Miami Today: Week of Thursday, March 9, 2017

WEEK OF THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2016

A Singular Voice in an Evolving City

WWW.MIAMITODAYNEWS.COM $4.00

DOWNTOWN & BRICKELL

River Commission backs a Brickell tunnel, pg. 14 HELP FOR CONDO OWNERS: Condo owners asked Miami-Dade’s County Commission for help Tuesday. Wearing orange tee shorts with “We are all condos” on the front and “Stop condo abuse and corruption” on the back, they’re concerned that they are helpless with property managers.

Most spoke in Spanish, through an interpreter, to seek accountability for all and proposed solutions for the state Condominium Act. One man said condo owners have a clear disadvantage to “property managers who know how to steal money.” Another, who’s fond of Mayor Carlos Gimenez and the commission, asked that others be respectful of local leaders. Carlos Martinez, Miami-Dade public defender, said in 2005 “this commission adopted an ordinance which has created some confusion.” The intention, he explained, was when a public defender client completes an application, a penalty should not be applied for issues not the owners’ fault. “Now, it looks like it can be imposed,” Mr. Martinez said. “Legislation coming before the county commission is to clarify that it’s not to be imposed.”

Arsht Center garage pending signature bridge firm, pg. 14

The Achiever

By Catherine Lackner

PROTECTING PEOPLE: The county commission on Tuesday unanimously voted to urge the state Legislature to strengthen condominium association laws in order to prevent fraud. Additionally, the resolution sponsored by Bruno Barreiro and co-sponsored by Jose “Pepe” Diaz asks to allocate funding and powers to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, related to condominium associations.

Both expressed their concern for the condo owners and thanked any press following the issue.

ENHANCED POLICING: Miami city commissioners have accepted a $500,000 grant from the Omni Redevelopment District Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) to underwrite costs associated with enhanced police services within the Omni Redevelopment Area. The CRA has the power to develop and implement community policing innovations with the objective of remedying slum and blighted areas. The Miami Police Department presented the CRA with an operational plan for the “Omni CRA Detail,” a service-oriented police unit, in a problem-solving team capacity, to support the continued working partnerships with the CRA, the Neighborhood Enhancement Teams, residents, business owners and the homeless outreach programs. The money will pay for five supplemental sworn officers assigned exclusively to the redevelopment area, to address issues relating to quality of life. The enhanced police services supplement general patrol.

Photo by Cristina Sullivan

Juan Carlos Bermudez

Back in Doral mayor’s job with plans for city upgrades The profile is on Page 4

NY dress designer’s factory on river adds school

By John Charles Robbins

A New York fashion designer building a design studio on the Miami River is expanding his concept with plans to establish a vocational school of fashion there too.

Naeem Khan plans a studio for design and manufacture at county-owned 1175 NW South River Drive under his long-term lease with Miami-Dade.

A Miami River Commission vote Monday recommended revisions to his plan for approval.

Mr. Khan and his team presented the latest changes to the evolving plan, which now includes a vocational school.

“I had a crazy idea, but a good idea,” he told the board. As the project became more defined, Mr. Khan said, he began to wonder how to include the community.

The idea of the school was born, he said, to help teach a new generation the art of fashion design and the workings of the fashion industry.

The site fronts more than 200 feet of the river’s south shore. Dockage is planned for the entire length, along with a 25-foot-wide riverwalk.

Study asks where,why, how you go

Mr. Khan’s team has promised to extend the riverwalk under the 12th Avenue Bridge, connecting with a pedestrian staircase on the west leading back to the on-road Miami River Greenway. The riverwalk is also to have access back to the road on the east.

Mr. Khan’s team reported negotiations have begun with the Florida Department of Transportation, which owns the bridge and the land under it, and the City of Miami Department of Fire-Rescue, which uses the space to store old and wrecked fire and rescue vehicles.

The revised plan for Naeem Khan Studio includes cleaning and improving the adjacent land under the bridge to use for his facility’s parking.

Project architect Alfonso Jurado of Arquitectonica reviewed other changes to the site plan, stressing that none impact the riverwalk.

The original plan had two buildings, 3 and 4 stories, joined by a connector. The revised plan includes separate 3-story and 5-story structures. The 3-story building, to the west adjacent to the bridge, would house the vocational school, according to documents. The 5-story building would be the fashion design and manufacturing facility, with the top floor devoted to a client lounge and offices. The taller building is 68 feet, 9 inches.

“We took the connector out and improved the quality of the space between the buildings,” Mr. Jurado said.

The revised site plan shows an open green area between the buildings that could host fashion runway shows, he noted.

“It will be very high end. We’re making the whole area as beautiful as we can,” Mr. Khan said.

The redesign of the buildings involves more dramatic and sharp angles, with “substantial changes to the skin,” Mr. Jurado said. Precast panels and glass make up the grid façade, which “harkens back to the ’50s in Miami,” he said.

River commission member Patty Harris commended Mr. Khan. “It’s a lovely place – bright, open, airy,” she said.

The plan includes an improved seawall, with fabrics shipped to the site and finished fashion products shipped out via the river.

County Commissioner Bruno A. Barreiro, a river commission member, said he worked with Mr. Khan to bring his business to Miami.

“What I like about the building is that the lobby is facing the water,” Mr. Barreiro said.

Mr. Khan said he hopes to finish construction by mid-2019.

In what’s being playfully called the Battle of the Counties, transportation planners are encouraging Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach residents to let them know who’s going where, when and for what reason.

According to the email newsletter of Miami-Dade’s Transportation Planning Organization (TPO), the tri-county population is set to grow 25%, from 5.6 to 7 million people, by 2040.

The Southeast Florida Transportation Council, which comprises representatives from the TPO and from Broward’s and Palm Beach’s Metropolitan Planning Organizations, last fall launched a travel survey by mailing 210,000 postcards to random households.

Mailings proportional to counties’ populations asked recipients to go to a website and sign up for the survey.

“We weren’t getting the response we wanted, so now we are also inviting others,” said Wilson Fernandez, TPO assistant director of mobility management and implementation. “We thought we would inject a competitive aspect” among residents of the counties to build response.

This week 170,000 postcards were mailed, with 140,000 more to follow by month’s end. The survey will be advertised via newspapers [see page 3], banners, radio and billboards along I-95, Mr. Fernandez said.

Respondents will be asked to complete a travel diary of all household members’ trips for one to two days; 10% will be sent GPS trackers to keep more accurate records of trips, he said.

“It’s a way for us to know, in real time, how people travel,” he said. “We rely on tools, ridership models and so forth. The data will help us calibrate the models.”

The diaries and GPS trackers should be in by late May and analyzed by September, Mr. Fernandez said. “We haven’t done this in a while, and we know traffic patterns have changed. We want to see how and why. The extensive data the surveys will generate are very valuable to us.”

IN CASE OF A SHORTFALL, TRANSIT ROUTES TRUNCATED ...

2

TECHNICAL ISSUES STYMIE COGENERATION FACILITY USE ...

