Miami Today: Week of Thursday, July 30, 2015

WEEK OF THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

A Singular Voice in an Evolving City

WWW.MIAMITODAYNEWS.COM $4.00

EDUCATION TRENDS

Miami Dade builds for growth via classrooms, parking, pg. 14 BIG NEW PLAT: Just weeks from breaking ground to start building long-awaited megadevelopment Miami Worldcenter, city commissioners approved a new plat for much of the assembled Park West land. On July 23, they accepted the final plat of Miami Worldcenter Plat 1 between Northeast First and Second avenues and between Northeast 10th Street and the Florida East Coast Railway right of way. The plat was submitted by developers Miami First LLC, Miami Second LLC, Miami Fourth LLC, Miami All LLC and Forbes Miami NE 1st Avenue LLC. The city’s Plat and Street Committee determined that the plat conforms to zoning code subdivision regulations. The intent is to close the right of way of Northeast Seventh, Eighth and Ninth streets within the plat and create one contiguous tract for development. The platted area consists of about 515,286 square feet, or 11.829 acres. The overall project is to offer residential, retail, office, hotel, retail, restaurant and entertainment uses.

UM revenue bonds issuance to spur three projects, pg. 15

THE ACHIEVER

BY CARLA VIANNA

WORLDCENTER BREAKING GROUND: Miami Worldcenter announced Monday it would be breaking ground within the next nine days or so. The announcement came during a bus tour for members of The International Council of Shopping Centers Next Generation National Conference. The three-day ICSC Conference was held in Miami July 26 to 28, bringing those within the retail industry together at the JW Marriott Marquis.

HANDING OFF TAXING ROLE: Voters may be asked on the Nov. 8, 2016, general election ballot to approve of a change to the Miami-Dade County code to allow cities and villages to become the governing boards of special taxing districts, a role now filled solely by the county commission. The proposal by Commissioner Esteban Bovo Jr., which is to be heard next by the commission’s Metropolitan Services Committee on Aug. 26, was passed unanimously by commissioners on a first reading July 14 without discussion. Another full commission vote would be required to put the measure on the ballot. The measure would apply to both existing special taxing districts and new ones.

GAS MUZZLER: As the price of crude oil dropped nearly $10 a barrel in July to flirt with the $50 level, gasoline prices have be sliding, down to an average of $2.68 per gallon in Miami as of Sunday according to the GasBuddy price survey. That price is 83.9 cents a gallon less in Miami than a year ago and 9.4 cents a gallon less than a month ago. AAA is forecasting prices that may near $2 per gallon by fall.

Jim Murley

Photo by Marlene Quaroni

Leads regional planning council to meet area’s needs The profile is on Page 4

90-day strike force targets downtown homeless

BY CATHERINE LACKNER

Miami-Dade County’s Homeless Trust in September plans to launch “Strike Force: Urban Core,” a 90-day pilot program aimed at getting downtown’s hard-core homeless into permanent housing.

On a designated date, trust employees are to fan out over a 42-square-block area downtown to identify, interview and record homeless people, and to offer them emergency housing. Those who accept are to receive case management and other social services along with housing. The trust has reserved 91 new beds for the effort, said Ron Book, the organization’s chair.

“These are brand-new, readily accessible units of housing,” he said. The beds will be funded for one year, he added.

People who are chronically homeless often have physical disabilities, mentalhealth or substance-abuse issues, and resist treatment, observers say.

“We know the difficulty factor is five-fold with this population,” Mr. Book said. “This is designed to address those people who are resistant. We don’t have a one-size-fits-all program; we have five to seven programs.”

AGENDA

Port cargo near record and gaining

Sometimes, he said, the chronic homeless agree to seek help after multiple contacts with trust employees and outreach workers.

“I’m about trying to find solutions,” said Brian C. Alonso, a trust member, principal of La Epoca department store and co-chair of the Downtown Development Authority’s Flagler Street Task Force. He introduced the motion to approve the initiative at the trust’s July 24 board meeting.

“This is going to be a great program to target the hardest-to-serve population,” he said. “It will deep dive to find the needs of these individuals and work toward the appropriate solutions.”

The move comes partly in response to questions about emergency beds posed by the Miami-Dade County Commission at a June 30 meeting. At that meeting, the commission ordered the mayor’s office, the Downtown Development Authority and the trust to examine the emergency bed issue together and did not rule out the possibility of paying for emergency beds or mats.

Part and parcel of the discussion: a Camillus House program that offers about 100 homeless people mats to sleep on for

Cargo containers entering PortMiami are nearing a record, approaching highs last seen a decade ago.

Cranes have unloaded about 740,000 containers from ships this fiscal year, which ends Sept.

30, up 12.6% from the same period last year. In fiscal 2014, 876,000 containers flowed into the port.

Director Juan Kuryla said the port projects 980,000 containers for 2015, just 70,000 shy of the 2004 record of 1.05 million before numbers dipped. Starting in 2005, the port lost about 250,000 containers over two years to below 800,000, Mr. Kuryla said, for various reasons.

“Ships can pick up and go, and we’ve seen that,” he said.

But now, it’s a one-way route.

Ships are coming.

“What is happening now is we have been succeeding in keeping existing business and attracting new services,” Mr. Kuryla said.

“We’re hoping that we continue this trend, particularly now that our dredging project will be completed this August.”

He attributes the growth to a series of projects the port initiated to prepare for the Panama Canal’s expansion, to be completed in April. They include the tunnel, purchase of giant cranes, return of on-dock rail service and the latest – dredging.

Once the port finishes deepening its main harbor channel from 42 feet to 50-52 feet, it will be capable of welcoming 14,000container vessels. The maximum now is 5,700.

Mr. Kuryla said that by adding the right terminal infrastructure, the port will have the capacity to double its cargo over the next seven to eight years. Conservative estimates, he said, show a 3% to 4% annual cargo increase once the Panama Canal is in full use.

“Realistically,” he said, “we could probably add a couple of hundred thousand [containers] over the next four to five years.”

the night runs out of funding Aug. 1. City and county officials worry that those who have taken advantage of the program – which also offers food, bathrooms, clean clothes and the opportunity to rehabilitation – will return to the streets.

