14789: Hermantin: Miami-Herald-Cost for Little Haiti park higher than expected (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Miami-Herald

Posted on Mon, Feb. 10, 2003

Cost for Little Haiti park higher than expected
BY CAROLYN SALAZAR
csalazar@herald.com

Developing a controversial 60-acre park planned in the heart of Little Haiti
will be two to three times as expensive than originally estimated, a
comprehensive cost analysis shows.

PBS&J, a consulting firm hired by Miami, estimates it will cost between $53
million and $75 million to buy a large parcel of land that city officials
want to turn into Little Haiti Park.

That amount far exceeds the $25 million in bond money that city
commissioners set aside for the project last year.

The consulting firm did not evaluate how much it would cost to develop the
park, which is estimated to cost an additional $25 to $75 million.

But Commissioner Arthur Teele Jr., the project's main proponent, said he is
still pushing for the park to be built and will do whatever it takes to make
sure Haitian Americans have a place to play soccer.

He said the city has paid millions of dollars for parks in other areas and
should do the same for Little Haiti.

FAIR TREATMENT

''It's important that we treat Haitians fairly and like first-class
citizens,'' he said. ``Haitians don't have a soccer field -- that's like
Cubans not having a domino park.''

Teele said the city has enough money to begin the project and can seek
funding from the state and federal governments.

But commissioners Joe Sanchez and Tomás Regalado said the city may need to
revisit the magnitude of the project.

Both said the commission could opt to develop a smaller park rather than try
to acquire so much property.

''There are a lot of different things the commission could do,'' Sanchez
said. ``But after taking a look at the numbers, they are alarming. That's a
lot of money for that land.''

For years, residents in Little Haiti have complained about a lack of parks
in the area. But when city officials announced they would finally address
their concerns and build the park, the issue polarized the community because
it would require the purchase of homes and businesses.

MANY STRUCTURES

Within the boundaries of the proposed park, from Northeast 59th to 67th
streets and from Second to Fourth avenues, are 280 houses and 112
businesses, many of them auto repair shops.

Many of the business owners say they refuse to leave, with some threatening
to sue the city if they are booted out.

And some residents in the predominantly Hispanic area near Haitian
neighborhoods, most of them on fixed incomes, have pleaded with city
administrators to leave them alone, saying they cannot afford to live
elsewhere.

The PBS&J study points out it may be difficult to relocate many of the
residents in the area because most of them are unemployed.

''Nobody wants to move, nobody wants to sell. There is no place to put all
these people who would get evicted if this project is successful,'' said
Peter Ehrlich, who owns several warehouses in the area.

``And these people who live here, many of them are one step above [being]
homeless -- you can't just relocate them. They are too poor to move.''






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