Miami Today: Week of Thursday, December 24, 2015

WEEK OF THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2015

A Singular Voice in an Evolving City

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More digital media firms call Miami home, pg. 13 THE SHOW GOES ON: Miami commissioners approved an agreement for continued management of city-owned Tower Theater in Little Havana. Miami Dade College has run the iconic theater at 1508 SW Eighth St. as a multi-screen movie theater. In 2001 the city sought letters of interest to operate the theater. The college ranked highest of five respondents, and on Jan. 2, 2002, commissioners authorized a management agreement with the college. The agreement expired in April 2012, with the college remaining month to month.

The new five-year agreement has options to extend for two more five-year periods. The college won’t pay to use the theater. Last fall, commissioners agreed to spend about $140,300 to repair the theater, one of Miami’s oldest cultural landmarks, known for a 40-foot steel tower. Opened in December 1926, it was considered the finest state-of-the-art theater in the South and later was a gathering place for cultural connections in Little Havana. The theater closed in 1984 but was remodeled under city ownership in 2002 and turned over to the college under the management agreement.

Drones hovering on skyline lure to entrepreneurs, pg. 16

THE ACHIEVER

HEMLINES AND DEADLINES: The county’s Economic Prosperity Committee approved giving couturier Naeem Khan an eight-month extension to complete permitting for construction of a design studio and manufacturing facility on the Miami River. His NKMIA LLC has a long-term lease for county-owned property at 1175 NW South River Drive where the well-known fashion designer plans to build and operate headquarters for products under his brand. On Dec. 2, the county commission approved the lease, requiring KNMIA LLC to proceed with construction no later than June 12, 2016, and provide the county with plans, specifications and permits no later than April 12, 2016. However, the company expressed concern about its ability to meet deadlines due to unanticipated delays. If approved by the full commission, the lease would require NKMIA to proceed with construction on Feb. 12, 2017, and provide the county with its plans and permits on Dec. 12, 2016.

DOMINICAN TRADE TRIP: The Florida Foreign Trade Association is heading a four-day trade trip to the Dominican Republic from March 811. The cost is $2,018 for members, $2,068 for others. The mission is organized by the Alliance to Promote International Trade with the cooperation of the US Commercial Service Office and AMCHAM D.R. Details: (305) 471-0737 or info@ffta.com.

Photo by Marlene Quaroni

Madeline Pumariega

Hialeah native is chancellor of Florida College System The profile is on Page 4

Zapata to mayor: sharing isn’t fair, oust fair now

BY SUSAN DANSEYAR

Commissioner Juan Zapata has lambasted Mayor Carlos Gimenez for considering that Florida International University and the county Youth Fair share the fair’s Tamiami Park site and urged the mayor to instead push a total FIU takeover. The administration replied that Mr. Zapata is ignoring key facts.

Mr. Zapata’s Dec. 17 memo urged Mr. Gimenez to strongly oppose any idea for the two to share the site and to “immediately take steps toward supporting the expansion of FIU on the fairgrounds as dictated by voters.”

But that statement disregards a vital part of a question voters approved in 2014, according to Michael Spring, senior advisor to the mayor who is leading the effort to resolve the dispute between FIU and the fair. Voters did approve making it legal for FIU to expand at the fair site to build housing, parking, research and academic facilities but did not mandate expansion and said no county funds could be used for that or to relocate the fair.

“The mayor is trying to protect the tax-

AGENDA

payers from a potentially enormous financial consequence,” Mr. Spring told Miami Today on Tuesday. “The fair’s lease [through 2040 with extensions until 2085] states if it must relocate, it can only be after three years notice to an equal or better site in every way.”

The fair’s lease that county commissioners approved in 1993 states the alternate site would have to include adequate parking and highway access.

Moreover, if the county breaks the agreement for the fair’s use of a portion of Tamiami Park during the lease period, it would have to pay for all moving and site improvements.

“Costs will vary, based on the site, and were not broken down at the time of the referendum,” Mr. Spring said. “We asked FIU to agree to cover the relocation costs but the school, understandably, is cautious about doing that.”

He said the administration has a complex issue to resolve and is working hard to see if anything can work.

It seems that’s news to Mr. Zapata. In his memo to Mr. Gimenez, he said it is “difficult to understand why your administration

has allowed the eighth largest public university to take a back seat to the selfish interests of a three-week county fair” and the “fair’s delay tactics and [the mayor’s] lack of strong leadership on this issue are no longer acceptable” to him as the area’s commissioner.

Mr. Zapata also said FIU worked with the county to find alternative sites suitable for a fair and exposition but a number “were rejected despite their absolute viability.”

The mayor has not ruled out any proposed site, Mr. Spring said.

An FIU expansion is estimated to bring $900 million in construction with a total impact of $1.8 million, Mr. Zapata said.

“How can we possibly ignore this for so long?” he asked in his letter to the mayor.

“Your administration continues to support the creation of low-paying jobs while squandering incredible opportunities to create high-paying jobs that would result from FIU’s expansion.”

Mayor Gimenez certainly understands that FIU’s expansion is important for the economy and favors it, Mr. Spring said.

“We are committed to seeking a solution.”

In rebound, jobs shatter five records Employment shattered all sorts of records in Miami-Dade in November, including the most non-farm workers ever.

Other job records set included the most workers ever in four broad employment sectors: leisure and hospitality, education and health services, professional and business services, and a service sector that the US Bureau of Labor Statistics labels simply “other services.”

The bureau released the figures last week as it listed 73,500 people still jobless in the county, a 5.5% unemployment rate. Both figures had fallen far. In November 2014, county unemployment was 77,853 persons, or 5.8%. But it was 129,595 unemployed and 10.5% jobless in November 2010.

The leisure and hospitality sector has been blazing hot for years, growing 6,600 jobs in the past year, a 5% gain to a record high of 139,100 workers in the sector in November.

Education and health services gained 3,800 jobs over the year, setting a new county mark of 174,700 jobs.

Professional and business services gained 2,600 jobs to 159,700 from November 2014 to this November, also reaching a new high in workers.

And the “other services category gained 1.1% over the oneyear period to a record 51,900 jobs.

In financial activities, the county added 1,800 jobs in the 12 months to reach 79,100, according to the federal agency, just 400 shy of the county’s alltime high in October, roaring back from 64,800 in January 2010 in the aftermath of the national economic plunge.

“We continue to see growing interest in Miami from companies wanting to do business with the banks in our community,” said Larry K. Williams, president and CEO of job-development partnership the Beacon Council.

In all, the Beacon Council said, the county added 18,100 nonagricultural payroll jobs from November 2014 to November 2015.

PLAN FOR SIGNATURE BRIDGE DOWNTOWN QUESTIONED ...

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RUSSIAN CHAMBER EYES TRADE TRIPS COMING, GOING ...

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COUNTY PUTS NEW USE FOR PORT LAND ON FAST TRACK ...

