WEEK OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2015
A Singular Voice in an Evolving City
WWW.MIAMITODAYNEWS.COM $4.00
HEALTH UPDATE
68,000 medical diagnosis codes add a new wrinkle Oct. 1, pg. 13 DEEP DREDGING DONE: PortMiami is now ready for the Panama Canal expansion. The port’s dredging, which deepened its main harbor channel to 50 to 52 feet, is now complete. A VIP luncheon at noon Sept. 18 is to celebrate the completion as well as the on-dock intermodal rail service. Both projects were part of the $1.2 billion investment the port made in preparation for the Panama Canal expansion, which is scheduled for completion in April. The port now has the capacity to welcome a fully laden 14,000-container vessel, compared to the 5,700 containers that ships calling at the port were limited to before the harbor was deepened.
Balancing higher insurance risk and prevention spending, pg. 16
THE ACHIEVER
BY SUSAN DANSEYAR
SENSITIVE WATERWAYS: Miami city commissioners have urged the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission to place more signs on the Miami River and in the Bill Sadowski Critical Wildlife Area informing boaters of the Idle-Speed Zone and No Entry Zone. Those designations came from the state commission. The resolution says that despite the restrictions, boaters violate the rules by speeding on the river and entering the wildlife area, damaging property and hurting environmentally sensitive lands, and become a navigation hazard. The resolution urges the wildlife commission and Miami Police Department to better enforce the restrictions. BEST FACE FORWARD: City commissioners on Sept. 10 preliminarily approved creating a City of Miami Beautification Committee to advise the city commission on beautification and landscaping projects citywide, including tree plantings, median maintenance, traffic circle maintenance and similar projects. The ordinance spells out the committee’s purpose, powers, duties, composition, appointment qualifications and membership requirements. The committee would have seven unpaid voting members. Each would have interest or experience in landscaping, landscape architecture, gardening, construction, the natural environment or beautification. A final vote may come in October. DOMAIN LAUNCH: Mayor Tomás Regalado and the CEO of Minds + Machines Antony Van Couvering are to host a press conference at 10 a.m. today (9/17) at Miami City Hall on the forthcoming launch of the new .MIAMI top-level domain. Details of the new online option will be explained, including its goals and benefits to city residents and businesses as well as all of South Florida. City Hall is at 3500 Pan American Drive.
Alice Bravo
Photo by Marlene Quaroni
Transit chief seeks alternatives to use of private cars The profile is on Page 4
Airport, Taiwan airlines in talks for direct flight BY CARLA V IANNA
Miami International Airport is deep in high-level talks with two Taiwan-based airlines interested in developing a nonstop flight, said Emilio González, Miami-Dade aviation director. The first direct flight linking Miami and Asia is expected within two years. While the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce is actively seeking a direct flight to mainland China, airport research shows that Taiwan, an island less than 150 miles east of China’s coast, may be more viable. It’s the airport’s job to prove to an international carrier that a substantial market exists for the desired route. “China traffic is robust, but it’s not big,” Mr. González said. There aren’t enough passengers now to economically sustain direct flights three to four times a week, he said. But looking at Asia as whole, he said, passenger numbers are soaring. Passenger travel between Asia and Miami grew 3.6% a year since 2009 and hit a historic high in 2014, when MIA welcomed 271,000 passengers. These numbers back Miami’s desire to enter Asian air traffic.
AGENDA
Trust says: use transit taxes right
The airport began looking for financially stable, growing airlines that have recently ordered new planes and are looking to establish new routes in the US. “We came up with two possibilities – China Airlines and EVA [Air],” Mr. González said. Both airlines are based in Taiwan, “a first-rate hub” for passengers throughout Asia, he said. “The idea is to get them to commit to flying to Miami within the next 24 months.” Mr. González traveled to Taipei, Taiwan, in March to meet with both airlines. He said his department is in “near constant contact” with both companies. Miami’s Taiwanese community welcomes a direct flight from their homeland. “If one day we have a direct flight from Taiwan, that means investment from Taiwan will come here [more easily],” said Philip T.Y. Wang, director general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Miami. China Airlines has run an all-cargo route from Miami for years, Mr. Wang said, so the airline is familiar with the airport. A nonstop flight from Taipei to Miami would take 17.5 to 18 hours, Mr. González said.
The Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust wants to restore half-cent sales tax revenue to its original aim of expanding and improving transit. Volunteer members are to vote Oct. 21 on “reaffirming the initial intent of the People’s Transportation Plan” by supporting surtax use only for expansions and, within three years, unwinding “unification,” instituted in 2009 to allow a slice of the funds to pay for operations and maintenance. Sharing transit tax income has long been controversial. In 2002, Miami-Dade voters OK’d the tax for promised new railways, bus routes and road improvements. Additionally, voters were promised, a trust would ensure the money’s use as guaranteed. The county was to use 80% of the revenues and the 34 municipalities were to split the rest. However, when the county commission finally created the trust after it delayed naming members, the trust lacked the power to safeguard the surtax, which increasingly funded existing transit operations. In May 2009, commissioners voted that they could use as they saw fit 90% of all the taxes that voters pay to expand transportation. Also that year, commissioners rejected 7-4 a proposal by now-mayor Carlos Gimenez that would have given voters a chance to repeal the tax. It’s time to change the unified system, the trust’s resolution says, now that the economy has recovered and the county no longer is in severe financial condition. Commissioner Xavier Suarez commended the trust’s move to “abide by the will of the people” in a letter this week to Paul J. Schwiep, trust chair. Returning the revenue to its original purpose, he said, would provide capacity to issue bonds for at least one of four much-needed rail lines. It would take a commission vote to restore surtax use.