11

3 TRANSIT CORRIDORS TO GET 3 MULTI-MILLION STUDIES ...

3

CHICKEN RESTAURANT CHAIN SEEKS NEW SITES TO GROW ...

12

VIEWPOINT: TRANSIT MUST HALT OUTFLOW OF ITS RIDERS ...

6

VITAL GARAGE IN GROVE BAYFRONT PLAN MAY ADVANCE ...

17

12 JAPANESE FIRMS VISIT FOR HUGE WATER/SEWER DEALS ...

7

HOLIDAY INN ON BEACH GETS $26 MILLION REFINANCING ...

17

2

MIAMI TODAY

TODAY’S NEWS

The Insider BEACON COUNCIL SEARCH ON TRACK: The Beacon Council, which is looking for a new CEO, told Miami Today at the end of January that a decision would be made by the end of March. In a written statement, Chair Jaret L. Davis, co-managing shareholder at Greenberg Traurig’s Miami office, on Monday stated, “We’re pleased to report the executive search for the new president & CEO of the Miami-Dade Beacon Council is moving along on schedule. We’re in the final stages of the search that has included interviews with an excellent pool of candidates.

Our goal is to finalize the decision by the end of March. Jaret Davis We appreciate the hard work by our search committee and Korn Ferry,” the firm handling the search.

RENEWING THE FLEET: The Miami Parking Authority is buying nearly 20 new vehicles for its operations department. The city’s Off-Street Parking Board approved spending $368,212 for 19 vehicles from Don Reid Ford. The quoted price was available to the authority by piggy-backing off a State of Florida Department of Management Services contract, and includes the extended warranty for all vehicles inclusive of a five-year plan with 60,000 miles.

Authority CEO Art Noriega told the board the purchase will save the agency money in repairs and maintenance and reduce down time of staff when vehicles are out of Art Noriega service. Authority COO Alejandra Argudin said the vehicles being replaced are 7 to 9 years old, and were traded in as part of the new purchase.

LASTING BUSINESS: Have you been in business in Greater Miami for 50 years or more? If so, Dade Heritage Trust wants to hear from you. In the spring/summer issue of the trust’s Preservation Today Magazine, “golden” Miami businesses will be profiled, featuring a brief overview and images that reflect both the past and present of the organization and their impact on Greater Miami. The semi-annual magazine is distributed to members, business leaders, non-profit organizations, city, county, state and federal representatives, and will be launched with a private event at one of Miami’s oldest organizations, the Christine Rupp Biscayne Bay Yacht Club in Coconut Grove, on May 11. Details: Christine Rupp, executive director, Dade Heritage Trust, (305) 358-9572 or chris@dadeheritagetrust.org.

Transportation tax trust OKs funds to probe three new transit corridors

By Catherine Lackner

To help move the Strategic Miami area Rapid Transit plan along, leaders of the Citizens Independent Transportation Trust voted Feb. 16 to spend more than $48 million for studies on three corridors.

“What I want to point out is that the committee spent hours very carefully analyzing these items,” said Charles Scurr, executive director of the trust, which is charged with overseeing expenditures from the half-penny transportation sales tax voters passed in 2002.

The strategic transportation plan, announced last year, identifies six corridors for transit improvements.

The routes are the: Beach Corridor, between Miami Beach and Miami.

East-West Corridor, along State Road 836.

Kendall Corridor, from Dadeland to Southwest 162nd Avenue.

North Corridor, along Northwest 27thAvenue from west of downtown to Northwest 215th Street.

Northeast Corridor, from downtown to Aventura, largely along the Florida East Coast Railway tracks.

South Corridor, from Dadeland to Southwest 344th Street, along US 1.

MIAMI’S OWN HERO: County commissioners approved the City of Miami Beach co-designation of Convention Center Drive as “Muhammad Ali Way.” Born Cassius Clay, “Fight Doctor” Ferdie Pacheco reportedly said of the heavyweight boxer, “Cassius Clay was born in Louisville. Muhammad Ali was born in Miami.”

AWARD-WINNING SEAPORT: PortMiami was honored by Porthole Cruise Magazine as the best US seaport for customer service, quality operation and all-around excellence.

COMMERCIAL OUTLOOK: The Miami Finance Forum’s annual commercial real estate outlook event will feature keynote speaker Armando Codina, executive chairman of Codina Partners, at a breakfast session at 7:30 a.m.

March 14 at the Conrad Hotel, 1395 Brickell Ave. Six other industry professionals will serve on the outlook panel. Non-members can register for $75 by March 12 at www.miamifinanceforum.com COUNTY POLICY: Miami-Dade County Commission Chair Esteban Bovo Jr. is to hold his Armando Codina Chairman’s Policy Council meeting at 11 a.m. today (3/9) in the Commission Chambers, on the second floor of the Stephen P. Clark Center, 111 NW First St. It’s open to all. Mr. Bovo, soon after being elected chair, established new committees, the heads of which are on his policy committee. The seven-member group discusses priorities for Miami-Dade, pushing what Mr. Bovo said is the comEsteban Bovo mission’s policy discussions forward more efficiently than in the past. His goal is to endow the commission with better ordinances and legislation. Details: (305) 375-2035.

ADVANCING PRIORITIES: County Commission Chair Esteban Bovo Jr. on Tuesday cancelled April meetings for his priority council as the items will be heard at the May 2 full commission meeting. Deadlines for what would have been heard in April are March 24 and March 29. Commissioners unanimously agreed. Several said they have received a lot of public engagement on several issues.

There’s no construction without the studies, said Charles Scurr.

“We approved items that are going to move each of our corridors forward to the PD & E – the project development and environmental – stage,” Mr. Scurr said. “You can’t get to design and construction until you do PD & E.” The process had already begun on three of the corridors, he said.

The trust decided to fund studies on the other three.

“By the actions that we have taken this evening, we are now in full PD & E on all six corridors,” Mr. Scurr said. “Using our capital expansion reserve funds, we have done something very dramatic and very important for the future of our community.”

The trust recommended that the county commission approve an expenditure of $4,166,000 in surtax funds for a multi-year project with the Florida Department of Transportation to study the Miami Connector intermodal system, trust documents said.

It also recommended county commissioners approve two contracts, each not to exceed $11 million including contingency, to Parsons Transportation Group and Aecom Technical Services for project development & environmental studies. A contract with Parsons Brinckerhoff Inc. for project development & environmental studies is not to exceed $22 million.

The trust also passed resolutions in support of the transportation plan itself and its quick implementation, and of an interlocal agreement that would allow transit improvements to the South Dade Busway along US 1.

With each contract agreement, spending authority on all work orders is limited to one year, unless an extension is approved by both the trust and the county commission.

“What the one-year cap really means is that, not only are we going to move into PD & E, but we are going to do it in an expedited manner,” Mr. Scurr said.