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SOCCER UNLIKELY TO KICK APART PROPERTY VALUES ...

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VIEWPOINT: PROJECTS NEAR TRANSIT STATIONS VITAL ...

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SCOTT’S GRANT-INCENTIVE FUND PLAN SPLITS COUNTY ...

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FLAGLER STREET RENOVATIONS TO START IN JANUARY ...

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2.3 MILLION TRAVELERS FACING HOLIDAY CRUSH HOURS ... 23

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MIAMI TODAY

TODAY’S NEWS

WEEK OF THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2015

THE INSIDER RECORD-BREAKING REAL ESTATE: Miami-Dade County’s real estate market is closing out the year strong, quickly approaching a record-breaking number of single-family home re-sales. The county is on pace to break its all-time annual record for the fifth consecutive year, the Miami Association of Realtors reported. Through November, the MiamiDade market had sold 12,857 existing homes this year – decidedly close to last year’s record of 13,521. The existing condo market is also buzzing.

With a total of 14,770 transactions this year, the association predicted the market will finish with the third-most sales in Miami history. Two years ago, 17,142 sales were recorded – an all-time-high followed by 16,409 sales in 2014.

BRAZIL, VENEZUELA TOP LIST: Brazil continues to be the leading nation for consumers searching online for South Florida real estate, according to the Miami Association of Realtors. The top five nations in October were Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina and India. India jumped from its No. 7 spot in September, while Israel, which was the fourth nation with the most consumers searching for local real estate online that month, did not make it to the top 10 in October. Interest grew from the United Kingdom and Spain, which were ranked No. 9 and 10, respectively.

“Wishbone” design for a bridge to carry I-395 through downtown Miami, a project funded since 1996.

FIU TRUSTEE CHAIR: Claudia Puig, senior vice president and general manager of Univision, has been elected chair of the Florida International University Board of Trustees.

She had been vice chair. She replaces Albert Maury, president and CEO of Leon Medical Centers Health Plans, who was elected chair in 2011 and is leaving the board after eight years when his term ends in January.

Should Baylink get cash earmarked for $800 million bridge downtown?

HERE COMES THE SUN: The Miami Parking Authority will consider proposals to light lots and garages with solar power. In December, the authority’s Claudia Puig board authorized a request for bids to provide and install solar lighting at some authority-owned or operated parking facilities. “The plan is to cut down on some of our energy costs,” said Rolando G. Tapanes, authority director of Planning & Development.

Submissions are due at the authority’s Procurement Department, 40 NW Third St., Suite 1103, no later than 10 a.m. Jan. 8. Firms may pick up a copy of the request for proposals at authority offices. Proposers must have at least five years in the industry and expertise in solar lighting. An authority selection committee will recommend an award that the parking board will consider.

ROWING CLUB LEASE: The Miami Rowing Club won a few more years at its prime location on Virginia Key. Miami commissioners approved a five-year renewal of a license agreement with the club, Miami Rowing and Watersports Center Inc., to keep using 3.44 city-owned acres at 3601 Rickenbacker Causeway. The club has provided water recreation and education there while paying the city $2,000 a month and 12% of gross revenues. The renewal extends the agreement to Sept. 30, 2020. In addition, the city will waive six months of the club’s use fee through February 2016 totaling $14,500 due to ongoing construction of a flex park around Miami Marine Stadium that has resulted in an economic hardship on club, according to a staff memo. The Miami International Boat Show will be held on the park space Feb. 11-15. As a result of its extension, the club will pay an increased monthly use fee of $2,500, plus state use tax and an additional increased percentage fee of 13% of monthly gross revenues.

AIR TRAVEL SOARS: Aviation officials are forecasting more than 2.3 million passengers at Miami International Airport in the 17-day holiday travel period ending Jan. 6, up 3% over last year. The busiest three days are forecast to be the first Saturday, Sunday and Monday of 2016.

NEW REAL ESTATE TIES: The Miami Association of Realtors signed new agreements with six international real estate associations, bringing the association’s total of international partnerships to 136. The new ties come from associations spanning the globe: Ecuador, El Salvador, Greece, Israel, Mexico and Paraguay. The new agreements aim to further strengthen foreign buying activity in Miami and South Florida, the association said in a press release.

‘EVERYTHING SMELLS LIKE ROSES’: Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser Pedro Garcia has high hopes for Miami property values in the coming year. “Everything smells like roses,” Mr. Garcia said. “It’s looking good.” In the past year, average taxable values in the county rose 9.4% from 2014. Mr. Garcia expects a similar increase in 2016. “Values will continue to go up; at least in the market with condos close to the water,” he said.

FLUSHED WITH SUCCESS: The Pit Stop Program Pedro Garcia sponsored by Miami’s Downtown Development Authority and the City of Miami “has been tremendously successful in providing a clean and safe public restroom option in downtown Miami,” the authority said last week. During the first month, the portable bathrooms were used 1,052 times. Uses increased to 1,330 in the second month. Over a six-month period, public waste decreased 57%, from 100 instances in May to 43 incidents in November. “The Miami DDA Services Team reports fewer human waste complaints from residents and businesses,” the authority said.

BY CATHERINE LACKNER

Francis Suarez, Miami commissioner and vice chair of the Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Transit Solutions Committee, may have taken aim at a sacred cow last week when he suggested a longanticipated project be sidetracked and the funding diverted.

“The city has been pushing for a signature bridge on I-395, which will cost $800 million,” he told fellow committee members. The Florida Department of Transportation has committed to funding it, but Mr. Suarez questioned its importance.

Having driven across the bridge recently, “There’s nothing particularly wrong with it,” he said. “It’s not a bottleneck and it doesn’t need to be done right away.”

That $800 million would pay for Miami and Miami Beach’s portion, and half of Miami-Dade

County’s portion, of the Baylink system to connect the two cities across Biscayne Bay, he said.

“I look at this as an antiparochial idea,” Mr. Suarez said, noting that the signature bridge would be entirely in the City of Miami. “This is looking more on a regional level.”

The project was fully funded in 1996, said Javier Rodriguez, executive director of the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority. “It is just to replace what’s there, nothing fancy. The bridge has multiple practical and structural deficiencies, he said.

“There is no continuous through lane; you have to keep merging and weaving, and that’s an accident waiting to happen.”

The authority is not contributing to the bridge re-do, which he estimates will cost about $600 million, but is making improvements to State Road 836 from Northwest 17th Avenue to I-95, which will cost about $160 million.

MIAMI AREA ELECTRIC COSTS Per kWH $0.14

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Traffic planners briefly considered taking the road underground, which would free up more space in the current Museum Park, but that idea was rejected, Mr. Rodriguez said.

“The reality of it is that every time a project is de-funded, our monies are taken to another part of state,” said Maurice Ferre, committee member and former Miami mayor. Projects are frequently shelved for political reasons, he said, after having gone through years of vetting by various agencies, including the Metropolitan Planning Organization.