Mr. Book has steadfastly objected to the temporary program, saying it does not fit with the trust’s goals because it is not a long-term solution.

“It gives [the homeless] an excuse not to access our continuum of care,” he said of the Camillus program this week. He added that trust staff members are working with the homeless who currently use the mats to get them into more permanent housing.

But Officer James Bernat, Miami Police homeless coordinator, told the commission June 30, and he has told the downtown authority, that the program does work. Many street people intending to stay there only for a night decide to enter treatment, he has said. And, failing that, they are off the street and safe from predators for at least one night.

“There are many reasons people become homeless,” Mr. Alonso said, “and the solutions are as varied as the causes.” $1.2 billion spending ‘vital,’ pg. 2

WYNWOOD HEADS TOWARD NEW ECONOMIC TOOL KIT ...

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BEACH ROLLS TOWARD FREE CITYWIDE TROLLEY RUNS ...

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VIEWPOINT: BASEBALL DEAL MAKES SOCCER’S HARDER ...

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11-MILE RAIL LINE COULD BE EAST-WEST ALTERNATIVE ...

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ARCHITECTS TO ROTATE IN OVERTOWN REVITALIZING ...

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CITY HISTORIC SITE REPEAL MAY RAISE BRIDGE’S COST ...

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COMMERCE SECRETARY VISITS, HAS UPBEAT OUTLOOK ...

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MIAMI PROPERTY TAX RATE CUT FIFTH YEAR IN A ROW ...

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MIAMI TODAY

VIEWPOINT

WEEK OF THURSDAY, JULY 30, 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

Marlins contract makes soccer next door a tougher game Much as we might want a Major League Soccer stadium near Marlins Park, the clock is running out and obstacles loom, an unreported barrier being the Miami Marlins.

Michael Lewis The group David Beckham fronts has yet to secure a franchise from the league, which has made a soccer-specific stadium a condition to get in at a bargain-basement price. The deadline is just three months off.

So the Beckham group, which began by seeking public bayfront land free, has more than a year later settled on the inland spot that then city Mayor Manny Diaz was pushing for both baseball and soccer structures seven years ago.

Last week city commissioners agreed to open talks for a soccer stadium beside the ballpark to deal with what the city would get for its land, including cash or stadium revenue streams, and what else the team seeks from the city.

If those talks succeed, Miami-Dade County negotiations would follow. The University of Miami might seek a stadium-sharing deal. Then would come league approval.

With all those moving parts – not to mention finances of the franchise, which must pay the league, build a stadium, hire players and run a team until it turns a profit – the chosen site has pluses but also vital limitations.

One plus is that the city owns much of the land, though the soccer team or the city would have to move and pay off

commercial and residential occupants in its mid-section, and the city might need to reposition surface baseball parking lots now on its land.

The other plus is that four city-owned garages built for baseball provide more than 5,000 spaces for soccer fans and stadium users for all other events.

Those two key assets should enhance the site for soccer as Mayor Diaz intended.

Unfortunately for Mr. Beckham, the other half of the old soccer-baseball plan led to a sweetheart deal for baseball that hobbles soccer.

The city-county contract that led to a baseball stadium and cost taxpayers almost $3 billion handed the baseball team primacy over soccer and requires the city to compel a soccer team next door to comply with its strictures.

One restriction is that soccer can’t sell stadium naming rights until baseball sells its own. But the baseball stadium is in its fourth season and the team still can’t sell those rights because the stadium giveaway deal became a toxic issue.

Further, even if the Marlins someday sell stadium naming rights, soccer can’t sell rights that conflict with the Marlins’ stadium sponsor.

Naming rights could play into the Beckham team’s plans. Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire sold the Toyota Park name for $7.5 million for 10 years.

Toyota also is the name on a league stadium in Texas, while another Texas stadium is named for BBVA Compass bank. The league’s all-star game this week is being played in Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Colorado. There’s Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, Red Bull Arena in New Jersey and so on.

More on sponsors: no soccer exterior ads may conflict with a major Marlins

L ETTERS New Wynwood authority should develop a square The past of Coconut Grove downtown and the present-day Brickell downtown serve to illustrate my worries about the future of the Wynwood District.

Some decades (already!) ago, Coconut Grove was the place for neighborhood and foreign visitors. But like tourists everywhere, they had an avaricious appetite for the new (South Beach), and the number of visitors fell. Now there is some hope for the area, although the expanded bayfront park, condominiums and the improved Grand Avenue are somewhat geographically and psychologically removed from the core. Coconut Grove will never get its heyday groove back.

We now turn to downtown Brickell.

It is easy to tell why the area around 10th Street is now the hot place. There is a collection of historic buildings (one was, and another is about to be torn down), and an inviting shopping center makes the area charming. But as there is no real cultural depth to the developments, I predict visitors moving on to greener pastures (North Beach?).

But Brickell has an advantage over Coconut Grove: a high population immediately adjacent. These people will walk to the area if the adoption of Miami 21 holds, and mitigate nicely for those who

sponsor. But if soccer sells an exterior ad that doesn’t conflict, the Marlins can then sign a conflicting sponsor and the soccer sponsor can’t renew.

Every line of the contract, in fact, tilts baseball’s way.

Soccer stadium architecture must mesh with baseball’s and not reflect light toward it. The Marlins get to review all soccer stadium plans, specifications and leases before construction or lease execution.

Soccer stadium construction may not interfere with baseball from two hours before to one hour after a ballpark game or an event – events Marlins owners book and profit from.

No soccer could be played until four hours after baseball. The Marlins get first choice of dates and times.

The soccer team can’t schedule any games at home from March 15 to Nov. 15 until the Marlins choose their own dates. The soccer team gets the leftovers, though a soccer team would get 13 Saturday nights yearly that the Marlins leave clear.

All that’s well and good, but if the Marlins change their schedule, guess what? The soccer team automatically loses its reserved dates. It’s all up to the Marlins.

Then there are those garages the city built and owns. By contract, the Marlins buy spaces for $10.03 and then resell them for whatever – they’re selling parking July 30 at $15 to $20 a space, but the Aug. 11 game against Boston is $20 to $50 for city-owned spaces the team gets for $10.03.

