Miami Today: Week of Thursday, January 21, 2016 by Miami Today

WEEK OF THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

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Downtown develops quickly, with more on the way, pg. 13 THE CITY’S BLUEPRINT: The City of Miami has released its updated Strategic Plan 2015. The updated plan outlines the city’s priorities and goals for the next three years and sets six key priority areas: public safety; clean and beautiful neighborhoods; growth and development; education and economic access; parks, culture and recreation; and efficient and effective government. Last summer the plan was updated to include residents’ feedback on multiple issues. Stakeholders representing various community sectors participated along with more than 40 organizations including MiamiDade County, the Miami Downtown Development Authority, the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the United Way of MiamiDade. Stakeholders were engaged in the strategic plan update through meetings and discussions. Details: www.miamigov.com/strategic planning

Smaller city commercial hubs called ripe to explode, pg. 14

THE ACHIEVER

BY JOHN CHARLES ROBBINS

TOURIST TAXES SOAR: County tourism-related tax collections soared in the first 11 months of last year, according to the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. The 3% Convention Development Tax, collected throughout the county except in Bal Harbour and Surfside, rose 9.5% compared with the same 11 months of 2014, reaching nearly $71 million. The 2% Tourist Development Tax, collected everywhere except Miami Beach, Bal Harbour and Surfside, rose 8.4% to nearly $24 million, and the 2% Hotel Food & Beverage Tax, collected in county hotels outside of Miami Beach, Bal Harbour and Surfside, rose 8.1% to more than $7 million. ROOM AT THE INN: Miami-Dade’s hotel space inventory grew to 51,583 rooms in November, 3.5% more than the 49,947 in November 2014, according to the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. NOT ON BUSWAY: County staff has recommended against allowing county or private car services for the handicapped to use the 22-milelong South Miami-Dade Busway, which now is reserved for seven county bus routes that carry 7.5% of total county bus traffic, an average of 17,600 passengers on weekdays. “The number of vehicles would increase exponentially” by adding vehicles carrying the handicapped, the report says, which might add safety concerns on the busway and would reduce bus performance. While most of the county’s bus system has been losing passengers, the report says that the busway has been gaining passengers.

Mike Reininger

Photo by Marlene Quaroni

At the controls of new Brightline railway operations The profile is on Page 4

Mayor unveils new funding plan for arts, transit A deal to pour annual operating cash into the Arsht performing arts center, the Pérez art museum and the Frost science museum and help fund both a Baylink rail line to Miami Beach and a Miami streetcar system could flow from lengthening the life of a redevelopment agency. The proposed deal to add life to the Omni Community Redevelopment Agency was outlined in a memo from county Mayor Carlos Gimenez to commissioners last week and is to go on the next available commission agenda. The mayor is recommending that in return for extending the redevelopment agency’s life, the agency would fund transportation improvements for Baylink and the streetcar and provide operating subsidies and capital funding for the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, the Pérez Art Museum Miami, the incomplete Frost Museum of Science and also for Museum Park, where a conservancy has been proposed to operate parkland beside the two museums. No specific amounts were mentioned. Under the mayor’s proposal, the agency would also develop unspecified affordable and workforce housing programs or projects in the Omni area, which centers on Biscayne

AGENDA

Both cities stall rail tie across bay

A redevelopment agency in line to collect $1.6 that would have gone to city hall. While Mr. Gimenez does not suggest billion may be tapped for housing, transit, pg. 8 total membership for the Omni board, a Boulevard and 16th Street. The Omni agency already pays the county 35% of its redevelopment funds, which come from the incremental property taxes the area collects above the level of revenues received when the agency was established in 1987. The agreement to continue the agency would extend that payment under the mayor’s plan. The county would also approve the redevelopment agency’s budget prior to spending. The agency operates as part of the City of Miami, but the county commission controls all redevelopment agencies within county borders and delegates the power to the city agency. The five Miami city commissioners now make up the Omni agency’s governing body. Mayor Gimenez suggests in his memo that the county commission demand representation on the agency board in direct proportion to the amount of the agency’s budget derived from funds that would otherwise have gone to the county in taxes versus the amount

board of the five city commissioners complemented by three county commissioners would mesh with the Omni’s projected revenue distribution. The mayor’s memo mentions issuing bonds that could be repaid with future Omni district revenue. It projects total tax increment revenues for the Omni agency from now through fiscal 2029-2030 of $445.6 million and tax increment revenues for the area from fiscal 2030-2031 to fiscal 2044-2045 of $772.3 million. The agency’s life is now guaranteed until March 31, 2030, under a 2010 citycounty agreement. By state law, the redevelopment agency has a maximum life of 60 years, until 2047. A city-county agreement would be needed to extend life those additional 17 years, a deal to which the mayor suggests his ideas be attached. In his memorandum, he proposed attaching a similar cluster of requisites to extend the life of the nearby Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency.

Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado remains hopeful a partnership among the city, Miami Beach, the county and the state can build light rail across the bay after he pleaded successfully last week to postpone a city vote on an accord among the parties. He said Miami Beach commissioners were expected to OK the accord in December but instead sought proposals for a light rail streetcar in Miami Beach. Because of that, some people think Bay Link “is on life support,” Mr. Regalado said, adding quickly, “I do not agree. We can still go forward.” Consequences of Miami Beach’s move aren’t clear, he said, but he remains hopeful the parties can strike a deal at a Feb. 4 meeting. If Miami Beach maintains its current course to go it alone, he said, a new option may be presented to Miami commissioners Feb. 11. Part of the problem may be reluctance to agree to a long, costly process just to line up for federal funds. Miami Beach Commissioner Kristen Rosen-Gonzalez added two items tied to Bay Link to the Jan. 13 agenda but withdrew them. Asked by Miami Today to explain, she said, “I placed these items on the agenda because I found it disconcerting that the same day our commission was encouraged by its leadership to vote for an unsolicited bid, we received a letter from [the state] telling us NOT to procure.” She said she’s worried that haste to build transit might alienate county, state and federal officials. “I pulled these items because the city manager and others in the administration worked very hard before the meeting to assure me that we are not forgoing federal funding and that the county is supportive of Miami Beach’s mass transit initiative,” she wrote. She said she’s trusting Miami Beach’s mayor and administration to create a rail system compatible with Bay Link.

AS GRANT TALKS DRAG ON, SUBSTITUTES IN WINGS ...

MAYOR PICKS FUNDS TO TAP FOR HOUSING, TRANSIT ...

AIRPORT’S ON-TIME PERFORMANCE RANK TAILSPINS ...

ETHNIC EATERIES TARGETED FOR AIRPORT’S MENU ...

VIEWPOINT: DEBATES NO WAY TO PICK A PRESIDENT ...

WYNWOOD, DEVELOPER EDGING CLOSER TOGETHER ...

3,280 RESIDENCES IN YEAR WIN OK ON LOWER RIVER...

ISLAND MEGA-YACHT MARINA IS SPRINGING TO LIFE ...