“In each case, what happened to the money? It wasn’t left here.”

“I’m a bird-in-the-hand kind of guy,” said Dennis Moss, committee chair and Miami-Dade County commissioner. Despite the commitment from the state transportation agency, “We have to find the funding for all of our projects.

Everybody is trying to cooperate, and that’s a good thing.”

“This is a call for ideas,” Mr. Suarez said. “This is not about killing a project. But if it was funded in ’96 and is still not done, there’s a problem. The people of Overtown would much prefer a park that is double in size than what we have to a signature bridge they get nothing out of.”

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Electric rates 13% under US levels

South Florida households paid an average of 11.6 cents per kilowatt hour of electricity in November, up from 11 cents in November 2014, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported last week.

The 11.6 per kilowatt hour that residents of Miami-Dade, PLANNING ON TRANSITION: It’s official: Aileen Boucle is the Broward and Palm Beach counties paid in November was Metropolitan Planning Organization’s new executive director. “I’ve said that this is the most important 13.4% less than the nationwide decision for this board to make, in light of all the issues average of 13.4 cents. In Nowere dealing with,” said Jean Monestime, planning vember 2014, the region’s elecorganization chair, Miami-Dade commissioner and tricity costs were 17.9% below chair of the county commission. “We have great days the national average, the bureau ahead of us, now that we have a captain that will help reported. steer the ship.” He thanked the selection committee, The South Florida price of which spend almost a year on the process, and urged Jean Monestime electricity in November was at fellow members of the governing board to ratify the least 10% less than the national contract presented to them. “I can’t wait to sign it,” Mr. Monestime said. average in four of the past five Ms. Boucle starts Jan. 4.

years, the bureau found.

The US Energy Information Administration reported that in September electricity prices for all of Florida were 33rd highest in the nation at $11.81 per kilowatt hour. The nation’s lowest at the time was Washington State, at $9.36 per kilowatt hour.

Highest was Hawaii at $28.52.

The Energy Information Administration says electricity makes up 90% of household energy use in Florida. It found that the total cost of household energy in Florida was second lowest in the US, averaging $3,375. The lowest was New York at $3,350 per household, while the highest was North Dakota at $10,540.

Staff Writers: Susan Danseyar sdanseyar@miamitodaynews.com John Charles Robbins jrobbins@miamitodaynews.com Carla Vianna cvianna@miamitodaynews.com Letters to Editor editor@miamitodaynews.com People Column people@miamitodaynews.com Michael Lewis mlewis@miamitodaynews.com

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WEEK OF THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2015

TODAY’S NEWS

MIAMI TODAY

3

Downtown agency told to seek traffic solutions

BY CATHERINE LACKNER

The southwest corner of the Port of Miami, in foreground, is a topic of talk between the city and the county.

Vacant port land ‘on fast track’

BY CATHERINE LACKNER

A campaign by Miami’s Downtown Development Authority to block any competing use on the county-owned southwest corner of Dodge Island, near PortMiami, seems to be gaining traction.

Ken Russell, new authority chair and Miami commissioner, told the authority’s board on Friday that he had met with county Mayor Carlos Gimenez to discuss new ideas for the 17acre tract of developable land, which has sat idle for at least several years.

“It seems to be on a fast track, so the mayor’s office reached out to us,” Mr. Russell explained.

“Reading between the lines, they seem to be asking what it would take to for us to agree for something to be put there.”

A convention center has been proposed but Miami Mayor “Tomás Regalado vehemently rejects anything that would compete with downtown,” Mr. Russell said, referring to Miami’s mayor.

“We can’t have anything there that would cannibalize downtown,” said authority vice chair Neisen Kasdin, who is officemanaging shareholder of the Akerman law firm.

Because of a reverter clause in the agreement the county signed with the City of Miami when the city handed over the port land decades ago, any use for the tract must be marine-related.

A ferry service to and from Cuba would satisfy that requirement and could be very successful, suggested board member Rolando Montoya. It would also take advantage of interest in the island, which peaked when the US government announced a thawing of relations. “We never had ferry service from Miami to Cuba before,” said Dr. Montoya, who is provost of Miami Dade College.

Authority members have long objected to office space, hotels, retail or any use that would duplicate what’s offered downtown. They backed a plan by a group of investors led by former British star David Beckham to put a soccer stadium there, but

the deal fell apart.

In August, MITC-2015 approached County Commissioner Bruno Barreiro, in whose district the port lies, with plans to put a $240 million maritime center on 8.69 acres there, but the county’s Trade and Tourism Committee refused to endorse the plan, saying the competitive bid process had not been followed.

Estimates were that the project would pump $56 million into county coffers in lease payments and taxes over 10 years. Mr. Barreiro, who also is a member of the downtown authority, said at that time that the overall economic impact would be $700 million to the county as a whole, including 5,700 new jobs for residents.

The Trade and Tourism Committee refused to recommend the MITC2015 proposal, but said it would start an “expedited” competitive process that would include it and any other proposals.

It also asked the county’s legal department for clarification on the port land reverter clause.

Traffic is the topic on everyone’s mind now, it seems.

At least one director of Miami’s Downtown Development Authority wants the agency to focus more on solutions.

“There’s been a new wave in the past 12 months, a new push,” said board member Alan Ojeda, who is president of Rilea Development Group. “We can be a voice for transportation.” He hailed the appointment of Alice Bravo as director of county transportation and transit, but said “the only thing that’s happening is private,” Alan Ojeda referring to All Aboard Florida’s planned passenger service from Miami to Orlando.

“I second Alan’s opinion,” said authority Vice Chair Neisen Kasdin, who is the office managing shareholder of the Akerman law firm. “We don’t have enough connection to our neighbors.”

The authority’s 2009 master plan identified key priorities, including a Baylink connection from Miami to Miami Beach, a Miami streetcar project and other goals, Mr. Kasdin said. “I’m disappointed that Miami and Miami Beach are not really cooperating on Baylink.”

The transportation issue “is always alive,” said board member Jerome Hollo, who is vice president of Florida East Coast Realty and head of the authority’s urban design, transportation and capital improvements committee.

Eric Riel, leader of the authority’s planning, design and transportation team, said plans

are afoot to invite Ms. Bravo to the committee’s meeting, but the authority wanted to wait until she had a chance to settle into the new position. Charles Scurr, executive director of the Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust, will also speak to the committee, he added.

“Rest assured this is an important issue and a huge push of this agency,” said Alyce Robertson, authority executive director. She added that the authority had been instrumental in extending Metromover service during Art Basel, and that a new Metrorail express route exists, running from the Dadeland South station with no stops until it reaches downtown. Trolley service has also been expanded throughout the city, Mr. Hollo said.

“Let’s prioritize and put a time line into place,” said board member Alicia Cervera Jr., who is managing partner of Cervera Real Estate. She also suggested adding the openings of bridges across the Miami River – long an impediment to drivers – to the mix.