“There is a very, very small group of planes that have the endurance and fuel capacity to make a flight like that,” he said. Both Taiwan-based carriers have the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in their fleet. “Depending on how the airplane is configured, seasonal conditions and other factors, the 777-300ER could conceivably provide service on the route,” a Boeing spokeswoman said. China Airlines ordered six 777-300ER planes in 2012, and three of the six have been delivered this year. EVA Air ordered 18 of that aircraft in 2000 and has had 17 delivered, one of them this year, according to Boeing. In terms of space and infrastructure, the airport is ready to accommodate the planes, Mr. González said. The Asia service is but one of Miami International’s steps to broaden its reach well beyond Latin America. The airport is pointing out on a map its black zones – areas not connected to Miami – and looking into route expansions. A few targets on that list are Africa, the Middle East, Boost general fund transit slice as tax shifts use, trust says, pg. 2 Scandinavia and Asia.
WORLD TRADE CENTER TAKING REGIONAL STRATEGY ...
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COUNTY TO BOND $20 MILLION FOR ANIMAL SERVICES ...
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VIEWPOINT: DON’T FISH FOR WHAT YOU’VE CAUGHT ...
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VIZCAYA FORUMS TO PLAN EX-SCIENCE MUSEUM SITE ...
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CITY TRANSPORTATION TRUST ROLLING DOWN LINE ...
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WORK STARTS ON OVERDUE US 1 OVERPASS NEAR UM...
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$10 MILLION TARGETED TO RE-NOURISH OUR BEACHES ...
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ENTERPRISE FLORIDA ADVISES ON CUBA TRADE STUDY ...
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TODAY’S NEWS
WEEK OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2015
MIAMI TODAY
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World Trade Center Miami taking regional strategy route BY MARILYN BOWDEN
The World Trade Center Miami, now in its third decade, is looking at new strategies to increase its outreach and further its mission. “Our mission is to increase two-way trade – exports and imports,” said President Charlotte Gallogly, “and our second mission is to strengthen and increase Miami’s position as trade logistics hub of the Americas. We’ve been at it for over 20 years.” In that time, she says, World Trade Center Miami has generated more than $3.5 billion in reported international sales – a figure arrived at by following up with every participant in its shows and special events. “My thought process in looking for strategies to increase and enhance two-way trade is based on people, partnerships and process,” said the trade center’s chairman, Lenny Feldman. Mr. Feldman was recently chosen by the secretaries of the departments of Homeland Security and Treasury as one of 20 members of the Commercial Operations Advisory Committee to US Customs & Border Protection. The committee advises government agencies on import enforcement and procedures, export controls and the like. “I see myself as a facilitator between public and private sectors,” Mr. Feldman said. “I’m also big on developing strategies with seasoned as well as emerging leaders, a mix of men and women with different backgrounds and ethnicities.” He said World Trade Center Miami is looking at a four-pronged overall strategic plan for the entire region, not just Miami-Dade County. “Even if cargo goes to Port Everglades,” he said, “that will still benefit truckers here. We have to really plug in that piece.”
Photo by Marlene Quaroni
“Even if cargo goes to Port Everglades, that will still benefit truckers here. We have to really plug in that piece”: Chairman Lenny Feldman.
The first prong, he said, is developing a tactical approach to targeting additional trade. “We’ve been looking at who our current trade partners are, and where there might there be opportunities.” “We need to develop our markets,” Ms. Gallogly said. “We’re not just going to look at the existing trade centers in a country, but also at secondary and tertiary markets – cities with populations of 1 million or more.” Fifteen of South Florida’s top 20 trade partners are in the Americas, which comes as no surprise, Mr. Feldman said, “but we are looking not only vertically, north to south, but also horizontally, to Europe and Asia, to see whether there are any trade barriers, but also looking at regulations being implemented by government agencies.” Business etiquette also comes into play. “One thing that is very important,” he said, “is that we have to roll out the red carpet for indi-
viduals considering doing trade in South Florida. Trade delegates are treated like royalty in Asia. Are we returning that courtesy when they come here?” The second prong, Mr. Feldman said, is the implementation of a Trade & Logistics Assistance Center to guide and advise fledgling and growing companies wanting to get into international trade. “We will use our expertise within World Trade Center Miami,” he said, “to provide introductions, recommendations of agents and distributors, customized training, market research, customs and legal advice – even go with them on trade missions if they wish. “By doing that, I believe companies around the world will see that South Florida is serious about being the trade and logistics hub of the Americas.” Said Ms. Gallogly, “We know the right people who are capable, competent and honest, and we can put you in touch with them.”
Mr. Feldman said the assistance center is ramping up for a launch in early 2016. Third, he said, is to invigorate the trade shows World Trade Center Miami stages. “We are trying to bring in both public and private sectors to address cutting-edge strategies,” Mr. Feldman said, “and see what we are missing. For example, do we want to look at other industries such as pharmaceuticals or apparel? “For the Air Cargo & Sea Cargo Americas Show, we’re looking at ways of developing trade expertise in high schools, colleges and universities to build the next generation of supply chain leaders.” The trade center skipped a year in its annual State of the Ports event to re-engineer it, Mr. Feldman said, “but everyone is on board to have one in 2016. We are looking at different options, such as having it be regional and national in focus, while still high-
lighting Miami-Dade County.” Finally, there’s the question of a new home for World Trade Center Miami. “Right now,” Mr. Feldman said, “the clarion call is to increase and enhance twoway trade. The real estate will follow. “If we are to be a global trade and logistics center, I feel strongly about being located in an iconic building where we can hold meetings and strategy sessions.” All options – new buildings or retrofitted, anywhere in MiamiDade – are on the table right now, he said, “but wherever we are housed, we need to be able to have prominent signage, because that is consistent with the license we have from World Trade Centers Association. “We are very attuned to new development that is emerging here. There’s a lot of exciting opportunities. We know of several serial world-trade-center developers across the globe who are very interested in Miami.”
