Spotlight 142-250926

Good morning. What we’re covering in today’s Spotlight:

The Day Miami Swallowed Coconut Grove
A Short History of Grove Secession Efforts
Neighborhood Concerns Over Highrise Housing

Swallowed Whole: The Short Life and Sudden Death of the Town of Coconut Grove

One hundred years ago this month, the Grove’s brief run at self-rule came to a sudden end after just six years, leaving residents once again under the thumb of a much larger City of Miami.

By Iris Guzman Kolaya

On a spring morning in 1918, a seaplane lifting off from the new U.S. Naval Air Station at Dinner Key collided with a small, red sailboat in Biscayne Bay. The young pilot survived, but the crash killed 78-year-old John W. Frow, an early Coconut Grove settler, heading out for a day of fishing.

The accident rattled Frow’s neighbors and underscored growing concerns about the presence of the noisy air station amid South Florida’s rapid growth. Within a year, determined to set its own rules and decide its own fate, Coconut Grove incorporated as a town. But after barely six years, its dreams were dashed.

Don’t Tread on Me: Coconut Grove’s Century of Rebellion

Part of the City of Miami since 1925 when it was abruptly annexed, Coconut Grove has long dreamed — and schemed — of finding a path back to independence.

By Charles Rabin

In 1925, the City of Miami annexed – some say stole – the small, quirky enclave of Coconut Grove. The takeover of the quaint, leafy waterfront village and its kooky cast of characters created a 100-year backlash from residents filled with failed attempts at independence.

And though none of the efforts toward self-rule stuck, a century later the Grove’s 22,000 residents continue to maintain their fierce independent streak, some still with fantasies of the village breaking away and becoming its own little ward with its own rules and policies and bylaws.

West Grove Neighbors Voice Concerns Over Highrise Housing

A proposed redevelopment project on Douglas Road in the West Grove is fueling neighborhood concerns over gentrification, a loss of privacy and green space, and a shortage of available parking.

By Don Finefrock

West Grove residents had a chance this week to voice their concerns about a massive affordable housing project on Douglas Road that will transform their neighborhood by replacing 24 two-story homes with a high-rise tower and 450 rental apartments.

Chief among those concerns: a loss of privacy and green space, spillover parking and a rental process that doesn’t favor West Grove residents, despite a documented history of displacement in a Black neighborhood experiencing rapid gentrification.

Letters to the Editor: Missing in Action

Readers React: Is Miami District 2 Commissioner Damian Pardo MIA when it comes to overdevelopment in Coconut Grove? A Spotlight reader says he is…

Where We’ll Be

It starts at the U and ends with you.

A tense courtroom drama unfolds on stage at UM’s Ring Theatre with 12 Angry Jurors, adapted from the iconic 1954 teleplay. A dozen strangers locked in a jury room, debating the fate of a young man accused of patricide. Reasonable doubt, personal bias, and the weight of justice hang heavy in the air. Jerry Herman Ring Theatre, 1312 Miller Drive, U-Miami. Friday 9/26 and 10/3–10/4. Tickets. Special free show for UM students, faculty and staff Thursday 10/2 at 8:00 p.m. Just show your CaneID at the Box Office — no reservations required.

Eight-time Grammy winner Vince Mendoza joins the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra for a night of big-band fireworks and lush symphonic color. University of Miami Gusman Concert Hall, 1314 Miller Drive, Coral Gables, Florida 33146. Friday 9/26, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets required.

Organic Farmers Market. The long-running, all-organic Saturday market sets up at 3300 Grand Avenue (corner of Grand Avenue and Margaret Street), from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Free entry. Pay as you eat.

After dark at the garden comes alive with twilight tram rides, live music and a family-friendly outdoor movie under the stars, plus rare after-hours butterfly sightings and a bubble dance dash for kids. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Road. Saturday 9/27 from 6:30 to 9:45 p.m.; “Bee Movie” begins at 8:30 p.m. Free with paid garden admission.

Broadway in the Botanical. Area Stage’s actors are heading to the Beach — and you can bring your best audience energy to meet them there. Broadway in the Botanical returns with a vibrant mix of Broadway favorites, all set in the lush Miami Beach Botanical Garden. This hidden-in-plain-sight treasure alone is worth the drive to 2000 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach. Saturday 9/27 at 6:00 p.m. (Rescheduled due to last week’s rains) Tickets are $25 and available here.

