Miami Today: Week of Thursday, December 22, 2016 by Miami Today

WEEK OF THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2016

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INFRASTRUCTURE

Vast I-395 ‘Signature bridge’ should begin in a year, pg. 13 ELECTRICITY COSTS FALL: The average of 10.8 cents per kilowatt hour that Miami area residents paid for electricity in November was 17.6% less than the national average of 13.1 cents, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported last week. That price was down from 11.6 cents per kilowatt hour in the Miami area in November 2015. The local price of electricity has been at least 10% lower than the national average for each of the past five years, the bureau reported.

Miami Marine Stadium structure can be saved, board hears, pg. 16

The Achiever

By Susan Danseyar

GASSING UP: Just a year ago the US average for gasoline at the pump fell under $2 a gallon for the first time since 2009. But now, says GasBuddy price tracking service, the price is on the rise, chasing a run-up in crude oil prices. In Miami this week gasoline was at $2.36 per gallon on average, up 3.4 cents in a week, 13.4 cents per gallon in a month and 20.9 cents a gallon over the past year. GasBuddy says “we’re on par to see the largest December increase in gasoline prices nationally since 2010 due to the uptick in oil prices.” ANIMAL SHELTER: County commissioners on Tuesday approved an amendment to the professional services agreement with LIVS Associates to design a new animal shelter for the Animal Services Department at $300,000, funded from future financing proceeds and increasing the contract time by 762 calendar days. Joe Martinez, who originally pulled the item for discussion, said he’d approve the resolution for expediency’s sake but would like an answer at some point why the price has risen 368%. A JOBS RECORD, FOR NOW: Miami-Dade jobs in the broad category of trade, transportation and utilities hit an all-time high of 299,400 persons at work in November, up from 292,700 in October, US Bureau of Labor Statistics figures released last week show. The prior high in the sector was 298,600 persons at work last December, the bureau’s figures show. Because jobs in this category spike each December with holiday season shopping, employment in those industries this month is highly likely to break last month’s record. FOURTH NEW AIR FREIGHT LINE: When Mexican freighter airline AeroUnion this month launched two weekly roundtrips on a triangular route among Mexico City, Mérida and Miami, it became the fourth new all-freight airline to begin serving Miami International Airport this year. US carriers Northern Air Cargo and 21 Air began flying into Miami International in November and Canadian airline KF Cargo in April began links between Miami and multiple points in South America.

Ira Coleman

Photo by Cristina Sullivan

To run international law firm McDermott Will & Emery The profile is on Page 4

How slow can we go? Miami looks at 20 mph By John Charles Robbins

Not slow enough. That’s the reaction of some City of Miami residents and Commissioner Frank Carollo, who are continuing to fight for even lower speed limits through residential neighborhoods. Just last month, commissioners approved a resolution to seek a 25 mph limit on residential streets in hope of slowing Frank Carollo cut-through traffic and improving safety. Mr. Carollo came back this month with an even stricter proposal: drop speed limits to 20 mph. The catch is, city officials can’t do it on their own: It requires approval of MiamiDade County officials, who often require a traffic study. Commissioner Francis Suarez has repeatedly noted his struggle to wrest some control of city streets from the county, a fight that eventually succeeded. In November and at the Dec. 8 meeting he again spoke of his three-

Agenda

Inland port site hunt is countywide

year drive to win control of traffic-calming devices on city streets. A big reason to seek control, he said, was that more than 70% of requests from residents in his district to the county to install signs and traffic-calming devices were denied. “I’m much more a proponent of an engineered solution than the speed limit.” Along with lowering the limit in residential areas, Mr. Suarez said, the city should combine methods, including also traffic-calming speed humps, speed tables and traffic circles, and increased and steady law enforcement. Another action to combat cut-through traffic could be limited or restricted access streets, Mr. Suarez said. “Our neighborhood streets should not be a means to travel from one side of the city to the other.” Mr. Carollo provided commissioners with studies showing a high number of pedestriancar accidents in the city. Residents of Coconut Grove who live in old established neighborhoods on narrow streets with no sidewalks have been very vocal in advocating for lower speed limits. Mr. Carollo said he can appreciate the concerns of Grove residents, but he cited similar issues in Shenandoah, The Roads and other

pockets of single-family homes as well. Commissioner Wifredo “Willy” Gort agreed, noting that high speed cut-through traffic – drivers trying to avoid bottlenecks on major thoroughfares – has an impact in his district of Allapattah too. “The [accident] studies don’t tell you that traffic is an issue,” Mr. Carollo said. Traffic congestion continues unabated, he said, “year after year after year, and nothing’s been done.” “I understand that enforcement is an issue,” said Mr. Carollo, but he said he feels strongly that the city should fight for a 20 mph limit. The resolution approved Dec. 8 directs City Manager Daniel Alfonso to lower the posted speed limit to 20 mph on all low-density residentially-zoned neighborhood streets classified as part of the city’s street system, and to develop a plan to actually lower the limit “upon Miami-Dade County approval.” Mr. Alfonso said his office received notice from the county’s Department of Public Works that it would not support a 20 mph limit but would be willing to support 25 mph in certain neighborhoods. Coral Gables is also working toward legislation to lower its speed limit in residential areas to 25 mph.