MIAMI TODAY

TODAY’S NEWS

WEEK OF THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

THE INSIDER TOTALBANK PRESIDENT: TotalBank has named Jay Pelham president. He has spent almost 30 years in South Florida banking. He joined TotalBank last August as executive vice president for the private client group and wealth management and previously held executive roles at Gibraltar Private Bank and Trust. He has held senior management roles in commercial, retail and private banking as well as civic leadership positions, including his present post as chairman of the HistoryMiami museum. He will have direct manageJay Pelham ment responsibility for the banking centers, sales and marketing, private client group, residential lending and wealth management and report to Chairman and CEO Jorge Rossell. He replaces Luis de la Aguilera, who last month became president and CEO of U.S. Century Bank. ARE SLOW POKES SAFE? The county’s Transit and Mobility Services Committee voted unanimously to study use of low-speed vehicles on Miami-Dade roads and whether there’s a need for the county to regulate them. The resolution by Esteban Bovo Jr. states a number of low-speed vehicle operators, commonly referred to as “free ride” operators, generally transport people short distances in electronic vehicles and claim to generate their revenues through advertising. State law restricts operation of low-speed vehicles, Esteban Bovo Jr. which are also subject to federal rules. If the full commission approves, the administration will be directed to report within 90 days on the number and type of low-speed vehicles on Miami-Dade’s streets, where they operate most frequently, their maximum speed, how operators are compensated and whether state and federal laws are adequate to regulate them along with any need for further county regulation. TARGETING KOREA, TAIWAN: Enterprise Florida Inc., the state’s economic development organization, is taking a trade mission to South Korea and Taiwan April 15 through 23 led by Bill Johnson, Florida’s secretary of commerce and president and CEO of Enterprise Florida. South Korea has grown in stature to the US’s sixthlargest trading partner. Taiwan is the US’s 10th largest trading partner in goods and our nation’s 14th largest export market overall. During the mission, Enterprise Florida offers 15 matchmaking appointments that allow participants to talk one-on-one with Bill Johnson qualified businesses interested in trade relationships with Florida companies. The service costs $2,600 up, depending on the number of representatives. Deadline to sign up for the mission is Feb. 19. Details: Max Stewart, mstewart@enterpriseflorida.com, or John Diep, jdiep@enterpriseflorida.com. TOLERANT BUT LOW END: Miami’s economy is now a creative economy, researcher Richard Florida, founder of Creative Class Group, told the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce’s economic summit last week. There are good reasons, he said: the region from here to Orlando is sixth in the nation in generating venture capital, and of the nation’s 360 urban areas we’re 11th in tolerance – and “open-minded places and communities win.” On the other hand, he said, South Florida has too few people working in the creative area – a category that is not just high tech but includes lifestyle, health, arts and culture – and too many people doing low-end routine work, a category that he said covers 75% of our workforce. NEW AVIANCA LOUNGE: Avianca has opened the airline’s VIP Lounge in Miami International Airport’s South Terminal near Gate J-5. The 5,618-square-foot lounge is open every day from 3 a.m. to 9 p.m. “As one of our 10 busiest carriers,” said county Aviation Director Emilio González, “Avianca carries hundreds of thousands of travelers between Latin America and Miami annually.” WAY CLEARED FOR WALMART: An appeal to block development of a Walmart store in Midtown Emilio González was denied in a state appeals court. Jacob Pfeffer and others had sued the City of Miami and Walmart over the planned superstore. The dismissal upholds a lower court ruling and clears the way for construction. Site work at 3055 N Miami Ave. began recently. “We are pleased that the appeals court has validated the lower court’s decision and the City of Miami Commission’s unanimous approval of our new Walmart store in Midtown,” said Adriana Reyes, director public affairs & government relations for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. – Florida. “This decision brings Walmart one step closer to creating hundreds of new jobs and access to affordable groceries for the residents in nearby Wynwood, Overtown, Allapattah and Downtown Miami who have been anticipating our store’s arrival for years. Walmart looks forward to working with our neighbors as construction progresses, store hiring begins and we prepare to open our doors.” NEW AT ZOO: Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez has appointed Alina Hudak, deputy Miami-Dade County mayor and director of public works and waste management, to the Miami-Dade County Zoological Park and Gardens Oversight Board. By ordinance, the mayor appoints one of the nine board members. The board sets longand short-term policy for the county zoo and establishes its budget. BRAZILIANS HUNT HERE: Brazil remains the top foreign nation searching for South Florida real estate Alina Hudak online, according to the Miami Association of Realtors. Through November, Brazil led all nations in real estate searches online here in 17 of the past 18 months. Brazilians made 12% of all foreign residential purchases here, and 44% of Brazilians who bought Florida residences did so in Miami-Dade, the association said, at an average price of $587,700.

Skyrise Miami observation tower at Bayside, on the list for $9 million, promises 571 new permanent jobs.

$75 million grant negotiations lag, commissioners talk of substitutions BY SUSAN DANSEYAR

County commissioners are anxious to move forward with final decisions on $75 million in previously approved Economic Development Fund grant allocations but are still awaiting the administration’s report on where negotiations stand. The allocations were for projects that were considered gamechangers in local economic and job development. A cluster of alternative Xavier Suarez projects already has won commission approval for slices of the funding if previously approved projects fall through. “Cuándo?” Chairman Xavier Suarez asked during the Economic Prosperity Committee meeting last week. “The report was supposed to be presented to us last July and we’re now in January of the next year. When do we get final recommendations and when do we get to start looking at the alternatives?” Nine active projects of the original 11 are presently under review, according to Leland Salomon, a deputy director in the Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources. He said Aviation Corporate Hanger decided not to proceed. As of Jan. 14, when Mr. Salomon provided an update for the committee, four revised grant agreements were in the county attorney’s office under review and two were to be forwarded to the attorneys Friday. Two additional projects are presently under review, he said. River Landing is on hold because it still does not have funding for the project, one Mr. Salomon previously reported was having trouble with financing. “How long do we wait?” Mr. Suarez asked. “Banks don’t usually wait this long.” Should the commission decide not to wait, Mr. Salomon said, the commissioner who sponsored it would have to rescind the grant allocation. It was 2004 when the Building Better Communities General Obligation Bond program under

which the grants are being made was approved and it’s now 2016, Mr. Suarez said. That’s 12 years, and he wondered when the commission can take off the list any projects that are not ready and move on to worthy ones. Representatives of each of the 11 projects discussed their proposals with the commission before each grant application was approved. During those discussions, the commission set three major criteria to make a grant payment: The entire project, including infrastructure for which funds were allocated, must be completed. All permanent jobs indicated in the application approved by the commission must be in place for a year. Once a grant payment has been made, the recipient must post a letter of credit of that amount for five years to assure the county that all the jobs stay in place for at least that long. Last week, Mr. Suarez said his understanding was the final report from staff would tell which projects were ready to go and, any that were not would no longer be considered. Bruno Barreiro said that was his understanding as well. He sponsored River Landing and said he heard this week the project has its anchor tenant and is ready to go. The project, with a $7.5 million grant, is to construct a mixed-use development, including a linear park on the Miami River, with about 426,000 square feet of vertical retail, 500 market-rate rental apartments and 2,500 parking spaces at 1400 NW North River Drive, along with pathways around the project, a seawall, riverwalk, roads, sidewalks and public signage lighting. By next committee meeting, commissioners said they’d like to know whether River Landing is ready to go, along with a final report on the status of others. Mr. Salomon said his understanding was that the commission had already extended timing for the report and the deadline is March. He said the staff needs another month to send letters to grantees summarizing what the staff is prepared to recommend insofar as the changes it will allow and which it won’t, and then bring all that information

