The Coral Gables Times

CORAL GABLES TIMES

2 CORAL GABLES TIMES Thursday, November 8, 1962

Our Library Will Be Built Near City Hall

(Continued from page 1) the federal government would pay half the costs, but time appears to be running out since other Dade municipalities and the County have already gotten approval for some of their projects. A lively debate between proponents of the City Hall site and those who opposed it featured Tuesday's meeting before the vote was taken about 6:30 p.m. There was wide difference of opinion, not only about the site, but as to the actions that took place before agreement was reached. Members of the special Library Committee appointed only last week and made up of Rempe, Librarian Margaret Beaton, Dr. A. D. Amerise, Al Jacobson, president of the Chamber of Commerce, and City Manager L. W. Robinson, Jr., differed on their versions of what they set out to do, went about doing it and how they reached their recommendations. In the end they had boiled down their choices to the lot recommended and to another parking lot in the O-block of Andalusia Avenue near Douglas Road. Said Jacobson of the new site: "We approved of the site as the lesser of two evils." The committee had been told to consider only parking lots in their deliberations. Rempe took exception to Jacobson's statement and said that the unanimous choice was the attendant parking lot on Andalusia Avenue in the 300 block. And so it went. Rolfe Neill, editor and publisher of The Times, made a seven-point plea for other sites. Neill pointed out that Coral Gables is not like any other community and the criteria used to locate libraries in other communities should not necessarily be used here. Other points raised by Neill were that bus service, freedom of access, location to the proposed Coral Gables Elementary site at University of Miami's North Campus, adult use of the library, the need for parking and aesthetics should figure in the choice. "If you're not for beauty, you're not for Coral Gables," Neill said, arguing that nothing else should be put on the block with City Hall, a Mediterranean-style building meant, he said, to have open space around it. This drew the retort from Commissioner George Wilson that the proposed library would be beautiful. Mayor Robert L. Searle supported the idea of the combined use of the library site for an underground garage-shelter and an auditorium. As for beauty, the Mayor said, "To me there is no beauty in that parking lot." There are 94 meters on the lot. Dr. Amerise said he did not favor the site. "This is the one we had the least objections to," he said. His committee had recommended Le Jeune-Anastasia corner at the Youth Center. The commision was deadlocked on that last week and then directed the parking lot consideration. Miss Beaton, who had backed the first City Hall site, came out strong for the nearby location. She quoted library experts to back her up. But Commissioner Joe Murphy said he did not agree with Miss Beaton's telling of how the City Hall site came to be picked. The librarian retorted that Donald E. Bean, one of experts who helped compile a recent library report for the City, revisited the City and said he liked City Hall site choice. "It had been my thinking—'Let's consider every site again,' and that the parking lots were an afterthought," Commissioner C. L. Dressel, Jr. said. Commissioner Franklin Evans saw the one-story, sprawling building as a "red herring," and impractical. "It's a matter of opinion if it would be beautiful or not," said Evans. Two long time residents, both teachers, added their views. They were Mrs. Robert E. Backus, 431 Coral Way, Mrs. Mary Jackson, 427 Coral Way, and they did not like the selected site. And Larry Adams, chairman of the Recreation Advisory Board, pointed out that most Gableites put the library low on the list of priorities although they recognized the need for better facilities. He pleaded for a practical and economical facility.

COMPLETION DATE for Granada Golf Course clubhouse is unknown, according to Elmer Gerth, the course's golf pro. He has no idea when it will be finished. The original date, Dec. 17 was ehanged to Jan. 17, and Gerth says from the looks of things, it will not be done then. The $80,000 structure is across from Gables Country Club. Golf play goes on uninterrupted. (Times photo).

Mixed Use In Zoning Is Barred

An ordinance prohibiting the construction of a residence in an apartment-zoned area, or any other higher use in a lower use area, is coming up on second and final reading before the Coral Gables City Commission next Tuesday. At the same time, the ordinance would prohibit the construction of either an apartment, duplex or residence in a commercial or industrial zone. The ordinance, according to City Manager L. W. Robinson Jr., is designed to eliminate some of the mixed zoning that is still possible under the present ordinance which prohibits lower use in a higher use area, but not the converse. This would stop also the practice in the Negro area of building apartments with stores in areas zoned commercial.

What Happens to Meters On Ex-Parking Lot?