The baseball contract requires that soccer not pay less than the Marlins do: $10.10 a space by the time a soccer stadium opens. Again, baseball gets first dibs: the Marlins get first choice for games or events from March 15-Nov. 15.

TO THE

will no longer choose to drive there.

On to Wynwood. It enjoys a nice feature: unique murals on otherwise cheesebox-like buildings. I have driven visitors around, and we had a ball sightseeing, but we did not get out of the car and we did not spend a penny.

In order to avoid a particularly forlorn area in the future, I propose a doughnut mentality as concerns population distribution. An authority should be set up to trade air development rights. The perimeters should be as dense as possible, but there should be a "hole" of about four blocks of low, mural buildings.

That provides for a human scale to the area and makes it special for visitors, while maintaining a great, unique meeting place for the locals forever.

But there should be a focus to that hole, and I propose the world-class Zocodover Square in Toledo, Spain, as the model. This park should be generally rectangular, with one of the short sides featuring a restaurant row in the park and not across the street. The park should be meticulously maintained but not exquisitely designed. It should be 80% of optimum size, trees which already are too large for the space should be trucked in, and if there is demand for it, a taxi stand should follow one of the long sides (the drivers make for wonderful eyes on the street).

Other baseball contract restrictions: a soccer stadium can’t have a ticket brokerage, can’t have retail that competes with naming rights of baseball stadium sponsors, can’t open quick-service restaurants when the stadium isn’t in use, can’t have portable food stands or giveaways from three hours before a game or event at the baseball park to one hour after.

And more: soccer can’t sell baseball memorabilia or merchandise unless a Marlins-owned company does it. Nor can any outside company sell soccer merchandise. And no soccer stadium use ever may interfere with the baseball stadium or parking for events there, even non-sports events.

The city and county are both required to record all these restrictions in public records, just to be sure.

Other than those impediments, it’s a perfectly level playing field for soccer.

None of those barriers will come into play, of course, if the city and soccer don’t cut a deal. In talks, the city will need to protect the public interest far better than was done in the Marlins giveaway.

Since the city is dealing with a team that doesn’t even exist, an ownership whose participants are murky, a franchise that has yet to be formally granted, finances that are now secret and a sport that has already failed once in Miami, protection of the public’s assets is a must in negotiations.

It is not government’s responsibility that the team succeed. It is, however, government’s responsibility to protect the public interest and assets.

Meanwhile, the would-be franchise operators must factor in how large a barrier the baseball stadium contract poses to the success of professional soccer beside Marlins Park.

E DITOR

The second phase, a year later, would consist just of cementing in the paths that we the people will have defined by wearing down the grass.

George Childs

Miami’s free trolleys are both blessing and curse There is no question that the free trolleys that navigate Coral Way are a great boon to Miami commuters. True, they are less comfortable than MetroDade buses, and certainly less speedy.

But those are forgivable faults for free transportation.

What I don’t find forgivable is that all of these trolleys are rolling boom boxes.

I cannot understand who approved making Miami commuters a captive audience to the musical taste of each trolley driver.

While I prefer no music, I certainly find it painful to travel for 20 minutes listening to some rap station or local Hispanic talk show. There is absolutely no consideration for persons who wish to read or even to think.

In addition, it is obvious to me that too many of the drivers speak no English at all. I think this would be terribly dangerous in the event of an accident. Making such an event even more likely are some drivers who seem to behave more like disc jockeys or Hispanic talk show hosts

than persons trusted with human cargo.

If the powers behind the trolleys seem to think that musical transportation with a Latin or rock beat is somehow colorful and quaint, they are mistaken. It is only pleasing to a small minority of travelers.

I’m sure that commuters, both Hispanic and Anglo, who are focused on their books, magazines and smart phones would not miss the intrusion of this loud, strident and driver-distracting music.

Allen Provost

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TODAY’S NEWS

WEEK OF THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

MIAMI TODAY

7

With a nod toward neighbors, Tri-Rail link picks up steam

BY CATHERINE L ACKNER JOHN C HARLES ROBBINS

AND

Putting one of the final pieces of a complicated puzzle into place, directors of the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency voted unanimously Monday to contribute $17.5 million for the extension of Tri-Rail into downtown Miami.

“This will be paid by bond proceeds, and we will make sure no bond is issued until the property comes onto the tax rolls,” said Clarence E. Woods III, agency executive director.

MiamiCentral, which will house Tri-Rail and All Aboard Florida terminals, is slated for completion next year, he said.

With a negotiating team led

by Keon Hardemon, redevelopment agency chair and Miami commissioner, the agency won many of the perks during negotiations with the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority, which manages Tri-Rail, and All Aboard Florida, Mr. Woods said.

They include minority hiring with a preference to residents of five low-income ZIP codes surrounding the station during construction and when it is open for business. The redevelopment agency will receive discounted advertising on the platforms, and the train operators have promised paid internships and the creation of an entrepreneurial training program for area residents.

Photo by Maxine Usdan

The future MiamiCentral site, which would be the terminus of All Aboard Florida, would serve Tri-Rail.

“They’re committed to making sure there are jobs for residents, and these are enhanced living wages,” Mr. Woods said.

As part of the development of MiamiCentral – a privately funded multi-modal transportation hub under construction by All Aboard Florida – the addition of two train platforms would allow for connection of the current Tri-Rail passenger service (west of I-95 ending at the airport) to Downtown Miami, as well as provide the facilities needed to support the planned coastal link that will

ultimately take Tri-Rail service north along the Florida East Coast Railway corridor to Jupiter.

The total cost to bring TriRail into MiamiCentral station is estimated at nearly $70 million, which is to be borne by the Florida Department of Transportation, City of Miami, both the Southeast Overtown/Park West and Omni redevelopment agencies, Miami-Dade County, metropolitan planning organizations in South Florida, Miami’s Downtown Development Authority, All Aboard Florida, the regional transportation author-

ity and the state.

In May, the city’s Downtown Development Authority agreed to spend $1.3 million over the next three years to support the Tri-Rail extension.

Last month the Miami-Dade County Commission’s Transit and Mobility Services Committee approved $13.9 million in funding to the Tri-Rail plan.