Miami-Dade commissioners voted a preliminary OK to investigate where the county could build an inland port near a rail link and highways so PortMiami’s operations can keep expanding. The proposal passed unanimously at the Trade & Tourism Committee last week. Port Director and CEO Juan Kuryla said he’s 100% behind the plan, which would direct design, development, construction and operation of a site for added seaport cargo operations, including impacts on the surrounding area. When Commissioner Rebeca Sosa asked if the county can expedite applications for federal and state grants as the ordinance dictates to develop an inland port, Mr. Kuryla said the challenge would be seeking a grant without an exact location today, but he’s looking into advancing the process. “We’re looking countywide, wherever there are 70 to 80 continuous acres,” he said, stipulating that the land be near a rail link and surrounded by highways. The ordinance advanced by Jose “Pepe” Diaz and co-sponsored by Dennis Moss states an inland port would let PortMiami handle such necessities as storage of empty containers and trucks until a shipping customer needs them. The 250-acre port is fast running out of space, Mr. Diaz said, and an inland port would free up much-needed room. Commissioner Audrey Edmonson cautioned that the land, wherever it might be, not become a blighted slum. She also asked for assurance that reports will come to the commission, despite the ordinance making it a priority item in the county’s application for funds. Mr. Kuryla said the process of developing and constructing an inland port needs the full commission’s final approval and won’t happen overnight. “Ideally, for this to take place will require between five and seven years,” he said. “The project will take a while to materialize, and we’ll bring the steps back to you for approval.”

LAST-HOUR AIRPORT LEGISLATION RANKLES COMMISSION ...

MANDATORY WORKFORCE HOUSING BECOMES VOLUNTARY ...

38-STORY BRICKELL OFFICES SIDETRACKED: TOO ‘BORING’ ...

COUNTY MAY BE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE PROVING GROUND ...

VIEWPOINT: MIAMI BEACH BACK ABOARD BAYLINK TEAM ...

WET SLIPS IN HISTORIC BASIN OUT OF KEY MARINA PLANS ...

TWO LOTS TO YIELD TOWER IN ‘TOUGH’ EDGEWATER SITE ...

FOOTBRIDGE OVER US 1 BY UM BEGUN, TO OPEN IN SPRING ...

MIAMI TODAY

VIEWPOINT

WEEK OF THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2016

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

Miami Beach’s return to team approach key to Baylink rail

Miami Beach’s U-turn on a rail link plan over the bay offers hope for actually building a Baylink that will carry thousands of passengers, get cars off roads and speed travel. After a year of wandering by itself in the Michael Lewis transit wilderness and vowing to do its own thing regardless of what the county and City of Miami do on the mainland and causeway legs of the rail line, Miami Beach has halted its hurry-up offense and awaits a county vote to move forward. That’s a full reverse for Beach Mayor Philip Levine, who got so frustrated a year ago with slower partner governments that he went rogue and decided the city would do its own thing first and later see how that leg of rail up the island could connect to whatever technology the county and City of Miami came up with at the other end of the line to roll across the bay to a Beach terminal at Alton Road and Fifth Street. But bravado that the Beach could go

Letters to the Editor

Inland port and congestion

I must be missing something, but how would an inland port reduce road congestion? Unless shipping containers are loaded onto barges going up and down the Miami River – and creating more Brickell Bridge openings to impact traffic – they will still be making a back-and-forth trek on our roads. If they’re loaded on freight cars, that means crossing downtown streets and causing traffic to stop as the trains pass. So… ? DC Copeland

Inland port idea is brilliant

The inland port is a brilliant idea and one that only local government can implement. Land is so expensive in Miami-Dade – at a minimum price of $500,000 per acre, most of which requires substantial preparatory site work – that it is impossible to perform the off-port operations at prices that will make sense to shippers and cargo owners. When compared with the land prices in Savannah, Charleston or even Jacksonville, we are at a disadvantage. W are spending $20 billion upgrading two deepwater seaports, two international airports, our entire expressway grid and rail services; we surely need to be able to handle the business that we are attracting. John Dohm

Red flags and contractors

I wonder if [the company handling Flagler Street work downtown] is the same company involved in repairs of Flagler street way past 22nd Avenue. There are never any workers on the job, all the streets are broken up, and there is no progress in sight. It’s inconceivable that our city government awards projects based only on price without regard to quality and timely completion of projects. I guess no one at the city knows about “red flags” when they hire a contractor for another project knowing they are already in dispute with the city. Blanca Padron-Delgado

