The Coral Gables Times

JOE MURPHY ... I'm against it

FRED EVANS ... me, too

Murphy, Evans Attack Plan Suggested for Gables Land

City Commissioners Fred Evans and Joe Murphy have given strong criticism to the Rader land use plan, the $12,000 study the City had made to guide it for future Gables development. "I really don't have much faith in the report," said Murphy. "It's a complete twisting job." Said Evans: "It was a gross disappointment to me, a profound disappointment. What I had in mind was far different from what I received. I wanted a survey, not recommendations." Their views were given in a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors recently. Both men are members of that board. Each stressed that he spoke for himself and not representing any other City Commissioner. Murphy was a member of the previous City Commission whose troubles in planning for the future led to commissioning Rader and Associates to make a study here. The plan was a long time in the works and was presented to the public for the first time last spring. Several public hearings have been held on it since. The consensus of those attending the public meetings was one of opposition to proposals for larger buildings — anywhere — or apartment zoning near such residential areas as Country Club Prado (as a solution to the vacant back-up property facing commercial establishments on Red Road). Murphy, who is expected to run for Mayor next Spring, also set forth his feelings about tall buildings here (the limit is three stories without City Commission approval): "Skyscrapers in the Gables are wishful thinking, I believe," Murphy said. "We don't have to have them. "The Rogers (Gulf) Building is about as high as you have to go, I think." That building, to be occupied in February, is seven stories tall. It was squabbling among the previous Commission, Murphy said, that led to the idea of obtaining professional help to plan the City, about one-third of which remains undeveloped, mostly residential areas near the bay. Generally; Rader's recommendations were to contain the Central Business district where it is and restrict its core to buildings of no more than five stories. Murphy complained that Rader's men changed their minds in the midst of their work. "The surveyors first came up with a preliminary report in the tradition of George Merrick and then for some strange reason we got a final report that was completely different." The Chamber, through its Economic Development Council, has desired to obtain definitive information from the City Commissin on what size buildings — where and how big — it could hope to build to induce white collar industry into the Gables. The Council feels that present restrictions are too severe and that before -any selling to prospects is begun, the limits of what can be done should be adjusted and then spelled out. So far, this has not been done.

Mayor Fears Plan Hurt by Exposure

How does the man who helped plan for the Bayshore Drive look at it now that it has seen the light of day? "I don't think it will ever be accomplished," said Gables Mayor Robert L. Searle Tuesday. Searle worked closely with the Metro Planning Department and Planning Board on the proposal. It was he who helped chart another route parraling Old Cutler Road after Metro gave up the original plan to have the highway swing easterly from Cartagena Plaza through the Tahiti Beach area and follow the shoreline all the way. The mayor blamed what he termed premature disclosure of the plan in the newspapers for his pessimism. But he is still for it, Searle said, although he pointed out that, "It's still just a proposal." The new road would greatly help the development of the south end of Coral Gables, he said. "We have to have a route through there somewhere," said Searle. City Manager L. W. Robinson Jr. also saw a need for another main highway to take the load off Old Cutler Road. "Now is the time to do it while the property is not developed any further than it is," said the city manager. While not so outspoken for the plan, the other City commissioners have shown interest in the proposal.

Their Fight Is Draw, Says Judge

A fight between a legless veteran and a man who struck him with a beer bottle was called a draw by Municipal Court Judge Charles Spooner Tuesday. Spooner found both defendants, Charles F. O'Dom Jr., 36, 14410 SW 112th Ave., and Hubert M. Forehand, 35, 20735 SW 125th Ter. not guilty. Forehand, the wheelchair vet, had charged O'Dom with assaulting him at a dance held at the rented Knights of Columbus Hall in Coral Gables Nov. 10. O'Dom came back later to file a similar charge against Forehand.