On June 25, Miami city commissioners met as the board of the Omni Redevelopment District Community Redevelopment Agency and authorized a twoyear reimbursement grant in an amount not to exceed

$1,875,000 annually ($3.75 million total), to assist with the extension of direct Tri-Rail service into Downtown Miami.

At their meeting July 23, Miami commissioners approved a resolution authorizing City Manager Daniel Alfonso to execute an agreement with the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority and a contribution of $8.347 million to design, construct and finance the Tri-Rail downtown connection.

Tri-Rail Executive Director Jack Stephens told city commissioners that the rail link into the heart of Miami will change the face of transportation for the city and the county.

The commission’s resolution stated, “… the City has determined that it would be in its best interest to facilitate travel between the City and other urban centers across South Florida for the benefit of its City residents and visitors by supporting SFRTA’s extension of its commuter rail service to Downtown Miami.”

All Aboard Florida, the private rail line planned to operate between Miami and Orlando owned by Florida East Coast Railway, offered the regional transportation authority the opportunity to run tracks and TriRail trains into the vast station it is building downtown.

Tri-Rail runs on CSX tracks now, while the planned All Aboard Florida trains are to run on FEC tracks.

Four architectural firms to rotate in Overtown revitalization

BY CATHERINE LACKNER

The Southeast Overtown/ Park West Community Redevelopment Agency has chosen four architectural firms to work on vacant properties it owns and assist businesspeople and residents who want to improve their properties.

Leo A. Daly, Design2Form, A & S Architects Planners P.A.

F ILMING These film permits were issued last week by the Miami-Dade County Department of Regulatory & Economic Resources’ Office of Film and Entertainment, (305) 375-3288; the Miami Mayor’s Office of Film, Arts & Entertainment, (305) 8603823; and the Miami Beach Office of Arts, Culture and Entertainment-Film and Print Division, (305) 673-7070.

MILES MEDIA GROUP. Sarasota. Miami WTM Filming.

Miami Beach Aerials

and United Architects Inc. answered a request for qualifications the agency issued in April, said Clarence E. Woods III, its executive director.

“This gives us a list to choose from, and we’ll use them in a round-robin format,” he explained.

“This set-up is important, because people have to have some ability to pay for architec-

IN

M IAMI

TOPSPIN CREATIVE CORP. New York. Naruhodo! The World. Miami Beach Citywide.

SPIKE PRODUCTIONS CORP. Biscayne Park. Ice Team (German Catalogue). Countywide, Miami Beach Citywide.

44 BLUE PRODUCTIONS INC. California. Tentatively Rock and a Hard Place. Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

HIGH NOON PRODUCTIONS LLC. Denver.

Quinceanera. Countywide, Miami Beach citywide, Unincorporated Miami-Dade County.

PILGRIM STUDIOS. California. Untitled Dancing Miami series. Unincorporated Miami-Dade County.

tural services to move their projects along,” said Keon Hardemon, agency chair and Miami commissioner.

Wifredo “Willy” Gort, redevelopment agency director and Miami commissioner, asked whether there is a master plan to redevelop properties the agency owns, some of which are vacant lots.

“That’s the idea,” Mr. Woods said. “We’re going to take a look at uses, do a set of plans, and come back to the board.”

In some cases, Mr. Gort observed, the agency owns several vacant lots in the same block. He asked if plans could be done concurrently to save time and money.

Some of the lots are already in the process of being redeveloped although no construction has started on them, Mr. Woods

Wifredo Gort asked about master plan to redevelop the properties.

Clarence Woods III said he would bring a set of plans to the board.

replied. In the cases of other will know best what type of contiguous lots, once a master development to encourage on plan is drawn, administrators the properties.

Ross Report on Real Estate

by Audrey Ross SPOTLIGHT: Sunny Isles Sunny Isles is a resort community located between the sweeping intercoastal waterway and vast Atlantic Ocean just north of Miami Beach. Stretches of white sandy beaches and blue green water form the backdrop of this serene environment. This small community is an ideal place for rest, relaxation and play. Home to some of Miami’s finest luxury condominiums, the tropical barrier island is an idyllic destination in vibrant cosmopolitan Miami-Dade. Wynwood Art District, cultural attractions and museums, 5-star restaurants, world-class shopping at Aventura Mall and Bal Harbor Shops are all a short drive away

providing access to the ultimate South Florida experience.

The median list price for luxury properties in this area is $2.1 Million. Home to highly sought after residences such as Muse, Chateau Beach, Armani Casa and many more. Stunning architecture, glamour, refined living and state-or-the-art technology are combined to create a truly 21st Century lifestyle experience for residents in these state of the art condos. . With easy access to surfing, boating and fishing, it’s also a water enthusiast's dream spot. The recently built public elementary school, The Norman S. Edelcup/Sunny Isles Beach

www.miamirealestate.com

School is highly rated and offers students access to state-of-the-art, 21 century technology. There are also numerous private school options in this northern part of Dade County. Sunny Isles offers high net worth individuals, from all over the world, a quiet escape from the busy 24/7 constant pace of daily life. It’s a bit of paradise along the water’s edge in a worldclass destination.

For professional advice on all aspects of buying or selling real estate, please contact me at aross@miamirealestate.com or 305-960-2575, or come by the office at 355 Alhambra Circle, 9th Floor, in Coral Gables.

WEEK OF THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

TODAY’S NEWS

MIAMI TODAY

9

Miami Beach rolls toward a free citywide trolley system

BY NICOLÁS RIVERO

Miami Beach expects to add two new trolley routes by next spring and plans to create a free citywide trolley system, Transportation Director José González said.

Currently, the city runs two free trolley routes. Last October it launched the North Beach Loop, which runs along Collins Avenue from 65th to 88th streets and loops into Normandy Isle on its way back down the west side of Miami Beach. It is also temporarily licensed to operate a trolley along Alton Road and West Avenue between Fifth street and Lincoln Road until construction on Alton Road wraps up in October, Mr. González said.

By spring, Mr. González said, the city expects to add two Mid-Beach routes to connect the North Beach Loop with the county-operated South Beach Local bus route. He said plans are also in the works to expand the Alton-West trolley loop into a permanent South Beach Loop.