faster and better alone met up with the reality that getting Beach activists on board any transit route, technology or financing is the equivalent of herding disgruntled cats. The mayor didn’t do any better than the first big-name Baylink proponent, then-Mayor Neisen Kasdin. In fact, in the year since the Beach broke away on its own, Baylink has lost support of the Florida Department of Transportation, which until April had led the drive to win federal funds for the long-awaited rail line but said it wouldn’t lead any longer because all local governments weren’t on the same track. Mayor Levine pooh-poohed the push for US aid when he led the Beach to break with the consortium, which wanted to do Baylink in a single system with a single technology, single purveyor and single passenger seat from one end of the line to the other. We would hope that with the Beach back in the fold, all the agencies would return, hats in hand, and ask the respected state transportation department to again take the lead to win federal funds. The department is a great advocate that we sorely need to get the project funded and finally built. The year of Beach-alone rail planning also ended with the city choosing a rail system purveyor and a second-choice bid-

der still actively lobbying for a contract. Commitment by the Beach on whatever level to a new rail configuration complicates vital efforts to minimize diversity of formats as the county and Metropolitan Planning Organization try to add six legs of transit – one being Baylink – to complement our incomplete Metrorail and Metromover. As the county now openly says that it would like to continue Metrorail on street level, and as others discuss extending Metromover over the causeway to Miami Beach, we already have two non-continuous methodologies. If at all possible, we don’t need more formats that don’t connect as single-seat rides. Miami Beach’s year in the wilderness ended inelegantly, with Beach commissioners agreeing last week that they won’t play in any Baylink system with anyone else unless, after all the governments have struck a unified deal, Miami Beach voters go to the polls and agree with that deal. That means that while government agencies everywhere else in Miami-Dade will decide about rail routes, financing and methodology, Miami Beach voters will get veto power. That can slow vitally needed transit links to await a Beach election and, potentially fatally, could derail Baylink after funding is available and everyone

else is aboard. That veto card might also make it harder to get federal or state participation for a Baylink plan. We welcome Miami Beach back aboard the rail line local run, and hope that negotiations restore the full Miami Beach loop that was formerly trumpeted rather than the now-offered rail stub that no longer heads north of the Miami Beach Convention Center. If rail is vital, it’s needed by more than just visitors – residents up and down the Beach need it too. With everyone back at the table, governments must agree on the fewest possible operating systems and the principle of a single-seat ride countywide. We hope that Mayor Levine was not so badly burned in his go-it-alone year that he’ll be unwilling to push for a united, unified approach to rail on the Beach and elsewhere. His leadership will be needed. The mayor, after all, spearheaded a recent survey that said 71% of Beach residents favor rail. He needs to be sure that as the final step of a Baylink deal, 71% say so in the voting booth. Baylink has always been a great concept. In today’s traffic glut it’s also a great need. We welcome the City of Miami Beach back aboard the Baylink Express with the rest of us.

Why the human touch still matters in a digital age It’s no secret the world is becoming increasingly digital. What once was relegated to a sector of our economy has now become the undercurrent for our entire lives. From the essential Mike Valdes-Fauli nature of our mobile devices, to our connections on social media, to the internet of things; every single facet of our lives is in some ways “digital.” This is largely a good thing. Technology has driven remarkable leaps in medical treatments, enhanced our productivity, eradicated many diseases across the globe and connected us in ways previously thought unimaginable. However, there is still no replacement for in-person interaction and tactile experiences. A 2015 study by eMarketer found that 18- to 34-year-olds were far more likely to ignore online ads, such as banners and sponsored posts on social media, than they were traditional TV, radio and billboards, while 33% of internet users find display ads “completely intolerable.” So although much of what we do at our Hispanic marketing agency is rooted in digital and social, there is still room to cut through the clutter with traditional, tangible marketing. Here are three areas of business that can still benefit from, in the immortal words of Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Bruce Springsteen, “a little of that human touch.” nSales – companies like GoToMeeting and WebEx have thrived in an era when video conference technology has gotten so good it often makes the crosscountry flight seem like an unnecessary waste of time and relic of the past.

The Writer

Mike Valdes-Fauli is president & CEO of Pinta, a full-service marketing agency with offices in Miami, New York and Los Angeles. That said, it’s very difficult to connect with a potential or current prospect, partner or client when you can’t see their face as you meet, read their body language as you make your pitch, or engage in a memorable interaction over lunch, coffee or cocktails. The sales cycle can be greatly shortened by breaking bread with a prospect. nClients – once you have a customer or client, it remains equally critical to foster that relationship with the occasional in-person experience. I run a full-service advertising and public relations agency focused on the Hispanic market, and I can’t tell you how many times going the extra mile to make a trip salvaged a client or helped grow a current engagement. Sometimes the very fact that you make a trip is half the battle, demonstrating a deeper level of commitment and interest in the partnership. It’s not always easy jumping from plane to plane, but when building a business it can be critical to fortifying your core revenue. Marketing – when trying to reach mass-market customers, the common wisdom is that digital and social are the ways to go. And that can certainly be the case. Google and Facebook (a client of ours) continue to surpass quarterly earnings expectations and innovate in ways that benefit their clients as well as their bottom line. That said, this ethereal “second life” in which customers spend a majority of their time may create a pendulum swing

backwards and provide opportunities for marketers to physically interact. We recently launched a product called Bodega Media that couldn’t be more traditional in its platform, but is proving remarkably successful for us and our client partners. We offer brands the opportunity to place outdoor art work (printed posters) in up to 30,000 Hispanic-owned retail locations across the country. This physical, even quaint, approach can pay major dividends. There is no app, Tweet, Post or Snap that can rival staring at a physical brand message from two feet away as you wait in line to buy your toothpaste. This isn’t to say digital marketing won’t grow in importance long into the future. The evolution of media and entertainment has proven an enormous boon to marketers, businesses, customers and society overall. But it’s important to remember our very nature will always demand a personal approach, a break from the screen and a little human touch.