A Big“ Thank You” To Our Development Community! Your vision, hard work and commitment has strengthened the foundation of our region’s economy for generations to come.
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MIAMI TODAY
VIEWPOINT
WEEK OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 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
Incentives bait wasted fishing for what we’ve already caught Miami can’t lure enough high-wage jobs with sun, sand and hubo f - t h e Americas site, even coupled with benefits of a low-tax state, global links, multicultural workers and Art B a s e l Michael Lewis razzle-dazzle. So incentives give us an added boost. Every city offers something: specialized talent, low costs, great schools, transportation networks, cheap land, proximity to markets, winning sports teams, top-level culture, quality cuisine or whatever. But no city has everything. When businesses relocate, they test every factor. More than one city could be suitable. The tipping point might be incentives, the bigger the better. That’s makes it so disappointing that Florida is running out of incentive cash and that Miami-Dade County has dribbled away $75 million it had stashed for a decade to bring in one gamechanging project. Those projects are few and hard to get, because everyone wants them. But we need to be ready for opportunity. Take General Electric Co., with about $150 billion in yearly sales, which is so sore about heavy taxes at its
Connecticut headquarters that it talks of leaving. Think of 5,000 high-paying office jobs in Miami and the ensuing magnet global star GE could be to other companies. Just the name would be a boon in Miami, which has few headquarters to call its own. That’s the kind of big deal we’ve long sought. And we have at least one thing GE requires: low taxes. Plus, where would you rather winter, the Northeast or Miami? We can’t tell how GE ranks attributes of a new home. But $75 million from the county plus the same from the state would sure be a warm welcome – if we had money for them or any other game-changing deal, which we don’t. Gov. Rick Scott asked the legislature for $85 million in incentives and got about half. Miami-Dade for a decade had squirreled away $75 million in voter-backed bond capacity for a project this big but in the past few months not only split every penny among 10 others but lined up four projects to get what’s left if these deals fail. How could they fail? Well, as we detailed in our pages last week, none of those set to split $75 million has yet met criteria fully. Startup film complex Miami Ocean Studios was lined up for $10 million to create 2,684 jobs. However, principals now want to guarantee just 50 jobs for the money.
At that pay pace, GE’s 5,000 headquarters jobs would rate $1 billion. If that seems steep, note that we’ve committed $3 billion for a baseball stadium that was geared to merely retain the Miami Marlins. Don’t our economic development aims seem out of kilter? Less than a year ago, three commissioners sought $18.5 million of the $75 million to add sand on their districts’ beaches, saying that better beaches would lure jobs even though the sand washes away. Beach upgrades are vital, but raiding incentives to do it would have been a travesty. Some label a travesty our use of the jackpot for projects that would otherwise be built and jobs that would otherwise appear – tossing bones to projects that won’t change much even if they do meet projections. We’re unlikely to get GE even if our economic development folks have tried. But from time to time other big game-changers appear. That’s where our big money should go. Instead, we reward construction when our skyline is already loaded with cranes. That’s like rewarding Alaska for producing ice. Why pay to get what we’re getting without paying? Friday an owner who moved his offices two years ago from Manhattan to Coral Gables said the key factors in his move were tax structure and quality of life. He got no incentives. In fact, he asked why we don’t have
incentives, because he has a larger business that if nudged he could move here from another state. The Beacon Council, our 30-yearold economic development team, does incentivize job creation and capital investment, but this business owner had never heard of the Beacon Council. Would its funding be his tipping point? The county’s $75 million gamechanger fund sure isn’t changing much. Most grantees would build here without a county penny. But none of those deals, politically blessed as they are, has convinced county professionals to OK them. If companies don’t win approval, four more await. If they too fail, something might remain for a true game-changer or a less-robust job creator that might not come here otherwise. Instead of fishing for lasting economic gains, we fish for what MiamiDade has already caught, with a feeding frenzy to share in $75 million that should have made a difference for us. Heavily taxed companies would like to move from the North. But other cities also pursue them. The place with the most to offer wins. We emptied our pockets at the wrong time and for the wrong reason. Our best hope is that county officials won’t rubberstamp any of the 10 deals that don’t meet economic targets and that we retain some money for when real game-changing values come along.