back to the commission in March. To date, Mr. Salomon is not discussing negotiations with alternative projects until there is actual money to give. Some other projects currently on the approved allocation list include Larkin Health Sciences campus in Naranja, slated for $5 million to help construct an Osteopathic School of Medicine, school of pharmacy, school of nursing and school of dentistry, as well as create a charter high school for life sciences and a residential student housing component. The project application promised 245 new permanent fulltime jobs. Skyrise Miami, for $9 million, for a project that is to construct an observation tower at 401 Biscayne Blvd. and attractions including a private club, nightclubs, restaurants, interactive exhibits, ballroom and private events spaces, amusement rides, the Skyrise theater and retail shops. The project promised 571 new permanent full-time jobs at an average salary of $35,000. Westview Business Park, a $7.5 million grant to help construct retail and industrial space totaling up to 2 million square feet north and south of Northwest 119th Street, west of 22nd Avenue and east of 27th Avenue.

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TODAY’S NEWS

WEEK OF THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

MIAMI TODAY

Airport tailspins near bottom of list in on-time performance BY MARILYN BOWDEN

Miami International Airport slipped to No. 19 in 2015 from No. 9 the previous year in ontime performance among the top 20 large airports in OAG’s Punctuality League. The UK-based OAG, formerly called Official Airlines Guide, reports annually on the promptness of incoming and outgoing flights at airports around the world. “The top 20 large airports,” OAG reports, “on average ensured that 83.3% of arriving and departing flights were within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival and departure times in 2015.” Over the course of last year, flights in and out of Miam International met this standard 80.08% of the time, a bit lower than the 83.2% on-time rating it achieved in 2014. Highest marks for punctuality went to Tokyo Haneda, at 91.25% the only airport in the world with an average on-time performance score higher than 90%. Miami International doesn’t have much influence over the punctuality of flights arriving and

AIRPORT ON-TIME PERFORMANCE Sydney (SYD) Melbourne (MEL) Singapore Changi (SIN) Atlanta (ATL) Frankfurt (FRA) Seattle (SEA) Phoenix (PHX) Madrid (MAD) Charlotte (CLT) Las Vegas (LAS) Amsterdam (AMS) Orlando (MCO) Boston (BOS) Houston (IAH) Miami (MIA) Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)

85.2% 85.02% 84.75% 84.38% 84.12% 83.56% 83.53% 82.62% 81.43% 81.4% 81.15% 80.79% 80.68% 80.1% 80.08% 79.89%

Source: OAG departing on its runways, says Gregory Chin, spokesperson for Miami-Dade County’s Department of Aviation. “The majority of the factors that determine on-time perfor-

mance are related to airline and FAA operations and weather, which are out of our control,” he said. “Some of those factors are the following: mechanical prob-

lems with aircraft departing MIA or from the originating city; weather and lightning in MIA, at the originating airport or en-route to MIA; originating airport air traffic control and ground traffic problems; en-route air space (FAA mandatory separation in the air); crew scheduling and crew time-legality problems both within and outside MIA.” OAG concedes in its report that megahub airports – defined as those offering the highest levels of connectivity – “are more dependent on the performance of arrivals into the hub and more likely to experience the cascading effect of delays.” MIA is No. 45 on OAG’s list of 50 megahubs worldwide, ranked by average number of connecting flights. Of the 22 US airports to earn OAG’s megahub classification, MIA is 10th in ontime performance, surpassed in order of on-time performance percentages by Minneapolis, Atlanta, Seattle, Phoenix, Charlotte, Las Vegas, Orlando, Boston and Houston – but outperforming Chicago (both Midway

and O’Hare airports), Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Los Angeles, Newark, New York (JFK and La Guardia), Philadelphia and Washington, DC (Thurgood Marshall and Ronald Reagan). Performance statistics for US airports published in the US Bureau of Transportation’s monthly Air Travel Consumer Reports show that MIA achieved its best on-time performance levels of 2015 during October and November – the most recent reports currently available. Arrivals at MIA in October were on schedule 87.6% of the time, and 85.9% of departures were timely. In November 85.44% of arrivals and 82.56% of departures were punctual. The Air Travel Consumer Reports, which broke down ontime performance scores by the hour, also showed that flights in and out of MIA in the early morning hours consistently scored over 90% in punctuality but gradually slipped over the course of the day, apparently a victim of what OAG calls “the cascading effect of delays.”

Downtown puts its collective muscle into legalizing Uber BY CATHERINE LACKNER

Prior to last Friday, directors of Miami’s Downtown Development Authority hadn’t directed much focus to the controversy over Uber and Lyft, ride-sharing services that are widely used but controversial. But, acceding to a request by board member Julie Grimes at the authority’s regular meeting, they threw their full support behind the digitally dispatched services. “There are a lot of issues with the taxi service we have now,” said Ms. Grimes, who owns the DoubleTree Grand Hotel. They include cab drivers who won’t accept short trips, who aren’t reliable or

who don’t provide good service, she said. Owners of taxi medallions have objected to ride-sharing services, saying they are unregulated and unfair competition. The county was scheduled to vote Wednesday on whether – and under what terms – it would allow the digitally dispatched services. “It’s time for the community to be heard,” Ms. Grimes said. “The taxi industry’s voice has been heard loud and clear for 20 years.” Julie Grimes A benefit of ride-sharing is that it takes vehicles off the road,

said board vice chair Neisen Kasdin, who is office-managing shareholder of the Akerman law firm. “Two developers on Miami Beach have found that their parking garages are only 25% full, and that’s a good thing. This is such a no-brainer.” “I’m in support of it but fighting with Uber,” said board member Bruno Barreiro, who is a Miami-Dade County commissioner. He said he wants ridesharing companies to fingerprint their drivers. Currently the companies check backgrounds, driving history, insurance and whether the vehicle has proper seat belts, but Mr. Barreiro said someone could steal a driver’s identity and be picking up passengers, even with a crimi-

nal background. “Many parents are using the services to transport their kids.” “These services could provide a firstand last-mile solution” from home to public transit and from transit to a destination, said board chair Ken Russell, who is a Miami commissioner. “So we’re in support of the concept.” In fact, said Alyce Robertson, authority executive director, the board had passed a resolution of support in the past, and now could update it. “This is an issue for Uber today,” Mr. Barreiro said, “but in 10 years, there will be driverless cars.” “We can’t wait 10 years,” Ms. Grimes said.