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TODAY’S NEWS

WEEK OF THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2016

MIAMI TODAY

Two lots to yield tower in tough Edgewater site By John Charles Robbins

Two adjacent 5,000-square-foot lots in Miami’s Edgewater neighborhood will be joined for a new mixed-use residential building, tucked behind an existing waterfront condo tower. Developer One World Miami Realty LLC plans to construct Ellipsis at 702 and 708 NE 26th St. The project is designed at 13 stories, providing 34 residential units, about 800 square feet of ground floor commercial space, and parking for 47 vehicles on the first four floors. The city’s Urban Development Review Board recommended approval of the project with a condition to work with the planning department in reevaluating the proposed façade screening. “It is an excellent example of how a small development can be successful in Edgewater,” said attorney Mario Garcia-Serra, representing the developer. The proposed height is 146 feet, 2 inches. Adjacent and to the east is Onyx on The Bay, a 27-story condo built about 10 years ago. In a letter to the city Mr. GarciaSerra said the Ellipsis “will be an exciting new addition at a very agreeable scale, that will contribute towards the great transformation taking place in Edgewater.”

The site has frontage on 26th Street on the block between Biscayne Boulevard and Biscayne Bay. The project involves demolishing two single-family residences to clear the way for the new structure. The developer is requesting several waivers, due in part to the property’s relatively small size and dimensions, according to Mr. Garcia-Serra. Some of the waivers include reduction in rear and side setbacks above the eighth floor; loading and service entries from principal frontage; parking allowed in the second layer; reduction in parking by 30%; reduced driveway width; and an increase in lot coverage from 80% to 88%. Regarding the reduced parking, Mr. Garcia-Serra wrote that the location allows pedestrian-oriented living, especially considering that walking by the building’s residents is made possible by the project’s setting in an urban location with a variety of mixed uses nearby. He told the board that artistic screening materials will cover the parking podium. Architect Kobi Karp presented details of the planned building, which he noted will be one building away from the bay and will have a nice vista to the water. He said the developer saw the site as good for a small boutique build-

Ellipsis, which needs multiple waivers in 13-story tower with 34 residences in fast-changing Edgewater.

ing offering luxury residential units. “I like the building,” said board member JesusA. Permuy, but added he’s concerned with the “intensity of development” and the number of requested waivers in order to make the project work on the smaller site. “What happens if we have 10 buildings like this right next to each other?” asked Mr. Permuy. In regard to the small site, he said the architect did a good job and he called the building attractive. But he called the site “claustrophobic, to say the least,” and he voiced concern about setting a precedent with the number of waivers.

Mr. Garcia-Serra argued in favor of the project, saying the waivers are justified for this site. “It’s a tough site,” said board member Dean Lewis. “It’s an important building – hence the waivers are more than merited here.” Board member Neil Hall said he too was concerned about the number of waivers, “but I recognize the importance of infill.” Mr. Hall said, “Aesthetically … it will be very nice in that area.” While it was Mr. Hall who moved to recommend approval, he voiced some concern about development in Edgewater and its impact on traffic.

In comments directed to planning department staff, Mr. Hall said, “We should really look at that area with a jaundiced eye … it’s incumbent upon us to recognize development impact.” Mr. Hall said it’s important for the staff and the board to encourage projects that make it easier for pedestrians and vehicles to get around. Planner Joseph Eisenberg responded that the staff does try to be sensitive to the idea of greater mobility and cross-block connectivity. He said the state transportation department is doing a traffic study in that area focusing on intersections.

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WEEK OF THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2016

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WEEK OF THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2016

Infrastructure Work on vast I-395 bridge project should start within year By John Charles Robbins

The state transportation department is closer than ever to final plans to improve I-395 and build a new signature bridge spanning Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami. If the current timetable unfolds without unexpected detours, work on the massive project should begin within 12 months. That’s the word from the Florida Department of Transportation. Five firms approved by the state to enter the final phase of the procurement process are currently preparing final details of price proposals. A bid opening is set for spring. A public meeting to announce technical scores and open price proposals is scheduled for April 10, Maria I. Perdomo of the transportation department said this week. She is project manager for the I-395 revamp. The project, which includes improvements to I-95 and 836, has an estimated cost of $800 million and will be accomplished through a team effort. Ms. Perdomo identified the five joint ventures that passed the pass/ fail phase of the Aesthetic Signature Bridge Proposal as: ■Archer Western – de Moya JV

Five competing teams are readying final details of price proposals for the estimated $800 million project.