If the city gets its way, it will have one unified trolley system covering the island from Fifth to 88th streets.

Passengers would ride free on all routes. Miami Beach has the project’s full $11.8 million price tag included in its 20152016 budget, to be funded by resort taxes, parking surplus funds and its share of the Miami-Dade County half percent transportation surtax.

The only obstacle left in the trolley system’s path is getting approval from Miami-Dade County.

Miami Beach Commissioner Ed Tobin said the city commission and Miami Beach residents support the plan and added that he would like more cooperation from the county.

“The number one quality of life issue for people down here is traffic congestion,” Mr. Tobin said. “We’re willing to pay. And it’s frustrating because we want to spend money to improve our quality of life and we can’t” until the city gets county approval.

Mr. González said the MiamiDade Transit Department initially balked at the trolley proposal for fear that trolley service would duplicate county bus ser-

Photo by Toni Bogart

By spring, Miami Beach plans to add Mid-Beach routes to link this North Beach Loop with county buses.

vice and take passengers away from county buses. However, Mr. Gonzalez said, the county surveyed riders and concluded that the trolleys, which would only operate in Miami Beach, would not duplicate county bus routes, which offer regional service and cater mostly to passengers traveling through Miami Beach to other destinations.

“Our objective is to attract new riders,” Mr. González said, “people who would typically use their cars, not county buses.”

Mr. González said the MiamiDade Transit staff is now working with the city’s transportation department to plan routes that work for both governments.

They have already agreed on the Mid-Beach routes. The Middle Beach Loop is to operate along 41st Street and Collins Avenue and loop south to link with the South Beach Local.

The Collins Link is to run north on Collins Avenue from 41st Street to connect the Middle Beach Loop with the North Beach Loop.

The Miami Beach City Commission has approved both routes, and the county commission is to vote in September.

If the county approves, Mr. González said, the trolleys will run in the spring.

Miami-Dade Transit spokesperson Karla Damian said the county is in “preliminary discussions” with Miami Beach about

the proposed South Beach Loop.

Mr. González said the South Beach trolley route would be designed to provide efficient east-west service, which pas-

sengers can’t get from the South Beach Local.

Alice Bravo, who took over as director of Miami-Dade Transit last Monday and spoke to

Miami Today the next day, said the Miami Beach transportation department had already reached out to her to meet and discuss plans. She declined to comment on the trolley proposal until she had a chance to look the plans over herself, but said she wanted to make sure the trolley and bus systems would complement each other.

“It’s in the county’s best interest to work with municipalities,” Ms. Bravo said. “We need all the solutions we can get.”

Mr. González said he thinks the trolley system will be very popular. The North Beach Loop serves 2,500 passengers daily, he said, “and that’s as a standalone loop that doesn’t really connect to anything.”

He also said that a South Beach trolley loop would complement South Beach Local bus service but eventually it would make sense to consolidate the two routes into one system operated by the city. That, however, is much further down the road.

Your Voting Precinct May Have Changed It’s Miami-Dade County’s duty to provide you with a convenient way to cast your vote—and it’s a duty that we take very seriously.

That’s why we’ve redrawn voting precincts and it may affect where you cast your vote.

Some voters will be voting at a new Election Day voting location.

Some voters will be voting at the same location, but will be assigned a new precinct number.

So if you vote on Election Day, make sure you know where to vote before heading to the polls. To confirm your current voting location, visit www.iamelectionready.org or call 3-1-1.

BE informed. BE involved.

WEEK OF THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

MIAMI TODAY

13

College and university enrollments drop as economy climbs

BY MARILYN BOWDEN

Enrollment in most local colleges and universities follows national trends, with slighter lower numbers since the recession.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, enrollment in post-secondary, degree-granting institutions increased between 1900 and 2013, with most of the increases occurring between 2000 and 2010. Enrollments for 2013, the most recent year recorded by the center, were lower than in 2010.

Miami Dade College, the county’s largest post-secondary school, fits neatly into that paradigm, listing total students served at 174,645 for 2010-’11 and 161,632 for 2013-’14.

“It peaked right around the Great Recession,” said Dr. Rene Garcia, director of enrollment.

“There’s always a relationship between unemployment and enrollment. There’s a tendency to come back to school to retrain or pick up additional skills.

“Since then we’ve lost a couple of [percentage] points at worst. We’re happy with that, because some schools have experienced loss in the double digits. And we’re still short of space during peak periods.”

Miami Dade College’s three biggest categories, he said, are its bachelor of arts, associate in arts and associate in science programs. Growth areas include health care; business, particularly entrepreneurship; criminal justice; psychology, and STEM fields. STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineer-

After years of enrollment drops, St. Thomas expects flat numbers in the fall: Provost Irma Becerra.

Photo by Maxine Usdan

“There’s always a relationship between unemployment and employment,” said Miami Dade College’s Dr. Rene Garcia. “There’s a tendency to come back to school to retrain or pick up additional skills.”

ing and math.

“There are a couple of film and TV production facilities coming on line,” Dr. Garcia said, “so we are anticipating an uptick in demand in that area.

“Areas that are a bit flat have to do with industries like aviation. But there were no really big hits in any particular area.”

With the economy improving, giving adult students more options, he said, enrollment for the coming year will probably be flat, “but on the other hand, the number of students coming directly from high school has been growing.”

Barry University’s number, quoted online at 3,996, has seen a small decline since 2012, said Sarah Riley, director of undergraduate admissions.

“In the geographic areas we serve,” she said, “the size of

high-school graduating classes has been decreasing, so there’s a smaller pool of eligible students. Most are of the middle class, whose income has remained stationary while the cost of everything continues to rise, so there’s often a delay in going to college.

“We have an early admission policy, and we’ve done a good job of looking at our historical data. We think we’re going to come pretty close to our projections this year, which is a slight decline in enrollment, but less than in recent years.”

The most popular degree programs are in the school of business and the college of nursing and health sciences, Ms. Riley said, and STEM concentrations remain strong.