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MIAMI TODAY

VIEWPOINT

WEEK OF THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

MIAMITODAY Miami Today is an independent voice of the community, published weekly at 2000 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 100, Miami, Florida 33133. Telephone (305) 358-2663

Let’s be frank: debates are no way to discover a president Our presidential debates are more talent shows than measurements of candidates’ merits to lead the free world. Candidates seem to be auditioning for entertainment jobs. You almost Michael Lewis expect network interviewers to grab several by the scruff of the neck and pull them off stage and out of the race. Or to ask each one to either tap dance or juggle. This is serious stuff we’re dealing with. It should be filled with facts and nuances – but that’s all missing. The TV hosts do well at holding an audience but they miss the substance for the glitz. And what we desperately need is substance. Instead, we’re left to choose the President of the United States of America based on froth and foam. So, what do we be getting out of these cattle calls? If you’re looking at who came out best up on stage, what should “best” mean?

Do you rely on who you think “won” the debate, treating a mock debate format seriously even though each candidate faced personalized questions that others did not? Or do you realize that the presidency is anything and everything but a debating society, and that debate is the one skill that almost certainly is not required of our Commander in Chief? Do you base your choice on which candidate is most likeable, the guy you’d like to grab a beer with or have over for dinner? If so, Abraham Lincoln would never have set foot in the White House. The presidential race should definitely not be a Mr. or Ms. Congeniality piece of a beauty contest. Go have a beer with someone else. Pick a leader instead. The same could be said about who looks or seems “most presidential.” By that standard, neither Mr. Lincoln nor Lyndon B. Johnson would have served. Looks are what the debates are all about – beauty contests. That’s as far from what the presidency is about as Donald Trump is from Bernie Sanders. Are we looking for the smartest guy in the room? We shouldn’t be. None of the candidates is short of smarts. But if smarts means only academic abilities, we could wind up with a brilliant guy

who couldn’t govern his own bank account much less a nation. Street smarts and a lot of other factors should outweigh “brilliance” on a stage. How about who made the most sense? Making sense is vital – unless “making sense” means a candidate merely parrots back what handlers had him memorize or what she says simply matches our own prejudices. Would this candidate continue to make sense as head of a powerful nation in a highly complex world? So, should a “winner” be the person with the steadiest hand and judgment? That’s vital when the Big Red Button of nuclear war is near a president’s hand. Would this one fly off the handle, hit the button and too late think better of it? Several candidates have been known to see red. How about choosing the candidate who seemed best grounded in reality and careful with facts? Well, if hyperbole isn’t your thing, few candidates on either side of the party divide are going to win your approval. Over the years, not all US presidents have been Boy Scouts. Ask Bill Clinton. So is your winner choice merely deciding which candidate is most likely to be the party’s final choice? If so, you’re

the person at the restaurant table who always orders last and then picks what the majority of others have ordered. You go with the winner that everyone else has predetermined for you – even if you don’t like the meal. Or is your choice the candidate who’d have the best chance in the general election – which, as far separated as the parties are today, isn’t necessarily the candidate who primary voters may put on the ballot? High-ranking candidates in both parties would have trouble attracting independent voters in November – and it’s the independents who will swing the election. No, the best pick of a “winner” is not so simple. It’s none of the above yardsticks standing alone and all of the above in a stew, a highly complex calculus of who would serve my country best in times like these. That might not be the smartest person in the room or the one you’d want to have a beer with or even the one most scrupulous about the facts. It’s the one person who in your judgment would do best for the Good Old USA for the next four years. Talent shows aside, isn’t that the way we should be making our choice every time?

Enjoying South Florida wildlife: termites, roaches and possums Florida is the most inclusive state in the nation. The Sunshine State welcomes not just people from all over, but also species that you’ve only encountered in nightmares, like termites, bats, snakes and reptiles. If you want to live Isaac Prilleltensky here, you need to know what you are getting into, though I have proof that the people of Florida are friendly to all these animals and insects. Take termites for example. After I signed the contract with the University of Miami, they broke the news to me: EVERYBODY has termites in South Florida. We promptly hired a reputable pest control company whose employees wore very nice uniforms and whose schedule was totally unpredictable. So friendly was this company to termites that for several years they totally ignored the fact that they had eaten 5 feet of fascia over our garage. Needless to say, up until that day I had no idea what fascia was, in any language. As I was trying to explain the situation over the phone to the pest control company, they kept throwing at me words like sheathing, soffit, rafters, truss, underlayment, fascia and dormer, which made me feel like an idiot. Several google trips later, I was able to confirm that it was the FASCIA that had been eaten. Do people learn these words in school? Do they take roofing 101 in Florida? Do they learn about termites in kindergarten? When I confronted the neatly uniformed, bilingual, pest control general, he said that termites don’t do that kind of damage. They were still covering up for the insects. At that point I called two more pest control companies and Manolo,

The Writer Isaac Prilleltensky is dean of the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Miami. Follow his humor blog at http:/ /prilleltensky.blogspot.com my friend the builder. No question about it, unanimous judgment: termites. To make sure that no opportunity goes wasted, we decided to fire the pest control company and go instead with a “green” provider. The latter explained to us that it’s all organic and environmentally friendly. So friendly was their treatment of pests that for several months we saw an increase in the number of roaches munching on our fruit overnight. When I politely asked our green supplier if roaches can get used to their treatment, he said that they change the product every time to prevent inoculation. Oh, I got it. January was vanilla, February was citrus, and March was honeysuckle flavor. Our roaches couldn’t be happier. In an effort to be supportive, Ora, my wife, had suggested that perhaps it was rodents and not cockroaches that had been eating our fruit. Our cleaning lady concurred, motivating me to sell the house and move to Alberta, which has been rodent-free for 50 years. I did do my homework. I consulted again with our green pest control guy, who said there was a definitive way to determine the culprit: Poop. Cockroach poop has a vertical edge; rat poop ends diagonally. He went on and on about sphincter anatomy in rodents and insects and the evolutionary causes of their differences. Just when I thought that I knew way too much about insects in Florida, I had to take a magnifying glass to examine their fecal matter. I wanted to prove to

Ora and our cleaning lady that there were no rodents in my house. Sure enough, the poop, which was all over our fruit plate, had a distinct vertical edge, which proved beyond reasonable doubt that we had plenty of roaches. As if that wasn’t strong enough evidence, I picked up a grapefruit from the plate and out came crawling, from a hole the size of an igloo, a giant cockroach. If there is anything I hate more than rats it’s big rats, which is what possums are. Possums feel at home in Coral Gables. They roam around like they own the place. So it came as no surprise when we discovered a couple of them nesting in our backyard. Next to our useless swimming pool (too short to swim, too cold to get close to it), we have a very expensive motor that cleans the water we never swim in, as well as a device that operates an amphibious vacuum cleaner that consumes more energy than the country of Benin. The motors are encased in a structure covered by a piece of wood. Whenever the submersible hoover gets stuck I muck around with the motor and pretend to know what the heck I’m doing. Imagine my surprise when I discovered not one but two possums relaxing next to the motors. They had brought leafs and sticks to make their own Sealy Posturepedic. They had apparently lifted the wood cover and managed to return it to its place, just to shock me. Ora and I debated what to do. We were really ambivalent about the whole thing.