If funds fall short, SMART plan now comes with truncated route versions

SWIMMING SUPPLIES SOUGHT: Increased use at City of Miami swimming pools is boosting expenditures to stock them with the safety equipment. City commissioners authorized $25,000 more for a total of up to $75,000 to buy lifeguard equipment and aquatic center supplies from Water Safety Products, E-Lifeguard and The Lifeguard Store, piggybacking on a competitively bid Brevard County contract.

By Catherine Lackner TAXING DISTRICT MEETING: Miami-Dade County Commission Chair Esteban Bovo Jr. has invited citizens to a special taxing district meeting at 6 Something new might be in p.m. March 23 in Miami Lakes Town Hall, 6601 Main St. County staff will be the offing for the Strategic Miami present to answer questions and address concerns. Details: (305) 820-8424. Area Rapid Transit plan, which NEW MEDICAL TOWER: Construction has topped off on Aventura’s first medical office and condo in the Aventura Hospital Medical Campus at 2801 NE 213th St. The 12-story Aventura Medical Tower is being marketed to doctors and other healthcare providers. Developing the site is Faith Development, a subsidiary of The Faith Group, based in Aventura, which says it holds “a wide variety of investment including multifamily, retail and office properties” in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Aventura Medical Tower is to have seven parking levels with 472 spaces and five floors of office suites totaling about 105,000 square feet. The ground floor is to have 5,000 square feet of retail and clinical service space.

WEEK OF THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

aims to add transit along six corridors. Alice Bravo, director of the county’s Transportation & Public Works Department, told a Feb. 16 meeting of the Citizens Independent Transportation Trust that minimum operating segments might be built if funding goals for full build-out aren’t reached within a realistic time frame.

“This assumes we build a reasonable part and come back for a second round and build the rest later,” she said.

At full build-out the plan looks like this.

■For the Miami Beach corridor, a 3.3-mile elevated Metromover would run from Miami’s Museum Park Station to Fifth Street andAlton Road in Miami Beach. The cost at build-out in today’s dollars is $400 million.

■On the Northeast corridor, a 14-mile, at-grade commuter rail on existing Florida East Coast Railway tracks would run from downtown Miami to Aventura. The projected cost would be $186 million, which might change depending on how much the railroad company charges to access its track.

Because these are relatively short corridors, and the tracks are already in place to serve the northeast corridor, the minimum operating scenario would be to build them fully, Ms. Bravo said.

■In the East-West corridor, a 10-mile at-grade, partially elevated Metrorail extension would run mainly along State Road 836 from the Miami Intermodal Center (MIC) to Florida International University.

The cost is $923 million.Aminimum operating segment would run from the MIC to the Palmetto Expressway, at a reduced cost.

■The Kendall corridor would be served by a 10-mile, at-grade Metrorail along the Kendall Drive median from Dadeland South Metrorail Station to Southwest 162nd Avenue. The cost in today’s dollars is $607 million, but that cost would be substantially lower for a segment running from Dadeland to the Florida Turnpike.

■On the North corridor, a 9.5mile, at-grade Metrorail extension along the Northwest 27th Avenue median would run from the Martin Luther King Jr. Metrorail Station to Northwest 215th Street, which is the county line. The cost in today’s dollars is $600 million. The minimum operating segment would have Northwest 119th Street as its northern terminus.

■Along the South route, a 20mile, at-grade Metrorail extension would run in the existing South Dade Busway from the Dadeland South Station to Homestead and Florida City The projected cost would be $648 million; an abbreviated version would run the service to Southwest 200th Street.

The cost for the entire plan would be $3.8 billion, but it’s anticipated that three of the projects will receive 40% federal funding, that 25% will come from the Florida Department of Transportation, and that a percentage will come from the Citizens Independent Transportation Trust.

The minimum operating segment plan would cost $1.9 billion, leaving a $702 million gap for the county to fill.

“Obviously, since we’re operating smaller segments of the corridors,

annual operating costs will drop to $83 million, as opposed to the $116 million we had before,” Ms. Bravo said.

“It’s important to note that the SMART plan is already in action,” she said. “We have portions of projects already underway,” including the Miami Central Station downtown for the Northeast corridor and the 850-space Dolphin Park & Ride station for the East-West corridor.

Various transit oriented developments and park-and-ride facilities are advancing for the South corridor, she said, and the county is negotiating for a transit-oriented development on a 15-acre parcel at Northwest 215th Street on the North corridor.

We want to hear from YOU! Phone: (305) 358-2663 Staff Writers: Camila Cepero ccepero@miamitodaynews.com Susan Danseyar sdanseyar@miamitodaynews.com John Charles Robbins jrobbins@miamitodaynews.com Letters to Editor editor@miamitodaynews.com People Column people@miamitodaynews.com Michael Lewis mlewis@miamitodaynews.com

Like us: Miami Today Follow us: @MiamiTodayNews

TODAY’S NEWS

WEEK OF THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

MIAMI TODAY

3

3 transit corridors = 3 studies up to $11million each by 3 firms

By Susan Danseyar

County commissioners on Tuesday approved a resolution providing up to $11 million each for three general contracts, each of which will be assigned to study three SMART plan corridors for Miami-Dade.

Before the vote, however, several questioned transit chief Alice Bravo as to why the county needs three different entities to do three different studies.

Commissioners Barbara Jordan and Joe Martinez both expressed concern at the start of over an hourlong discussion. Ms. Jordan asked ‘I know it will pass if the scope of any studies have with eight votes. Just for changed since the last request for $22 million. Mr. Martinez said the the record, we’re wasting money for studying the corridors is not being spent wisely. “I know it taxpayer money.’

Joe Martinez will pass with eight votes,” he said.

“Just for the record, we’re wasting taxpayer money.”

Ms. Bravo explained the leg-

islation requesting an award not to exceed $22 million for professional services that would provide engineering expertise for the capital improvement plan has not changed in scope and the money is for engineering services. When the SMART plan was approved, however, she said the department thought it a good idea to have three different companies handling the studies for a broader array of services.

The original professional service agreement with Parsons Brinckerhoff of up to $22 million was advertised before the SMART plan was approved, Ms. Bravo said.

“We now realize we’ll need three major studies” for the three corridors Miami-Dade is currently working on: East-West, South and the Beach.

Each of the three will cost a different amount and the Florida Department of Transportation, doing three corridors as well, is paying half the cost ($5 million) for the Beach cor-

Alice Bravo said, “We now realize we’ll need three major studies.”

ridor, which could cost $10 million, Ms. Bravo said.

Jose “Pepe” Diaz said he didn’t want to argue with other commissioners but “Alice came into this mess” and that he’s been in Washington, DC, where questions always turn to whether or not Miami-Dade has a plan for the corridors. “Engi-

neering is the most important part,” Mr. Diaz said.

Chair Esteban Bovo Jr. said he’s personally tired of studies and that the county must move on or it will lose citizens’ trust and the half-cent sales tax. “Then you’ll have nothing.”

Mayor Carlos Gimenez recommended lowering the $22 million and then coming back to the commission for a higher amount if necessary.