L ETTERS
E DITOR
Three ways to live more happily with less stress Sunshine vote is shameful Although life can bring dozens of forms of stress to beat us down, harass us and drive us into an early grave or vodka bottle, ways do exist to combat stress. EXERCISE. A survey by the Ameri- Bob Driver can Association of Retired Persons found that 47% of Americans aged 50-64 use exercises to manage their stress, while almost as many persons in the 65-plus age group (45%) also exercise as a means of lowering stress. During most of the past 10 years I visited a fitness center. Each time I left the center after a workout I felt an enormous reduction in my stress level. Just by exiting the front door and leaving all those #%&!! clanking exercise machines behind, I was overcome by a sense of peace. “Thank goodness I’m finished with fitness for a few days!” is what my mind told me. But as time passed I visited the center less and less. This gave birth to a sense of guilt in me, because all the health magazines scolded me, “Dude, if you don’t exercise more, you’re gonna DIE next week!” With the guilt came anxiety and tension. It was driving me nuts. So I solved the problem: I resigned from the fitness center. All at once my guilt vanished, along with the exerciserelated stress. Keep that solution in mind if you’re feeling stressed out by your fitness program. TELEVISION. Do you own a large
The Writer Bob Driver can be contacted at tralee71@comcast.net. towel or quilt? If so, drape it over the front of your TV set. Even better, donate your TV to Goodwill or some other worthwhile group. Whatever method works for you, banish TV from your life. Your stress level will be cut in half. Although television has some good programs (about 4% of them, at last reckoning) it is mostly a sewer. Into your home, TV introduces bad news, vicious gossip, misleading commercials, third-rate drama, loathsome comedy acts, religious panhandling and politicians (from all parties) whose primary purpose is to tell lies. If you don’t want to give up TV completely, try doing it at least one day a week. Or restrict your viewing to quality DVD films from the library or Netflix. The resulting peace and quiet will lower your worry level and restore your soul. It may also re-introduce you to your spouse and your children: “You say your name is Mary? Oh, yes, you’re my oldest, aren’t you? How have you been? Don’t you have a brother named Gary? George, you say?” STOP READING HEALTH AND NUTRITION MAGAZINES. You probably have heard this advice coming at you from a hundred directions: “Dude, if you don’t eat right, you’re gonna DIE next week!” Credulous coward that I sometimes am, I bought that line of baloney. I
subscribed to several good-health publications and tried to follow all the livelonger instructions they contained. I gave up sugar, gluten, fat and all dairy products. I ingested holy basil tea, valerian root and anything containing melatonin. I learned to juggle flavanoids. I monitored my cortisol level six times a day. Within six months I had lost two pounds and stood on the brink of a nervous breakdown. It was caused by my constant fear that I was not obeying all the nutrition rules and touching the bases that the experts said I must. Also, I felt cheated of the first rule of life: Food should be fun. Instead of enjoying my meals, I began to hate food. My stress levels were going through the roof. One day I got fed up (no pun intended) with all the nutrition advice. I tossed the magazines in the trashcan and rejoined my old gang at Pizza Hut, IHOP, Subway and Kentucky Fried. Today I weigh more than I should, but one of the few stress symptoms I feel is when I’m home on a Saturday night, I’ve rented an outstanding DVD movie and I discover there’s no popcorn in the house. I don’t recommend or condemn any of the stress-reduction ideas I’ve outlined above. We all have to work out our own solutions. Perhaps the only universal rule for coping with stress is to expect it. When we wake, look it in the eye and say, “Okay, you’re a fink, do your damndest. I’m just as tough as you are.” And then apply that magnificent mindset: “Keep calm and carry on.”
TO THE
It’s disheartening (but not surprising) to read only one county commissioner voted against this resolution [to make some commission discussions private]. Daniella Levine Cava deserves our vote of thanks. The rest should be ashamed for even considering changing the Sunshine Law. Considering it will go before a majority of reps in Tallahassee who are more likely to agree with the commissioners in our Repugnicant-Governor-friendly government, I’d say we’re screwed. DC Copeland
How to Write Letters for publication may be sent to the Editor, Miami Today, 2000 S. Dixie Hwy, Suite 100, Miami, FL 33133 or email to letters@miamitodaynews.com. Letters may be condensed for space.
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MIAMI TODAY
TODAY’S NEWS
WEEK OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2015
$10 million more targeted to re-nourish county’s beaches BY SUSAN DANSEYAR
County commissioners were scheduled this week to approve increasing funds by $10 million for a program to re-nourish Miami-Dade’s beaches and protect its shoreline. The legislation would reduce an allocation of $10 million to the Building Better Communities Obligation Bond Program project for “Purchase of Development Rights” as surplus funds, reducing the original allocation of $30 million to $20 million, and transfer it to the “Beach Erosion Mitigation and Renourishment” project, increasing its total allocation from $17.5 million to $27.5 million. The resolution also dictates that a policy be established to restore $10 million by September 2024 to the purchase of development rights program, directing the mayor’s office to identify legally available funds toward that end in the proposed budget for fiscal 2019-2020 as well as the four subsequent proposed budgets. A public hearing was scheduled before the commission was to vote on the resolution. Commissioner Sally A. Heyman, who said last week she thoroughly supports the resolution, emphasized the importance of beach re-nourishment. The projects occur mostly within District 4, which she represents, and Districts 5 and 7, represented by Bruno Barreiro and Xavier Suarez, respectively. However, maintaining shore-
Photo by Maxine Usdan
Hobie Beach bathers on Rickenbacker Causeway. Beach re-nourishment is vital for the entire county.
line protection through beach re-nourishment is vital for the entire county, Ms. Heyman told Miami Today. “This will help us protect infrastructure of buildings on our coastline,” she said. “It will protect us on storm surge.” Moving forward, Ms. Heyman said re-nourishment work will be performed on Central Miami Beach, Surfside and Sunny Isles Beach, where “significant amounts of cubic feet of sand have eroded up.” The US Army Corps of Engineers is in the process of developing permit applications and put out a bid option for work on the three beaches, said Brian Flynn,
special projects administrator for the county’s Regulatory and Economic Resources’ division of environmental management. He said about a year from now, work will commence on two areas in Miami Beach. Should the bid price be low enough, Mr. Flynn said, the project would include Sunny Isles. If not, he said, work on Sunny Isles and Surfside would start a year later. The $17.5 million in the fund for beach erosion mitigation has already been spent on re-nourishment, Mr. Flynn said this week. He explained the proposed $10 million is the estimated cost for work on the
three beaches. “We’ll get through the immediate needs first and then look at what else needs work,” he said, adding that Mayor Carlos Gimenez would like to put $5 million a year toward beach renourishment. Miami-Dade County manages 13 miles of beaches, extending from Government Cut through Sunny Isles Beach. The areas are part of a federally authorized shore protection project administered by the Army Corps of Engineers, with the county serving as the local project sponsor. According to the memo accompanying the resolution that Deputy Mayor Jack Osterholt
sent to commissioners, funding for the project is generally cost shared 50/50 between federal (Corps) and non-federal partners (county and state). Typically, he said, the county and state share the cost of the nonfederal portion 50/50. Therefore, Mr. Osterholt points out, the allocation of $10 million to the beach re-nourishment program actually affords the county $20 million to $40 million for such projects. “Maintaining the county’s beaches are critical for protecting infrastructure,” Mr. Osterholt wrote. “Furthermore, the impacts of sea level rise and intensifying storm activities means that our community will be increasingly vulnerable to more frequent and more intense storm surges. Strengthening shoreline defenses against the threats posed by storm surge have been recognized as a priority by coastal communities worldwide.” Over the next 10 years, Mr. Osterholt said, it’s projected that at least $30 million will be needed to continue re-nourishing our beaches just to keep up with the impacts of erosion. Voters approved the Building Better Communities General Obligation Bond Program in 2004, with one of the questions authorizing borrowing funds to construct and improve parks and recreational facilities. The question specified improvements for other recreational areas as well as restoring beaches and preserving endangered land.