“St. Thomas University, like many small, traditional univer-

sities, has been experiencing a decline in enrollment in the last five years,” said Dr. Irma Becerra, provost and chief academic officer. Undergraduate enrollment gradually dropped from 1,145 in 2010 to 931 last year. “We are expecting our enrollment at the undergraduate level this year,” she said, “to be flat.”

Majors such as business and political science remain popular. “Our School of Science has experienced significant growth in the last couple of years,” Dr. Becerra said, adding that St. Thomas’ School of Science is unusual in that it gives undergraduate students the opportunity to conduct research.

Due in large part to the launch of 27 new degree programs, mainly at the graduate level, in the past year, Dr. Becerra said,

graduate enrollments are climbing, and are expected to increase by 15% this fall.

Two local universities report results bucking the national trend. Statistics on the University of Miami’s website show steady growth from 2010 through 2014. Areas of highest enrollment have remained constant, with arts & sciences taking a strong lead, followed by business, communications and rising interest in engineering.

“Enrollment at UM is solid and stable,” said John Haller, vice president of enrollment management, in an email. “We will enroll our new class on target with a similar academic profile to prior years.”

Florida International University’s vice president for academic affairs, Elizabeth M. Bejar, stated in an email that enrollment has risen steadily from 44,010 in 2010 to 54,009 last year. She reports the top five majors for the past five fall semesters were psychology, biology, hospitality administration and management, criminal justice and business administration and management.

Academia, business, service providers unite in massive job creation program

BY CATHERINE LACKNER

Achieving the educational aims of One Community, One Goal is about tying together three segments of the community: corporations, academia, and service providers like Career Source South Florida, said Larry K. Williams, president and CEO of the Beacon Council, which sponsors the initiative. “It will take a lot of us to get this done, so how do we create a larger tent?”

In years past, businesses coming to South Florida asked about rent, utilities and taxes.

“But now, the No. 1 question we are asked is about the talent,” he said. “They want to know if we have the talent to grow their business, and if we have the support and infrastructure for additional training and other needs.”

The organization’s Academic

Leaders Council brought together presidents of major local universities and the public schools to brainstorm ways to ensure that curricula meet standards that business demands today, he said.

In the process, industry committee members within the Beacon Council got to know the education community, sometimes meeting on campus. One event at Florida International University highlighted the trades and logistics curriculum. Students and faculty joined in. “It wasn’t meant to be job fair, but two students got hired,” Mr. Williams said.

Out of the Academic Leaders Council came the Talent Development Network, which debuted in April.

“Employers were telling us, “We can’t get talent,” and students were saying, “I can’t find

a job and I’ve got to move away.’

There was a disconnect.”

So an internship matchmaking service was launched; the goal was 200 new paid internships, of which 45 are now being advertised, he said. After a recruiting effort, 55 companies registered.

“The Talent Development Network can potentially have a tremendous impact on keeping our local talent and expanding the pool of highly qualified candidates who can serve our growing and dynamic business community,” said Nelson Lazo, One Community co-chair and CEO of Doctors Hospital/Baptist Health South Florida. “Our Academic Leaders Council is truly making a huge difference in how we educate the future workforce. Nothing like this exists anywhere in the nation.”

Additional programs devel-

Photo by Marlene Quaroni

Addressing the skills gap is a primary concern, said Larry Williams.

oped alongside the Talent Development Network, Mr. Williams added. “One is Workaround Career Paths, which takes internships to the next level. We paint a picture for students of what the career paths are in different sectors. The message is on the Talent Development Network website and committee members are going to campuses to explain it.”

Addressing the skills gap is also a primary concern, he said.

High school students are introduced to growth careers that

pay a living wage but aren’t necessarily professional jobs, he added. “We take students on visits to the airport, the seaport, Baptist Health South Florida. It makes these jobs more real and more concrete.”

Moving forward, the goal will be to maintain and expand the progress, Mr. Williams said.

“Great tentacles are going to come out of this. We need to address the urban community to make sure everyone gets connected to the prosperity that is out there.”

14

EDUCATION TRENDS

MIAMI TODAY

WEEK OF THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

College builds academic structures, adds parking facilities

BY NICOLÁS R IVERO

To expand the breadth and depth of its course offerings and create space for greater enrollment, Miami Dade College is building new academic facilities and parking garages on some of its campuses.

In spring, construction wrapped up on major renovations to the Hialeah campus. Students and faculty have now moved into a new four-story multi-use academic building that houses classrooms, faculty offices, meeting spaces, a library, an art gallery, a student service hub and the campus’s first chemistry and biology laboratories.

“The new building expands our offerings on the Hialeah campus from A to Z,” said Rolando Montoya, the college’s provost for operations. “Now we will be able to offer a more comprehensive menu of programs.”

Before the renovations, Mr. Montoya said, the classes students could take in Hialeah were limited to English as a second language and some of the more basic courses. Now, he said, students will be able to complete certain degrees entirely on the Hialeah campus.

To accompany the new building, the college also put up a new 1,000-space garage.

“You can’t add a building that increases capacity and enrollment without adding parking,” Mr. Montoya said. “Students will look for a campus where they can park.”

He said enrollment has already risen, with students attracted by state-of-the-art facilities, expanded course offerings and aesthetically pleasing green spaces.

“Students will look for a campus where they can park,” said Rolando Montoya, provost for operations.

A new four-story academic building in Hialeah provides for a more comprehensive menu of programs.

Meanwhile, enrollment has been stagnating at Miami Dade’s West campus in Doral because of insufficient parking, Mr. Montoya said. In October 2012, a fivestory garage the school was building to accommodate growing enrollment collapsed, killing four workers. Construction stalled for almost three years while the college sought legal damages from insurance companies, contractors and subcontractors. In April, the college received $33.5 million in a settlement.

That money has already been used to demolish the ruins of the old structure, and work has begun on a new 2,000-space garage. Mr. Montoya said it will be finished in October 2016.

Meanwhile, Miami Dade is spending $156,000 a year to lease 450 spaces at a nearby Ikea garage for its students and faculty to use instead. Every 15 minutes, a shuttle transports commuters

between the garage and campus.

Mr. Montoya said the inconvenience has stunted growth at a campus that should be flourishing. Recent data from the US Census Bureau rank Doral as the third-fastest-growing city in America. Mr. Montoya said that a rapidly expanding population and an influx of new businesses create tremendous potential for growth at West Campus.

