A controversial expansion of the Colony of Dadeland apartment complex will be protested by at least three East Kendall homeowner associations during a public hearing scheduled for Tuesday, June 22.
“We’ll voice our objections at the continued hearing because of the increased density expansion will create,” declared Holly White, president of Continental Park Homeowners Association and East Kendall Homeowners Association (EKHOA). Residents of the existing 328-unit complex also plan to resume their protest along with Kingston Square Condominium Association, a neighboring property, all objecting to increased density and traffic on two-lane SW 77th Avenue.
The homeowners met recently at Continental Park’s Dice House in answer to EKHOA flyers asking for a May 24 rally of area residents opposing the project. Community Council 12 members questioned the proposed eight-story building’s height during a May 13 public hearing that ran out of time, forcing deferment of an application to add 92 additional units on the 11-acre property at 9555 SW 77 Ave. Attorney Miguel Diaz de la Portilla said the ownership plans to convert an existing office building and tennis court to an apartment building. Higher density is allowed under zoning rights granted the original owners in 2001, now allowing expansion by J. Milton Dadeland LLC, owners of the property since December 2009. They now seek modification of a 2001 resolution to demolish the tennis court to allow construction of the new apartment structure.
“Just do the mathematics,” White said. “Ninety-two two-bedroom apartments with full occupancy could create 184 new residents, if not more, depending upon how many couples with children may be involved.”
The complex is located just south of Greenery Mall which faced strong opposition from the same homeowner groups in 2009 when its ownership petitioned to replace vacated space with a chain supermarket. Action is still pending in that matter. “Between that and FPL’s using SW 77th Avenue for new transmission towers, we’re up to here in new expansion plans,” said White, long active in fighting developments that increase density, traffic and other objectionable factors in East Kendall.
The Colony of Dadeland hearing continues before the East Kendall Council, sitting as a community zoning appeals board, on Tuesday, June 22, 6:30 p.m., at Kendall Village Center Civic Pavilion, 8625 SW 124 Ave.
