SURFSIDE, Fla. – In the footprint of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, where 98 souls lost their lives when a portion of the condominium building suddenly collapsed in the middle of the night, are stories of lives cut short and of families shattered.
That day in June of 2021 marked Pablo Rodriguez’s darkest hour. He lost his mother and grandmother, affectionately known as Las Dos Elenas.
“Just driving by, I start welling up with tears just thinking about it,” said Rodriguez. “There should be something to remind everyone.”
Since then a developer has purchased the site to build another oceanfront condo, but with no firm plans of incorporating a memorial.
“The family and loved ones should be able to sit or stand on the property where your loved ones lived,” said Surfside Commissioner Fred Landsman.
More than two years later, conversations about what a possible memorial site could look like continue.
“A lot of family members have since stepped up to further that voice and concern to obtain some of that property so they can have a foothold on the actual land where the tragedy happened, and we went back to the table after last year’s conversation,” said Surfside Mayor Shlomo Danzinger.
The town is currently seeking ideas from design firms for the Surfside memorial project, with submissions due by Aug. 3.
Rodriguez would like to see something that creates a space for reflection.
“That allows people who lost someone, who know someone who lost someone, be able to go there and reflect on what happened, reflect on their lives and hopefully some of the happy memories that were associated with that place, while at the same time not being overly intrusive on everyone else who maybe has no ties to the situation,” he said.
At the meeting, things got ugly.
Surfside’s former mayor was kicked out of the meeting for violating a speaking rule.
The squabbling continued over a lack of design and easement adjustments that would incorporate an on-site memorial into building plans.
In the end, the commission voted down the idea of advancing towards progress, for now.
“How things ended today, I think it just brings us back to square one,” said Martin Langersfield, who lost his sister and brother-in-law in the collapse.