And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
Published Monday, February 1, 1999, in the Miami Herald
Archaeologists can stay on site through
Feb. 26
http://www.miamiherald.com/docs/076908.htm
By JACK WHEAT
Herald Staff Writer
A mysterious stone circle at the
mouth of the Miami River received a
one-month reprieve from developer
Michael Baumann Sunday, giving
archaeologists time to complete their
excavation at the site, according to
an attorney for circle advocates.
With the agreement, given in a
lawyer-packed meeting before
Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Thomas
Wilson Sunday afternoon, Baumann
averted the possibility of a legal
tangle that could have delayed construction of a $100 million
residential-commercial complex just east of the Brickell Avenue
Bridge.
Baumann on Thursday got a permit from the City of Miami to begin
laying the foundation of his Brickell Pointe project and soon after
told archaeologists to vacate the site by today.
But on Sunday, Baumann promised to allow archaelogists to
continue their excavation of the circle site without interference
through Feb. 26, said Gary Held, attorney for the Dade Heritage
Trust.
The construction schedule will be arranged so work does not
interfere with the archaeologists, Held said.
After the discussion, Judge Wilson denied a request filed by the
Dade Heritage Trust for an emergency injunction to block
construction until experts complete a more detailed process to
determine whether the site should be preserved, Held said.
Michael Kreitzer, a lawyer for Baumann, confirmed ''The court
denied the application'' for an injunction.
''I don't know if it had anything to do with Mr. Baumann's generous
offer or not,'' Kreitzer said. ''Ultimately, Mr. Baumann intends to
stand by his offer, as he's done all along.''
But it doesn't end Miami's latest clash between past and future.
''We've bought some time,'' said Becky Roper Matkov, executive
director of Dade Heritage Trust. ''I hope we can can apply
political
pressure'' to force the city to take a stronger hand to try to
save the
site.
Held and Matkov said they recognize Baumann is in a tough
predicament. He won city approval for his project of twin towers
and a parking garage on the 2.2-acre site in 1995 and lined up
capital
in good faith, they said.
Then, last September, archaeologists conducting a routine
pre-construction survey of the site discovered the circle.
''We would like to explore ways that could preserve this site other
than a token marker,'' Matkov said.
Redesigning the project at this point would be very expensive, and
Baumann could not be expected to absorb the cost, she said.
''We'd have to raise some money to compensate him in a fair way,''
she said.
But it's possible that the parking garage could be redesigned or
that
the site could be incorporated into a riverwalk development
proposed for the area.
The circle is made of carved stone, with some of the shapes
believed
to resemble sea animals.
Though the site has generated great enthusiasm, archaeologists
haven't figured out what the stone circle actually is, when it was
built, or how long ago.
But experts suggest the circle was carved into bedrock by Tequesta
Indians, a group that disappeared hundreds of years ago.
Tantalizing
speculation that it may be an ancient celestial calendar of some
sort
has brought national attention to it.
Preservation Division, wrote Baumann that the investigation would
be completed by Feb. 26.
If Baumann received building permits prior to Feb. 26, Carr
requested three days' notice to wrap up work and vacate the site.
But Held said that Carr had no idea the city was so close to
issuing
the foundation permit when he proposed that timetable.
------------------------------------
To request that this site be preserved the following contact information is
provided:
The following provided by Pam:
Several people have asked for the fax numbers...
Mayor of the City of Miami, Joe Carollo, Fax- 305-854-4001
Mayor of Dade County, Alex Penelas- Fax 305-375-3618
Developer, Brickell Pointe, Richard Colba Fx-305-375-8183
Miami Herald Publisher Alberto Ibarguen- Fax- 305-376-2052
Links to people/phone numbers in Florida Governor Jeb Bush's
office...
http://www.state.fl.us/eog/overview/indexeog.htm
Several people have asked for the ABC News report of Dec. 23, 98...
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/science/DailyNews/circle981223.html
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Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit)
Unenh onhwa' Awayaton
http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/
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