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Miami Herald, The (FL)

March 16, 1997 Section: Neighbors KE Edition: Final Page: 1 Memo:COVER STORY

FIGURING OUT WHO WILL BE KING OF THE JUNGLE PINECREST GROUP WANTS PROPERTY TO STAY PUBLIC
CHARLES RABIN Herald Staff Writer Even in the village of Pinecrest, where the average home costs almost $300,000, it stands out like the Hope Diamond at a jewel exhibit. With its 2,000 varieties of trees, flowers and other plants, Parrot Jungle is the last vestige of almost pure nature left in the area. It is home to the largest native cypress hammock south of Lake Okeechobee. But now the famed tourist attraction and its 1,100 birds are scheduled to move to Watson Island sometime in 1999. The move will leave 22 acres of lush, green land at the corner of Red Road and Southwest 111th Street in the village, the year-old municipality that is bordered by U.S. 1 and Red and Old Cutler roads, Kendall Drive and Southwest 136th Street. Building homes on the property could bring a hefty profit for some developer. ``Part of it could be developed. Part of it couldn't be,'' Brookman-Fels & Associates Executive Vice President Bernie Offenberg said. He believes only about seven acres on the property's western edge are ripe for development. ``A large part of the property is too environmentally sensitive, unless there's a developer that didn't give a damn,'' he said. ``But even then, I don't think the county or the people of Pinecrest would allow it.'' Parrot Jungle owner Bern Levine, who bought the property in 1988, would like the grounds to remain a park, Parrot Jungle Director of Marketing Eric Eimstad said. ``Absolutely,'' Eimstad said. ``We all are very interested in it staying as park land.'' The city of Miami gave its final OK to move the 60-year-old piece of Dade County history to Watson Island last September. Eimstad said Levine will unveil his vision for the new property at the end of this month. Eimstad said they hope the move will be complete by the fall of 1999. Already part of the original site has been developed. In 1994, after the county ruled Levine could not build on the 10 acres of unused property on Parrot Jungle's western edge, he sold that parcel to Brookman-Fels for about $2.5 million. Since then, about a dozen luxury homes -- some costing as much as $800,000 -- have been erected right next to Parrot Jungle. With that transaction as precedent, residents believe they may lose a lot more than the hundreds of pink flamingos that populate the property. They fear they may lose forever the place they have been taking their children to play and learn for many years. Many have vowed to fight the development of the land. Most seem to have accepted the Parrot Jungle's impending move, but want the property to remain a park. Pat Fleming and his family have lived about a block from Parrot Jungle since 1988. When the attraction opened its petting zoo about six years ago, he said, some of the animals would actually wander over to his back yard. ``It was kind of strange seeing a gazelle walking around the yard,'' he said. Two of his three kids, he said, grew up thinking Parrot Jungle was their personal playground. ``We moved here primarily because Parrot Jungle was here,'' he said. ``We like the ambiance of the jungle, the sounds of the birds. The kids used to go over there every day when they were younger.

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``It's a landmark, a tradition to the area. I would hate to see it lost to developers.'' Some residents have joined forces and formed a group called Preserve the Jungle Inc. The organization holds fund-raisers and collects private donations in the hope of raising enough money to purchase the property outright from Levine. The asking price for the Parrot Jungle property could be anywhere from $8 million to $14 million, they believe. With the passing of last fall's bond park issue, $4 million was set aside by the county solely for the acquisition of the Parrot Jungle property. The group is waiting for Levine to complete his deal with the city of Miami so the property can be appraised. When a municipality is interested in purchasing a property valued at more than $500,000, two appraisals are required. Preserve the Jungle President Gary Matzner believes his group can obtain matching funds for the purchase of the property, from either the state or the county. With a jump start like that, Matzner hopes Pinecrest has a chance of holding onto the property. ``The best of all worlds would be that we would get a matching grant,'' he said. ``Pinecrest isn't going to be able to generate enough funds to buy the property. It's going to be a county park.'' Levine is in a perfect situation. He bought the property nine years ago for an undisclosed amount. Now he has perfect leverage. Builders like Brookmen-Fels -- while claiming to remain sensitive to the environment and the people of Pinecrest -- would still love to get their hands on the parcel of land. ``If Pinecrest doesn't purchase the property, we will continue our discussions with Dr. Levine about purchasing the remaining seven acres,'' Offenberg said. ``We've been here a lot of years and have developed a good relationship with the people here. We're looking out for what is best for the people of Pinecrest.'' Residents remain leery, though. They dread the thought of homes being built on their diamond in the rough. ``It's a beautiful place to go and just stroll when you feel like relaxing,'' 28-year Pinecrest resident Peter Zegan said. ``We have enough development. It would just be a shame to let that property go.'' cutlines RAUL RUBIERA / Herald Staff SAVE THE JUNGLE: Pinecrest councilman Leslie Bowe, Robert Glowacki, Lourdes Fanjul and Natalie Lemos are members of Preserve the Jungle, the group trying to raise enough money to buy the Parrot Jungle property and keep it a park. The asking price for the land, they believe, could be anywhere from $8 million to $14 million. cutlines RAUL RUBIERA / Herald Staff NOPE, SHE'S NOT A TOURIST: Natalie Lemos is one of the Pinecrest residents who have formed a group called Preserve the Jungle. The organization hopes to raise enough money to buy the Parrot Jungle property to keep it out of the hands of developers. Illustration:color photo: Natalie Lemos (A); photo: Leslie Bowe and Robert Glowacki and Lourdes Fanjul and Natalie Lemos (A) Copyright (c) 1997 The Miami Herald
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