We felt for the creatures. After all, we are vegan, believe in interspecies justice and all that mushy staff. But I really dislike these animals. They revolt me. So we decided to do nothing. A few days later I went to visit our lodgers and found them in Kama Sutra pose number 69. They were totally oblivious to my inspection, showing great sexual dexterity. This went on for a few days. In addition to revulsion, now I had reason to feel voyeuristic guilt. Mr. and Mrs. Possum occupied our pool motor home for a few more days until we saw them leaving their abode to forage for food. I reluctantly removed their possessions and secured the wood cover with several bricks. It was heartbreaking to see them return to find out that they had been evicted. We wanted to compensate them with some oxycodone and Viagra pills, but they would have none of it. We saw them leaving, carrying their Kama Sutra guide on their backs. They were obviously offended.

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Homeless Trust, county may try social impact housing bonds BY SUSAN DANSEYAR

The county commission’s Economic Prosperity Committee last week voted unanimously to direct the administration to coordinate with the Homeless Trust to study the use of social impact bonds to finance supportive housing in Miami-Dade. The legislation, sponsored by Daniella Levine Cava, was forwarded to the full commission with a favorable recommendation. Should commissioners ultimately approve the resolution, the administration must report within 120 days. Social impact financing is a mechanism to raise private-sector capital for expanding effective social service programs. It’s a way to foster innovation in social services, the resolution states,

while reducing the cost to taxpayers and the risk that they might fund ineffective programs. Also known as a pay-for-success or social benefit bond, the funding device is a contract with the government with a commitment to pay for improved social outcomes, resulting in government savings for a fixed period. Unlike other bonds, however, they don’t offer a fixed rate of return. Repayment to investors is contingent upon their achieving the specified social outcomes. Such programs have been used for Chicago’s early childhood education intervention to increase school readiness, improve literacy and reduce the use of special education, as well as in Denver for permanent supportive housing intervention to reduce costs

to public systems. Ms. Levine Cava pointed out that the first social impact bond started in England, with funding from investors outside government with a proven track record of working with offenders to see that 3,000 shortterm prisoners receive intensive interventions in both the prison where they serve their sentence and the community. The agreement was that if re-offending was not reduced a specific percentage, the investors wouldn’t get paid. The overwhelming community need to fund basic social services and address social problems has constrained the funding of promising programs, the resolution states. If feasible, it says, social impact financing would help the county address social needs that are now unfunded or underfunded.

The initial social impact financing feasibility analysis would research financing a permanent supportive housing program, designed for people with serious mental illnesses or other disabilities, using a “Housing First” model [rapid access to housing with minimal preconditions] to address chronic homelessness and reduce costs to the health, crisis response and criminal justice systems. The Miami-Dade Homeless Trust has authorized its staff and a consultant to participate in any county effort for a feasibility analysis of social impact financing and how it can be used to reduce chronic homelessness. The county administration, in consultation with the Homeless Trust, would select experienced technical assistance firms to support the study.

Jumbo buses cut overcrowding complaints, add weekend use Since starting to use 20 new 60-foot articulated buses, the Miami-Dade Transit Department has gotten significantly fewer complaints about overcrowding and seen increased weekend use, according to a quarterly status report that county commissioners received this week. In September, the department began receiving 43 new 60-foot articulated buses and started the inspections the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requires. As of Oct. 13, the department had started using 24 buses on Routes 34 (Busway Flyer) and 38 (Busway MAX) along the South Miami-Dade Busway. The remaining 19 buses will serve, as they become available, the Biscayne and 27th Avenue corridors. The Jan. 20 report also details use of the county’s existing articulated bus fleet from April Photo by Maxine Usdan through June, before the new One of the county’s original fleet of 25 articulated buses rolls south on the South Miami-Dade Busway. buses arrived. It states that the

25 articulated buses serviced their main routes (Kendall enhanced bus service and I-95 managed lanes) Monday through Friday and on weekends were shifted to overcrowded routes 119 (Collins Avenue), 11 (Flagler Street) and 38 (South Dade Busway). Riders on the articulated buses for the weekend, about 300 on Sundays and 350 Saturdays, triple the approximately 100 average rides per bus each weekday on their normal routes. Additionally, the report states, the transit department got federal authorization to remove the existing buses from the Kendall and I-95 routes and re-direct them to the overcrowded routes that serve the Miami Beach corridor. The next report will reflect an increased articulated bus total as the department puts the other 19 into use.

Wynwood team and developer Mana moving closer together B Y CATHERINE L ACKNER

Members of Wynwood’s Business Improvement District (BID) heard Tuesday that the group’s planning and zoning board is making headway in working with developer Moishe Mana to resolve issues around Mana Wynwood, his ambitious project. “There has been a lot of dialogue and some progress,” said board member David Polinsky, who chairs the planning board and is the developer of 250 Wynwood. “We embrace the ideas but have some issues with the development agreement.” Mr. Mana, working with architect Bernard Zyscovich, has requested a Special Area Plan (SAP) designation, which would provide various entitlements for the 30-acre project, which would run from Northwest Second Avenue to I-95 between Northwest 22nd and 24th streets. The purpose of the SAP is to allow sites greater than nine acres to be master planned to better integrate public and private improvements and infrastructure. “This is, by far, the most ambitious and largest SAP that

has been requested for this area,” Mr. Polinsky said. “Moishe Mana has a track record of attracting art institutions, but this will create a zoning overlay, and that concerns us.” It took two years, but the Wynwood group and city recently negotiated a Neighborhood Revitalization District plan that codifies uses and sets standards that are aimed at preserving Wynwood’s unique character, encouraging residential uses and adding more green space. Developers of new building are required to bring their plans before a building design advisory board, though that board’s recommendations aren’t binding. It also created a fund for public benefit, into which developers are required to contribute. Wynwood members are worried about whether Mr. Mana’s project will fit in with the district plan. Some of the issues that are still being worked out, Mr. Polinsky said: Preserving the character of Northwest Second Avenue, on which the project has 300 linear feet. Mr. Mana plans a marketplace there, Mr. Polinsky said.

David Polinsky said, “We embrace the ideas but have some issues with the development agreement.”

Determining improvements to Northwest Fifth Avenue. The Special Area Plan, if granted, would cover 40% of the length of the street on both sides, Mr. Polinsky said. “Our goal is to activate the whole of that street.” Establishing consistency on Northwest 23rd and 24th streets, on which Mr. Mana owns property on only one side. “We want uniformity, spaces for vehicles and pedestrians, and a flow of traffic from north to south,” Mr. Polinsky said. Agreeing on a height cap for buildings nearest I-95. Mr. Mana’s team had originally proposed 16 stories, while the BID

wanted 12. A compromise is in the works to have the heights step down so that they are proportionate. Regulating the ratio of bars to restaurants in the complex to avoid “a bar-centric neighborhood,” Mr. Polinsky said. The BID is exploring a plan to carve out a district that would focus on restaurants that serve alcohol but derive more that 60% of revenues from food. Deciding the project’s contributions to the public benefit fund. Negotiations are ongoing. “We found areas of strong agreement,” Mr. Polinsky said. “And we found we’re better off working together.” “I’m happy to report it’s more of a discussion now,” said BID co-chair Joe Furst, who is Goldman Properties managing director for Wynwood, The Mana team, he said, is working hard to resolve the issues. Plans say the first phase, planned for 2337 NW Fifth Ave., would include a 200,000square-foot combination beauty academy, boutique hotel, restaurants, showrooms and other space. The structure would be-