“Let’s set some goals and landmarks,” said Ken Russell, authority chair and Miami commissioner. While canvassing voters during his recent campaign for commission office, he said, “Traffic was the No. 1 thing I heard. It should be top-of-mind.

Miami is an infant in public transportation compared to other cities.”

But, Mr. Kasdin warned, “a patchwork approach is not going to be successful, as our energies will be diverted. We need to focus on the game-changers,” which include bringing Tri-Rail into downtown Miami. “We shouldn’t spend our energy on half measures.”

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MIAMI TODAY

VIEWPOINT

WEEK OF THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2015

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

Projects around stations as vital as the trains themselves Two heartening reports in Miami Today last week focused on projects planned around Metrorail stations.

Unfortunately, most remain just plans rather than apartments, condos, retail and offices. Michael Lewis As auto traffic overwhelms Miami-Dade, developments near transit offer two hopes of relief.

First, residents around stations will disproportionately use transit, not cars.

Second, workplaces in transit station nodes will let more and more residents work near home, again reducing reliance on automobiles.

But as our reports last week point out, while interest in developing near transit is booming, not much has yet translated into brick and mortar.

That’s important, because our hyperdevelopment cycle is nearing an end, as such booms have since Miami was founded 119 years ago. Both commercial and residential starts are slowing. For evidence, look at downtown’s skyline, which a year ago was solid construction cranes. Most are gone.

That’s neither good nor bad. Some development will continue, but the pace is slowing. That pace will accelerate again, but nobody knows when.

What is certain is that development around transit is healthy for Miami but won’t rise at the speed and volume we want unless it’s also healthy for developers – that is, profitable.

What should also be obvious is that the more transit we connect in a system –

Photo by Maxine Usdan

Brickell City Centre workers incorporate the Eighth Street Metromover station in July.

though it may be multiple modes – the more opportunities for transit development and the more valuable each transit development site becomes. With more transit lines we will add people who can easily reach each stop and at the same time add places those transit-using residents can work, shop or visit.

That’s why plans for rail links to west and south Miami-Dade on CSX tracks are so appealing: they can broadly add connectivity with a quick start-up. After all, the right-of-way and tracks are waiting.

A Tri-Rail link downtown now awaiting its infusion of state funds is another quick addition, with the same benefits. All Aboard Florida’s Brightline linking West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale to Miami is a similar increase in connectivity.

Each of these additions seems anywhere from quite possible to nearly a sure thing. Together they will add users of present rail lines and offer more transit-oriented sites along their routes.

These will be much more important to

L ETTERS Why I voted no on Paseo This letter is in reference to your Dec. 17 article “Reaction mixed as Gables Ok’s shorter Paseo de la Riviera.” The reporting of the commission’s action in approving the Paseo project failed to reflect that the final vote was 4 “yeas” and one “nay.” I, with good cause, voted “no.”

In my eight months serving as commissioner, I have consistently held the position that while appropriate commercial development can bring benefits to our city, we need to enforce our current zoning code (which was thoughtfully updated about a decade ago with much input from all segments of the community).

I have been equally consistent in urging that we should not abridge the height and mass constraints of the current code on a case-by-case basis at the urging of the individual developers. Such an approach is not good planning and will end with a “hodgepodge” effect eventually dampening the luster of the “Gables” brand.

Also of importance in my consideration was the widespread opposition proffered by the homeowners in the adjoining neighborhoods who are fearful that the project, as approved, will harm their quality of life and reduce the

younger households, who are far more likely to live near transit, use it and fill in the gaps on foot or bicycle. You now can’t pry many Miamians out of cars, but that will diminish with each passing day, making transit both more vital and more attractive to developers.

That’s why county action last week to push ahead a Coconut Grove Metrorail Station lease for apartments, retail, offices and a hotel is so vital. It’s been in the works over a decade and now appears near reality.

Reconnecting America, which pushes nationally for transit-oriented growth, lists barriers to this kind of development where population is dense rather than where urban sprawl ensures more and more automobile rather than transit use.

On that barrier list are high land costs near transit, the complexity of mixing uses, lack of infrastructure (a plague in Miami), the difficulty of revitalizing areas without forcing out current residents, the high cost of providing affordable housing, neighborhood opposition,

TO THE

E DITOR

less than a waiter, and they earn tips, and I do not want anyone on the board to make any tips.”

I know that people sometimes are Have an opinion against this readjustment, because of on an issue of importance? the money spent in the campaigns to be elected. For many years I have been Send your letter to editor@miami saying that Miami-Dade County’s 13 todaynews.com, with Letter to the commissioners need to earned a decent Editor on the topic line. salary to be able to perform 100% in value of their lifetime investments in their functions without distractions. their homes.

Jose “Pepe” Cancio If we have valid reasons for revising our code, it should be done in an organized and inclusive manner to carry out a vision for the future of Coral Gables that is embraced by its residents.

Pay county commissioners more?

Jeannett Slesnick Absolutely. HOWEVER, and that is a big however.

We voted to raise the City of Miami commissioners’ pay, but they still retain their status as part-time jobs and they all You are 150% right about paying have the same outside interests that we county commissioners more. Before I expected to be relinquished when we was appointed, twice, to the Board of voted for the pay raise.

The reason you want to raise their pay County Commissioners of Miami-Dade County in 2002, I was wondering how is to keep them away from the outside come these elected officials were earn- interests. That’s got to be written into ing $ 6,000 a year. To me this was a joke. the contract, that they have no outside In my almost seven months on the interests.

When that was suggested in the last board, sometime I made these comments, that maybe still are in record: City of Miami District 5 race to the “You people are making $2.88 per hour, candidates, only one or two of them

Make Your Views Known

Pay commissioners more, but demand full-time work

Pay commissioners to do jobs without distractions

and lack of government policies that support transit-oriented developments.

Miami itself is further handicapped by lack of a full transit system, weather that impedes even a short walk to a train in summer rain and baking sun, and officials who give such developments low priority or squabble over who will get the right to develop government sites.

Developers after all have an overarching motivation: profit. They might have great aims to help a neighborhood and reduce traffic, but in the end if government makes a project too costly or difficult they’ll go elsewhere.

Elected officials do have powerful tools to encourage transit-oriented development as they simultaneously add to the transit system, with incentives such as waiving development impact fees and reduced required parking.

What officials can’t do is have it two ways: seek development near transit while squeezing developers so much that they raise costs and make transit area projects uneconomical.

We’re about to see a unique transitoriented project in action as Swire brings on line its Brickell City Centre, which connects housing, offices and a vast retail complex directly with the Brickell Metromover loop and is within a short walk of Metrorail.

Last week’s Grove transit agreement was a good further step in transit-oriented projects.

Next up will be striking a deal to add rail on CSX tracks and cementing TriRail’s downtown link. When those are firm, transit development plans will build ridership, ease auto traffic and hasten development of a Baylink to Miami Beach.