What happens to the 94 spaces for parking when the library is built in the rear of City Hall? A certain number of spaces, undetermined as yet, would be left, additional parking would be provided in the lot abutting City Hall on Biltmore way and City Commissioners Tuesday moved to acquire more space. Ninety more spaces would be provided through an agreement with the Christian Science Church on property located on Andalusia Avenue in the rear of the church. A walk-through immediately west of the church is entailed. Four lots, owned by the church would be metered and improved under a Zain Plan agreement and the City would improve a site it owns adjacent to a connecting alley. The proposal must be approved by the church.

BACKED BY A.V. DAVIS | Nursery to Become Apartments

What was once of Dade County's largest and finest nurseries is proposed to be turned into an apartment and garden apartment development. Arvida Realty Co. — a firm owned by Arthur Vining Davis — is asking to have its former nursery along the Palmetto Expressway and other surrounding property rezoned to permit multi-family dwellings and individual type garden apartments. The proposal is scheduled to come up before the Metro Zoning Board Nov. 19. Three parcels of property are involved in the request by Arvida Realty: From the Palmetto Expressway to the extension of SW 77th Avenue between the extension of SW 92nd Street and extension of SW 97th Street, which is zoned agricultural. The change would be to GU, which permits motels, hotels and apartments. From SW 77th Avenue to the Palmetto Expressway between SW 89th Street and SW 92nd Street. Present zoning AU agricultural to RU-4 apartment houses. From SW 77th Avenue to SW 79th Avenue between SW 90th Street and SW 94th Street. From EU-M to RU-U to permit motels, hotels and apartments, but specifically multi-family dwellings and garden type apartments.

MAID BEING DEPORTED

Coral Gables police have turned over to immigration authorities for deportation a 17-year-old South American girl accused by her employers of stealing. Rosa Falcon, a maid at the home of Mrs. Sol Halpert, 918 Manati, had been accused of using the Halpert's credit charge plate and buying $100 worth of goods for herself and also of taking property from the Halpert home.

