.08 and 6.12 of Zoning Ordinance 1005 to provide that no front setback on Alhambra Plaza be provided. The property involved in Lots 1 through 8, Block 30, Section L.
The Hovels Called Home in Our Town
(Continued from page 1) Is this a dwelling on the outskirts of Caracas made famous in documentaries depicting the plight of our Latin American friends? Is it a home in the Casbah ghetto of Algiers? A slum-house in Hong Kong's legendary Chinese quarter? The Black Hole of Calcutta? New York's brokendown east Side? Not at all. This house—and many more just like it—is right here in Coral Gables, "The City of Beautiful Homes," "The City Beautiful." This was a home picked at random by The Times as this newspaper undertook a survey of Negro housing in the Gables. These Negro homes, as are all other dwellings in the City, are subject to minimum housing standards imposed several years ago. Because of the generally poor condition of the Negro housing, the standards have, for the most part, been applicable only to those dwellings. This house, visited several weeks ago, has since been brought into the rehabilitation picture. Along with it came a cluster of CBS apartments on the northwest side of Industrial Street. In this story you have been into a home ahead of the building inspector and ahead of structural correction. In the weeks to come you shall hear from property owners, City officials and leaders talk about the rehabilitation program. Is it working? Is it enough? Are there drawbacks? Building inspector Joe Thomas talks to Times Reporter Maurice Labelle
Water Rate Could Drop
(Continued from Page 1) son and Semple that in South Miami the firm pays only taxes since South Miami has no franchise. While South Miami pays $30 a year per fire hydrant, Coral Gables pays $27. The City of Coral Gables also gets a 20% discount on its water bills. South Miami gets no discounts, the officials said. Semple, apparently smarting at criticism over not joining with South Miami in the rates suit, said it would be foolish for the Gables to join now and risk having to pay court cost, in the event the company wins its appeal. The Times has criticized the city editorially for not joining South Miami. The three-year fight has cost an estimated $65,000 to $75,000 thus far. The city attorney indicated he thought Consumers would win.
Sunrise Project
A proposal by developer Gerard Schainuck to build a two-story apartment at the east end of Edgewater Drive with 30 units instead of 12 as normally permitted is under study and investigation by the Zoning Board. Schainuck, the contract purchaser for the land, owned by Emil Gould, told the board it would not be economically feasible to build the smaller number of apartments.
The Who, What, & Where Of Gables Negro Housing
This is the Negro area which falls under the Minimum Housing Code: Area: Approximately 1⁄4 square mile. Boundaries: Roughly, the northwest side of South Dixie Highway, Brooker Street, Grand Avenue, an irregular area bordering the City of Miami, Le Jeune Road. Population: 2,164 people or 6.2% of the total population of Coral Gables. Females, 1,097; Males, 1,067. Density: Approximately 8,600 people per square mile. Buildings: 306; By category — 173 single family; 97 duplexes; 16 apartments; 20 commercial units. Number of Dwelling Units: Approximately 570. People per Unit: 3.8. —Map for The Times by Red Robbins WHITE AREA IS NEGRO DISTRICT