Florida out of sand for beaches, Army says, so look abroad BY SUSAN DANSEYAR
By all accounts, it’s essential to maintain and safeguard Miami-Dade’s shoreline for the tourism industry and protection of natural resources as well as infrastructure, yet it’s a bit more complicated than one might think. When erosion threatens to remove or dangerously narrow an existing beach, re-nourishment
becomes necessary. The process involves either dumping or pumping sand from elsewhere onto an eroding shoreline. Miami-Dade County manages 13 miles of beaches extending from Government Cut through Sunny Isles Beach. The areas are part of a federally authorized shore protection project administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with the county serving as the local
project sponsor. Over the past decade or so, the county has been taking sand mainly from inland areas in South Florida and trucking it down to where re-nourishment is necessary on our shoreline, said Brian Flynn, special projects administrator for the Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources’ environmental management. But now, he reported, we’ve basically run out of sand. According to a report on alternative sand source investigation by the Army Corps of Engineers, Miami-Dade is running out of “dependable, economical and environmentally practical offshore sand sources.” In 1986, a congressional directive authorized acquiring non-domestic sand only if material isn’t available from domestic sources for environmental or economic reasons. Since that time, the Corps of Engineers has been investigating the use of non-domestic sand on federal projects in Southeast Florida and completed a six-year study showing the discrepancy between what sand sources are available and projected needs for the next 50 years. The June report states investigations for Miami-Dade indicated some sources, particularly Bahamian aragonite, look promising. Mr. Flynn said he has also been looking for alternative sources of sand and speaking
Ortona Sand in Moore Haven quarried sand for Key Biscayne in 2012.
with people in such locations as Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. Trucking sand from inland areas is expensive, Mr. Flynn said. Moreover, sand that might be brought in from the counties in Southeast Florida – particularly St. Lucie and Martin – is a darker color and doesn’t match the sand on our shoreline.
Mr. Flynn said further research is necessary for bringing sand from a location such as the Bahamas. “The question becomes how to get it from Point A to Point B,” he said. “We need to know if there are maritime regulations regarding bring non-domestic sand here.”
WEEK OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2015
TODAY’S NEWS
MIAMI TODAY
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New ramp aims to remove notorious 836/I-95 bottleneck BY CATHERINE LACKNER
A $23 million joint venture will spur a number of improvements along State Road 836 and I-95, among them elimination of a notorious bottleneck near the Civic Center. Eastbound motorists getting on State Road 836 at Northwest 12th or 17th avenues who want to drive north on I95 now have to cross several lanes of traffic, as they enter on the extreme right and the I-95 entrance is on the extreme left. Then they face a backup as
they approach the entrance to I-95 north. The Miami-Dade Expressway Authority and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) are collaborating on a plan to add a dedicated ramp on the right side of eastbound State Road 836 that will lead directly to the northbound I-95 entrance. “Drivers will never again have to pass through all those lanes of traffic,” said Mario Diaz, the expressway authority’s public information officer. The designbuild phase is anticipated to begin within fiscal year 2015, according to authority
documents. Both agencies had improvements for the corridor on their drawing boards. “We realized there were opportunities to partner, to create efficiencies,” Mr. Diaz said. Expressway authority documents say the joint effort will also “avoid unnecessary inconvenience to the traveling public.” The new ramp is expected to alleviate gridlock getting onto I-95 northbound, Mr. Diaz added. “Most of the people there are coming from the hospital district, so the new access ramp should
free up that situation.” The expressway authority will provide funding to the department of transportation for preliminary studies and other costs, providing FDOT constructs part of State Road 836, which is owned by the expressway authority, documents note. FDOT will “take the lead on procuring the project and administering the design-build contract,” documents continue. As part of the project, improvements are also planned for the ramp leading from southbound I-95 to westbound State Road 836.
4 river towers of 58 to 60 stories get preliminary city OK BY JOHN CHARLES ROBBINS
Another billion-dollar development is poised to change Miami in a big way and has garnered preliminary approval from city commissioners. Called simply Miami River, the mixed-use project would bring hotel rooms, apartments, retail stores, restaurants and offices to the southern bank of the river that meanders through the heart of the city. The developers promise a big and beautiful public riverwalk and an improved city park, and say the project will connect booming Brickell with historic Little Havana. City commissioners on Sept. 10 unanimously granted preliminary approval to three ordinances sought by Miami River developers, CG Miami River LLC. The ordinances would: Amend policies of the “Interpretation of the 2020 Future Land Use Map” and “The 2020 Future Land Use Map Series” of the city’s comprehensive plan to establish the Miami River Residential Density Increase Area permitting up to 400 dwellings per acre. Allow the area to be master planned for greater integration of public improvements and infrastructure and greater flexibility as part of the Miami River Special Area Plan (SAP). Authorize the city manager to enter into a development agreement for the Miami River SAP. The planning and zoning department recommended approval of all items, allowing Miami River to move forward. The project promises to bring new life to mostly vacant land just east of I-95. The development is planned for an area bordered on the north by the river, on the south by Southwest Seventh Street, on the west by Southwest Third Avenue, and on the east by Southwest Second Avenue. Along with its size – four towers 58 to 60 stories tall on 6.2 acres – this project stands out because the City of Miami is a partner. As part of the proposed Special Area Plan under the Miami 21 zoning code, Jose Marti Park would become a part of Miami River. That would result in an extension of the riverwalk west and under I-95, and improve-
The City of Miami will partner with the project, which will fold in and improve the city’s Jose Marti Park.