Make no mistake: transit additions require vital development at stations as much as they need governmental support to get them rolling successfully.

were willing to commit to change their status from part-time to full-time job and they would relinquish outside interests and employment.

As a matter of fact, the current District 5 commissioner stated he wanted to keep his outside interests. Those outside interests do not benefit the citizens. They benefit developers and all of the cronies that pay money to get these people elected.

Skip Van Cel

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WEEK OF THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2015

MIAMI TODAY

13

Technology More digital media, tech-minded firms calling Miami home

BY CARLA VIANNA

While Viacom International Studios gears up for the inauguration of its 88,000-square-foot production facility in downtown Miami, Miami Dade College’s new animation studio MAGIC is ready to welcome its second wave of students this spring.

The business community aims to harness local talent as digital media companies and a slew of tech-minded businesses are increasingly calling Miami home.

“There is a growth in the industry,” said Jaap Donath with the Beacon Council. “A lot of things are happening in the ecosystem.”

As the senior VP of research and strategic planning of the public-private organization that seeks to add jobs in MiamiDade County, Mr. Donath keeps track of companies coming in and out of town. While the “digital media” category has yet to be specifically defined and lives fluidly among Miami’s expanding information technology, entertainment and media industries, Mr. Donath listed off examples pointing to its growth.

First, he said, is MAGIC. Miami’s newest animation studio, the Miami Animation and Gaming International Complex (MAGIC), recently opened at Miami Dade College’s Wolfson Campus. The 9,000-square-foot facility was completed in May and welcomed its first class in August, offering two associate degree programs, one in animation and game art and another in game development and game design.

Photo by Juan Botera

Viacom raised its name on the Miami redevelopment agency-owned EUE/Screen Gems studio in October.

The studio’s popularity among students has “exceeded our expectations,” said Mauricio Ferrazza, the facility’s chairperson.

Mr. Ferrazza was expecting 50 students to enroll the first semester. Instead, he opened with 80 and is expecting 150 more for MAGIC’s second semester this spring.

The idea to bring a collegebased animation studio to Miami came about when Mr. Ferrazza noted a disconnect between the county’s job availability and its qualified employees. During his research, he found 1,500 available jobs that animators and programmers would qualify for, yet 85% of such professionals were being recruited from out-of-state.

“We were not producing the workforce that the market demanded,” he said. “That’s how

it all started.”

Today, the video game industry is slowly molding its own hub in Miami.

The most poignant example is Shiver Entertainment, a digital gaming startup based in South Miami, which, backed by help from the Beacon Council, expanded to a new facility in 2014, creating 60 additional jobs.

Miami’s gaming image is further strengthened by the presence of Shiver’s CEO John Schappert – a renowned name in the gaming industry, Mr. Ferrazza said.

His aim for MAGIC is to prepare students to work in the burgeoning industry as well as encourage the graduates to open their own Miami-based businesses.

“We create the talent and help the industry grow, so we’ll have jobs for the talent coming out of

MAGIC,” he said.

Another win for the local digital media industry came this fall when Viacom International Studios, which has operated in Miami since the early ’90s, announced it would launch an 88,000-square-foot, two-stage production studio downtown.

The new facility, which was built by the Miami Omni Community Redevelopment Agency as a public-private partnership with EUE/Screen Gems Studios, is to open in January as a production hub for Viacom’s global entertainment brands: MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and Paramount Channel.

Viacom manages its Latin American, US-Hispanic and Canadian markets from Miami.

This year alone, local operations produced 100 half-hour episodes for Nickelodeon-US, said Juan “JC” Acosta, execu-

tive VP and COO of Viacom International Media Networks Americas. Ninety percent of the production and talent staff is acquired locally, Mr. Acosta said.

The company has tapped into a new mode of production in Miami. Viacom is taking Spanish language productions and translating them into English versions. Every Witch Way, for example, is the American version of the Nickelodeon Latin American show Grachi. The locally filmed show just wrapped up its fourth season, Mr. Acosta said.

Viacom wants to create an international hub of production for both its Spanish and English language shows in Miami. The local talent base is evolving, and “we’re making investments and bets that Miami” can be the next media hub similar to New York or Los Angeles, he said.

But the local entertainment and film industries continue pushing to revive the state’s tax incentive program, which helps lure out-of-state productions and keep local companies headquartered here.

The state began making the right stride in bringing more work from the West and East coasts down to Florida with the incentives, Mr. Acosta said, but “unfortunately that seems to be falling by the wayside.”

Meanwhile, Viacom pledges to do its part. Internships for local students will be available as soon as the new facility opens, he said, adding, “we hope we can continue to showcase locally the value that it’s bringing to the community in these areas.”

Incoming professor lays plans to develop cybersecurity hub

BY CATHERINE LACKNER

Gurvirender Tejay, who joins St. Thomas University in January as the first Gary Goldbloom Endowed Distinguished Chair in cybersecurity management, has a three-pronged approach that he hopes will position the university as the South Florida hub for cybersecurity.

“Student success is very important to us; everything we do revolves around the student,” said Dr. Tejay, an expert in cybersecurity who has taught for the past eight years at Nova Southeastern University’s College of Engineering and Computing.

“But we must align our programs with industry needs,” he told Miami Today this week.

“At the end of the day, students are coming to our programs to get hired. At the same time, we want to create reflective thinkers, not just people who follow

Gurvirender Tejay: We will align programs with industries’ needs.

best practices but who can weigh the pros and cons.”

Internship programs are a critical need, he said.

Cybercriminals recruit interns and pay them a portion of whatever they are able to steal, Dr. Tejay said, in the underworld equivalent of an internship.

“What are we doing? We need

to prepare our students, and as an organization we would like to engage business partners,” he said.

Students would not necessarily work with sensitive information, he said. “We would work within the comfort zone of the business.”

When the correct academic programs and internships are up and running, Dr. Tejay said, attention will turn to research.

“We will work closely with government and industry to get their feedback, and get imbedded or collect data from them for our research programs.”

All three objectives are tied to students, he said. “We want our students to be sought-after for their training in industry needs, both local and national, and for their critical thinking.”

“The university’s cybersecurity management graduate and undergraduate programs differ from those offered at

Somnath Bhattacharya: Dr. Tejay is key to set the program apart.

other schools. We approach cybersecurity deficiencies as much more than just computer and network weaknesses,” said Somnath Bhattacharya, dean and professor of accounting at the university’s business school, in a release. “Dr. Tejay’s expertise will set our program apart from the rest. He will build upon

the university’s strong commitment to student success and prepare students for professional careers in cybersecurity management.”

An important offshoot of the cybersecurity program, especially in South Florida, is business continuity, Dr. Tejay said.

The need is particularly acute for small and midsize businesses that don’t have the resources to prepare elaborate plans, he added. “Most businesses are majorly dependent on information technology, and we go through hurricane season every year. Are we ready? Most organizations are not prepared.”

