Empty lots prompt questions

Excavated foundations throughout Miami that won’t get filled because the construction financing evaporated are becoming eyesores, but city officials say there’s little to be done. Most sites are still under building permits, and residents of the Brickell area are irritated that they have few options for the unrealized real estate projects. Claudia Bruce, president of the Brickell Homeowner’s Association, calls the pits blemishes to the Brickell area. Mariano Fernandez, a building official with the city’s building department, agrees with the aesthetic assessment, but says nothing can be done while permits remain valid. [Miami Today]