■Building a New Miami Partners ■Flour-Astaldi-MCM ■Kiewit Granite Construction, a Joint Venture ■Miami Community Builders JV In February, when the transportation department requested proposals concerning procurement for the I-395 / SR 836 / I-95 Reconstruction Project, state officials said they were requesting

proposals from design/build firms. The state is seeking a qualified firm that is experienced in the reconstruction of roadways and bridges and “must have proven ability to deliver a reconstruction project of this magnitude.” The five design/build firms were short-listed this fall. The bulk of the project is to rebuild 1.4 miles of I-395 from the I-95/Midtown interchange to the west channel bridge of the

MacArthur Causeway in Miami. The freeway to be rebuilt is part of State Road 836, known as the Dolphin Expressway. The portion between I-95 and the causeway is designated as I-395 and takes traffic to and from Watson Island and Miami Beach. The total project consists of four components: the I-395 reconstruction; improvements to Miami-Dade Expressway Authority’s SR 83611; I-95 pavement

reconstruction; and the westbound connector. The project involves rebuilding the I-395 corridor to increase capacity and improve safety by eliminating geometric and operational deficiencies. New elevated ramps, one for each of the east and west directions, will provide a direct link between I-95 and I-395. The project includes building a signature bridge over Biscayne Boulevard and enhancing streetscape design under the bridge. Main goals include creating a visually appealing bridge, and building higher structures that will improve visual quality, allowing for multiple activities underneath the bridge. Other improvements include updating the alignment and surface streets; roadway and aesthetic lighting; drainage improvements; Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) elements; bicycle and pedestrian improvements; and improving the area underneath the expressway by providing pedestrian pathways and common activity areas. All of the work is to be completed in five years, according to the state.

Lease talks go on for water park, hotel on Zoo Miami land By Camila Cepero

Just under three months ago, the US Fish and Wildlife Service announced it was listing the Miami tiger beetle as endangered, and with that, the hazy fate of the Miami Wilds theme park became even hazier. It will be nearly a year before developers learn if the project is deemed to impede the beetle’s disappearing habitat. “The lease negotiations are still on track,” said Paul Lambert, a member of Miami Wilds LLC. “Everyone on the county side, and Miami Wilds of course, is hopeful that the administration can take the item to [the county commission] in early 2017,” Mr. Lambert said. The project has been separated into two smaller projects, each with different components. The first of the two is to be on Zoo Miami property and include a water park, hotel and a small commercial component. The larger vision of the theme park falls into the second project, which is to include the theme park itself, a more sizeable retail component, entertainment, an additional hotel development and some sports-related developments. Initially, both projects were one. Thus, when the concept of two separate projects was introduced, they were still contingent upon one another – there could be no

An early version of the Miami Wilds in South Dade, which has now been separated into two elements.

second project without the first. But developers were able to financially separate the first project from the second, making it possible for the first project to move forward while the second is stuck in limbo. Before the second project could ever move forward, Miami Wilds LLC would need to acquire land – which could potentially contain beetle habitat – to build on. The land itself is currently govern-

ment-owned US Coast Guard land and would only become part of the Miami Wilds project if the Coast Guard were to sell or transfer the land, as is planned. Miami tiger beetles need bare or sparsely vegetated, sandy habitat patches that are found within pine rockland habitat to survive. Habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation have destroyed about 98% of the historical pine rockland habitat

in Miami-Dade County. The Coast Guard land contains pine rocklands, so the sale or transfer of the land would be reviewed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service under the National Environmental Policy Act. The Miami Wilds development footprint was designed to exclusively stay within a mowed grass field on the Coast Guard property and away from any forested area, but now even that plan might be

derailed if tiger beetle habitat is found in the area. There has been no change with the plans for the second project since the beetle’s endangered designation, Mr. Lambert said. Larry Williams, Florida state supervisor for the US Fish and Wildlife Service, previously told Miami Today that the critical habitat designation for the Miami tiger beetle is not part of the endangered species listing at this time but will be proposed later in a separate action. The service anticipates proposing critical habitat for the Miami tiger beetle by September 2017. The project has already been approved for a $13.5 million county Economic Development Fund grant. The first project also will revitalize the zoo’s parking lot, Mr. Lambert said, which currently has no landscaping or lighting, preventing the county from hosting any night-time events. “We’re totally confident in the need for a water park and all of our market analysis show that it will be a great addition in a great place,” he said. “Really, the only water park in South Florida is in Riviera Beach, and it’s a long schlep up to that water park. [Miami Wilds] is a great thing for South Florida, and all projections are showing that it’ll kick it in terms of its ability to perform.”

MIAMI TODAY

INFRASTRUCTURE

WEEK OF THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2016

Downtown to display plan to reduce boulevard driving lanes By Catherine Lackner

With Miami’s Downtown Development Authority unveiling a 20-day demonstration of its Biscayne Green project Jan. 6, transportation and traffic were topics of conversation at Friday’s meeting. “It will show urban place-making right in the middle of Biscayne Boulevard,” said Alyce Robertson, authority executive director. Biscayne Green aims to reduce driving lanes from eight to four or six from Biscayne Boulevard Way to Northeast Eighth Street and replace them with grass, trees, street furniture and other features that will link Biscayne Bay and Bayfront Park to downtown. It is hoped to calm downtown traffic and provide more and safer pedestrian and bike access. Ms. Robertson said she had participated in a roundtable discussion at the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce at which ideas to defeat gridlocked traffic were debated. “I think that, within two years,

‘It will show urban place-making right in the middle of Biscayne Boulevard.’