Dr. Tejay holds a Ph.D. in information systems from Virginia Commonwealth University, a master’s degree in criminal science from the University of Chicago, and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in economics from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee.

16

TECHNOLOGY

MIAMI TODAY

WEEK OF THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2015

High tech: drones hovering over skyline lure entrepreneurs

BY JOHN CHARLES ROBBINS

Hovering quietly overhead of hundreds assembled for the Beacon Council’s 30th Anniversary celebration in October was a drone equipped with a camera.

It was technology being employed to capture a large and awesome group photo and video.

A regular photographer was at work, but most of the attention was on the flying whirligig making the rounds of the cavernous banquet room.

Drones, also known as unmanned aircraft systems or UAS, have exploded in popularity.

The reduction in cost has led to many more people having access to these small unmanned flying machines.

They are being used by hobbyists but also have been commandeered by filmmakers, marketing professionals, security firms, realtors and photographers to explore our world from above.

The boom in popularity and the numbers anticipated as Christmas gifts this season motivated local, state and federal officials to quickly cobble together rules and regulations.

From the City of Miami to Pittsburgh and last week the Federal Aviation Administration, authorities are trying to get ahead of this fast-moving technology.

The FAA announced it will require most drones to be registered, beginning this week.

On the cover of the Miami River 2016 Calendar is a sweeping panoramic image of the city hugging the river, taken from high above the urban scene.

The impressive photo was taken by Pietro Taballione.

Mr. Taballione didn’t take the photo from an airplane or a

Drones carrying cameras have found a range new uses, including aerial recognition of wildlife and trees.

helicopter, and he wasn’t perched on the balcony of a high-rise.

He was on the ground at the controls of a drone fitted with a top-quality camera.

Mr. Taballione is in the process of launching a business called DISCHOVER Aerial Reconnaissance.

He plans to specialize in aerial reconnaissance, videography and surveying, using drones and high-resolution cameras for a wide variety of services, from assistance with engineering, environmental projects, construction and more.

Mr. Taballione is a senior environmental scientist with more than a decade in environmental, engineering and real estate. He has provided transportation engineering services on projects in South Florida for many years.

Donating the photo for the

Frank Carollo sought new rules.

cover of the river calendar to the Miami River Commission recently was a natural for Mr. Taballione. Many years ago he worked an internship with the river commission.

“I know the good work the commission’s done in the past 10 years and I wanted to contribute to that,” he said.

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A Singular Voice in an Evolving City

filmed by George Lucas,” said Mr. Russell.

The commissioner said he supports regulating drones, saying the public’s safety is of paramount concern and he understands the timing of the legislation.

Commissioners wanted rules before the end of the year, with a keen eye on the city’s New Year’s Eve celebration in Bayfront Park, which will be televised live to the nation.

The legislation’s sponsor, Commissioner Frank Carollo, feared new drones fresh from under the Christmas tree being flown over the masses gathered at the waterfront venue and causing potential harm.

Mr. Russell mentioned “a good side” for drone usage, saying the small unmanned devices are being flown for an amazing array of uses.

He said he reached out to drone operators and found many who supported some regulation to control a few “bad apples” spoiling a good thing for others.

In bringing the legislation, Mr. Carollo pointed out that Miami, with its warm and usually welcoming weather year around, has a host of popular outdoor events that attract thousands of participants. Those include the annual Calle Ocho Festival, Miami International Book Fair, satellite events associated with Art Basel, the New Year’s Eve show and more.

The ordinance – adopted unanimously Dec. 10 – notes that declining cost has made drones increasingly popular and available to citizens and hobbyists, and that they can be equipped with high-definition cameras, night-vision cameras and infrared scopes, “as well as with combustive or explosive composites and materials.”

The ordinance prohibits drones “from being deployed, launched or flown in any airspace within or over any sporting and/or large venue special event, including but not limited to, over and within a half-mile radius of Bayfront Park, Marlins Ballpark, Miami Marine Stadium, or the Calle Ocho Festival when it is in use during a large venue special event, and over public parks and public facilities during large venue special events.”

For its part, the FAA announced what it’s calling “a streamlined and user-friendly web-based aircraft registration” for owners of drones, or small unmanned aircraft (UAS), weighing more than 0.55 pounds (250 grams) and less than 55 pounds (about 25 kilograms) including payloads such as onboard cameras.

Registration is a statutory requirement that applies to all aircraft. Under this rule, any owner of a small UAS who has previously operated an unmanned aircraft exclusively as a model aircraft prior to Dec. 21 must register no later than Feb. 19, 2016.

Owners of any other UAS purchased for use as a model aircraft after Dec. 21 must register before the first flight outdoors.

“Drones have been around awhile but they weren’t very affordable or user friendly,” Mr. Taballione said.

Advances in the technology have made them smaller yet easier to maneuver, he said.

The relative affordability of drones has fueled the boom in popularity, he said, and today there are drones so user friendly it “allows you to fly it straight out of the box.”

The improvements in drone usage and stability have led to countless new uses.

Mr. Taballione said drones are extremely useful in environmental work. Poorly accessible areas are no longer off limits, he noted.

“Those high-res cameras provide a tremendous tool for aerial recognition of trees, vegetation and wildlife,” he said.

In his work as an environmental scientist, he’s examined and surveyed many areas of seagrass.

“Seagrass is a very important resource in Florida, and it grows in shallow coastal waters. Drone surveillance allows qualitative analysis for seagrass surveys,” said Mr. Taballione.

Drones can also be a very good tool to track progress on any type of construction project, he said.

“You can access areas usually very dangerous for the crew. In an affordable and quick manner you can check structures that otherwise you could only review with specialized equipment.”

Mr. Taballione plans to provide drone services for construction engineering inspections, environmental compliance inspections, safety inspections and progress reports.

In the environmental field he plans to provide habitat characterization, vegetation analysis, surveying of seagrass, trees and wildlife, 3D mapping and more.

The uses of drones these days seem endless and more and more, drones are playing a major role in the real estate market.

This was noted by newlyelected Miami City Commissioner Ken Russell when the commission debated drone regulations this month.

Some experienced drone opDetails: www.discerators are able to make a real estate listing “look like it was hover.com

18

MIAMI TODAY

TODAY’S NEWS

WEEK OF THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2015

Advisory board for Virginia Key advances, faces final vote

BY JOHN CHARLES ROBBINS

Five years after it was first recommended, the City of Miami is one vote away from creating an advisory group to help steer the future of Virginia Key. The fate of the barrier island has been a hot topic of late, as the city sinks millions into improvements for a flex park surrounding the long-idled Miami Marine Stadium. The park is part of the outcome of a deal the city commission made to bring the Miami International Boat Show to Virginia Key, beginning with the February 2016 event.

The Village of Key Biscayne continues to fight to keep the boat show away, both in court and on the street. Village officials and residents aren’t too happy with the flex park either, fearing it sets the stage for overuse of the island, which links Key Biscayne to the mainland via the Rickenbacker Causeway.

