The Times

Wednesday, July 14, 1976, page 1 (of 32)

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Three men's architectural taste determines building in C. Gables

By ERICA MEYER Staff Writer Whether you can build the house you want on your Coral Gables lot depends, to a great degree, on the tastes of three men. You must have their approval to get a building permit and they are judging you on style, on taste - not solely on adherence to a zoning code or law. The Coral Gables Board of Architects has only one rule in its enabling ordinance to follow: homes built in Coral Gables must be of Mediterranean architecture or must be of "classical or similar harmonious architecture." There are no guidelines that define that code, according to architect Jose Sierra, a South Miami resident with an office on Coral Way. Sierra's client, Jose Solares, of SW 16th Street, owns a lot on Trillo Avenue (off Red Road north of Bird). Solares knew what he wanted on his land and Sierra drew it: a contemporary house with a modern, angular, stucco design. "They (the Board of Architects) wouldn't even look at my first drawing," Sierra said Monday, July 12. "Mr. William Merriam just said it was too contemporary. The whole floor under me sank when I heard. How do you explain that to a client?" Sierra went back and "reviewed the area. I thought our second plan would be more in line." The second drawing maintained the split level look of the first house, but eliminated a separate column between the garage and entrance and changed the design of the windows and garage door. The second drawing came back. Scrawled on it in black ink was "not See MODERN, Page 12

The Times Guide

Serving The City Beautiful Since 1926 Florida's Best Suburban Newspaper 4627 Ponce de Leon Boulevard . Coral Gables Florida 33146 . Phone 665-7981 40 Pages Vol. 50 No. 57 Wednesday, July 14, 1976 * * 10 Cents

Family's pet parrot is stolen

By ELIZABETH OWEN Staff Writer Six-year-old Teresita Menendez has been throwing up violently ever since the Coral Gables family's parrot, Felipe, was stolen last Sunday. "She must be sick because of the bird," said Mrs. Menendez, a young, dark-haired woman. "She was fine before he disappeared." Mrs. Menendez said her two children really loved the family pet. The bird would call "Jose, Jose!" for hours until Mrs. Menendez' eight-year-old son would come out into the back yard to play with it. The parrot, a very large bird, is red, blue and green and has huge green eyes. His formal name is "Guacamayo," a name Mrs. Mendendez explained, meaning "God Bird," dating back to when the Spaniards first brought the brightly colored birds from South American to the United States. The family calls the parrot Felipe, though, because they got him from San Felipe Venezuela. He will answer to that name, she said, and his vocabulary is strictly Spanish. Mrs. Menendez said that she and the maid were home, on the second floor, when the bird was See PARROT, Page 14

Neighborhood fruit stand can stay because 'it's been there 10 years'

Danny Roslund, 17, first picks, then sells family's vegetables By SETH PERLMAN Correspondent Coming home from work, you remember that you need some vegetables for dinner and some fruit for tomorrow's lunch. So you stop at the nearest convenience store. Or, if you happen to be near 10635 SW 77th Ave., you could stop at Mary Ann Roslund's fresh fruit and vegetable stand. And you still can, according to the Metro Commission's unanimous decision July 13. One neighbor, S. Robert Manna and his wife, 10855 SW 75th Ct., claiming that the stand is an eyesore and public nuisance, asked the commission to override a recent Zoning Appeals Board approval to replace the small wooden stand with something more permanent. The action prompted a heated neighborhood battle between the Roslunds and their customers and those who want the stand closed. "I think I've borne the brunt of the whole thing," said Ronald Silvia, who with his wife Helen is among the protestors. The Silvias live across the street at 10672 SW 77th Ave. Silvia claimed that his home and auto have been the targets of vandalism, and that he has received threatening telephone calls. According to Silvia, he and his protesting neighbors' main fear is that the Zoning Appeals Board decision has caused a zoning breakdown. "Eventually, 77th Avenue will legally be able to become another Bird Road," said Silvia. Silvia, accompanied by six area residents, submitted 1,500 signatures petitioning for removal of the stand. Mrs. Roslund, her husband and their four children say they have no plans to expand the 10-foot-by-10-foot, open air sales area on the six-acre site and turn it into a vegetable supermarket as some neighbors fear. "All we want to do is keep our stand," said Roslund. According to Roslund's son, Danny, 17, who works at the stand and in the field behind picking their vegeta,iee and fruit, some customers who come by for the first time and buy fresh broccoli See FRUIT, Page 3

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