Miami Today: Week of Thursday, February 16, 2017

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WEEK OF THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017

A Singular Voice in an Evolving City

WWW.MIAMITODAYNEWS.COM $4.00

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE & OFFICE SPACE

Unique Brickell deal uniting storage, offices, retail, pg. 13 BOATS ON DISPLAY: As part of the Miami International Boat Show Feb. 16-20, city commissioners approved an agreement with NMMA Boat Shows Inc. to use docks at city-owned Miamarina at Bayside downtown. The National Marine Manufacturers Association has presented the Strictly Sail portion of the annual boat show at Miamarina since 1999, “providing excellent exposure of the city’s marina to an estimated 100,000 annual attendees from all over the world,” says a city staff memo on the deal. This event is expected to bring about $119,510 revenue to the city. The show displays more than 2,300 of the world’s newest power boats, sailboats, engines and accessories. For the second year in a row, the main venue is the land and water around Miami Marine Stadium on Virginia Key.

Dynamic suburban office areas battling with urban core, pg. 15

The Achiever

By Camila Cepero

FREE BOAT SHOW PARKING: Brickell City Centre is offering six hours of free parking and shuttle service to water taxis going to the Miami International Boat Show on Virginia Key today (2/16) through Feb. 20. Free shuttles will run from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, with the last water taxi leaving for the show at 4:30 p.m. The center is also hosting a lounge for boat show attendees on the second floor at the South Miami Bridge, 701 S Miami Ave., where the garage is located. Last year about half of all boat show attendees arrived by water taxi. GAS UPS AND DOWNS: Gas prices rose and fell in Florida this week, depending on who is compiling the figures. AAA says prices rose on the weekend after 38 consecutive days of declines in the state, while GasBuddy price tracking service cited prices in the state down slightly, including in Miami, where the price was down 0.8 cents per gallon to $2.38 on average over the week ended Sunday. GasBuddy said the national average rose 1.4 cents a gallon in the week to $2.27 per gallon. CASH A WEAKER KING: The percentage of Miami residential real estate buyers who do all-cash deals is far ahead of the national average even though all-cash purchases here are on the decline. In 2016, cash deals were 45.7% of Miami’s total closed sales versus only 21% nationally, according to Miami Association of Realtors figures. But Miami’s all-cash figure was even higher in 2015, when 51.8% of all deals were in cash. The association says international buyers tend to be the ones paying cash, and international sales have fallen here as a percentage of all deals. Cash alone was used in 60.3% of all condo closings here last year, the association said, but just 30.6% of single-family sales. MEMORIAL FOUNTAIN: The Miami Beach City Commission has approved naming the South Pointe Park Fountain after former Deputy Police Chief Mark N. Overton, who died in November after 32 years of service.

Wayne Pathman

Photo by Cristina Sullivan

Guiding law firm, Beach chamber, sea level committee The profile is on Page 4

Six new transit corridors could cost $3.6 billion Hunt narrows, no fund source works, pg. 3 forward in three to five years and federally funded for three of the corridors at $906 milMiami-Dade officials have just mapped out Backers fast-track northeast rail line, pg. 8 lion, $896 million from the state and $350

By Susan Danseyar

their overarching Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) plan, eliminating some key unknowns, but are still analyzing where to find money to fund its six corridors. For the first time, now plans include price tags, up to $3.6 billion. Commission Chair Esteban Bovo Jr.’s Policy Council Committee, which he said was set up to discuss such pressing priorities, including transportation, met for the first time last week. For transportation, it’s important to speak about funding, Mr. Bovo said. “We already have a plan but need to know how to pay for it.” Transportation chief Alice Bravo provided an overview of corridors and estimated cost, for the first time filling in major blanks of the SMART Plan. A key decision appears to be the mode of transit along each corridor. As spelled out, corridors and their modes are: ■Miami Beach, a 3.3-mile elevated Metromover from Miami’s Museum Park Station to Fifth Street and Alton Road in Miami Beach. ■East-West, a 10-mile at-grade, partially elevated Metrorail extension mainly along