ments to the city park. A deal struck with CG Miami River LLC also ensures the public riverwalk will be extended east under the Second Avenue Bridge and past neighboring condo tower Latitude on the River. The city’s Urban Development Review Board and the Miami River Commission recommend approval of the large mixed-use project, with conditions. The proposed SAP consists of a phased project divided into five parts that include 4,181,087 square feet of development consisting of 1,678 residential units, 330 lodging units, 66,541 square feet of office space, 176,350 square feet of commercial uses, 2,376 parking spaces, 17 boat slips, at least 35,964 square feet of civic space and at least 15,175 square feet of open space. Melissa Tapanes, an attorney representing the developer, told commissioners the project will transform the site into a “dynamic mixed-use destination” connecting Brickell with Little Havana. She said the developer has undertaken comprehensive community outreach and attended many meetings since May 2014. The goal is to create a sustainable neighborhood that offers a transition from the lower density of Little Havana to the higher density of downtown, said Ms. Tapanes. The overall project is to see creation of a new public street accented by public art, and more
ing residential development on the river in the last 10 years,” he said. Mr. Aguirre described the design from Kobi Karp Architecture as breezy, airy and uncongested. He also said it is exciting to have money available for a renaissance of Jose Marti Park. Brett Bibeau, managing director of the river commission, read into the record the three conditions set by the river commission in October for its conditional approval of the SAP: Make certain that the more than $21 million in public benefit improves the river district. Have the developer agree to build and improve the public riverwalk east under the Second Avenue Bridge if Latitude on the River doesn’t do so. Have the developer, as part of phase one, commit $5.5 million to be held in trust to ensure construction of the riverwalk if phase two isn’t built. Several residents and business owners spoke in favor of the project, using words like “magnificent.” Barbara Rodriguez said she lives about four blocks from the site and had attended a few of the outreach meetings. Having the project funnel money into the city park is extremely exciting, she said. There are very few parks in the area, so she said she is pleased to see an emphasis on Jose Marti Park improvements and extending the riverwalk. The 4 towers stand on 6.2 acres. “This will revitalize the area,” than $21 million in public benefit improvements within the river district. Horacio Stuart Aguirre, chairman of the river commission, spoke favorably of the Miami River development. “It is perhaps the most excit-
said Ms. Rodriguez. As for Brickell and Little Havana, “this will bring our community together,” she said. Area developer Avra Jain spoke in favor of the project, which she called beautiful. She commended the architects on the design, and said it was good to see the public benefits money spent in the impacted area, including its use for added security at the city park. “It’s one reason I bought in the neighborhood,” said Ms. Jain. Meg Daly, founder of a group advancing The Underline, a planned linear park and trail, praised the Miami River project. “This project embraces people first. It is a livable, sustainable development,” she said. One man voiced concern about the project’s impact on affordability of housing and suggested the profits to the city from new towers go to affordable or workforce housing. One commissioner was a bit cool on the large density planned. “It looks beautiful, but I’m concerned with the density,” said Frank Carollo. He noted that the developer only owns 6.2 acres and needs the city’s participation to allow the Special Area Plan. The purpose of a Special Area Plan is to allow parcels greater than 9 abutting acres to be master planned for greater integration of public and private improvements and infrastructure. In order to make the 9-acre minimum, the developer and city plan a public-private partnership that includes part of the adjacent park. Mr. Carollo also said the higher density requested is a “big, big disparity” compared to what zoning allows in adjacent Little Havana. Current zoning of the site limits density to 200 residential units per acre. Mr. Carollo said he does like the additional riverwalk that the project affords and the planned improvements to the park. Commissioners Francis Suarez and Marc Sarnoff thanked the developer for investing in the city. Mr. Sarnoff urged approval, calling the project good urban planning by creating a space where people can live, work and play. A final vote may come in late October.
WEEK OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2015
TODAY’S NEWS
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Vizcaya sets forums to plan for former science museum site BY SUSAN D ANSEYAR
Members of the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens Trust will integrate the public’s ideas into an evolving master plan for developing a new cultural center at the county-owned estate and grounds on South Miami Avenue in Coconut Grove. Three public forums will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 24, 9 to 10:30 a.m. Sept. 26 and 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 29 at Vizcaya Village Garage, 3250 S Miami Ave., for people to learn about the Vizcaya Village and share ideas for its future. The forums are an important element of a planning process being facilitated by Miami-based architects MC Harry and Associates and Washington, DC-based Quinn Evans Architects, said Joel M. Hoffman, executive director of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. The Village is the historic property across the street from the main house and gardens that businessman James Deering began building in 1912 on 180 acres. A member of the Deering Harvester Co., he had an avid interest in landscaping and plant conservation, both of which Mr. Hoffman said played a role in the design of Vizcaya. Mr. Deering, who was advised by doctors that sunshine and warmth would help alleviate symptoms of anemia, planned to restore his health at Vizcaya but died in 1925 and left the villa and estate to his half-brother, Charles. In 1953, Mr. Hoffman said, the Deering family gave the property to the county with the deed specifying it be used to preserve the historic integrity of the house and garden and be
Photos by Maxine Usdan
The former science museum site is part of the farm village of Vizcaya, which is planning its future as work inside the villa itself proceeds.