Unofficial Tallies Tell Gables Tale

Precinct | Amend. 1 Yes | Amend. 1 No | Amend 2 Yes | Amend 2 No | Amend. 3 Yes | Amend. 3 No | Amend. 4 Yes | Amend. 4 No | Amend. 5 Yes | Amend. 5 No | Amend. 6 Yes | Amend. 6 No | Amend. 7 Yes | Amend. 7 No | Amend. 8 Yes | Amend. 8 No | Amend. 9 Yes | Amend. 9 No 132x | 316 | 569 | 393 | 299 | 387 | 358 | 434 | 203 | 403 | 213 | 304 | 395 | 457 | 206 | 460 | 184 | 325 | 203 136x | 302 | 533 | 407 | 253 | 338 | 356 | 289 | 208 | 377 | 206 | 286 | 352 | 424 | 205 | 402 | 162 | 410 | 190 161x | 276 | 473 | 395 | 200 | 335 | 303 | 278 | 167 | 286 | 167 | 276 | 352 | 443 | 175 | 454 | 140 | 440 | 142 162x | 259 | 462 | 346 | 232 | 306 | 298 | 356 | 144 | 346 | 153 | 244 | 326 | 403 | 149 | 393 | 131 | 394 | 137 163 | 182 | 454 | 308 | 201 | 280 | 262 | 319 | 144 | 303 | 157 | 207 | 322 | 349 | 153 | 348 | 141 | 332 | 152 164 | 343 | 255 | 538 | 216 | 513 | 389 | 437 | 321 | 522 | 247 | 380 | 502 | 597 | 251 | 593 | 211 | 592 | 220 174 | 295 | 650 | 481 | 269 | 462 | 327 | 509 | 198 | 501 | 206 | 356 | 442 | 560 | 203 | 543 | 184 | 547 | 189 175 | 243 | 531 | 395 | 207 | 353 | 280 | 400 | 156 | 398 | 144 | 293 | 334 | 452 | 160 | 457 | 117 | 442 | 130 176 | 276 | 633 | 452 | 252 | 391 | 352 | 461 | 176 | 447 | 182 | 299 | 428 | 498 | 195 | 489 | 179 | 507 | 186 185 | 354 | 738 | 574 | 263 | 512 | 392 | 573 | 198 | 544 | 212 | 386 | 489 | 609 | 226 | 610 | 180 | 598 | 201 186 | 196 | 230 | 270 | 152 | 266 | 162 | 268 | 116 | 264 | 108 | 192 | 247 | 311 | 120 | 318 | 92 | 317 | 96 198x | 38 | 756 | 648 | 346 | 623 | 520 | 657 | 245 | 640 | 258 | 434 | 578 | 622 | 298 | 576 | 184 | 567 | 190 199x | 215 | 397 | 343 | 160 | 317 | 209 | 335 | 123 | 317 | 131 | 236 | 275 | 367 | 129 | 370 | 106 | 355 | 118 200x | 551 | 1113 | 817 | 481 | 835 | 547 | 845 | 348 | 843 | 340 | 591 | 767 | 159 | 360 | 948 | 317 | 923 | 334 TOTAL | 3846 | 7894 | 6367 | 3631 | 5948 | 4682 | 6374 | 2663 | 6291 | 2724 | 4484 | 5809 | 7051 | 2826 | 6992 | 2316 | 6729 | 2493 x—Precincts not wholly in Coral Gables. Precinct | Senate Smathers Rupert | House Fascell McClon | R. P U.C Carter Foster | State Rep. 1 Hollahan English | State Rep. 2 Faircloth Lippincott | State Rep. 3 Matthews Schrader | School Board Hendrie Craigso | School Board Vosloh English | School Board Braddock Atkinson | In. Nav. Dist. Baker Merrell 132x | 813 | 277 | 784 | 356 | 545 | 378 | 686 | 297 | 611 | 297 | 670 | 279 | 616 | 262 | 598 | 307 | 605 | 287 | 524 | 323 136x | 783 | 628 | 741 | 343 | 543 | 345 | 653 | 268 | 602 | 257 | 634 | 253 | 588 | 236 | 578 | 267 | 565 | 267 | 516 | 280 161x | 569 | 322 | 498 | 443 | 365 | 456 | 461 | 374 | 437 | 377 | 458 | 361 | 424 | 355 | 362 | 398 | 400 | 378 | 328 | 414 162x | 559 | 291 | 478 | 396 | 354 | 406 | 466 | 318 | 418 | 321 | 437 | 321 | 424 | 317 | 394 | 340 | 394 | 349 | 346 | 350 163 | 448 | 266 | 363 | 374 | 260 | 382 | 391 | 287 | 353 | 297 | 365 | 301 | 342 | 267 | 326 | 298 | 329 | 287 | 271 | 319 164 | 778 | 381 | 613 | 652 | 442 | 658 | 633 | 496 | 572 | 465 | 654 | 476 | 575 | 476 | 543 | 543 | 553 | 553 | 431 | 570 174 | 723 | 733 | 491 | 575 | 382 | 561 | 603 | 416 | 525 | 460 | 552 | 436 | 516 | 402 | 478 | 462 | 469 | 474 | 367 | 512 175 | 329 | 327 | 371 | 496 | 250 | 526 | 421 | 374 | 363 | 410 | 395 | 380 | 377 | 375 | 362 | 398 | 344 | 416 | 260 | 452 176 | 686 | 505 | 586 | 511 | 414 | 503 | 552 | 521 | 490 | 494 | 522 | 482 | 498 | 537 | 474 | 492 | 456 | 493 | 411 | 517 185 | 847 | 359 | 677 | 573 | 464 | 612 | 690 | 446 | 581 | 490 | 635 | 458 | 597 | 433 | 571 | 481 | 570 | 476 | 459 | 529 186 | 362 | 197 | 284 | 302 | 205 | 310 | 321 | 213 | 271 | 209 | 306 | 227 | 284 | 218 | 275 | 233 | 263 | 236 | 214 | 253 198x | 929 | 420 | 680 | 698 | 493 | 723 | 750 | 518 | 674 | 563 | 708 | 515 | 667 | 496 | 628 | 565 | 631 | 562 | 452 | 659 199x | 425 | 230 | 263 | 389 | 236 | 371 | 371 | 257 | 346 | 257 | 361 | 234 | 312 | 247 | 305 | 289 | 306 | 281 | 224 | 323 200x | 1171 | 605 | 740 | 1085 | 558 | 1033 | 942 | 727 | 707 | 961 | 879 | 762 | 786 | 758 | 782 | 792 | 757 | 820 | 551 | 924 Total— | 9422 | 5181 | 7589 | 7193 | 5511 | 7264 | 7938 | 5512 | 6950 | 5988 | 7546 | 5515 | 7000 | 5390 | 6740 | 5838 | 6613 | 5879 | 5364 | 6425 Margin | Smathers—4241 | Fascell—396 | Foster—1753 | Hollahan—2426 | Faircloth—962 | Matthews—2031 | Hendrie—1610 | Vosloh—902 | Braddock—734 | Merrell—1061 x—Precincts not wholly in Coral Gables.