come corporate headquarters for Luxury Brand Partners, a firm that is partnering with Mr. Mana to build the academy. Eventually, Mr. Mana has said, he wants to market the center to international trade and tech companies, fashion designers, retailers, restaurants, and a hotel. About 2,500 residential units will come later, and the project incorporates parking garages and Mana Commons, an open-space parcel of about 168,000 square feet that would be available to the public and also for special events. Mr. Zyscovich said in November that the “seams” of the development – where it meets Wynwood – would have the same look and feel as the neighborhood. The developer has made many other concessions, he added then. The developer is to go before Miami’s Planning & Zoning Appeals Board Feb. 3, said Iris Escarra, Mr. Mana’s attorney, at the Tuesday meeting. She said the team would make all city correspondence available to the BID and would make addressing its concerns a top priority.

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Commercial Real Estate 2I¿FH 6SDFH Downtown development grows quickly, with more in line B Y C ATHERINE L ACKNER

Despite rumors that the real estate boom may be slowing down, development in downtown Miami continued at a fast clip last year. Several residential buildings were to be delivered in 2015. Millecento, with 382 condo units at 1100 S Miami Ave.; SoMa Brickell, with 418 rental units at 145 SW 13th St.; and Nine@ Mary Brickell Village, with 369 condo units at 999 SW First Ave., are all built out and occupied. Montage at Met 3, which is to offer 440 rental units at 200 SE Second St., was topped off last year and representatives are pre-leasing apartments there. A Whole Foods market on the ground floor does a brisk business. The Bond, which will add 328 condo units at 1080 Brickell Ave., is still under construction. Three hotels are to open later this year. The Atton Hotel, which will feature 27 boutique rooms at 1500 SW First Ave., and Homewood Suites, with 103 rooms at 1750 SW First Ave., are expected to welcome their first guests this spring. Hampton Inn Hotel & Suites, with 151 hotel rooms and 4,400 square feet of retail at 3405 Biscayne Blvd., is also due this year. It’s Atton’s first hotel in the US, said Francisco Levine,

Photo by Maxine Usdan

The Bond at 1080 Brickell, left, and Millecento at 1100 S Miami Ave. tower overhead in a July 2015 photo.

CEO of the firm, which has a strong presence in South America. “We decided to come to Miami to put our property here because of the city’s unique position. Not only is it the capital of Latin America, but it also very attractive to North Americans. All of this energy is coming to Miami.” The firm chose Brickell for its full-service, luxury hotel because the area “has been able to capture a moment; it’s become more residential at a time

when people want everything close by,” Mr. Levine said. Though the hotel will offer a full-size restaurant, rooftop pool and well-equipped gym, amenity-rich Brickell will complement its offerings, he said. “We’re very excited to be here during this boom, with all these projects coming to life.” No new office space opened last year. Two class A buildings in Brickell City Centre, each about 130,000 square

feet, are to come online this year. The Akerman law firm has leased 106,000 square feet, or about 80%, in one, and is to move there from SunTrust International Place next month. The other City Centre building, which is to open this quarter – as well as the remaining space in the first building – is being marketed at $50 per square foot, full service, said a representative of developer Swire Properties last summer. These are the only two of-

fice buildings in the area to open since 1450 Brickell opened in 2012, said Tere Blanca, president and CEO of Blanca Commercial Real Estate Inc. The firm represented Akerman in the City Centre deal and is leasing the office component of the All Aboard Florida project, as well as several other landmark buildings in Brickell and downtown. “The trend is rent appreciation, and occupancy remains high,” she said. “Miami has experienced a positive immigration of young professionals and has a great quality of life.” Its vibrancy is particularly attractive to the technology industry, she said. “It’s a business-friendly environment and has so much to offer entrepreneurs.” This promises to be another banner year for residential properties. Some projects that are expected to open in 2016: 1000 Museum, a 64-story condominium with 83 units at 1000 Biscayne Blvd. Hyde Hotel & Residences, with 40 hotel rooms, 400 condos and 22,000 square feet of retail at 3401 N Miami Ave. Biscayne Beach, offering 399 condos and 13,000 square feet of retail at 2955 NE Seventh Ave. 250 Wynwood, featuring 11 condos at 250 NW 24 St. Centro, with 352 condos at 151 SE First St.

Boom in warehousing continues, canal’s impact unclear BY SUSAN DANSEYAR

The boom in warehouse construction continues and meets current demand, industry experts agree, but they differ on whether the expanded Panama Canal will create more need for the facilities than our finite amount of land allows. According to Avison Young’s 2016 forecast for commercial real estate, online retail leaders such as Amazon – which leases a 335,841-square-foot facility for its sorting center west of Doral – are driving absorption and construction of distribution space in multiple markets throughout the US. However, in Miami, new supply of such distribution spaces is limited. The forecast points out our industrial sector experienced strong demand from the last quarter of 2014 through the third in 2015 as vacancy rates dropped. “Occupancy rates improved during 2015 in part due to constrained construction levels,” the forecast states. “Less than 500,000 square feet of industrial construction was delivered in 2015.”

Wayne Schuchts: land challenge.

Moreover, improving market fundamentals, together with limited new supply, caused industrial sales to increase by more than 40%, growing to $831 million in 2015 from $583 million in 2014. The challenge isn’t about demand for new warehouses or lack of financing to build them but finding the land, said Wayne Schuchts, partner with Avison Young. “In our current market, any sites that are viable are being bought out,” he said. In the next three to five years, he says, the likely places for construction are east and north of the airport, where less functional industrial buildings could be re-purposed

into modern warehouses. That hasn’t happened yet, Mr. Schuchts said, but there’s certainly been talk about such properties in Opa-locka and Hialeah, in particular where the original Winn-Dixie site is located. This is the best industrial market Miami has seen in a long time, with extremely low vacancy, but the lack of available land is a concern, said Jack Winston, a principal with Goodwin Consulting. Eventually, he says, the problem will become more acute because demand will increase dramatically when the Panama Canal’s expansion is complete. “[PortMiami] is one of only a few ports on the eastern seaboard that can take the large containers,” he said. “As our seaport gets more traffic, demand will build because there will be so much product from import/export business coming to the area.” Data show approximately 7% of the product that will be coming through the Panama Canal will go to warehouses, with the rest distributed via rail, Mr. Schuchts said. “Based on cur-

Chris Spear: canal a big question.

rent and projected absorption rates of warehouse product, we can meet the demands in the mid-range [up to five years from now]. The question is whether this will be true longer term.” Some customers are excited about the Panama Canal’s expansion and believe it will bring more product to warehouses while others do not predict that will be the case, said Chris Spear, industrial associate with ComReal Miami. “There’s still a level of uncertainty with regards to the level of impact the expansion will have.” He agrees the boom in warehouse construction is continu-

ing at the same rate as in recent years. It’s an extremely healthy market with vacancy under 5%, Mr. Spear said, which “we haven’t seen since the last peak.” Currently, he said, most warehouse construction is in Medley and west of the Dolphin. Some institutions are still acquiring land in what the industry refers to as west Doral, he said, where they intend to build warehouses. It’s true that we’re running out of land, Mr. Spear said, but he said he believes there’s enough warehouse product to meet demand for the next five to 10 years. According to a recent report by commercial real estate valuation and consulting firm Integra Realty Resources, the largest concentration of industrial space in Miami-Dade is in the Airport West area, “reflecting Miami International Airport’s status as the 11th biggest cargo airport on earth (as of 2014).” The report states that three airport submarkets (Hialeah, Medley and Airport West) contain over half of the country’s industrial inventory and the vast majority of its new construction.