“I hope we can get more out of $11 million and like the idea of different consultants,” the mayor said. “I like competition.”

Moreover, Mr. Gimenez said, he doesn’t want to send a signal to residents that the county is spending so much on studies. “We need studies to get federal support,” he said.

“We need to go after as much federal money as we can; we could receive 50% [of the funding].”

The corridors will be extremely expensive, Mr. Gimenez said.

Dolphin Station park-and-ride for express bus service OK’d

By Susan Danseyar

County commissioners have unanimously approved a plan for Dolphin Station park-and-ride transit facility that transit officials have identified to support the planned State Road 836 express bus service and others in the pipeline.

The plan for the park-and-ride transit terminal in the northwest quadrant of the Homestead Extension of Florida’s Turnpike and Northwest 12th Street is necessary for the health, safety and welfare of Miami-Dade residents, ac-

cording to the legislation sponsored by Jose “Pepe” Diaz. Toward that end, his resolution explains, the commission has considered the function, public needs, land use pattern in the area and impact on surrounding property.

The administration recommended the commission pass the resolution, stating it’s in compliance with county code.

The Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources prepared an explanation at the request of the Department of Transportation and Public Works.

The transportation department has

identified a need to provide a park-andride terminal to support the SR 836 bus service and other planned express buses as well as a potential future CSX commuter rail station, according to administrative staff. “The proposed Dolphin Stadium will also provide a potential stop for several local bus routes serving the Dolphin Mall and nearby cities of Sweetwater and Doral.”

The 22.45-acre site is owned by the Florida Department of Transportation, which has agreed to convey it to the county when construction is done so

that the Department of Transportation and Public Works can maintain and operate Dolphin Station. Construction is expected to be done by December.

It will be built through a design-build contract administered by the MiamiDade Expressway Authority. Costs will be split equally by Miami-Dade and the state transportation department up to a combined total of $10 million. All costs exceeding $10 million will be the county’s responsibility.

County transit chief Alive Bravo will oversee the Dolphin Station’s development.

County on age-friendly team so elderly can keep getting around

By Catherine Lackner

Miami-Dade County has been named the fifth-largest community, and one of only a few counties in the US, to be part of the 380-city global Age-Friendly Initiative, according to Miami-Dade’s Transportation Planning Organization (TPO), the lead agency in support of the effort.

The initiative considers the transportation, housing and outdoor-space needs of seniors, a county release said. The Alliance for Aging, Health Foundation of South Florida, United Way of Miami-Dade, Urban Health Partnerships and AARP Florida are also involved.

“Transportation is part and parcel of any age-friendly community and it is clearly an issue here,” said Linda Schotthoefer, senior director of community initiatives for United Way of Miami-Dade.

“It’s mentioned in every focus group. Older adults often have difficulty with getting around, and the transportation options they have frequently don’t feel reliable.”

Many baby boomers who are entering the senior population prefer ride-sharing services, “but not everyone is trusting of that,” Ms. Schotthoefer said.

“We’re excited to see the transportation issue being recognized, not just for the aging population, but across the board,” she said.

“At the same time, we want to make sure all of the leaders who addressing transportation concerns don’t leave older adults out of the

equation, which can be easy to do.”

“Miami-Dade County is home to the largest population of older adults age 60 and over in Florida, more than half a million, with that number expected to rise to over 800,000 by 2040,” the county release said.

“Now that Miami-Dade County has officially been accepted into the network, the initiative will kick off its next phase with a survey that

will inform the expansion and finalization of an action plan for continued age-friendly efforts in the county.” The plan is to address seniors’ concerns, including how to get around when they can no longer drive.

Among the goals: “Advocate and implement streets that are safe for all modes, users and mobility.

Ensure older adults have the opportunity to safely drive as well as

have knowledge of and access to on-demand transportation services and quality transit stops.”

The initiative even tiptoes around the delicate issue of taking away the keys. “The percentage of older adults with driver’s licenses has remained relatively constant over the past few years. There are currently no standards for determining whether someone is able to continue driving. Assistance with

getting the conversation started in families is needed.”

The county’s Golden Passport program issues free passes for Metrobus, Metromover and Metrorail to adults 65 and older, but many seniors might prefer Uber-like services, the release said. “Callup, door-to-door services are often preferred due to convenience. Yet cost and availability can pose challenges.”

TP

6

MIAMI TODAY

VIEWPOINT

WEEK OF THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

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

To back transit system’s expansion, halt ridership outflow While officials pin hopes for improving Miami-Dade County mobility on six future SMART transit legs, few are working to reverse a dangerous trend: residents are fleeing the mass transit we now have by millions of Michael Lewis rides a year.

That’s right: in the past two fiscal years Metrorail, Metromover and Metrobus lost well over 11 million total rides.

That’s the equivalent of 25,000 county workers who used to ride to work and home again daily on mass transit getting off a bus or train and back into a car.

Is it any wonder that your daily commute gets slower and slower and rush hours seem to last longer and longer? We don’t build road capacity fast enough to compensate for the workers already fleeing mass transit, much less for a growing population.

To put that into perspective, threecounty-long Tri-Rail handles each year in total only two-thirds of the 7.3 million

rides that Miami-Dade’s transit system lost last year alone. Even if we had the money, we couldn’t build successful new rail lines fast enough to make up for county transit’s annual rider losses.

Although county transit runs very late in revealing its ridership – its director couldn’t tell us last week whether lengthening Metrorail and Metromover weekend hours last October had added riders because figures weren’t ready – overall ridership is now available through last December on the system’s web site, and figures are ugly.

They show declines in same month yearover-year ridership for 21 straight months.

In December alone, bus use was down 8% from December 2015, Metrorail use was down 4.3% and even the absolutely free Metromover was down 1.9%.

The last time the system as a whole had a monthly gain in riders year-over-year was the less than 1% in March 2015. It was three years ago that in a single month the system last eked out a same month year-over-year gain of more than 1%.

These dismal figures ought to be raising a big red flag about the impact of more new transit. The county needs to own up to the problems and then show us why the new links we’re being promised in six key transit corridors are going to turn lost riders

into ridership gains.

Explanations for the losses can’t point to admittedly rotten connectivity to get around the county with the present system. We had the same weak connectivity when we had 12 million more rides three years ago.

The loss isn’t due to transit riders returning to the highway because gasoline is cheap. Gas is up more than 50 cents a gallon from a year ago but transit ridership keeps falling.

Riders probably aren’t getting out of buses because they’re so far behind schedule. Last spring more than half of all bus passengers’ routes were running late more than 29% of the time. You can’t hold a job if you’re late three days out of every ten because your bus was late. But transit officials said they were going to fix that. If they didn’t (we haven’t seen current figures) shame on them.

The losses also can’t be due to free cityrun trolleys. First, they can’t duplicate most transit routes that riders are abandoning.

Second, there aren’t enough riders on all of the free trolleys combined to equal the losses on the county’s transit system.

