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Dade Heritage Trust Wants Herald Building Deemed Historic

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A South Florida preservation society thinks the Miami Herald building is historic, and they have begun their quest to save it.

The Dade Heritage Trust, the group behind successful campaigns to save the Miami Circle, The Freedom Tower, and Miami Marine Stadium, wants to save the building, according to CBS4 News partners and current tenants of the building The Miami Herald.

Some experts think the group has a strong case for the building's designation by the city's Historic and Environmental Preservation Board.

The HEPB has the authority to propose legal safeguards on deserving places and buildings, which could throw a wrench into plans by Asian gaming conglomerate The Genting Group, which purchased the building and surrounding parking lots for $235 million. Genting plans to turn the site into a massive gaming and entertainment complex.

PHOTO GALLERY: The Genting Group's Plan For Miami.

If pursued, it's expected to be a contentious fight between the Trust and Genting, with the former's wishing superseding the latter's.

"It may be an uphill a battle, but it's a worthwhile undertaking,'' said Heritage Trust chief executive Becky Roper Matkov after the group's board voted to proceed with the application, which is now being drafted. "I'm sure we will have a lot of opposition from monied interests. That hasn't stopped us before.''

The Trust's application will go before the preservation board on February 7. If the board decides to pursue the effort, another in-depth hearing will be held, followed by appeals to the Miami commission and ultimately, the State of Florida.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed material for this report)

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