{"id":19958,"date":"2019-08-11T16:54:05","date_gmt":"2019-08-11T23:54:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/somimag.com\/?p=19958"},"modified":"2019-08-11T16:57:31","modified_gmt":"2019-08-11T23:57:31","slug":"sunsets-historic-buildings-part-three","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/somimag.com\/sunsets-historic-buildings-part-three\/","title":{"rendered":"SUNSET\u2019S HISTORIC BUILDINGS: Part Three"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/a>

SOUTH MIAMI PAST:
\nHISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE
\nTHE SYLVA MARTIN BUILDING<\/h1>\n

The Community House was the center of civic life in South Miami. Set in shady grounds where supervised play was arranged for children, the building was equipped with auditorium, stage, dressing rooms, complete with kitchen<\/em>
\nand sanitation facilities.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0-Paul U. Tevis, History of the City of South Miami \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

On Sunset Drive, South Miami\u2019s Mid-Century Modern City Hall stands in sharp contrast to the old Community Center\u2019s folksy bungalow. Later named for City Clerk Sylva Martin, the building was one of many such community gathering sites constructed during President Franklin Roosevelt\u2019s administration in an effort to provide jobs while improving the national infrastructure during the 1930s.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At the time the building was constructed, the city had a population of about 1,500 and was a location remarkable for its tomato and citrus packing plants. The building has the distinction of being the only historically designated structure owned and maintained by the City of South Miami. Initially built as a Community Center in 1936, the venue has variously served as a meeting place for clubs and fraternal organizations, hurricane shelter, polling place, World War II USO-style entertainment center, public library (1958-1977), and community center.\u00a0 <\/span>Today it houses city administrative offices.<\/p>\n

According to Paul U. Tevis (past mayor and councilman), South Miami\u2019s city Council, as it was then known, passed an ordinance dedicating land for a community center early in 1935. The Council sought assistance from the federal government under Works Progress Administration (WPA) for the construction of the center and appropriated $2,350 for the center\u2019s construction.\u00a0 <\/span>The cornerstone was laid August 20, 1935 and the Community Center was formally opened on February 3, 1936.<\/p>\n\n\t\t