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WEEK OF THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

Watson Island in holding pattern on seaplane base, heliport B Y J OHN C HARLES R OBBINS

The plan to revive a seaplane base on Watson Island remains grounded as city officials review a lease of the city-owned property to a private company. And one commissioner, newcomer Ken Russell, wants to see more details for revamping the seaplane base and heliport that include expanded development with commercial space including restaurants, a media center and a lighthouse. It was Mr. Russell who made the motion Jan. 14 to again postpone voting on a package of ordinances that would change the zoning and land use designation of the site. The matter was deferred twice before, in November and December. “I’m not trying to stall the project,” Mr. Russell said Jan. 14, but he said he wants “more time.” Mr. Russell has characterized the land on Watson Island

The proposal is not an up-zoning: planning head Francisco Garcia.

as a great piece of property. Leasing the land for a seaplane base for many years denied the public’s right to determine the best use of the choice site, he said. “What do the people want it to be?” asked Mr. Russell. Attorney Ben Fernandez, representing Nautilus Enterprises LLC and seaplane company Chalk’s, told commissioners

one of the first uses on the island shortly after its creation was a seaplane base. Chalk’s began seaplane service to and from the island in the 1920s. The seaplane base was allowed under the city’s old zoning code, but the adoption of Miami 21 in 2010 made it a non-conforming use, explained Mr. Fernandez. The proposed ordinances would correct that error, he said, as he lobbied for an affirmative vote. At the Dec. 10 meeting – Mr. Russell’s first – commissioners and administrators said that previous commissioners had approved a long-term use of the site for Chalk’s Miami Seaplane Base years ago. The seaplane base has fallen into disrepair over the years. Contracts govern the property’s use, Commissioner Francis Suarez said then. Commissioners told Mr.

Frank Carollo sought to probe role of sports and exhibition authority.

Russell the proposed land use and zoning changes are part of a settlement of decades-old litigation involving the site. Also, the use predates a city charter requirement that voters approve waterfront leases, a deputy city attorney said. The lead ordinance would change the use designation of the site from Public Parks and Recreation to Major Institu-

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MIAMITODAY A Singular Voice in an Evolving City

tional, Public Facilities, Transportation and Utilities. The city itself seeks the changes. It would impact about 9 acres of the 110-acre man-man island in Biscayne Bay, connected to Miami Beach and the mainland via the MacArthur Causeway. Francisco Garcia, the city’s planning director, said some people perceive that the proposed zoning change is up-zoning. “It is most definitely not,” Mr. Garcia told commissioners Jan. 14. The city has partnered with the Miami Sports and Exhibition Authority (MSEA) to develop an aviation center that would house both a heliport and seaplane base. The authority has leased the Watson Island site to Nautilus Enterprises LLC to operate the seaplane base. A planning department memo says, “The evolution of Watson Island has been consistent with the current plan in place. At this time it is necessary to rebuild the heliport and seaplane facilities deemed as pre-existing services on the island, with vested rights…” On Jan. 14, Mr. Russell reiterated that he doesn’t oppose a seaplane operation on the island. Mr. Russell also shared with fellow commissioners a letter he received from Ignacio J. Vega-Penichet Lopez, president of Chalks Airline Inc. The letter refers to Chalk’s having construction rights in the new lease for “additional” new construction referred to as the “Commercial Facility” of 100,000 interior square feet. Mr. Lopez says in the letter that Chalk’s is “willing to reduce and waive, at your request and subject to MSEA’s approval,” 50,000 interior square feet, under several conditions including an adjustment of rental payments. The examination of the history of the uses on Watson Island, and a renewed longterm lease of the city-owned land, has led to discussions of abolishing the Miami Sports and Exhibition Authority. Critics of the body say it has too much power and influence. Commissioner Frank Carollo asked that a discussion “regarding the possible elimination of the MSEA board” be placed on the Jan. 14 agenda. “Once again, do we want to abolish MSEA?” Mr. Carollo asked, after prolonged debate about the appointed body’s role. In the end, it appeared there wasn’t a consensus on doing away with the authority entirely. The city attorney’s office is to prepare proposed legislation to realign the membership on the authority and put tighter controls on what it can and cannot do. One change is to ensure that all leases of cityowned waterfront property go to a public vote. The Watson Island matter is to be heard at the Feb. 25 commission meeting.

WEEK OF THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

TODAY’S NEWS

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Downtown aims to add pit stops but not flush away its funds BY CATHERINE LACKNER

Downtown’s “pit stop” portable restrooms have proven a hit with users and with business owners in the urban core. With the question of permanent financial responsibility not decided, some members of Miami’s Downtown Development Authority want to expand the program. The authority came up with the idea last spring and pays $40,000 every six months to have the stops maintained and monitored by members of the Downtown Enhancement Team. The City of Miami and Mayor Tomás Regalado provided the rest of the funding – $500,000 when the program began in October and another $500,000 to continue it through this October.

More than 1,000 people per month have used the pit stops, according to an authority document. “As a result, reports of public waste on downtown streets have decreased by 56% from May to November.” Two porta-potties now operate from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Southwest First Court between Southwest First and Second streets and at Northeast Second Street between Northeast First and Second avenues. The authority’s Service Delivery Program Committee is exploring putting two additional pit-stops at the Dade County Courthouse, said board member Jose Goyanes, who owns Metro Beauty Center, Churchill’s Barbershop and Tre Italian Bistro.

One product under consideration is the Portland Loo, a streamlined stainless steel enclosure that can be easily cleaned. “We don’t want to use DDA money,” Mr. Goyanes said. “We need the mayor’s and the district commissioner’s help on this.” “Forever?” asked board member Jerome Hollo, who is vice president of Florida East Coast Realty. Lack of public bathrooms is a city issue, and the city should provide the funding, he said. “Absolutely,” Mr. Goyanes said. “The alternative is to do nothing,” which will lead to a return of human waste on the streets and buildings, he said. “I think it would be great if they city paid for them,” said Gary Ressler, a member of the authority’s Flagler Street Task Force

and principal and managing member of the Tilia Companies, owner of the Alfred I. Dupont Building at 169 E Flagler St. But if the city chooses to finance the project through advertising, he said, it will add more visual clutter downtown. “Does Flagler Street want to pay?” Mr. Hollo asked. “We already do, in our ad-valorem taxes,” Mr. Ressler said. “It all comes back to the city.” “We’ve convinced the city it’s worth investing in this,” said board chair Ken Russell, who is a Miami commissioner. In addition to helping keep downtown clean, it provides opportunities for the Downtown Enhancement Team members, he added. “But we should not take this on as a DDA project forever.”