Transit losses also aren’t due to people suddenly living within walking or bicycling distance of work. Nor are they due to any vast spurt in unemployment that keeps

thousands from riding to work.

So, what is the excuse? Find it and fix it.

Don’t get us wrong: we are proponents of adding transit. All six new legs under the SMART plan are needed and will help.

Build them.

But fixing our transit system now is like trying to fill your bathtub without stopping the drain. We can keep pouring riders in at the top on new transit legs, but if other riders keep flowing down the drain faster than we flow them in by opening the faucet for new routes, we’ll make no progress.

So while we’re trying to find $3.6 billion to build transit, the county must redouble efforts to retain every passenger it already has.

We keep being told about those retention efforts. But to keep faith with the people being asked for some of that $3.6 billion, we need to stop leaking out the present public transit rider pool. Negative passenger comparisons must turn positive.

Otherwise, road congestion will keep getting worse, commute times will slow even more and faith in the county’s ability to operate expensive new transit legs will crumble.

Remember, we’re taking that $3.6 billion investment on faith. Show us that the faith is well placed.

Letters to the Editor

Out-of-network ER docs may charge heavily Cut deal with new rail line Surprise medical bills spell big trouble for consumers, especially those who find themselves in an emergency room.

Such “surprises” have surfaced as a major patient problem, but because of entrenched healthTrudy Lieberman care interests a solution is not likely any time soon.

Here’s what happens. Patients arrive at the emergency room of a hospital that is in their insurer’s provider network. However, the physician who treats them is out of network.

Because ER docs are usually assured a steady stream of patients, many believe they don’t need to accept potentially lower fees from insurers in exchange for any new patients they might attract by belonging to a network. That’s not the case for other specialists, who might rely on insurer networks for more business.

Whatever the reason, emergency room patients may be stuck with huge bills their insurance company might not cover, or it will pay less than if patients had used innetwork doctors.

If you think this is unfair, it is.

A study by Yale researchers of more than 2 million emergency room visits across the country was just published in the New England Journal of Medicine. It found that out-of-network doctors treated 22% of the patients who visited emergency departments; the departments themselves were part of their insurers’ networks.

The average bill patients incurred was $623. The highest bill was more than $19,000. To put that number in perspective, last year the Federal Reserve reported that 46% of Americans were unable to pay a $400 expense without running up credit card debt or selling assets.

The Writer

Trudy Lieberman, a journalist for more than 40 years, is a contributing editor to the Columbia Journalism Review She is also a fellow at the Center for Advancing Health She has had a long career at Consumer Reports specializing in insurance, health care and health care financing. Contact her at trudy.lieberman@gmail.com.

Not surprisingly, researchers found out-of-network ER doctors ended up getting paid a lot more than those who were part of a network. “The fact this type of price gouging has become routine operating procedure in so many emergency departments is shameful and appalling,” says Chuck Bell, programs director for Consumers Union.

A recent study in Texas by the Center for Public Policy Priorities shows how prevalent out-of-network ER doctors are. Using a 2013 report from the Texas Department of Insurance, the Center found that 45% of in-network hospitals in the state used

by United Healthcare had no in-network ER doctors. Fifty-six percent of Humana’s hospitals had none. “Consumers would be astonished to see how poor the odds are of getting an in-network doctor in the emergency room.” Mr. Bell added.

The odds of getting redress are also low.

Too many consumers don’t contest their bills. Only about 25% of those getting surprise bills do, Mr. Bell told me. Of those who do protest to their insurer, only half get their bill forgiven or reduced.

Surprise bills are a variation of what’s called balance billing, the gap between what insurance, including Medicare, pays and what a doctor charges. It’s been around for decades, but in the late 1980s, the outcry from Medicare beneficiaries became so loud that Congress did something about it.

For doctors who accept Medicare’s

payment in full, there is no balance billing – called “excess charges” in Medicare speak. Doctors, including ER physicians who don’t accept that payment, can sock beneficiaries with excess charges. But Medicare limits what they can charge.

Beneficiaries can protect themselves from these excess charges should they use a doctor who doesn’t accept Medicare’s fee schedule by buying Medigap policies Plan F and Plan G. For those with Medicare Advantage plans, there’s no protection until the beneficiary reaches the plan’s out-of-pocket spending limit. After that, the doctor can’t balance bill separately.

There’s no similar help for those not on Medicare.

Many consumers are unaware that an out-of-network doctor is treating them.

The standard advice – to ask if your doctor is in the network – is silly when it comes to care in the ER. What patient having a heart attack is going to look up and say, “Hey doc, are you with Aetna?”

A few states – Florida, New York, California, Illinois and Connecticut – hold patients harmless if they find themselves with a surprise bill or require outside arbitration to decide a case. But Mr. Bell says it will take an act of Congress to solve this problem. Public outrage will have to get much louder if that’s to happen.

Because chances are high you’ll find yourself with such a bill, think twice before you choose to go to the ER for a problem that can wait until you see your regular doctor.

Although Obamacare was supposed to cut down on emergency room use, that hasn’t happened. People are still going to ERs for less serious conditions, many being enticed by hospitals themselves that advertise their ER wait times on billboards.

Our healthcare system is all about making money. And balance billing, its causes and consequences, is another sorry example.

to replace old courthouse

Your article mentions the county might be interested in exploring a private partnership with a developer in exchange for a new civil courthouse. Why wait for making a deal on a county land swap when action is needed “yesterday” regarding a new courthouse?

Why not make a deal today with All Aboard Florida for leasing space in the multiuse towers they are building right now that are only a few blocks away from our current crumbling courthouse?

How convenient that would be to anyone – like the jury pool – who have to travel downtown for legal reasons. Think about how many cars that would take off the road.

It’s a no-brainer that needs to be acted upon immediately.

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 e-mail to letters@miamitodaynews.com. Letters may be condensed for space.

miamitodaynews.com FOUNDED JUNE 2, 1983 VOLUME XXXIV No. 41 ENTIRE CONTENTS © 2017

To contact us: News

Advertising Classifieds Subscriptions Reprints

(305) 358-2663 (305) 358-1008 (305) 358-1008 (305) 358-2663 (305) 358-2663

Editor and Publisher / Michael Lewis Vice President / Carmen Betancourt-Lewis

MIAMI TODAY (ISSN: 0889-2296) is published weekly for $145 per year; airmail: to Europe $190 per year, the Americas $145 per year. Published by Today Enterprises Inc., 2000 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 100, Miami, Florida 33133, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Miami, FL. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MIAMI TODAY, 2000 S. DIXIE HIGHWAY, SUITE 100, MIAMI, FLORIDA 33133.

TODAY’S NEWS

WEEK OF THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

MIAMI TODAY

7

12 Japanese firms visit Water & Sewer and its big contracts

By Camila Cepero

Over two dozen representatives from 12 Japanese firms visited the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department last week to learn about the many construction projects associated with its multi-year capital improvement plan.

The representatives were accompanied by officials from the Consulate General of Japan in Miami and the Japanese Embassy.

Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department Director Lester Sola spoke with the delegation and made a presentation that gave an overview of the department, its history and the ongoing projects associated with the Capital Improvement Program.

After the presentation, the group went on an afternoon tour of the Central District Waste Water Treatment Plant on Virginia Key. The plant’s superintendent showed the delegation the waste water treatment process that takes place on-site. “The information about such investment programs is not wellknown among the Japanese companies,� said Ken Okaniwa, consul general of Japan In Miami. “The representatives came from their head offices in the US... for a briefing on the investment program and they were very interested in looking at it in more detail,� Mr. Okaniwa said.

The firms represented in the delegation deal with water purification, the treatment of sewage sludge, the building of sea walls, and reverse osmosis.

Photo by Marlene Quaroni

The county seeks competition for its big contracts, said Lester Sola.

“They were quite pleased,� Mr. Okaniwa said. “They found it interesting enough to come from other parts of the US because they’re that interested.� “In general, Japanese companies have very advanced technology in the water sector,� he said. “I don’t think they have a comparative advantage in low-cost technology, but I think that if there is a need to find innovative ways of dealing with problems and introducing energy efficient equipment – they are the ones.�

The county’s multi-year capital

improvement plan is an economic engine that is expected to create 16,470 new jobs during its first 10 years of the program, which will increase service capacity supporting more businesses to open in the community and improve the reliability and sustainability of the water and sewer system.

The Water and Sewer Department has just entered into the fourth fiscal year of the 15- to 20-year-long project.

During the next two decades, the county is to invest about $13.5 billion to enhance and upgrade the

Drive targets focus on distracted driving

By Catherine Lackner

Several local agencies have joined forces to alleviate what most Miami drivers can agree is a growing danger and a key component in traffic gridlock: distracted driving. “Heads Up, Miami!� was launched last month by Miami-Dade County and Neat Streets Miami, with an assist from the Miami-Dade County Department of Health and Miami-Dade Parks.

An ad campaign including billboards, newspaper ads, website banners and radio spots features drivers, pedestrians and cyclists caught up in distractions, and urges people using all modes of transportation to pay attention, keep their eyes on the road and “consider the weight of their actions,� said a county release. “Last year, the United States saw a 50 year high in road-related fatalities,� it said. “The Miami metropolitan area consistently ranks among the ‘most

dangerous communities for pedestrians’ list.� “Sharing streets with busy car, bicycle and pedestrian traffic is challenging enough without distractions,� said Dennis Moss, county commissioner and chair of Neat Streets Miami. “When cell phones are added to the mix, eyes are taken off the road and that’s when serious consequences arise, even loss of life. I invite everyone to take the pledge to keep their eyes on the road and not be caught up in the act of texting. Your life and everyone else’s depends on your commitment.� “Miami-Dade Parks is proud to be part of this great county-wide initiative for safer streets,� said George Navarrete, parks director. “Our goal is to make people realize, whether they are traveling around town by car, on bike or foot, that they have a role to play in making streets safer for everyone. The hope is that, with the constant reminders about staying focused and not texting, it will make a difference.�

Public Notice NOTICE IS GIVEN that a meeting will be held before the following Committee on the date stipulated below in the Commission Chambers, located on the Second Floor, of the Stephen P. Clark Center, 111 NW First Street, Miami, Florida, wherein, among other matters to be considered, a public hearing will be held relating to the following proposed ordinances: Government Operations Committee (GOC) Meeting – Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at 1:30 PM t 0SEJOBODF SFMBUJOH UP SFHJTUSBUJPO BOE NBJOUFOBODF PG EJTUSFTTFE QSPQFSUJFT SFRVJSJOH SFHJTUSBUJPO PG DFSUBJO QSPQFSUJFT DPOWFZFE UISPVHI GPSFDMPTVSF PS UISPVHI EFFE JO MJFV PG GPSFDMPTVSF BNFOEJOH 4FDUJPO " PG UIF $PEF t 0SEJOBODF SFHBSEJOH 1MBOOJOH BNFOEJOH QVCMJD OPUJDF SFRVJSFNFOUT BOE TUBUVUPSZ SFGFSFODFT GPS FWBMVBUJPO BOE BQQSBJTBM PG UIF $PNQSFIFOTJWF %FWFMPQNFOU .BTUFS 1MBO BNFOEJOH QVCMJD IFBSJOH SFRVJSFNFOUT GPS BQQMJDBUJPOT UP BNFOE UIF $PNQSFIFOTJWF %FWFMPQNFOU .BTUFS 1MBO BNFOEJOH 4FDUJPOT BOE PG UIF $PEF "MM JOUFSFTUFE QBSUJFT NBZ BQQFBS BOE CF IFBSE BU UIF UJNF BOE QMBDF TQFDJm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agendco@miamidade.gov. )"37&: 367*/ $-&3, $)3*4501)&3 "(3*11" %&165: $-&3, For legal ads online, go to http://legalads.miamidade.gov

Water and Sewer Department’s infrastructure, utilizing state-of-the-art technology.

The goal is to increase service capacity, allowing more businesses to open in the community, and improve the reliability and sustainability of the water and sewer system.

The department has invested more than $772 million in projects and upgrades within the first three years of the capital improvement plan, which is the largest in the county’s history.

During the first decade alone, $24.9 billion is expected to be generated in economic activity within Miami-Dade. This has resulted in nearly $1.1 billion in assets created for the department.

While this only accounts for the first three years of the program, 775 projects have already been completed on time or ahead of established deadlines and another 861 projects are open in various states of progress. “The activities at the county level – and the information regarding such activities – is not something that is widely available,� Mr. Okaniwa said. “I think reaching out to companies based in other parts of the US is important in order to get the best deal for the county – they want more competitors.� “I’m pleased with the continued interest for these projects because

‘The representatives came from their head offices in the US... for a briefing and they were very interested in looking at it in more detail.’ Ken Okaniwa we favor competition and in the end, that will benefit our customers due to having the best technology being implemented for the best price,� Mr. Sola said.

In recent years, the Water and Sewer Department has also hosted delegations from Bulgaria, Brazil and a contingent from Central America that included representatives from Panama, El Salvador, Ecuador and Honduras.

Ross Report on Real Estate

by Audrey Ross

Defining Luxury Real Estate in Today’s Market

Luxury real estate has changed over the years.

Sometimes, it’s important to stop and look at how to define it when it comes to the current market.

It’s about Lifestyle Luxury homes are no longer about just the fancy finishes and appealing aesthetics.

New luxury homes have become complete works of art. They must provide every convenience the homeowner demands and every comfort possible. Today’s luxury homes combine these fine features with the future comfort of the homeowner

in mind. Incredible closets, dressing areas and lighting are all part of creating a luxury home catering to the lifestyle of the homeowner.

cellars, everything must be automated and smart.

Luxury real estate has certainly changed over the past few years. With homeowners demanding more comfort, convenience and technology, builders must adjust to fit the lifestyle needs of homeowners.