Opponents of the boat show and those who fear over development on Virginia Key are worried traffic congestion could reach a critical stage.

City leaders said it was the boat show proposal that led to the resurrection of the Virginia Key 2010 Master Plan.

At its December meeting, the city commission unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance to create the Virginia Key Advisory Board.

The sponsor of the legislation, Commissioner Francis Suarez, said creation of an advisory body seeks to finish a process started a long time ago.

It helps fulfill the goals in the 2010 master plan, said Mr. Suarez.

The advisory board will “have a voice” in the future of “our jewel – which is Virginia Key,” he said.

Mr. Suarez said marine stadium and the property that surrounds it are regional assets, and the proposed advisory board will have a place for neighboring Key Biscayne.

Creation of the advisory board took a backseat earlier this year when the boat show deal led to litigation and hours of unsuccessful settlement negotiations.

The advisory board proposal is “sort of an olive branch to Key Biscayne,” said Mr. Suarez.

He stressed that the ordinance creating the new board is “a work in progress,” with some modifications coming in even before the first vote. The original draft called it the Virginia Key Steering Committee, for example.

Also, instead of one-year terms the board members would serve two-year terms, Mr. Suarez said.

The board would also be required to report on its activities to the public and the city commission yearly.

Gregory W. Bush, University of Miami associate professor of history and vice president of the Urban Environment League, extended a robust thank you to commissioners for moving ahead with an advisory board for Virginia Key. “This has been a long time coming,” he said, “and is a good

Photo by Maxine Usdan

Virginia Key’s Hobie Beach would be one area that the proposed advisory board would recommend on.

step for the city and for Key Biscayne.

Mr. Bush reminded city leaders that the Urban Environment League fought against too much commercial development of the key as far back as 1999, and “we pushed for a master plan.”

Community activist and recent unsuccessful commission candidate Grace Solares thanked Mr. Suarez for the legislation creating the new board, and she offered suggested changes to the wording.

Ms. Solares said the city charter allows only the city commission to make appointments to city advisory bodies, so the ordinance should be changed to say the Village of Key Biscayne and other non-city entities may “designate” or “assign” members to the advisory board.

Mr. Suarez acknowledged her suggested tweaks and said all modifications would be made prior to the final vote.

As initially written, the board would consist of 11 unpaid voting members.

The commissioner of District 2 would appoint one person, as the island is in District 2.

The ordinance calls for individual appointments by the mayor; director of the Department of Real Estate and Asset

Management; Key Biscayne Village Council; Miami-Dade County commissioner for District 7; Dade Heritage Trust; National Trust for Historic Preservation; Friends of Marine Stadium; Urban Environment League of Greater Miami; and the Historic Virginia Key Beach Park Trust.

The city commission would appoint a member of a county-based, non-profit environmental preservation group, the first draft said.

The commission could remove any member by majority vote.

Peter Ehrlich of the group Scenic Miami also spoke in favor of the board, but suggested instead of an appointee representing the Friends of Marine Stadium group that the commission appoint the city’s director of parks and recreation.

Mr. Ehrlich also asked that city officials “show respect for nature” and not allow billboards or LED signs on Virginia Key. “I agree… no commercial signage. I would hope that’s a no brainer,” responded Mr. Suarez.

Commission Chair Wifredo “Willy” Gort said the Friends organization is made up of “very good people” who have worked hard toward restoration of Marine Stadium, abandoned since Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

“They should be a part of it,” Mr. Gort said.

Friends co-founder Don Worth said he was pleased to support the advisory board, and said it is an excellent plan that will focus on the sustainability of the stadium.

“I happen to favor the boat show” coming to the island, Mr. Worth said, but said he understands the fear of some that it will become a year-around event space.

“Pay attention to the master plan,” Mr. Worth told commissioners.

Elvis Cruz, another community advocate, suggested expanding membership on the advisory board to include people representing motorboat users.

Mr. Cruz said the basin at the foot of the stadium was created for hydroplane races. Later the basin attracted water skiers, “but they’re now chased away,” he said.

The site also had a public boat ramp, he said, and he’s hopeful another boat ramp is opened to the public.

Mr. Gort emphasized that it is a major goal of the administration to see that Marine Stadium is restored and reopened.

“Never get away from that,” he said.

New flexpark around Miami Marine Stadium built for the boat show would be in advisory board’s territory.

“I feel we are closer than ever before to taking the next step and getting the stadium restored,” said Mr. Suarez.

The city is spending more than $20 million to improve the area around the stadium into a flex park for multiple uses after the boat show. This money doesn’t include work on the stadium itself.

Newly-elected District 2 Commissioner Ken Russell praised the proposed advisory board and said it should have been created long ago.

“I love Virginia Key,” he said.

“I’m onboard.”

City Manager Daniel Alfonso said, “We are interested in bringing the stadium back.” He said they will seek additional funds for design work to restore the stadium.

Mr. Alfonso said the advisory board can play a key role in how to shape a request for proposals to run a reopened stadium and “how we fund it,” suggesting it could be a public-private partnership.

The proposed advisory board would “advise and make recommendations to the city commission regarding the mission, vision, business plan, governance, and operation of Virginia Key, its abutting property and basin, and implementation of the Virginia Key 2010 Master Plan,” according to the legislation.

The city seeks a unified planning mechanism for the entire island of Virginia Key implementing the many elements of the 2010 Master Plan, it says.

The ordinance states that Marine Stadium is of great architectural merit, has received international recognition for its design and is designated as a historic resource.

“The city and others are interested in developing a long range plan for the restoration, reopening, and promotion of Miami Marine Stadium and Virginia Key,” the legislation says.

The new board would be asked to: Seek the best mode of governance for Virginia Key. Consider the short- and longterm vision for Marine Stadium restoration, development and use.

Oversee and guide all islandwide land following the 2010 Master Plan.

Consider the best business model for the Marine Stadium to operate sustainably so that it would function like an enterprise fund without city subsidy.

Consider the challenges for Virginia Key open spaces, events, shows, features, goals, objectives and promotions.

Hold hearings and meetings.

Issue written reports making recommendations to the city commission.

Advise the city commission and recommend any changes and help the city better promote the Marine Stadium and Virginia Key. All board meetings would be public, and the public would be encouraged to submit oral and written comments.

The final vote on the advisory board is expected soon after the first of the year.

TODAY’S NEWS

WEEK OF THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2015

MIAMI TODAY

23

T HE L AST W O R D REPRESENTING JAPAN: Japan has named Ken Okaniwa consul general in Miami, He joined the consulate from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo, where he was deputy director-general and deputy spokesperson of foreign affairs. “More than 200 Japanese companies operate in Florida, creating upwards of 20,000 local jobs,� he said. “Additionally, 280,000 Japanese tourists visit each year and 9,000 Japanese expatriates are registered with the consulate.� Mr. Okaniwa was director in charge of climate change when Japan Ken Okaniwa ratified the Kyoto Protocol in 2002. He was posted to Japan’s mission to the United Nations and also served abroad in Zambia, Indonesia, London and South Africa.