‘Metrorail getting power from above is a game-changer... all the way to Homestead...’

‘We have great alignment here. We need to support Commissioner Barreiro in this.’

Alyce Robertson

Bruno Barreiro

Neisen Kasdin

we’re going to be in an excellent position,” said board member Bruno Barreiro, who is a MiamiDade County commissioner. “We know we have innovative ways to get funding,” and now a plan to put

transit improvements on six corridors throughout the county. The new chair of the county commission, Esteban “Steve” Bovo Jr., has said that improving transportation is a high priority, Mr. Barreiro added.

A proposal by Alice Bravo, director of the county’s Transportation and Public Works Department, to put Metrorail at grade in certain corridors “is getting a lot of attention,” said authority

board Vice Chair Neisen Kasdin, who is office-managing partner of Akerman LLP. “Metrorail getting power from above is a game-changer,” said Mr. Barreiro, who also serves on the governing board of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority. “We can use those vehicles to go all the way to Homestead, and to the county line” on Northwest 27th Avenue. Mr. Barreiro is “plugged in” to the power structures that can get things done, Mr. Kasdin said, and might be taking on even more responsibility for transit improvements in the future, as chair of the county’s Transit Services and Mobility Committee. “I’ve put my name in the hat,” Mr. Barreiro confirmed. But he said after the meeting that the name and other facets of the committee might change direction with the new commission chair. “We have great alignment here,” Mr. Kasdin said. “We need to support Commissioner Barreiro in this.”

Miami Marine Stadium can be saved, says city-hired architect By John Charles Robbins

Aged, worn and abandoned, Miami Marine Stadium can be saved. That’s the opinion of the head of an architectural firm City of Miami officials plan to hire to help save the waterfront structure. At a meeting of the Virginia Key Advisory Board on Monday night, architect R.J. Heisenbottle was asked if a formal decision had been made that the concrete stadium can be restored. His response to the board: No, there is no formal determination but, in his expert opinion, the battered and graffiti-covered structure can be reborn. “We know from past experience, it is restorable,” Mr. Heisenbottle said. Asked a few minutes later by a different board member about the hoped for renovation, Mr. Heisenbottle said, “There is no question in our mind – [that is] the internal team – it is a very restorable building.” The city shuttered the venue in 1992 in the wake of Hurricane Andrew. Last month, city commissioners approved a $45 million bond proposal to borrow money to fund stadium renovation and improvements, along with other work on the barrier island, most of which is owned by the city. Reaching a formal determination that it can be restored, and how the stadium would be shored up, is basically what is being proposed in a contract with Mr. Heisenbottle’s company, a proposed agreement expected to go to city commissioners next month for a vote. One year ago the city issued a request for qualifications for architectural and engineering services for Marine Stadium restoration. Three firms responded. R.J. HeisenbottleArchitects was ranked the No. 1 proposer and this spring negotiations for a contract began. Those negotiations reached a final proposed professional services agreement this month, according to

Photo by Maxine Usdan

Virginia Key Advisory Board members asked whether decayed Miami Marine Stadium could be salvaged.

staff memos on the matter. The selection committee that ranked Heisenbottle at the top wrote in an assessment: “The committee determined that Heisenbottle has assembled a team of design professionals uniquely qualified to comprehensively perform the required [architectural and engineering services] needed for planning, designing, and managing the construction of the specialty design work required to restore the Miami Marine Stadium to its original condition, for public use.” The committee highlighted the Heisenbottle team’s expertise in design and historical restoration services, specifically on notable structures in and around South Florida, such as the Olympia Theater (formally known as the Gusman Center), Vizcaya Museum & Gardens and the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. “In addition, Heisenbottle’s team includes the architect responsible for the original design of the Miami Marine Stadium when the structure was built in 1963,” the staff assessment reads.

‘We know from past experience, it is restorable.’ R.J. Heisenbottle “The committee members unanimously agreed that Heisenbottle’s team has the most historical restoration experience and presented a proposal specifically suited to meet the unique needs of this iconic project,” it says. Board members did not vote on a recommendation regarding the proposed contract with Heisenbottle, but several members expressed interest in the work and the eventual restoration. The proposed agreement between the city and Heisenbottle says compensation for Phase 1 is not to exceed $1,295,624.81. Phase 1 is described as: pre-design planning and study activities to include a building assessment and recommendations report, building programming, budget cost estimate and documenta-

tion of existing conditions of the structure. Mr. Heisenbottle said his team is made up of “a host of consultants” with expertise in constructional engineering, marine engineering, mechanical and electrical systems, soils, landscaping and more. The advisory board discussed other matters related to the barrier island, including the public marinas, the historic basin, native trees and more. Without a vote, board members agreed that a restored marine stadium needs a marketing and business plan. Board Chairman Greg Bush said he is bothered that not all uses connected to the stadium are being reviewed, including a proposed museum or welcome center, the so-called flex park that hugs the stadium, the marinas and other island uses – “a bigger vision … more than just the building [stadium] itself.” Mr. Heisenbottle said he didn’t disagree that a larger assessment area could be considered, but said