Watson Island marina for mega-yachts about to come alive BY JOHN CHARLES ROBBINS

In three weeks, Biscayne Bay will provide the setting for a parade of mega- and superyachts as Deep Harbour marina on Watson Island comes alive for the first time. More than a dozen years in the making, the new venue that boasts of being the only marina in North America designed exclusively for super-yachts will take part in Yachts Miami Beach, formerly known as the Yacht & Brokerage Show in Miami Beach. The show runs Feb. 11-15, with the main stage being the water along Collins Avenue across from the Fontainebleau, a location it has called home for 28 years. The show’s new stage is the new marina on Watson Island that represents phase one of what is to be a billion-dollar mixeduse development known as Island Gardens. Flagstone Property Group officially opened the marina Jan. 8. City and county officials, along with members of South Florida’s yachting community, joined

Two hotels are expected to tower over the Deep Harbour marina eventually, but for now it’s just yachts.

Flagstone Chairman and CEO Mehmet Bayraktar in a rope cutting and luncheon overlooking the new marina. Deep Harbour offers 5,000 linear feet of capacity, accommodating an average of 50 yachts

stretching up to 550 feet and drafts of 18-21 feet deep. The marina is now accepting leases for transient docking. Yachts Miami Beach is managed, produced and co-owned by Show Management and co-

owned and sponsored by the Florida Yacht Brokers Association. Deep Harbour Marina will feature a limited selection of superyachts during the five-day show. Transportation will be avail-

able from Yachts Miami Beach on Collins Avenue to Island Gardens Deep Harbour, according to Show Management. Unique to Deep Harbour is the angled design of the docks in the harbor, which will ensure unobstructed views from Island Gardens toward downtown Miami and cruise ships berthed at the PortMiami terminal across Biscayne Bay. Upon completion of the full development, which owners say will be in season 2017-2018, the marina is to be complemented by two luxury hotels, hotel-serviced and branded living, retail and restaurants overlooking a waterfront promenade, and a water taxi transportation system servicing Miami and the beaches. Over 60% of the project’s land area will be publicly accessible, Flagstone promises. Plans include “impeccably landscaped gardens, a cultured environment alive with public art installations and civic art, as well as a beautiful public promenade” overlooking the superyacht marina and the Miami skyline.

Commission applauds toll initiative but doesn’t really like it B Y S USAN D ANSEYAR

A number of Miami-Dade commissioners applaud a citizens’ initiative that could give Floridians a voice in how they are tolled on state roads but don’t think it’s ultimately a good idea to put revenue-generating questions before the public. Miami resident Christopher Wills attended the commission’s Transit and Mobility Services Committee last week for a discussion regarding a petition movement advocating for a constitutional amendment that would require all tolling authorities in the state seek voter approval in the county or municipality where they propose collecting or increasing a toll. Mr. Wills is heading D.R.I.V.E. (Drivers Ready To Improve, Vote and Empower), the political action committee seeking enough signatures for the amendment to be considered on the November ballot. He appeared before the full commission a few months ago, asking for signatures. At the Jan. 13 committee meeting, he thanked Chairman Esteban Bovo Jr. for his signature and asked the other members for their support. Since his last presentation to com-

missioners, Mr. Wills said there have been several developments on the toll issue which he thinks are mere BandAids, particularly the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX) toll dividend program. Drivers sign up to get a certain percentage of dollars back from the five highways the authority governs. However, it concerns him that the program is being portrayed “as a huge, positive thing” for the average Miami driver when “essentially, drivers are being bribed with their own money.” By MDX’s own admission on its website, Mr. Wills said, less than 4% of drivers using the toll roads got anything back. “MDX has a history of poor communication with the public,” he said. “The moment we put the tolls on the ballot, they will have to come to the community and explain why there’s [going to be] a toll and where the money will go.” However, several committee members said they can’t sign the petition. Bruno Barreiro said he shares a lot of concerns about MDX but does not believe in a government by referendum.

“We elect officials to represent constituents’ interests,” he said. “There have to be changes made at MDX, but that should come from ordinances here and state statutes.” It’s not a good idea to put revenuegenerating questions before the public because, with all the issues concerning people, it’s difficult to determine how far things will go, Mr. Barreiro said. “It does not behoove society to take all the issues to referendum.” Jose “Pepe” Diaz echoed Mr. Barreiro’s concern. “I congratulate you on what you’re trying to do but people are upset and don’t always understand the details,” he told Mr. Wills. “No one wants to raise tolls to pay for increased demands on roads, but we need to do work for future growth.” There has to be more accountability from MDX, Mr. Diaz said, but he prefers seeing it come through legislation. Vice chairman Dennis Moss also commended Mr. Wills and said his efforts represent “democracy in action.” Tolling is a “disruptive technology that everyone is going to because we need some form of it to perform necessary work,” he said. “We have to integrate this disruptive technology

that’s necessary, because it’s where we’re going in the future,” Mr. Moss said. “Like Uber and Lyft, also representative of a disruptive technology, we have to find a way to accommodate this necessary evil.” No action was needed last week, Mr. Bovo said. Xavier Suarez, who sponsored the discussion, was unable to attend, but, after hearing what other committee members said, he can decide whether to proceed with some sort of legislation. Mr. Bovo said he’s concerned about upcoming issues the county faces with specific road projects that have and will mean toll increases. “The public feels they have no say in what MDX does,” he said. “Residents feel there’s no light at the end of the tunnel and that we’ll be tolled for the rest of our lives.” He said he believes MDX was a well devised plan but “we’ve lost control of it.” There are issues, Mr. Bovo said, “that we need to get a handle on.” While he’s not sure a petition will help, he said, perhaps it will shine a light on the problem. “I do not want to stand in the way of anyone in a grassroots effort to alleviate problems.”

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Then Go for the Gold! You are a potential candidate for Miami Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 17th Annual Gold Medal Awards. A panel of top-level, Miami-based judges will select Gold, Silver, and Bronze individual and organization winners who will be honored at an invitation-only reception and dinner. Winners will be featured in an exclusive Miami Today Gold Medal Awards special section published in 2016.

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Nominations must be submitted by January 31 Send this form and no more than two 8 1/2 x 11 pages of supporting materials to: Miami Today Gold Medal Awards By Mail: 2000 South Dixie Highway, Suite 100, Miami, FL 33133 By Email: jallen@miamitodaynews.com or go to www.miamitodaynews.com and click on the Gold Medal Awards application link Person, Company or Organization: Award honoree received in 2015:

Upon what was the award based:

Honoree contact name: Address of honoree: Phone:

Fax:

Email: If you have questions, contact Janel Allen at jallen@miamitodaynews.com or (786) 515-0394 (Honoree cannot be employed by or be a subsidiary of the honoring organization. Gold Medal winners from 2014 and 2015 are not eligible.)

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