It’s Getting Smaller Luxury homes are also trending to smaller sizes due to smaller lots for buildings, at least when it comes to the horizontal size. Many of today’s For professional advice luxury homes features more on all aspects of buying floors and smaller yards. or selling real estate, please contact me at It’s Smarter A huge key aross@miamirealestate.com 305-960-2575, or to defining luxury in today’s or market is smart features. come by the office at From motion detectors to 355 Alhambra Circle, temperature-controlled wine 9th Floor, in Coral Gables.

www.miamirealestate.com

14

MIAMI TODAY

DOWNTOWN & BRICKELL

WEEK OF THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

Miami River Commission backs a Brickell Avenue tunnel

By John Charles Robbins

The idea of digging a tunnel under the Miami River to keep traffic flowing on Brickell Avenue to and from downtown continues to attract the spotlight.

On the heels of a January decision by the Miami Downtown Development Authority (DDA) supporting the Brickell Avenue tunnel project, the Miami River Commission approved a resolution supporting the concept of the tunnel.

The action came Monday at the commission’s monthly meeting. The lone “no” vote was cast by Gary Winston, the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office representative on the river commission.

Miami-Dade County Commissioner Bruno A. Barreiro, also a commission member, stressed his “yes” vote was for the concept of a vehicular tunnel, noting numerous details remain to be worked out, including exactly where the tunnel would begin and end.

“I don’t think greater Miami can afford not to do this,” said Commission Chairman Horacio Stuart Aguirre.

City Commissioner Francis Suarez is pushing for the Brickell Avenue tunnel and made his latest pitch to the DDA. The DDA on Jan. 20 adopted a resolution supporting the Brickell Tunnel project and urging its placement on the five-year capital plan of the Florida Department of Transportation and passage of a resolution by the Miami-Dade Metropolitan Planning Organization making the tunnel a Priority

A river tunnel might need a boring machine head like this one that dug PortMiami tunnels under the bay.

One project.

The resolution talks of “utilizing DDA resources to accomplish these goals with consideration of maintaining pedestrian mobility and environmental impact, and urging a spirit of cooperation with the Miami River Commission.”

Neal Schafers, the DDA’s designee on the river commission, detailed the DDA resolution to a commission subcommittee in February.

At that meeting, Brett Bibeau, river commission managing director, said the commission’s adopted Miami River Corridor Urban Infill Plan states in its Transportation Strategies section: “Request that FDOT,

Miami-Dade County and MPO analyze the viability of a tunnel as an alternative to a bridge for future high volume river crossings.”

Mr. Bibeau said the proposed Brickell tunnel is the only solution that provides needed continual flow of both vehicular traffic in the tunnel beneath the river and vessels navigating above the proposed tunnel in the river’s federal navigable channel.

On Monday, Mr. Aguirre asked commission member Ernie Martin if he would agree that the tunnel is the only inevitable solution to the decades-old problem of traffic gridlock in Brickell and downtown.

“This does seem to make the most sense,” Mr. Martin responded.

Mr. Martin is a co-chair of the subcommittee, which on Feb. 15 suggested the commission find the proposed Brickell tunnel to be generally consistent with the Miami River Corridor Urban Infill Plan.

“We know this will be a major project … it will be very complicated and last many years,” Mr. Martin said Monday.

The state transportation department has agreed to maintain a line of communication with the river commission regarding the tunnel proposal, he said.

Members of the subcommittee,

while supportive of the DDA resolution, noted that it makes no mention of major financial contributions of the marine industry to the local economy, yet it does mention the impact on downtown businesses.

The DDA resolution says, “… the lack of adequate means to cross the Miami River causes an estimated $12.2 million (USD 2015) in lost productivity which equates to lost revenues for businesses in the Downtown District.”

Mark Bailey, of the Miami River Marine Group, said the river commission’s resolution supporting the concept of the tunnel should mention the tremendous economic boost the area gains from the marine industry.

The commission resolution will indeed mention the importance of the river to the local economy, noting the river is the fourth largest port in the state, with more than 25 boatyards and marinas providing local jobs and tax revenue.

When the bridge is up, downtown and Brickell businesses are impacted. When the bridge is down and ships are awaiting a scheduled opening, it impacts the marine industry, commission members said.

Mr. Barreiro said he has suggested to the state transportation department a shift in traffic flow patterns on Seventh and Eighth streets. He said a major part of the traffic tangle in that area results from motorists having difficulty getting from Brickell to I-95.

Arsht Center garage awaits a firm to construct I-395 bridge

By Camila Cepero

County officials continue to work closely with administrators at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts as both entities stick to their word of collaborating for the creation of a dedicated parking garage.

Arsht Center administrators have expressed concern about building the garage too close to the Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) I-395 Signature Bridge project.

The Florida Department of Transportation’s I-395 Reconstruction Project involves rebuilding of the I-395 corridor to increase capacity and improve safety by eliminating geometric and operational deficiencies.

New elevated ramps, one for each of the east and west directions, will provide a direct link between I-95 and I-395. The project includes building a signature bridge over Biscayne Boulevard. In addition to the signature bridge, the project will provide enhanced streetscape design underneath the bridge.

Michael Spring, director of the Miami-Dade County’s Department of Cultural Affairs and senior advisor to Mayor Carlos Gimenez, said he has been in conversation with FDOT’s South Florida district secretary to see “if there would be a willingness to provide us with more property so that we could achieve our goals

with a built structure and surface parking.”

County officials have been working with Arsht Center administrators to discuss lowering the profile of the parking garage.

“We have some options, but we also think it’s best to wait until FDOT chooses the firm for the signature bridge so that we could study this more specifically,” Mr. Spring said.

The request for design, build and finance firm proposals for the signature bridge was advertised on Feb. 8, 2016. The I-395 contract, which involved two other FDOT projects, has an anticipated construction starting date of late 2017 and is expected to last five years for an estimated cost of $800 million.

The I-395 Reconstruction Project limits are the entire I-395 corridor from the SR 836/I-95/I-395 (Midtown) Interchange to the MacArthur Causeway, approximately 1.4 miles long.

“We’re taking a look at working with FDOT – once they have selected someone to design and build the entire length of I-395 – for the parking for the Arsht Center,” Mr. Spring said.

The Florida Department of Transportation expects to choose a design-build firm next month, he said.

“It would be a more informed decision if we could see which proposal FDOT chooses,” Mr. Spring said.

A proposed signature bridge for I-395 downtown might take the form of this wishbone bridge rendering.

In the meantime, conversations are ongoing to see if the Arsht Center’s dedicated parking could “move around” during the construction of the signature bridge.

“We’re talking with FDOT about the short-term, mid-term and long-term parking needs for the Arsht Center,” Mr. Spring said.

“FDOT is going to need all of the possible Arsht Center parking garage property for the staging of the roadway construction.

“Maybe we can move the parking around in some way that isn’t too disruptive to construction.” An element of a signature bridge is expected to be new public space.