MULTIFAMILY HOUSING BOOM: Miami was second in the nation in the dollar value of multifamily housing construction starts in the first 11 months of 2015, according to Dodge Data & Analytics. Nationally, multifamily starts climbed 17% through November, a rising trend that began in 2010, Dodge said. New York City has led the nation in multifamily housing starts during the year, followed by Miami and then Washington, DC, Los Angeles and Boston.

CHAIRS ETHICS TEAM: Retired 11th Judicial Circuit Judge Lawrence Schwartz has been chosen to serve for the next two years as chair of the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust. He retired from the court in 2012 after more than two decades on the county and circuit court benches. Ethics commissioners last week also elected as vice chair H. Jeffrey Cutler, a partner in Coral Gables law firm De La Cruz & Cutler. The ethics commission, created in 1996, is a five-member independent quasi-judicial agency.

Lawrence Schwartz

81 BEACON LEADERS: The Beacon Council last week announced an 81-member board of directors for the next year chaired by Ernie Diaz, regional president of TD Bank. Jaret L. Davis, co-managing shareholder of the Miami Office of Greenberg Traurig, is vice chair; trial attorney Patricia Thompson of Carlton Fields Jorden Burt is secretary; and Yolanda R. Nader, CEO/CFO of Dosal Tobacco Corp., is treasurer. The public-private partnership aims to increase investment and jobs in Miami-Dade County.

Ernie Diaz

TOLL SURCHARGE PROTECTION: County commissioners have given initial approval to legislation that would require rental car companies to provide customers notice of fees and surcharges for driving without a SunPass. The resolution, primesponsored by Jose “Pepe� Diaz and co-sponsored

by Dennis Moss, calls for car rental facilities to post signs notifying tourists and other rental customers if they will be held responsible for paying or reimbursing toll charges or violations incurred during their use of the vehicle, and whether the car rental company Jose “Pepe� Diaz imposes other administrative fees associated with the company’s processing of toll charges or toll violations. The issue is scheduled for a hearing at the Transit & Mobility Services Committee meeting Feb. 8.

SURPLUS SEDANS: The City of Miami is ready to offer support to the City of Sweetwater. Miami commissioners have approved the donation of 10 Ford Crown Victoria police interceptors and three Ford Taurus sedans to Sweetwater’s police department. The Fords are model years 2003-2008. The General Services Administration decommissioned the cars and the chief procurement officer declared them surplus. A memo on the donation says that Sweetwater’s police department has a fleet of vehicles that are more than 15 years old and are not in condition to provide professional law enforcement. “They are in a current state of financial emergency and are in dire need of replacing their current fleet with said donated vehicles. By donating said vehicles, the city will assist in crime prevention not only in the City of Sweetwater, but will assist in suppressing criminal elements in MiamiDade County in general, which includes the City of Miami,� says the memo.

GETTING GAS: The City of Miami has contracted with Suburban Propane, Limited Partnership to supply liquid petroleum gas citywide as needed. The four-year contact has renewal options for four more oneyear periods. The estimated annual contract amount is $20,000.

KEYS ENTRYWAY: John Brunetti, owner and president of Hialeah Park casino and horse track, has purchased 38 acres in Florida City at the entrance to the Florida Keys directly across the street from the Florida Keys Outlet Center. The land at 345 E Palm Drive is visible from US 1 and the Florida Turnpike and has been used as a trailer park. Mr. Brunetti paid $6,735,000 for the site that was owned by NCG Florida City. Avison Young’s Jay A. Ziv and Michael Fay represented the seller.

Photo by Maxine Usdan

The busiest days at the airport are expected to be the Saturday, Sunday and Monday after New Year’s.

2.3 million air travelers are likely at MIA during holiday crush hours More than 2.3 million passengers are expected at Miami International Airport over the travel period that began this week and continues to Jan. 6, a 3% increase over last year. The busiest days are projected to be the Saturday, Sunday and Monday after New Year’s Day, when more than 145,000 passengers are expected at MIA on all three days. To make traveling through MIA easier, aviation officials say: „ Departing passengers should arrive at the airport two hours before a domestic flight and two and a half hours before an international flight to allow time for parking, airline checkin and screening at the security checkpoint. „Ample parking is available in the Dolphin and Flamingo garages for a maximum daily rate of $17 or $2 every 20 minutes up to two hours and 40

station.asp. „Tri-Rail, the commuter train that links Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, can also get passengers to and from MIA. Tri-Rail has a dedicated station at the Miami Intermodal Center that connects to MIA via the MIA Mover, an automated peoplemover system. „Anyone parking at MIA with a disabled parking permit or license tag must pay standard airport parking rates unless they are parking for less than two hours or if the vehicle has specialized equipment such as ramps, lifts, foot or hand controls for use by a person with a disability or any vehicle displaying the Florida Toll Exemption permit. Under Florida state law and Miami-Dade County code, anyone with a disabled parking permit or license tag who meets either of those exceptions is allowed to park free.

Employment

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Notice Under Fictitious Name Law Pursuant to Section 865.09, Florida Statutes NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of COCO BAR AND GRILL located at 3015 Grand Avenue, #120B, in the County of Miami-Dade, in the City of Miami, Florida, 33133, intends to register the said name with the Division of Corporations of the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.

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BAR HEAD INSTALLED: Michael C. GĂłngora, a Michael Fay shareholder with the Miami office of law firm Becker & Poliakoff, has been installed as president of the Miami Beach Bar Association.

JOB TRAINING FUNDS: The Miami City Commission has accepted a $150,000 grant from the South Florida Workforce Investment Board to carry out the “Career Source South Florida Employ Miami-Dade Initiative.� In accordance with the One Community One Goal Program, the investment board has partnered with local agencies to offer certification training to help put eligible county residents to work. The initiative’s goal is to help cut joblessness by connecting employers who need workers with workers who need jobs. The program helps provide training for specific trades and industries. Between January and June the career center had 88 individuals complete construction training, with 44 employed; and had 87 complete culinary and hospitality training, with 54 employed.

minutes. For ticket counter and parking locations, go to http:// www.miami-airport.com/ where_to_park.asp. „Valet parking is available at the Dolphin Garage on the departure level outside of North Terminal D or the Flamingo Garage on the departure level outside of South Terminal J. Rates are $18 for less than three hours or daily for $30. Learn more at http://www.miamiairport.com/parking_rates.asp. „Orange Line Metrorail service is another transportation option to and from MIA, available for a fare of $2.25 each way.

Overnight and long-term parking is available for up to 30 days at $4.50 per night at the Earlington Heights, Okeechobee and South Miami Metrorail stations. Longterm parking must be prepaid.

For more information, go to http:/ /www.miamidade.gov/transit/ miami-international-airport-

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MIAMITODAY A Singular Voice in an Evolving City