Developers Donate Freedom Tower To Miami-Dade College

College President Plans To Open Museum Of Cuban Exile History

 

POSTED: 2:23 pm EST November 30, 2005

UPDATED: 3:38 pm EST November 30, 2005

 

MIAMI -- The historic Freedom Tower in downtown Miami has been the center of debate for years. Some proposed turning it into a luxury high-rise condominium while others argued for its historical value.

 

Its future was decided Wednesday when Terra Group, the developers who own the property, donated the tower to Miami-Dade College.

 

Images: Freedom Tower Through The Years

 

Terra Group faced much controversy as they planned to erect a 62-story condo at the Freedom Tower site.

 

Members of the Dade Heritage Trust and some Cuban exiles strongly opposed the project, and the city's planning board was deadlocked when asked to approve it.

 

The decision was about to go to the Miami City Commission when developers Pedro and David Martin decided to donate the tower to the college.

 

"We're just delighted to be able to be the keepers of the public trust and to be able to make the tower available to all the Cubans and to reflect the history of that building, which to a great extent reflects the history of our city," said Eduardo Padron, president of Miami-Dade College.

 

The Freedom Tower is largely regarded as South Florida's Ellis Island for Cuban refugees.

 

"I have a personal attachment to the tower because I came to this country as a refugee as a young teenager," Padron said. "That was the place that I first went to get processed. My first day, my first beginning in this great nation of ours was at the Freedom Tower."

 

Padron said he plans to open a museum at the tower, detailing the history of Miami's Cuban exile community.

 

 

 

Proposed building.

 

 

The building is valued at 25-30M dollars.

 

I'd hate to see a 62 story building built next to one of Miami most beautiful and historic structures. Soon the developer is expected to unveil new plans for a new building that flows more the architecture of the Freedom Tower.

Very cool