The Miami City Commission decided Thursday to begin negotiations to purchase a controversial trolley garage in West Coconut Grove area of Miami.
The garage was built to house trolleys from Coral Gables, but it never served its intended purpose. A Civil Rights lawsuit and widespread community backlash stopped the project.
First-year Miami City Commissioner Ken Russell brought the motion to purchase the garage for community use. He said that the choice to put an industrial facility in the neighborhood showed its neglect by city governments.
“The question came about as to whether to put an industrial trolley garage in a residential neighborhood with single-family homes,” Russell said. “I would venture to say that in other parts of the grove we couldn't. But it was decided that in this part of the grove we could.”
He showed a map of city infrastructure improvements as further evidence of the problems facing West Grove.
Thaddeus Scott, 60, who lives in the neighborhood, started clapping during Russell’s speech to the council.
“What’s happened to my community during my lifetime has been nothing but terrible outside influences,” Scott said. That made hearing Russell stick up for West Grove a welcome surprise.
“I was overwhelmed,” Scott said.
The neighborhood is still a long way from a community use for the building. The City Manager was only authorized Thursday to negotiate to purchase it.
At the Commission Meeting, residents shared different ideas for the building. Renita Samuels-Dixon advocated for a Bahamian museum. City commissioners discussed the prospect of a Police substation, as well as a community center.
Polly Thomas, 38, lives down the street from the building, which has for-sale signs in the windows. Standing outside it she said it should be turned into a youth center with after-school activities.
“There’s nothing around here, nothing for the kids to do,” she said.
Read the Miami Herald’s coverage of the controversy around the trolley here.
