Twice in one week firefighters were called to put out blazes in Macy’s.

By Angie Hargot

The characteristic red star that has become a shopping icon for millions of Americans was inspired by company founder Rowland Hussey Macy’s arm tattoo, which guided him when he was lost at sea, according to the store’s Web site.

That star guided firefighters to Miami Beach Macy’s department store on two separate occasions this week. Now under renovation, the fires are being blamed on a welding torch that ignited some air conditioning insulation foam.

On Tuesday, April 24, sparks ignited a foamy substance used in air conditioning systems as welders worked to replace the building’s escalators.

Around 11 a.m., several fire and police trucks filled Meridian Avenue as firefighters led construction workers out of the building to safety. The store’s Meridian Avenue entrance is less than a block from Lincoln Road and right across from an office building where the SunPost is located.

A couple of workers from Thermo-Air stood across the street waiting for the smoke to clear and for the order to re-enter the building. One worker smoking a cigarette to pass the time said they had been on the second floor when they noticed it was filled with smoke. There were no reported injuries.

“They had a difficult time venting it. [Alarm and sprinkler systems] are supposed to be up,” Fire Chief Javier Otero told the SunPost on Friday. “And if not they have to notify the Fire Department, and we put the building on fire watch, or we can have someone go out there and act as a guard, or hire a private firm to.”

At the time, Otero could not confirm if that building’s systems were operable.

Then on Saturday night, April 28, firefighters were called out to the building again for the same reason.

Otero confirmed Monday that the workers did have a permit to remove the sprinkler system from the building.

“They are taking out the sprinkler system with a permit,” he said. “They’re also replacing the air conditioning units and air handlers. There’s a foam involved in that, which gets hot with the blow torches they were using. They do have an alarm and detection system in place, but the sprinkler system has been disabled, and the [fire] department was notified. The [first fire] the contractor called us.”

Workers had been using a torch to cut out the escalator, Otero said.

“The torch creates smoke, but the workers thought it was a little more [smoke] than that and called,” he said. “What happens is the insulation gets hot, and is smoldering and later on ignites.” Otero wasn’t sure if the second fire was called in by workers, or if a smoke alarm did go off.

“The only system in Miami Beach that directly notifies the Fire Department is the [Miami Beach] Convention Center,” he said. “All others go privately through a security company.”

In an e-mail sent to the SunPost Monday, Carrie Hall, a public relations coordinator for Macy’s Florida, said, “We have no comment on fires that may have taken place at the Miami Beach store.”

Macy’s closed its Miami Beach store for interior renovations at the end of March. According to a previous statement from Hall, “The reopening is set for Aug. 4.”

Robin Shear contributed to this report. Comments? E-mail letters@miamisunpost.com.

 

Closed for the Holiday

Clevelander Pool Bar to Close Next Week and Through Memorial Day Weekend for $30 Million Renovation

By Erik Bojnansky

When hundreds of thousands of people descend on South Beach during Memorial Day Weekend, the Clevelander, with its giant poolside bar, gets more than its fair share of the profits.

“Well, obviously it is one of our big weekends for the year,” said Louis Merrick, manager of the Clevelander at 1020 Ocean Drive. “It’s a shame, closing for a big weekend.”

Starting next Monday, the Clevelander Hotel and its bar area will be completely closed as work commences on an 18-month, $30 million renovation project. The hotel’s bar and poolside restaurant will reopen on June 1 but the rest of the hotel will remain closed until the autumn of 2008.

“The main building is going to be completely renovated, gutted, rehabbed,” Merrick said. “The one-story extension will be removed completely and a new four-story area [will be built]. We are looking to build a real hotel experience.”

Built in 1938, the Clevelander was purchased by the Karpawich family (also known as the Kays) in the 1980s and became a popular sports bar for tourists. The Karpawichs sold the Clevelander to the San Diego Brio Investment Group in 2001. With the profits, the Karpawiches opened Finnegan’s on Ocean Drive and Finnegan’s Two on Lincoln Road.

When the Clevelander reopens there will be a revamped lobby, guest rooms, new bars and a rooftop lounge area, according to a press release. The renovation project is being headed by STA Architectural Group. Interiors will be designed by Zyscovich, and Trigram GC will handle the construction work.

Merrick said the renovation project was continuously delayed. Last year construction was postponed to capitalize on the Super Bowl weekend crowds. “Unfortunately the more we push it, the longer it [the renovation] takes,” he said.

 

No Looking Back

City Board Rejects Request to Rehear Condo Project’s Approval

Developers received approval to build a seven-story condo project on this bank lot. File photo by Erik Bojnansky

By Gillian Boyce

Members of the Orchard Park Neighborhood Association were at the Miami Beach Design Review Board meeting Tuesday, requesting that the board schedule a rehearing of a previously approved condo project.

At issue: the construction of a new, seven-story multifamily building in the area of 4100-4130 Pine Tree Drive, 300-344 42nd St. and 4119 Sheridan Ave. The building would replace an existing parking lot.

Henry A. Lowenstein, president-elect of the association, told board members that residents were not comfortable with the scale and mass of the project. The DRB also didn’t consider the additional traffic trips the project would attract, he said, adding that his neighborhood association was not able to make its multimedia presentation on the project’s traffic effects at the original hearing.

“What is happening is a major restructuring of every single street in that neighborhood, and also main arteries are going to be narrowed, and none of that has been taken into consideration by either party,” Lowenstein said.

Lowenstein argued that the traffic study the developer provided to the city did not take into consideration other projects that are being developed near the Orchard Park neighborhood.

“The traffic on 41st Street and Sheridan Avenue is completely horrendous,” echoed resident Peter Friedman. “I invite any one of you to go to that corner in your car during rush hour,” he told the board.

Judy Stern, another resident, came prepared with her own multimedia presentation. Stern showed the board DVD footage she had taken over several months highlighting the traffic congestion on 41st Street and Sheridan Avenue. “The last hearing where this project was approved was held during a religious holiday and a lot of [residents] were not in town to voice their opposition,” said Stern.

Carter McDowell, an attorney representing developer Cabi 301 Residential LLC, told the DRB that his client has been subjected to the most strenuous traffic requirements. “This project has been reviewed by the city’s Public Works Department and the city’s outside consultants, who all concluded that we met all the criteria," said McDowell.

Gabrielle Redfern, a member of the DRB, told her fellow board members that it was important to level the playing field and allow the rehearing because she felt the residents received unfair treatment at the last meeting.

“I'm not anti-development,” said Redfern, adding that it was the job of the DRB to ensure the city gets the right kind of project. Redfern's motion to allow the rehearing failed.

 Comments? E-mail letters@miamisunpost.com.