Can’t wait for the next hurricane? Relive the effects of Hurricane Ian’s landfall with the Miami theatrical premiere of Sanibel, plus a post-film Q&A with director Jamie Winterstern. What began as a look at shell culture in Southwest Florida becomes a story of loss, resilience and rebuilding after the storm. Gables Cinema, 260 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables. Sunday 9/28 at 1:30 p.m. Tickets.

Top Cop and Donuts. Miami PD Chief Manny Morales sits for a Q&A breakfast with Grovites creating the perfect opportunity to hear it – and give it – straight to the man in charge. Safety, traffic, crime, budgets, it’s all open for discussion. Davis Hall at Plymouth Congregational Church, 3400 Devon Road. Tuesday 9/30 from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. Free. Breakfast snacks.

The King is Back. The fun-loving Mango Heads take over Fuller Street for the highly anticipated, ever surprising King Mango Strut Poster Reveal Block Party — with the unveiling of this year’s poster at about 7:00 p.m. Coconut Grove’s famously oddball parade starts the season with a street bash featuring live music from Suenalo, Miami’s own rock-and-roll dance machine. It’s a welcoming crew, and anyone can join in. Friday 10/3 from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. Free, no RSVP needed.

Palm Lovers of the World, Unite! A guest talk, potluck and a lively plant auction with the South Florida Palm Society, plus time to mingle before the program. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Corbin Education Building, 10901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables, Florida 33156. Monday 10/6 (and every first Monday of the month), at 7:30 p.m.; doors open at 7:00 p.m. Free.

Moonrise Forest Bathing. The Kampong opens its gates after dark for a full-moon forest bathing walk led by a neuroscientist, blending science and sensory exploration among tropical blooms and Biscayne Bay breezes. The Kampong, 4013 South Douglas Road. Thursday 10/2 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Tickets required; advance registration recommended.

Gables Gallery Night. Stroll galleries and studios across downtown Coral Gables. An easy place to start is Coral Gables Museum, 285 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables. First Fridays of the month from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. Free.

It’s just a jump to the left — Pinecrest Gardens marks the 50th anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show (a Grovite favorite) with a live shadow cast, costume contest and all the props you can carry. Pinecrest Gardens, Banyan Bowl, 11000 Red Road, Pinecrest. Friday 10/3, gates open at 7:00 p.m., costume contest at 8:00 p.m., film introduction 8:45 p.m. Adults only; tickets required.

French Revolution fever inspired Beethoven’s Eroica – the season’s first New World Symphony WALLCAST®. Bring a blanket for the free, big-screen concert outside New World Center, 500 17th Street, Miami Beach, on the SoundScape Park lawn. Saturday 10/4 from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. Free. Bring your own blanket, picnic and friends, or make new ones there.

Save Me a Seat

Avoid King Tides. Driving into standing water is more than a nuisance — it’s a health hazard that can wreck your car and put you in danger. Find an alternate route instead of pushing through flooded streets. South Bayshore Drive near Kennedy Park. Week-long at high tides, Sunday 10/5 through 10/12. Two performances daily. Free — unless you damage your car, skid off the road or develop an infection. Think first.

Yacht rock sing-along. The Barnacle’s Moonlight Concert Series continues with Will Thomas on Friday 10/10. Bring your blankets, snacks, and soft vocals (or strong ones — no judgment here) to belt it out under the stars. The Barnacle Historic State Park, 3485 Main Highway. Friday 10/10 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., doors open at 6:00. Modestly priced tickets available here.

Spooky Cleanup + Costume Swap. Come in costume for a bayfront cleanup with a spooky twist — help clear Peacock Park, then swap costumes, sip refreshments and enjoy treats with neighbors. Peacock Park, 2820 McFarlane Road. Saturday 10/11 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. More info here. Free.

Reinvent yourself. A shape-shifting, one-actor thriller lands as a regional premiere: a timid Midwesterner remakes himself as “Harry Clarke,” charming his way into a wealthy New York family until the lies catch up. GableStage at the Biltmore, 1200 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables. First performance Saturday 10/11, at 7:30 p.m. and runs through 11/2. Tickets required.

Stir your Soul as gospel fills the sanctuary. The Bethune-Cookman University Inspirational Gospel Choir brings voices of young ministers in song to Coral Gables. First United Methodist Church, 536 Coral Way, Coral Gables. More info here. Sunday 10/12 at 1:30 p.m. Free.