Parking Garage to Open

(Continued from Page 1) in their place a concrete parapet be erected. City Manager L. W. Robinson Jr., said he did not know either why Caudle had proposed the changes. But he did know that Kononoff and Smith had some doubts that the structure could stand the added weight of the reinforced concrete walls—especially when the building is extended to five stories. While Caudle had been told that the Commission was favorably considering the proposed substitution of concrete for railings and grillwork, Robinson said Caudle was told to proceed at his own risk until the final word came from the engineers. Caudle said Tuesday he was aware of this and that he undertook to provide for the change at his own risk. It will cost him extra to undo what he's done in preparation. While in a letter Dec. 14 he had stipulated a saving of $7,500, this week he said the saving would have been around $12,500 "gross." Robinson said also that the engineers had indicated that $7,500 credit might not be enough for the change. But the main factor for denying Robinson said is that the concrete would have caused a 23 percent overload factor on the structure. And another two stories might have placed too great a stress on the steel pilings. But Caudle refused, he said, to be drawn into a controversy about the proposal he made to substitute concrete slabs for the railings and grill work called for in the design. "I do feel personally that a parapet wall might be more acceptable to the automobile driving public," said Caudle. "I have no position in the matter other than that." Why had he made the suggested change? He wouldn't say.

Post Office Pay Upped

(Continued from Page 1) involved, this comes to $36,871 for the year. Add in another some $2,600 for supervisory raises and you get the total of about $40,000. First class letters will go from four to five cents while air mail goes up a penny, too, from seven to eight cents. Based on the latest figures for a year's business, this would bring in $128,000 more revenue. Another $96,000 would come from increases on magazines, newspapers and advertising circulars (second and third class). Total expected postal increase based on past figures: $224,000. More is expected, of course, from the natural growth in the volume of the post office.

New Road In Gables Proposed

(Continued from Page 1) cut through some high priced, though largely undeveloped real estate in Coral Gables. This includes the large holdings of the Miami Land Co., and Arvida Realty Estates, formerly owned by the late Arthur Vining Davis. Roughly paralleling Old Cutler Road in a north-south direction, Bayshore Drive would begin at Cartagena Plaza, would proceed southerly just east of the ridge, cut through the western portion of Gables Estates, the middle of Matheson Hammock Park, easterly portion of Gables By the Sea and Chapman Field Park. The road would continue to parallel the shore, taking a wide swing around the U.S. Plant Introduction Garden in the vicinity of SW 164th Street. It would continue to follow the shoreline to a point roughly approximatley SW 216th Street (Beach Point) and cut in a northeast - southwest direction to the intersection of SW 107th Avenue and SW 280th Street, then south past Homestead Air Force Base, west of Homestead Bayfront Park and the Seadade refinery site to link up with the proposed Islandia Causeway. Later it could be extended to tie up with the Ocean Highway to Key West, Jones said.

Small Safe Recovered

A small safe, stolen from a downtown women's wear shop Nov. 28-29 was found last week by an unidentified bird hunter near the Dade-Broward County line. The safe had been opened and $200 in cash and some checks taken from it, according to Det. Capt. E. H. McGough. Other papers contained in the safe have been returned to Yelta Duke, 1825 Ponce de Leon Blvd., after the hunter called Gables police to tell them about the find. The store was one of 13 hit in a sries of burglaries and attempted burglaries of local shops.

Free Parking

Good news for Christmas shoppers — free parking after 6 p.m. in Coral Gables through Christmas Eve. The City Commission Tuesday approved a recommendation of the Retail Merchants Division of the Chamber of Commerce for the free parking. This will apply to all on and off street parking throughout the city. Many off-street lots normally are checked in the evenings but on-street meters never require coins after 6 p.m.

MONDAY, the first cars are expected to roll into our new parking garage on Andalusia Avenue behind the Miracle Theater. The first floor—100 car-spaces—will open then; the remaining two floors for 200 cars will open in Febru-ary. Getting set this week were, from left, City of Coral Gables project engineer, Dick Tindell; construction superintendent, Eugene Holman; and design engineer, Vladimir Pepeskulo. (Times Photo)

U. S. Bonds Go As Thieves Go

ernment bonds were reported stolen from a car parked in back of Merrick Demonstration School sometime between Dec. 6 and 7. Jerome Robertson, 624 SW 68th Ave., told Coral Gables police that a portable stereo phonograph and personal papers including many credit cards were stolen along with the bonds. Robertson was at the Coliseum Bowling Lanes between 8:30 p.m. and 2:55 a.m. when the thieves broke into his car.