Agenda

El Al route pulls nearer via huddles

State Road 836 from the Miami Intermodal Center to Florida International University. ■Kendall, a 10-mile, at-grade Metrorail along the Kendall Drive median from the Turnpike to the Dadeland North Metrorail Station. ■North, a 9.5-mile, at-grade Metrorail extension along the Northwest 27th Avenue median from 215th Street to the Martin Luther King Jr. Metrorail Station. ■Northeast, a 14-mile, at-grade commuter rail in the Florida East Coast Railway corridor from downtown Miami to Aventura using existing tracks. ■South, a 20-mile, at-grade Metrorail extension along the existing transitway. For a fast track, with all corridors moving forward immediately in two to six years, available capital in 2017 dollars, the cost is $3.6 billion, Ms. Bravo estimated, with no federal funds, $896 million from the state and $350 million in existing People’s Transportation Plan value. That leaves a $2.34 billion gap. A bit slower, with all corridors moving

million in existing People’s Transportation Plan value, the total is $3.6 billion with a $1.43 billion funding gap. On a slow track, with segments moving ahead as cash flow allows, $413 million in federal dollars, $488 million from the state and $350 million in existing People’s Transportation Plan value, cost would total $1.9 billion with a $702 million funding gap. Clerk of Courts Harvey Ruvin proposed raising parking ticket fees to bring substantial SMART plan money. Historically, all cities had their own courts and issued their own tickets, Mr. Ruvin said, but new state law changed that. “The county does get money for parking but not fines.” Miami-Dade ticket fees are well below state average, Mr. Ruvin said; his staff will work with the county attorney’s office on legislation to alter that. State law regulates how much money from parking violations can be used, said a member of the county attorney’s office. Staff is trying to determine to what extent Miami-Dade could levy an added fine.

Miami International Airport is inching closer to serving Israel’s El Al Airlines after county aviation officials visited Israel this month. The delegation, led by Director Emilio T. González, met with senior officials from El Al and Ben Gurion International Airport, the airline’s hub, Israel’s main international airport and its busiest, 12 miles southeast of Tel Aviv. Officials all discussed a MiamiTel Aviv route and best practices in airport operations and security. El Al officials first visited Miami International in February 2016 and met four months later with Miami-Dade officials at the 2016 International Air Transport Association General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit in Dublin. “We are extremely grateful for our growing relationship with the leadership teams at El Al Airlines and Ben Gurion Airport,” Mr. González said in a statement. “The lessons learned and information shared was invaluable. “Additionally,” he said, “as El Al considers adding new markets to its network, we appreciate the opportunity to continue discussions toward renewing service between Miami and Tel Aviv – two of the world’s most strategic destinations for air service expansion.” ElAl, which could not be reached, has invested in a top-of-the-line jet, ordering the Boeing 787. According to Miami International Airport, many foreign carriers are in the midst of fleet revitalization and expansion, as both Boeing and Airbus are offering new, efficient, long-range planes such as the Boeing 777 and 787 and Airbus A330 and A350. The Boeing 777, a family of the world’s largest twinjets, has a typical capacity of 314 to 451, with a range of 5,235 to 9,500 nautical miles. Last year, Miami International welcomed six new passenger lines and four all-cargo carriers and expects five airline service launches this year. This month alone, three airlines began serving Miami International: Mexico’s Volaris, Qatar Airways Cargo and Canada’s Fir Air.

COUNTY ADDS FREE WI-FI AT AIRPORT, SEAPORT, MORE ...

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MIAMI WAIVES PERMIT FEES FOR ADDING SOLAR PANELS ...

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CHARTER STUDY DEBATE STARTS WITH WHO CAN STUDY ...

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DEFINING RESTAURANTS, BARS FLUMMOXES WYNWOOD ...

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VIEWPOINT: DON’T CUT OUT STATE’S PROFIT FROM JOBS ...

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MARINAS PROPOSALS MUST HAVE A JOBS COMPONENT ...

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RENTED AIR CONDITIONING OVERHEATS CITY SPENDING ...

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11 COURTHOUSE SITE CHOICES CLEAR, FUNDS A MYSTERY ...

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