The Coral Gables Times

High Rise Apartment In Trouble

(Continued from page 1) 000, at the rate of six percent. That mortgage has stayed with Washington Federal since it was first obtained. The other three, two of which are being held in question for alleged illegal interest rates, are not as easy to trace. The second mortgage, for the amount of $120,000, was originally held by Jerome Voletsky, at an interest rate reported to be 15 per cent. On April 21, 1961, it was assigned from Voletsky to Jack F. Schliefer, and on the same day was transferred to Croyden Capital Corporation. It is the larger of the two that are now alleged by the owners to be usurious. The third was assigned similarly, although it was originally held by Robert Othling, of Kathling Co. at six per cent interest. This mortgage, according to Bertram C. Waller, attorney for the land owners, was an "open-end" mortgage, meaning that it was not written for a predetermined amount, but could be drawn upon as needed by Kathling. According to records in the Clerk's office of the Circuit Court this mortgage was transferred from Othling to Voletsky, than from Voletsky to Schliefer, and then finally from Schliefer to Croyden Corp. The fourth mortgage, in the amount of $60,000 and allegedly at 15 per cent, was to Six-Fifty Coral Way Inc. to Jack Schliefer. Within one month, it was assigned from Schliefer to Croyden Corp., to Morris Weintraub. The record Book also lists an assignment from Voletsky to Weintraub, of the same mortgage, but there is no listing of when it passed from Croyden to Voletsky. It is still in the hands of Weintraub. According to federal law, the maximum legal interest rate for individual mortgages is 10 per cent. The maximum legal interest rate for corporate mortgages is 15 per cent. Built in 1960, the Six-Fifty Building has been a topic of controversy since the day its construction was completed. There have been disputes over the number of stories and also over the structural appearance of the building. While litigation is pending, maintenance of the Six-Fifty Building has been placed in the hands of the court appointed trustee, Victor Levine. Levine has hired Gables realtor, Louis Edwards, 261 Alhambra Circle, as resident agent for the building. Edwards explained that it was orginally built as a co-op apartment building. "But this never went over — why, co-ops never have gone over in Coral Gables," he said. It was then renovated to house separate apartments, but there was a "rental basis difficulty." It is now 50 per cent rented, said Edwards. According to the current market Edwards said, the value of the building is about $650,000 and the land is worth about $85,000.

FIRST HOTEL TO BE BUILT in Coral Gables in 35 years got underway last week with formal groundbreaking ceremonies for the Holiday Inn at 1350 South Dixie Hwy. The $2 million, 155-room hotel was designed by MacKay and Gibbs and is being constructed by Polizzi Construction Co. Representatives say it should be ready for opening by this coming fall.

Asks Referendum Refinery Petition Is Out--Finally

The anti-oil refinery petition is here — finally. After more than three months of election air-clearing, planning, printing, and speaking, the referendum petition, long planned and oft delayed, is actually in circulation. The petition has been put out by the Safe Progress Association, which opposes the establishment of the controversial Seadade Oil Refinery east of Homestead on Biscayne Bay. It is now in the hands of individuals and civic organizations and clubs all over the county, Lloyd Miller, vice president of S.P.A. said Monday. An organizational meeting will take place this week and at that time a shopping center program will be planned and a list of places the petition can be signed will be compiled. OVER OBJECTION S.P.A. members hold that the County Commission's rezoning of a 31 square mile tract from limited to unlimited industrial was accomplished over the objections that rezoning be held up until all the facts were in. They charge that establishment of Seadade will lead to Dade County's becoming a complex of "dirty industry." For more than six months the arguments have waged over whether the refinery will or will not pollute the surrounding air and water. S.P.A. says that the refinery would do more damage to the county than the refinery revenue would be worth. Basing their claims on studies of other areas in the country where stack-type industry has been introduced, they also say that the refinery would pollute the beaches and thereby hurt the area's tourist trade. "We are turning it over to the people, as it should have been done a long time ago," said Miller of the refinery proposal.

Mott Plan Beginning Uncertain

A shadow of uncertainty surrounds the decision of just when the Mott Plan will go into operation. The plan envisions the use of the Ponce de Leon Junior High School plant for recreational facilities. Coral Gables City Commission passed a resolution authorizing the plan, but the question now is whether it is to go into effect this summer or next fall. Youth Center Director Jeanette Hunt has advised City Manager L. W. Robinson Jr., that she will meet with county school board officials within the next two weeks. Final details of the plan will be completed at this meeting.

LITTLE OPPOSITION has been generated by a recommendation of Rader and Associates that would change the face of Coral Gables — a proposal to create a civic and cultural center in the Biltmore Way area that would include City Hall, Merrick Park, the new library, fire and police stations.

City Takes Ad Adv. Comm.; Meets Chamber Challenge

The City Commission appeared ready Tuesday to meet the challenge of the Chamber of Commerce on the Chamber's refusal to appoint new members to the advertising committee. Commissioners deferred for the second time an amendment to the authorizing ordinance which would spell out the powers—but relieve the Chamber of the responsibility of appointing members. The three-year-old board was recently in a squabble with the City's advertising consultant, Bert Burris over a Bargain Days ad. The Commission backed Burris on the issue 100 per cent. Board members, who have been appointed by both the Chamber and the Commission, prepared their resignations but sought to find a settlement before taking action. When the City showed no sign of changing its stand, the Chamber refused to appoint its allotted number of members. Chamber president Al Jacobson stated in a letter to the Commission that the Chamber's refusal was based on the fact that the Commission had failed to outline just in what capacity the Board members would serve. Both sides waited but neither would give in. Tuesday the Commission had just about decided to pass an emergency ordinance stating in the provision for appointments that the Commission would take complete control of the Board and appoint all the members itself. It was then that Mayor Robert Searle noted that the amended ordinance under consideration also failed to point out just what the responsibility and authority the Board would have. The amendment was quickly deferred.

Chamber Wins This One: City Recinds E.C.D.

The Economic Development Committee was quietly tucked away Tuesday after one month's fitfull existence when the City Commission, bowing under fire from the Chamber of Commerce, rescinded the resolution that created it. Compromise brain-child of Mayor Robert Searle, the Committee was designed to soothe the Chamber, smarting from the mayor's creation of a commercial development program of his own last fall. The Chamber felt the first move reflected they had not been adequately effective in their capacity as recruiters of white-collar industry for the City. The Commission attempted a compromise by the creation of a Committee whose membership would be determined by an equal number of appointments by both the City and the Chamber. But the Chamber wasn't satisfied and refused to appoint their allotted number of members to the Committee. Chamber president Al Jacobson sent the Commission a letter stating that qualified Chamber members wouldn't serve unless they were delegated authority commensurate with responsibility to both boards. So Tuesday the Commission backed down and rescinded the resolution creating the Committee, leaving, at least for the time being, the job of economic development once again up to the Chamber.

Helen Keller Art Sought

Studio M is looking for original paintings inspired by the life of Helen Keller to hang in the theater when it premieres "The Miracle Worker" July 4. Prizes will be awarded the best paintings. If interested, contact Ruth Foreman at Studio M, HI 4-3212.