I am writing in response to David Corder's article of May 15, 2001 entitled: City Dilemma-Is $120 per SF a Holdup or Fair Price for a Library Site?

I am the principal property owner referenced in that story. What kind of irresponsible news service are you running? Mr. Corder dictates to your readers a single version of an otherwise complex and sordid history of events, as conveyed from a highly biased city administrator. Mr. Corder has obviously taken information from this individual (much of which is fallacy) and never bothered to confirm those facts, nor make any reasonable attempt to contact me.

As litigation of this matter has not been concluded, nor had any type of voting taken place on the part of the Miami Beach city commission at the time this article ran, the misinformation and rhetoric espoused by that city official, all of which was orchestrated with Mr. Corder, could prove damaging to my company's position. I have learned that copies of the article were circulated throughout the City of Miami Beach, and e-mails were sent to commissioners and elected officials instructing them how to access your site.

For the record, my properties are not for sale. Not to the City of Miami Beach or any party. I am effectively being forced to sell, at gunpoint, to an entity that has an ill-conceived master plan and numerous alternatives to see its project to fruition. But this is not the true motivation behind the City's interests in acquiring my properties.

Municipal governments have often abused their discretion when it comes to land use, certainly, insofar as zoning and eminent domain are concerned. By not confirming certain material facts, your news service, in its own small way, facilitated the corruption that is taking place on Miami Beach. Hence, my branding of irresponsible and negligent journalism on the part of Mr. Corder.

Ronald Bloomberg, President

American Riviera Real Estate Co.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Great effort was taken to reach Ronald Bloomberg, and efforts to locate his telephone number through a variety of telephone directories were unsuccessful. Mr. Bloomberg's allegation that the city is putting a gun to his head is described in the use of the legal term "eminent domain." That is forced taking. It has no other meaning. It should be noted that the Miami Beach city attorney hasn't raised any issues about the accuracy of the story, much of which comes from public record.)