coconutgroveart@aol.com
www.coconutgroveculturalarts.org
photography of the Forum
by Ana Bikic
The mission of the UEL is to support environmentally responsible development including protection of the waterfront, public places, and historic and natural areas in urban Miami-Dade county by using advocacy, action, education and engagement in governmental planning and political processes.
Gregory Bush, Moderator
Miami Dade County Commissioner Carlos Gimenez
Mark Siffin
Dusty Melton
Miami Dade County signage law.
Gregory Bush, Mark Siffin and Eston "Dusty" Melton.
http://urbanenvironmentleague.blogspot.com/http://uel.org/UEL presentation of the Media Towers project at the Rusty Pelican , Thursday 17th Nov 2010.
Pollution: Mega Ad Towers and Public Media in Miami-Dade's Future
The recent proposal for mega media towers raise questions about the public process, economic benefits
and limits of signage in our area.
Speakers:
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Carlos Gimenez
Eston Dusty Melton, Consultant
Mark Siffin City Square/Mega Tower Developer
Moderator: Gregory Bush .
75 people attended the forum on Economics vs. Visual Pollution Mega Ad Towers and Public Media in Miami-Dade's.
The Rusty Pelican on Virginia Key Coconut Grove Cultural Arts Inc. November 19th 2010 This was a debate that seemed like a replay version, previous talks had public input but the UEL group have
become a fixture for local developers and politicians to approach for real public ideas. Miami is lucky to still have around the participants from the 80's law making process for bill board ads,Dusty Melton and Harvey Rubin.
The Media towers seem to conflict with the Federal Highway Laws , Miami Dade County requirements see the project
as in tune with everything else, objections from Venetian Causeway residents are understandable and it is reasonable
to expect opposition to change.
Our opinion is that the developers need to create a comprehensive tool or model that explains the project in an easy and obvious format, a scaled 3rd model is simple enough to produce. The presence of what looked like a rent-a-protest outside the Rusty Pelican's parking lot on Virginia Key seemed odd,unnecessary and probably expensive. They were all lined, chanting their desire to work at a new Miami Time square,which would sit next to the Herald ,which seems like a compatible location for public forum too. We think Mr.Siffin should explain his idea in more detail and spend less time talking about how he finds himself sitting,not standing, explaining a creative process with insufficient illustration. Otherwise this all seems like another attempt to shake one off and full steam ahead. If we are really serious we do more than we need to get it done,right? Why the rent-a-crowd and where's the scale model.? One could have paid for the other so what's
not said is more unconvincing than what is presented ?
Gregory Bush, Mark Siffin and Eston "Dusty" Melton.
We can not blame our Mayor for seeing it as OK, his focus is on creating and protecting jobs and commerce, we voted
him in for that reason.
Mayor Regalado has stood and sat in front of the UEL several times, he knows how opinionated
and distrustful this polite civic environmental group can be. The two concerns of legality and aesthetics are process able,
making the Media towers would be different,interesting and productive
We are interested to listen to all the ideas that flow from this debate.
All thanks to the Urban Environmental League and it's guest speakers.
Miami Dade County Commissioner Carlos Gimenez makes a point that media towers might have a place in downtown, the question is where are they appropriate.
The UEL Dinner on Miami Advertising Towers Economics vs. Visual Pollution
Ana Bikic and Wm. Coulthard
Coconut Grove Cultural Arts inc.
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