Theater advocates just got another win in the City of Miami yesterday, as a Miami-Dade County plan for the Coconut Grove Playhouse will remain in the negotiation stage.

Commissioners couldn’t override Mayor Francis Suarez’s veto of a Miami-Dade County and state-sanctioned plan to eliminate the 1,100-seat auditorium in the historic structure and replace it with a smaller 300-seat theater.

Four of the five commission members needed to vote against it, and now the plan is likely headed to a court battle.

Suarez and Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez have met to discuss a potential compromise, which could include allowing work to proceed on a new garage and improvements to the front of the building. But it’s unclear if that will happen anytime soon.

Meanwhile, supporters of keeping the theater intact, with a larger theater and more seating, are hoping to raise the funds to develop their plan.

Stay tuned, folks. This one is far from over.

In other news…

Sorry, Doral, you’re no longer No. 1. U.S. Census data show that the city of North Miami is now the fastest growing city in Miami-Dade, growing its population by about three percent between 2017 and 2018. But, hey, at least the Doral Yard is opening soon. 😄 (Miami Herald)

We all know the 305 is a pretty unique place, so it’s only right that the city get a creation myth to match that only-in-Miami spirit. Miamian Andrew Otazo wrote the unique history — which features landmarks like Mount Tropical Park and a god of chisme — and is turning his work into a live performance that’s going down tomorrow night at Villain Theater. (WLRN)

And here’s your weekend long read. It’s all about the history of the Electric Pickle, Wynwood’s oldest bar that was a last symbol of the neighborhood’s earliest days of becoming a hip hangout. The club is closing in June after a decade of late-night parties featuring DJs and bands from various parts of the dance music spectrum. (Miami New Times)

We’re gearing up to explore Little Haiti over the next few weeks, but before we share some of those stories, we’re answering a question that came directly from one of our readers.

After asking you all to share your questions about the neighborhood, and then narrowing it down through your votes, we’re tackling this question from Michael Mercury Pearson:

“How can we collectively ensure that Little Haiti culture and character is not endangered with the expeditiously expanding (prohibitively) expensive development and rising cost of living?”

Head to our website for more information on who’s working to preserve the neighborhood and how you can get involved.

And if you’re curious about anything else in Little Haiti, or have suggestions on places we should explore, just hit us up at [email protected]!

We’re taking Monday off, like a lot of you will be doing, too, so we won’t be in your inbox that morning.

But stayed tuned on Tuesday, when we’ll be back to help you #livelikeyoulivehere.

Have a great and safe weekend, Miami! 😎

– The New Tropic