Grand Avenue News | Coconut Grove's Local News » Mariah Brown House still waiting for renovation

Mariah Brown House still waiting for renovation

By Diana Jordan U/Miami News Service

The Mariah Brown House is being preserved for its historic value in the community. The house is located at 3298 Charles Avenue. Photo by Brittney Bomnin

The preservation of the Mariah Brown House, a museum that would honor the first Bahamian property owners in Coconut Grove, should become a Coconut Grove Village Council priority, says one of its members, Renita Samuels-Dixon.

“This is an important part of our community’s history,” Samuels-Dixon told council members at their Sept. 24 meeting.

But work on the Mariah Brown House will have to wait – at least for now.

Without comment, council members moved on to the next item on the agenda without acting on the Mariah Brown House proposal.

It was a disappointment for Samuels-Dixon, who, as president of the Miami Bahamas Cultural Preservation Fund, an entity affiliated with the Dade Community Foundation, is working to garner support and restoration money for the house. She became involved with the project in April 2009.

The original house, 3298 Charles Ave., was built in 1889. The Coconut Grove Cemetery Association bought the home, which was in severe disrepair. The group razed it in 1999 and built a replica in 2000.

But little progress has been made in completing the renovations. Now new permits must be obtained. More parking spaces and a ramp for the handicapped also have to be added.

Other issues remain such as the remodeling of windows to meet the specifications outlined by the Historic Preservation Committee and adding a small office and public restroom, Samuels-Dixon said.

To help raise money to get the renovations completed, the Miami Bahamas Cultural Preservation group has created the Friends of Mariah Brown. The goal is $200,000.

“This committee’s main goal is to see to it that the museum is well on its way, beginning with our first-ever fundraiser,” Dixon said.

The inaugural event, “A Night of Song for Mariah Brown House,” will be held 7 p.m. Oct. 22 at the Greater St. Paul AME Church, 3680 Thomas Ave.

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Flaparty

As a member of the Coconut Grove Village Council, I have to take exception to this article. We clearly stated in the meeting that each member was to bring SPECIFIC
recommendations to the Council in regards to seeking support for various projects in the Grove. “Supporting” any Grove issue without specific recommendations is non- productive. We await Renita’s recommendation for actions we can take to support this worthy cause.
Patick Sessions
Renita

Support was specifically asked for two other events earlier this year: the MLK Services held at St. Stephens and the Hurricane Preparedness event (coordinated by a council member) held over the Summer; only one current Coconut Grove Village Council member physically attended both events, Renita…The first recommendation made, to the Council, was to support the Mariah Brown House Museum October 22nd Fundraiser in any manner the Council collectively or individually deemed appropriate. In other words, the simplest form of support is to attend events sponsored by fellow Coconut Grove Village Council members.
Renita Samuels Dixon, Chair
Historical & Environmental Preservation Committee