“When the garage is ready in 2016, everybody will be able to park on campus,” Mr. Montoya said.

Also scheduled to open in 2016 is a remodeled 13-story officebuilding-turned-educational-facility at Miami Dade’s InterAmerican Campus. The school bought the InterAmerican Plaza adjacent to its campus in Little Havana for $25 million in June 2012. Now it is spending $47 million to convert an existing office building into a com-

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prehensive academic facility by November of next year.

Like the new building on the Hialeah Campus, the new InterAmerican building will house classrooms, faculty offices, labs and student services.

Mr. Montoya said the public spaces included in both buildings’ designs add another layer of depth to students’ learning and experience.

“Among the spaces that we have at academic facilities you will find auditoriums, meeting rooms, plazas, atriums and spaces for exhibits,” Mr. Montoya said. “These spaces complement what you do in labs and in the classroom.”

He said one of the college’s strengths is its co-curricular programming, because hosting exhibits, guest speakers and community events allows students and faculty to engage with their community.

“Without the appropriate physical space, it’s very hard to promote those events,” Mr. Montoya said. “You don’t want students to park, go to class and leave. You want them to have a space to meet, hang out and work collaboratively.”

The college also plans to add a four-story building and accompanying garage to its Medical Campus in the Health District. The Center for Learning, Innovation and Simulation is to be an academic building with space to simulate a real-world hospital enviroment. Mr. Montoya said it will mainly be used for the medical school’s nursing and physician assistant programs.

The deadline for architects and construction managers to submit project proposals was July 21. As of this writing, a college selection committee is still reviewing the bids.

The college is also building a 600-space garage for its Wolfson Campus on a vacant lot donated by the US Department of Justice. The $18 million project is set to be completed in August 2016.

Foreign lawyers tasting US legal system at FIU

BY CATHERINE LACKNER

A true reflection of its name, Florida International University’s new LL.M. degree allows students who have law degrees – and in some cases, practices – in other countries to get a taste of the legal environment in the US. The university recently graduated its first class of 11 students, said Victoria I. Galan, the law school’s assistant director of communications and new media. Students hailed from countries as diverse as New Zealand, Italy and Costa Rica, and a new class is arriving shortly, Ms. Galan added.

The 24-credit course runs from August to May, and is offered at the university’s Modesto A. Maidique Campus in West Miami-Dade. Tuition is $20,133 for the 2015-16 academic year.

While the graduates aren’t eligible to sit for the Florida Bar exam, they can take the exam in some other jurisdictions, including New York, said Manuel Gomez, LL.M. program director, law professor and associate dean of international and

graduate studies.

“People take it for different reasons, and that’s certainly the motivation for some,” he said.

“Others want to serve American clients back home, or they want to work for a multinational company. In any case, they gain knowledge of the US legal system. Our traditional law students also get to know the foreign lawyers, and vice versa.”

Class sizes are kept small, he added. “We try not to take more than 20 admitted students, which makes it manageable for us and keeps the ratio of faculty to students very low.” He conceded that might change because demand is strong, “but we’re trying to keep the program small.”

Students are allowed to take most of the classes the university offers, including first-year law courses, which are foundational, Professor Gomez said.

“Some law schools want to insulate their first-year students,” he said, “but we wanted to give the foreign lawyers the real experience of an American law school.”

EDUCATION TRENDS

WEEK OF THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

MIAMI TODAY

15

UM revenue bond issuance to help expand health services

BY CARLA VIANNA

The University of Miami is on its way to expanding its health service centers.

The university has applied for the issuance of up to $764 million in revenue bonds by the county’s Education Facilities Authority to finance new university projects as well as refinance a portion of its existing bonds.

The refinancing component is up to about $475 million, while the rest will help fund three specific projects: the Lennar Foundation Medical Center, a 200,000-square-foot ambulatory center on the university’s Coral Gables campus; Workday HR, software to replace financial systems; and a simulation hospital at the School of Nursing and Health Studies.

“It is an exciting time for the University of Miami,” said Joe Natoli, university CFO and senior VP for business and finance, at a July 21 meeting between the university and the Education Facilities Authority.

The institution is in the midst of a presidential change, with incoming president Dr. Julio Frenk, who was dean of faculty at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and will be joining UM on Aug. 16. Mr. Natoli said the school’s medical operations are profitable, and its relationship with Jackson Memorial Hospital is “stronger

Said Joe Natoli, “It’s an exciting time for the University of Miami.”

Photo by Maxine Usdan

About $150 million of the bonds is to help develop the 200,000-square-foot center that is now rising.

than ever.” He also said that students are coming to UM in greater numbers with higher SAT scores.

Of the new funds requested, about $150 million will go toward the ambulatory center, about $30 million will fund the Workday software and about $20 million will be set aside for the nursing school hospital, according to discussions at the meeting.

The nursing simulation hospital is to be a five-story facil-

ity, and the “only one of its kind” in the US, according to its website. The Lennar Foundation Medical Center will deliver services of the Miller School of Medicine, including specialty care by the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.

The facility will also include urgent care, outpatient surgery, men’s and women’s health, physical therapy, diagnostic imaging and radiation oncology.

The Lennar Foundation has

given the university $50 million to name the Coral Gables ambulatory center.

The IT software being adopted represents the last step in the replacement of legacy systems for students and human resources that have been used more than 30 years, Mr. Natoli said.

UM has an extensive history with the education authority, whose tax-exempt bonds, or municipal bonds exempt from federal income taxes, have

funded major capital projects, including construction of the clinical research building, the biomedical research building, a new parking garage and an energy plant, among others.

“We anticipate issuing tax exempt debt through the authority, but also retain the flexibility to issue taxable debt through them,” Mr. Natoli told Miami Today, meaning UM could go directly to market to issue taxable debt.

The bond application is a fourstep process. The authority agreed to accept the application on July 21. In August, the authority will meet again, where there will be a public hearing and the authority will consider a resolution approving issuance of the bonds. It will then go to the county commission for approval, and finally, if approved, there will be a closing of the bonds post-solicitation of potential buyers.