the proposed professional services agreement limits his firm’s involvement in the stadium and abutting bottomlands. A “broader look” could serve everyone well, he said. In 2015, the city spent about $20 million to improve the land and submerged areas hugging the stadium as part of the city’s commitment to allow the Miami International Boat Show to use the so-called flex park and the historic basin for the popular annual event. Blanca Mesa, Sierra Club designee on the board, said it is a problem that certain city officials contemplated the area next to the stadium as event space. “It’s a very big concern. Some envision the area as big green space, while others envision big event space. There is a big conflict,” she said. Some board members have been critical of the city administration for not following through on a promise to turn the land abutting the stadium into a large green area for community activities like soccer once the first boat show there ended in February. Ms. Mesa said she was glad to see movement toward finally restoring the stadium. “We have an obligation to bring it back,” she said. She added that environmental consultants ought to be involved in the stadium restoration in order to protect sensitive areas around the structure. Lighting, potential noise and the impact on marine life should be taken into consideration, she said. Board members also discussed a new name for the area in and around the stadium, which lately has been called the flex park. Esther Alonso-Luft suggested: Miami Marine Stadium Park. “Why complicate it?” Kevin Kirwin, city parks director and ex-officio member of the board, suggested putting more time and thought into renaming the area.

WEEK OF THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2016

TODAY’S NEWS

MIAMI TODAY

Wet slips in historic basin drained from key marina plan By John Charles Robbins

One of the most controversial aspects of plans to redevelop public marinas on Virginia Key – allowing wet slips in the larger historic basin fronting Miami Marine Stadium – is no longer being considered. That was made clear in documents provided to the Virginia Key Advisory Board and reviewed by members Monday. The board is reviewing the latest draft of a request for proposals, or RFP for the redevelopment of the two public marinas on the barrier island. The board was expected to vote on a final recommendation regarding the new RFP, which needs final approval from the city commission. Instead, the board deferred the matter to a special meeting in early January. No date was set, but the meeting could be Jan. 4-6 or 9-11. The goal is to meet and vote on a recommendation before the city commission’s first meeting of the year Jan. 12. Miami officials are preparing to request new proposals to redevelop and manage city-owned marinas on Virginia Key. The first request in 2015 drew three bids. After controversy and a bid protest, commissioners rejected all three and began from scratch. Some residents fear over-development of the key that links Key Biscayne to the mainland. In the previous RFP, in an effort to boost potential revenue the city allowed developers to expand the marina uses, including new wet slips established in the larger basin. As that bidding process was unraveling at a series of meetings this year, it became clear that advisory board members, city commissioners and members of the public strongly opposed wet slips in the basin. Opponents had different reasons; some fearing harm to marine life and the area’s ecology, while others said an established wet slips marina could impact water-borne events in the basin, referring to the early years when speed boat races were held there. The topic of wet slips was on the mind of advisory board members last month as they dissected the parts of the new RFP.

Photo by Maxine Usdan

Rickenbacker Marina is one of two that would be redeveloped under a plan headed to city commissioners.

Before Monday’s meeting, board members got a report from city staff listing comments and concerns raised about the latest draft and responses to each. Jacqueline Lorenzo, a property management specialist with the city, wrote the responses and was on hand Monday. Wet slips came up several times. One board member had commented: “While it is technically correct that the property which is the subject of the RFP does not include the [historic] basin, the bidders in Round 1 sought to put slips in the historic basin. Let’s cut that off at the outset in this RFP.” Ms. Lorenzo’s response reads: “The RFP will be revised throughout to indicate that no slips will be permitted within the historic basin.” The report, which points out aspects of the new RFP, does say the city is retaining the right to create a mooring field within the basin later on. Blanca Mesa, Sierra Club designee on the board, challenged this notation in addressing Daniel Rotenberg, director of the city’s Department of Real Estate and Asset Management and an exofficio member of the board. He was adamant and said several times that wet slips in the basin are not a part of the new request for proposals. When Ms. Mesa brought up the city retaining the right to create a mooring field within the historic larger basin, Mr.

Rotenberg said it is not part of new RFP. He said procurement law requires the city to add that language in any agreements, and as for the mooring fields “we’re contemplating it.” Mr. Rotenberg said the new RFP does not include an expansion of the marinas on cityowned property northwest of Marine Stadium. The project would entail redevelopment of Rickenbacker Marina, currently operated by a private company, and Marine Stadium Marina operated by the city. Ms. Mesa and Mr. Rotenberg argued about several items, including seagrass mitigation, dredging, the commercial portion of a redeveloped marina and trees. Mr. Rotenberg said mangroves are not native to the island. Ms. Mesa disagreed strongly. “What is the source … that is quite an astounding comment,” she said. “It’s in here,” said an aggravated Mr. Rotenberg. “It’s a little bit insulting to listen to this,” he added. Mr. Rotenberg mentioned more than once the vast time and effort already spent in the city’s move to get a new operator for the Rickenbacker Marina and its dry dock marina next door. He expressed frustration in answering questions about the RFP process that he feels have been long answered, including why the proposed lease of the city marinas is for 75 years. That point came up again