used a museum. “They envisioned the site could have uses as a park,” he said. “When Vizcaya became a county parcel, it was operated by the Parks Department.” The department occupied a number of agricultural buildings, including the dairy barn and chicken coop. The Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science built a facility on the property but, in the late 1990s when it wanted to expand and Vizcaya was designated as a historic landmark, Mr. Hoffman said there was concern the expansion might diminish the property. In 1998, the county’s Vizcaya Museum and Garden Trust was formed and took over the administrative function of the en-
tire Vizcaya Village, the historic property across the street from Vizcaya’s main house and gardens, including the site occupied until this summer by the museum. The upkeep of historic infrastructure and building a museum to allow use of the community resource has been funded by $50 million from the voter-approved 2004 $2.9 billion General Obligation Bond program, allowing the county to fund neighborhood and regional capital projects over the next 15 years. Currently, about $20 million is left for capital projects the trust would like to create such as space for classrooms, handson activities, much-needed
parking and possibly an auditorium or exhibit space. When the referendum was passed, Mr. Hoffman said, it included language about Vizcaya Village and that the site of the science museum would revert to Vizcaya for its use. Now, the trust is moving through the steps of tackling a master plan to enhance the historic integrity of the site for its increasing visitors, who have almost doubled in the past eight or nine years, Mr. Hoffman said. “The Village is an important place for us to tell the story of the service functions it provided and agriculture at Vizcaya,” he said. “Vizcaya has been focused on being a more vital educational community resource.”
Mr. Hoffman and Vizcaya’s staff members see an opportunity for an urban agricultural program and focusing on the farm-to-table movement. Additionally, he said, they’d like to link Vizcaya into the Underline pathway under the Metromover. The trust in a competitive selection hired its master planning team. The next steps, Mr. Hoffman said, are helping the public understand Vizcaya’s history and needs, gathering input from the community on its desires for the Village, and using that information to refine the master plan. Ultimately, Mr. Hoffman said, the trust will bring recommendations it formulates to the county commission for approval.
Work started on long-awaited US 1 overpass beside UM BY CATHERINE LACKNER
Construction has finally begun on an overpass across US 1 that will provide a safe path from the University of Miami and the University Metrorail station to a shopping center and residential area across the street, said Karla Damian, spokeswoman for Miami-Dade Transit. Miami-Dade County approved the $6 million pedestrian bridge over the six-lane highway eight years ago but construction was delayed. It became a topic of discussion last week when Julio Frenk, new University of Miami president, held his first town hall meeting. Dr. Frenk was incredulous that the project has taken so long, observers said. Since 1989, eight students have been killed or seriously injured while trying to cross US 1, according to a report by The Miami Hurricane student newspaper. “In 2008, when the effects of the economic downturn were beginning to be felt, the project was placed on hold indefinitely, due to fiscal challenges faced by Miami-Dade Transit as a result of a revenue shortfall and the Florida Department of
Photo by Maxine Usdan
The county OK’d a pedestrian bridge over US 1 eight years ago but work just began and has a year to go.
Transportation’s reduction in several million dollars in state grant funding,” Ms. Damian said. When funding became available in fiscal year 2012, the project’s design phase restarted. Originally, planners wanted to have the bridge align with the shopping center, but negotiations failed and the planned
bridge was moved about 30 feet to the north, she said. The final location was established on May 2013 when Coral Gables transferred Mariposa Court to the county, clearing the way for the project to move forward. A collaborative effort between Coral Gables, the state transportation authority and the county was completed in No-
vember 2014, Ms. Damian added. ABC Construction of Miami was awarded the bid in April, with a notice to proceed in May, she said. Construction should take about a year, sources said. The roofed bridge is to connect two towers on either side of the roadway, each having its own elevators and staircases, the
Miami Hurricane newspaper said. The pedestrian bridge and the Metrorail station were key elements when NP International chose the site for its Paseo de la Riviera mixed-use project, company principal Brent Reynolds has said. The transit-oriented property, if approved by Coral Gables, would replace the current Holiday Inn at 1350 S Dixie Hwy. On about 2.7 acres, Paseo de la Riviera would include a 10story, 252-room hotel; an 8story, 234-unit apartment building; 19,218 square feet of ground-floor retail, 46,948 square feet of open space, a six-story parking garage with 838 spaces, a large “paseo,” or gathering space, and arcades along US 1. The total area is 404,610 square feet with 360 feet of frontage on US 1. The two proposed buildings are approximately 142.6 feet high. Mr. Reynolds and architect Jorge Hernandez have said that the overpass would connect their proposed development to the university, allowing residents from their complex and the surrounding neighborhood to attend performances and events at the university without using a car.