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City historic site repeal may raise bridge’s cost

BY JOHN CHARLES ROBBINS

A decision by city commissioners regarding land on the Miami River might ultimately impact the design and cost to replace the Southwest First Street Bridge.

It might also affect how much access to the river is available for upland properties that have a long history of connections with the river, namely the Miami River Inn and associated buildings.

Those structures are included in a historic district, which limits what can be constructed or altered on those properties.

The new owner of the inn, area developer Avra Jain, was fighting a recent decision by the city’s Historic and Environmental Preservation Board to remove a property at 109 SW S River Drive from the South River Drive Historic District.

At a meeting May 5 the board voted 4 to 2 in favor of removing the site from historic designation, at the request of property owner Manny’s Seafood Corp.

Attorney Paul C. Savage appealed the board’s decision on behalf of River Inn SRD LLC, alleging the application “runs afoul of governing ordinances, covenants and procedures,� and asked the city commission to reverse the May 5 decision.

But after a long hearing, commissioners voted to back the preservation board, denying the appeal.

In a letter to the city requesting the land at 109 SW S River Drive be removed from the historic district, Manuel Prieguez, vice president of Manny’s Seafood Corp., detailed the history of the property.

Mr. Prieguez said his family purchased the property in 2011 from the previous owner of the Miami River Inn. The land is across the street from a number of parcels that in 1986 were made into the South River Drive Historic District. “The purpose for the district was to preserve the unique buildings that occupy those lots. The 109 parcel was and is the only parcel not adjacent to any of the other parcels; it is across the street. Nonetheless, this parcel used to have an historic structure,� he wrote.

Mr. Prieguez said there came a time when the building came into such disrepair that the city issued a notice of violation to the owner and demanded the structure either be repaired or demolished.

In late 2003 the structure was demolished. “As the current owner of this parcel, I cannot think of a good and logical reason why this vacant piece of land (disconnected from the rest of the parcels) should continue being a part of this historic district,� wrote Mr. Prieguez.

Currently the parcel is used as part of his family’s lobster and stone crab fishing business. The parcel allows for the storage of lobster and stone crab traps and dockage for the fishermen.

After decades of hard work on the river and his family purchasing riverfront parcels over the

years, the time is approaching where the family may sell the land, Mr. Prieguez indicated. “Forgive us for trying to maximize our hard work,� he told commissioners.

During the commission’s hearing on the appeal, several people spoke in favor of maintaining the historic designation, particularly to keep in place rigid building requirements that would discourage large developments like condo towers.

Worries of the impact of development of the riverfront parcel are addressed in the appeal, as Mr. Savage wrote, in part: â€œâ€Ś a large structure such as a parking garage or parking pedestal between the nationally-designated River Inn and the bank of the Miami River on the 109 Parcel will destroy the visual connectivity of the River Inn and the Miami River.â€?

Ms. Jain spoke to commissioners and said while she is “pro-

Photo by Maxine Usdan

The building here was razed in 2003 but the site remained historic until city commission action this year.

development,� she favors “thoughtful development.� She said she invested in the neighborhood by making the $8.6 million purchase of the inn and adjacent parcels in April.

Removing the historic designation from 109 SW S River Drive “impacts my rights,� Ms. Jain said, and asked that the his-

toric designation be maintained.

The property at 109 SW S River Drive abuts the Southwest First Street Bridge, which brings one-way traffic eastbound into the heart of the city.

The Florida Department of Transportation has been meeting with city officials and river commission members on a nearly $87

million plan to replace the 86year-old bridge, which is deemed structurally deficient. The overall project is expected to include acquisition of additional right-ofway, and the final design of the span has not been drafted.

Work to replace the bridge is set to begin in 2018 and be completed in 2021.

Spotlight on Excellence 2015 Put your company’s headline in Miami Today Take advantage of the special promotional package and showcase your business with an advertorial, which is a self-contained article, featuring your own headline and photograph.

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MIAMI TODAY

15

)LUVW%DQN )ORULGD IRFXV RQ FOLHQW QHHGV DV LWV FRPPHUFLDO OHQGLQJ UDPSV XS As the financial climate continues to strengthen, credit demand increases, and borrower worthiness improves, FirstBank Florida sees an opportunity to deliver community style banking service, with the financial strength of one of the best capitalized banks in the country.

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“Miami Children’s Museum is a magical place where children of all ages develop a love of learning through arts based educational programming and interactive exhibits,� says CEO Deborah Spiegelman. “Miami Children’s Museum is much more than interactive exhibits. We offer daily educational programming, themed camps, early childhood classes for parents and children, and an Early Childhood Institute.�

The museum, the largest in South Florida, has been recognized as one of the 10 best in the world. With 14 interactive exhibits in English and Spanish, Miami Children’s Museum promotes positive child development and social interaction through the world of arts and culture, with an eye on increasing communication skills and literacy. “The museum is a town center and educational institution firmly committed to making quality educational programming available and accessible to every child in Miami’s diverse community,� Ms. Spiegelman says. “In 2013, approximately 400,000 children and members of their families learned together through creative play and interactive experiences.�

Miami Children’s Museum is home to a premiere Early Childhood Institute for children aged 18 months to 5 years, providing a formal early-childhood educational experience in a museum setting. “Children who attend benefit from a blended curriculum and an ideal combination of a classroom environment that is enhanced by its setting within an educational museum facility,� Ms. Spiegelman says. “Because of its unique curriculum, children attending the Institute develop a love of learning and the arts from an early age.�

The Early Childhood Institute is now accepting registrations for next fall. “The museum offers after-school classes, parent-child classes for the earliest learners in art and music, and a cultural themed Summer Camp program which runs through August for children through fifth grade up to 10 years of age,� she says. “During the school year, we offer comprehensive one-day camps with a curriculum that teaches children about different countries.�

Museum visitors and members discover daily programming that reflects monthly topics ranging from health and wellness to the arts, music and literacy. Children and their caregivers can learn about these important themes through interactive art activities, story times, theatrical performances, cooking demonstrations and hands-on activities that promote positive social interaction and development between children and caregivers.

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The museum’s newest program is Sensory Saturday, a monthly session for children with special needs and their families.

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