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Coconut Grove
Ye Little Historic
Circa 1902 home of Grove leader protected
By Erik Bojnansky
Over
the objections of the house’s property owner, the Miami
City Commission unanimously designated the Little House
in Ye Little Wood as historic.
Anthony Recio, an attorney for Joshua Goldberg, who owns
the house at 3848 Little Ave., argued that the
designation singled out his client. Recio said there
were many other properties worthy of designation, but
Goldberg’s neighbors believe he will demolish the house
and build a giant home in its place.
“The simple fact is that this is being motivated by
fear, fear of redevelopment,” he said. “That fear had
nothing to do with protecting a quaint little house that
no one can see.”
Supporters of historic designation, including several Ye
Little Wood neighbors, countered that they were in favor
of turning their gated community into a historic
district. Backing them up was a report from the city’s
Historic Preservation staff declaring that work is
already under way to designate as historic the entire
neighborhood, where more than 70 percent of the
properties were built before 1950. “There are 31
residences in the subdivision,” according to the report.
“Over 14 residents showed up for the [Historic
Environmental Protection Board] hearing [on April 3];
all were in favor of both the individual designation and
the district designation.”
The home in question was built by the developer of the
Ye Little Wood neighborhood, William Vogleson Little.
Soon after building the house, Little became active in
real estate and politics: He was the mayor and municipal
judge of the town of
Coconut
Grove (then its own municipality separate from the city
of Miami) in 1921. Part of his popularity may have had
to do with his wife, Nellete Nelson, a Shakespearean
actress who often performed on their front porch. “Her
penchant for dramatic performance eventually led the
Coconut Grove Town Council and the Coconut Grove Woman’s
Club to select Mrs. Little as the queen of the great
historical pageant held in 1925 to celebrate
Florida’s
admission to the Union,” stated a historic
designation report prepared by Kathleen Kauffman, the
city’s preservation officer.
But the neighborhood Little built is under siege. At
least two homes have been demolished in the last year.
Joyce Landry, a Ye Little Wood resident, said Goldberg,
who now lives in
Palm Beach
County, has put the house and neighboring property up
for sale for $3.6 million. Another neighbor, Carol
Flynn, said Goldberg once told her that he didn’t care
what happened to the house once he sold it.
“We don’t want to demolish the house,” Recio said. “We
just don’t want to be singled out.” Historic designation
brings an entire set of regulations Goldberg doesn’t
want to deal with, he said, noting that current zoning
regulations prevent anyone from building a “McMansion”
that would overwhelm the neighborhood.
Besides, Recio added, it’s not like anyone can see the
house through the tall fence.
“The only people who would benefit … is the neighborhood
would have another level of control,” he said. “It’s all
on him [Goldberg]. If he wants to change the windows of
the house, he has to go through a whole process.”
But elected officials backed historic preservation.
Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, who represents Coconut Grove,
was emboldened by the neighborhood’s quest to designate
the home historic. “I believe we have awoken a sleeping
giant and they are the people of
Miami,” he said.
Commissioner Joe Sanchez remarked that the 106-year-old
home was definitely worthy of designation. “When it is
gone, it is gone.”
Comments? E-mail
erik@miamisunpost.com. |
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