T
Joined: Mar 24, 2002
Posts: 1368
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T
On 2005-06-28 12:26, joefla70 wrote:
I think it was a horrible decision that the Supreme Court made with regard to the eminent domain issue. First, I think that you can't just take away people's personal property rights like that, but moreover, the justification given for the necessity of eminent domain in cases where the land is not needed for a public purpose is bogus.
Developers couldn't care less about the historic or cultural value of cities.. they only care about lining their pockets full of money. And because they have so much money, resources and influence with local governement, and the average citizen does not, what do you think is going to happen the next time a big developer wants to pave over some poor shmoe's house to make another mini-mall? The way this shold be resolved is in the marketplace. If the land/project is so worthwhile to the developer or the city, then they should pony up the $$$ to adequately compensate the land owner in an amount that will satisfy him. But if he doesn't want to sell, he shouldn't have to. It his property. This is just another example of the little guy getting crapped on by the man!
I was born in Miami Beach and grew up in the South Florida area. I remember back in the early 1980s the South Beach area of Miami Beach was a really blighted area. Its heydway was in the 50's and 60's, but it really started going down hill in the 70's. In the early 80s, developers were trying their damnest to have the art deco hotels that line Ocean Drive on South Beach demolished and paved over so that they could build hi-rise condos, etc. Thank g-d for the Art Deco Preservation Society and other concerned people who recognized the historical and cultural signficance of this area and successfully fought the developers and prevented them from bringing in the wrecking balls. If the developers had their way, the huge economic ressurgence that happened in South Beach would have never taken place and South Florida would not only have lost a part of its history and culture, but it would have also lost a huge amount of the tourism that this area now attracts.
You should see whats happening to Clearwater Beach. And what they did to Sand Key is a crime. Only the scientologists buying up downtown Clearwater has saved some amazing early 20th century architecture. It is a shame though that the
old Bank of Clearwater building now says "Scientology Library" or some such abomination.
Ybor at least has some of its original buildings. I miss 1960's era Florida. The architecture at least.
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