Monday, from community activist Grace Solares, and Mr. Rotenberg said it is the minimum duration for a lease that will rely on a developer seeking financial backing for a project. He said 75 years is the threshold for financial institutions being comfortable in lending money for projects. Mr. Rotenberg interrupted Ms. Mesa several times during a long back-and-forth session that was finally halted by Board Chairman Greg Bush, who asked if any other board members wanted to comment on the latest RFP. Any proposed lease of the city-owned waterfront has to be approved by the elected city commissioners, and ultimately by city voters. City officials have reminded commissioners and advisory board members that the city is aiming to get the matter before voters in November 2017. In order to make that happen, the new request for proposals needs to be issued soon because the process of reviewing the bids and selecting a winning proposer takes many months. When the 2015 bid process crumbled, city officials asked for a study regarding the feasibility of the city itself redeveloping and operating the two marinas. CBRE Valuation & Advisory Services conducted the study and recommended the city not take the risk of redeveloping and managing the marinas. CBRE analyzed the potential redevelopment of Rickenbacker

and Marine Stadium marinas by either the city or the private sector. The firm’s conclusion: “In our opinion, there is a very high risk of financial loss to the city associated with hidden costs and a very lengthy permitting process associated with the redevelopment of the south basin and the development of the [larger] north basin. Based on these risk factors alone, it is our opinion that the city should not undertake the risks and unknown costs associated with attempting to develop and operate the subject. Rather, the private sector is better suited to redevelop based upon their marina specific experience and expertise.” The conclusion was rooted in part in the potential high cost of dredging and mitigation as part of redeveloping both the larger marina and smaller Marine Stadium Marina. On Monday, Mr. Bush asked if it’s too late to revisit the idea of the city operating the marinas. He also wondered how out-of-date the marinas are, asking “how desperate are we to upgrade?” Mr. Bush suggested not being in a hurry to decide the fate of the marinas. “We’d be happy to look at it again, although we’ve been vetting this for a very long time,” said Mr. Rotenberg, who said a delay now would simply kick the can down the road and the city would lose another year. “It’s not beneficial to the city,” Mr. Rotenberg told Mr. Bush. “I’m adamant that we do it right this time,” responded Mr. Bush. Ms. Mesa also suggested taking more time to evaluate the best use of city-owned lands on the key. Resident Miriam Merino, founder of Brickell Watch, complained of pollution in the bay and of the complexity of what the city is trying to do on Virginia Key. In regard to proposals for new marinas and luxury stores allowed on the island, Ms. Merino said, “I trust this board will help us – the public.” She said the island should not be handed over to special interests and rich boaters. “It’s for the people,” she said.

Disadvantaged 79th Street corridor new foreign trade zone By Camila Cepero

The Foreign Trade Zone Board and PortMiami Foreign Trade Zone have announced approval for the 79th Street Corridor Initiative to operate as a foreign trade zone. It is among the first designations nationwide for an economically disadvantaged urban area. The 79th Street Corridor Initiative, according to its website, is an effort to transform MiamiDade County’s 79th Street from a fragmented set of residential, commercial and industrial sites with a reputation as dangerous and undesirable into a community of choice for people to live, work and visit.

The foreign trade zone deal had been in the works for a year and a half, said Ron Butler, executive director of the 79th Street Corridor. Gary Goldfarb, chief strategy office of Interport Consulting and the consultant for the project, said in a statement that the approval is the first of its kind as the zone’s operator, the 79th Street Corridor Initiative, is a not-for-profit corporation. The designation is rare, Mr. Butler said, because most foreign trade zones are controlled by individual companies, forprofit enterprises or public entities. “This is the only foreign trade zone we’re aware of that a non-

Gary Goldfarb consulted on plans.

profit organization is developing and controlling,” he said. Foreign trade zones lure businesses because the sites allow goods to be unloaded, manu-

factured, reassembled, tested, sampled, processed, repacked and re-exported without the intervention of US customs authorities. Zone users pay no duties on re-exports, while customs duties and federal excise taxes are deferred on imports, and duties are eliminated on waste, scrap and rejected or defective parts. By reducing costs, businesses can become more globally competitive. Foreign and domestic merchandise handled within a foreign trade zone is considered to be outside the country because, typically, goods are only subjected to customs duties when they are being moved to consumers

inside the US. The 79th Street Corridor application also includes Leasa Industries, a local food manufacturer that has operated within the 79th Street district since 1977. “They’re the first beneficiary,” Mr. Butler said. “It’s a benefit for them particularly, but over time the warehouses that we’re going to eventually build will attract foreign companies.” The development of those warehouse facilities, as well as the development of a business plan by the Foreign Trade Zone Board, will be the next step in the designation. Mr. Butler said he expects the warehouses to start appearing in the next two to three years.

WEEK OF THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2016

MIAMI TODAY

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