WEEK OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2015
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New use of 68,000 medical diagnosis codings starts Oct. 1 BY CARLA VIANNA
After several delays, a federally mandated coding system that changes requirements for documenting patient diagnoses is scheduled to take effect Oct. 1. With no further delay in sight, all clinics and hospitals are to switch their systems to the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases, or ICD10, from the former ICD9 system in just a couple of weeks. “It is an unavoidable glacier coming down the slope right now,” said Seth Avery, president and CEO of AppRev, a healthcare business intelligence company based in Texas. While some healthcare providers may be saying “finally,” those who shook preparations to the side with each delay aren’t as enthusiastic. “Many hospitals seemed to not take it very seriously after the delay last year,” Mr. Avery said. “While some hospitals had invested millions of dollars in it and prepared for years, other hospitals just never seemed to take it very seriously.” He estimated that 20% of hospitals are substantially unprepared for the approaching deadline. Those hospitals that began preparing for the switch ahead of time had to keep a dual process in place when the implementation was delayed, Mr. Avery said. The coding systems are the way in which physicians document patient diagnoses. While ICD9 had about 14,000 clinical diagnosis codes, ICD10 has
‘There’s going to be some growing pains.’ Douglas Wolfe
Photo by Maxine Usdan
“We’re going to five times the number of diagnoses, and 17 times the number of inpatient procedures,” explained Charlotte Barrett, the assistant VP for health information integrity at the University of Miami.
about 68,000. “We’re going to five times the number of diagnoses, and 17 times the number of inpatient procedures,” said Charlotte Barrett, assistant VP for health information integrity at the University of Miami. Preparing for a change this large, Ms. Barrett said, required healthcare organizations to reevaluate their IT systems and ensure each was updated to accept the new code. Both coders and physicians had to learn the ins and outs of the new system. Physicians had to be trained to provide more detailed
documentation. Opponents have said the switch is costly, time consuming and would take healthcare providers’ time away from patients, Miami Today reported last year. The American Medical Association has advocated against the mandate, saying the price tag on the upgrade for a small practice could reach $226,105. On the physician front, ICD10 requires a significant amount of detail compared to ICD9, which has been used for so long that most physicians had the codes memorized, Ms. Barrett said. “In [ICD9], a physician would
document a leg ulcer. In [ICD10], you certainly have to know if it’s the right or left. Laterality is a requirement,” she said. With ICD10, the physician must also document the location of the ulcer on the leg as well as the depth of the ulcer – is it on the skin, tissue, muscle or bone? The driving force behind the switch is to provide more numerical data about diseases and conditions that patients are seeking treatment for. The more specific, quantitative diagnoses will help improve population health research.
“There’s going to be some growing pains,” said Douglas Wolfe, a Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton attorney representing hospitals, physicians and clinics. “Systems won’t be set up right. They may be using old codes that end up getting claims rejected.” If insurance companies and medical providers aren’t on the same page, or in this case using the same coding system, this will slow down the payment and reimbursement process. Determining if a procedure is covered under a patient’s insurance plan will be more complex and time consuming during the transition, Mr. Avery said. A regular doctor visit may also take longer than usual. “For an office visit,” Ms. Barrett said, “it may take a little more time for a physician to document this detail.”
Use of most medical funds on chronic conditions debated BY CATHERINE LACKNER
The vast majority of healthcare dollars – some experts put it as high as 80% – is spent to treat chronic diseases, which can be managed but not cured and affect only about 20% of the population. Opinions abound on the economic implications of these diseases, generally recognized as ALS, arthritis, asthma, cancer, cardiac and lung disease, cystic fibrosis, dementia, diabetes, hemophilia, kidney disease, obesity and osteoporosis. “It is true that a relatively small number of participants unduly impact the cost of healthcare,” said Doug Falcon, chief operating officer of FHATPA benefit administrators in Fort Lauderdale. “Many times it is because of chronic conditions, which could be short- or long-term in their character.” Cancer is expensive to treat (some recently approved oncology drugs are expected to
cost more than $300,000), but the high cost of care is delivered over a relatively short time. Hemophilia may cost $400,000 per year to treat, and care may continue almost indefinitely, he said. “I think it may be rare for an individual in our country with a chronic condition to not have access to care,” Mr. Falcon said. “So the costs are going to be borne by the public through taxes, higher premiums and fees. Providers in our community will have to provide care for which they are not fully paid,” though some charities will pick up part of the costs, he said. “The answer is elusive,” said Jane Cooper, president and CEO of Patient Care, a company that allows consumers to compare healthcare costs among providers. “If you look on the employer side, companies have been promoting wellness for 20 years,” encouraging and sometimes incentivizing employees to exercise, stop smoking and
Jane Cooper: “Whose job is it?”
form healthy habits, which mitigate and can alleviate some chronic conditions. “The challenge is getting people to say ‘I need to make a change.’ People know the consequences but pursue the lifestyle anyway.” Case managers have proven effective, Ms. Cooper said. The patient liaison, usually a nurse or other healthcare worker, can work closely with the patient and family to make sure medication is taken and a healthy diet
and exercise plan followed. Politics enters the picture, too. “Whose job is it: the government? The employer? The insurance carriers?” Ms. Cooper asked. “Stop making our population sick!” said Santiago G. Leon, broker and employer resources consultant for ACC Hall International Inc. He pointed to a report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, an international economic and policy forum. More than 10% of adults in the US and Mexico have Type 2 diabetes, compared to less than 5% of the adult population Iceland, Norway and the United Kingdom, it said. “Type 2 diabetes is largely preventable,” the report notes. “A number of risk factors, such as overweight and physical inactivity, are modifiable, and can also help reduce the complications that are associated with diabetes. But in most countries, the prevalence of overweight and obesity also continues to
increase.” In addition to promoting lifestyle changes, “identify and provide a standard of care to people who have inherited or developed a chronic disease,” Mr. Leon said. According to a 2012 report by the Centers for Disease Control, that has shown to be effective. “Among adults with diagnosed diabetes, death rates from hyperglycemic crisis have declined since the mid-1980s,” it said. “Rates of lower-limb amputation and kidney failure have declined since the mid-1990s.” Part of the decline can be attributed to fewer people smoking and more awareness of the effects of high blood pressure and high cholesterol, the report acknowledged. But it gave a nod to disease-state management. “Other possible reasons include improvements in blood glucose control, early detection and management of diabetes complications, and improvements in preventive care, treatment, and diabetes care.”
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MIAMI TODAY
WEEK OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2015
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