TODAY’S NEWS

WEEK OF THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

MIAMI TODAY

17

Holiday Inn Miami Beach – Oceanfront gets refinancing

By Camila Cepero

Commercial real estate finance advisory firm Meridian Capital Group announced Monday that it arranged $26 million in commercial mortgage-backed security financing to refinance the Holiday Inn Miami Beach – Oceanfront hotel.

The transaction was negotiated by Meridian managing directors Jacob Schmuckler

and Steve Adler, who are both based in the company’s New York City headquarters.

The 10-year commercial mortgage-backed security loan features full-term interest-only payments, according to the firm.

“The Holiday Inn’s central location and various on-site and community amenities attract both tourists and business travelers,” Mr. Schmuckler said in a statement. “The sponsor has owned the hotel for over 20

years, along with several nearby properties.

Their strong performance record, as well as the property’s recent renovations, demonstrated promising upside potential to the lender and Meridian was able to negotiate favorable terms.”

Officials of the Holiday Inn Miami Beach – Oceanfront did not comment. Located at 4333 Collins Ave., the eight-story, 253-room oceanfront hotel was completely renovated in

2009 and transformed into a contemporarystyle property, according to Meridian, including a pool area with a Tiki bar and manicured garden areas with hammocks.

Amenities include an on-site bar and restaurant, a fitness center, conference and banquet rooms, a business center and a laundry facility. Guests have direct access to the beach, as well as the Miami Beach Boardwalk.

Pivotal garage in public-private bayfront plan may advance

By John Charles Robbins

The head of the Miami Parking Authority is now confident of bringing down the costs of a mixeduse parking garage for Coconut Grove after bids came in more than double the estimated cost.

Authority CEO Art Noriega updated the Off Street Parking Board about the delayed project March 1.

Officials reviewing the specifications for the proposed three-story municipal garage hugged by retail shops have finally agreed on an outline for a “value engineering plan” to help cut costs, Mr. Noriega reported.

Staff was meeting with the architects, and he said, “I am really, really optimistic we can reduce the cost.”

Board member Stephen Nostrand asked questions related to the role the architectural firm might have played in the original bid proposals coming in so high.

It’s an issue he brought up in December when the board voted to reject all bids and start the process again after cost-saving measures were examined.

Mr. Nostrand wondered if a possible compromise with the architectural firm would account for some of the problem being “their fault.”

Mr. Noriega answered simply, “Hopefully.”

The Grove Bay Garage is planned for 333 vehicles and ground floor retail and is a key component of a public-private partnership among the parking authority, the City of Miami and Grove Bay Investment Group LLC.

Parking authority’s head says he’s confident of reducing costs of the Grove Bay Garage. Bids came in more than double the original estimate.

The developer has leased about 7 waterfront acres from the city as part of agreement to redevelop the waterfront north of City Hall.

The plan calls for Grove Bay Investment Group to make about $17.9 million of privately-funded improvements to redevelop a marina, construct restaurants, improve the public baywalk, make other improvements and fund part of the garage off Pan American Drive.

In November 2015, the three parties signed agreements advancing the project, to be called The Harbour.

As part of a revised agreement,

the developer agreed to contribute $4 million toward the cost of building the garage, or about half of the $8 million construction budget.

Authority officials were shocked when the bids came in way over budget.

A report prepared by the architects listed the base bids in this order: 1. Florida Lemark, $17,734,283.

2, MCM, $17,782,391.

3. Link Construction Group, $18,543,667.

4. KVC Constructors, $18,793,974.

Mr. Noriega and his staff recom-

mended the board reject all of the bids and start with a clean slate.

In December he told the board it was imperative “that we do this the right way and look at it from a design perspective first.”

Mr. Noriega said some circumstances leading to the higher than expected costs related to necessary permitting. High costs associated with the planned exterior façade or skin of the building was another factor in the big numbers, he said.

The parking board hired Wolfberg Alvarez & Partners for design and architectural work on the Grove Bay garage on a $375,000

contract in 2014.

Litigation against the city delayed start of The Harbour project and was not settled until 2015.

To cover additional work from the design firm, which included more engineering and mechanical work, the board agreed to add $93,000 to the contract in October 2015.

Work on the site has begun.

The parking board, on a separate contract, hired KVC Constructors Inc. for site clearing, demolition, cutting and excavation, as well as protecting all trees on the site and relocation of a water main.

Virginia Key Advisory Board chair retiring, moving to Maine

By John Charles Robbins

College history professor and book author Greg Bush will be retiring soon from the University of Miami and headed to Maine.

He will also be resigning from the Virginia Key Advisory Board, a fairly new oversight board he has chaired since it was formed.

At the board’s latest meeting Feb. 28, Mr. Bush announced his retirement as chairman but he is working on constructing the next agenda and sticking around awhile to “see who takes over,” he told Miami Today.

“I continue to care deeply about the future of Virginia Key,” said Mr. Bush.

“I will stay on the board for several additional months but intend to leave Miami in May,” he said.

Mr. Bush plans to move into an “amazing” house in Blue Hill, Maine, formerly the recording studio of Paul Stookey of Peter,

Paul and Mary – who lives across the street today.

“I will be doing an oral history of him this spring,” he said.

Last month Mr. Bush wrote an essay about his retirement called “Leaving Miami for Maine?

Nostalgia and Spectacle in Post Factual America.”

He said he expected to retire from teaching history and directing the Institute for Public History at the University of Miami within several months.

“I will buck the pattern of northerners swarming from the winter cold towards the modern American dream – the warm weather, tropical spectacle, high tech and artistic aura of South Florida. Along with my daughter Paula and dog Rocket, I will be moving to Blue Hill, Maine,” he wrote.

Mr. Bush said he’s taken trips up north over the past several years and grown to appreciate the unique challenges faced by

Greg Bush plans to leave in May.

Maine, “a poor state with an aging population, little industry and a wacky governor.”

He added, “My trips have forced me to confront my own values as I look forward to the final years of my life. I need more space for my soul to expand than I have found in Miami.”

More recently, Mr. Bush told Miami Today he is very conflicted about leaving Miami “and may

well come back here and there.”

Mr. Bush’s most recent book is “White Sand Black Beach: Civil Rights, Public Space, and Miami’s Virginia Key.” He recounts this unique story and the current state of the public waterfront in Miami. Recently environmentalists, community leaders and civil rights activists have come together to revitalize the beach, and Mr. Bush highlights the potential to stimulate civic engagement in public planning processes.

Mr. Bush has also been involved in Nature Links, helping to build a unique community benefitting young adults with mid-level intellectual disabilities.

In January 2016, Miami city commissioners established the Virginia Key Advisory Board.

The 13-member appointed body is charged with advising and making recommendations to the city commission regarding the mission, vision, business plan,

governance and operation of the island and basin, and implementation of the Virginia Key 2010 Master Plan.

The enabling legislation says the board is to review and consider the best business model for the Miami Marine Stadium “to operate in a manner which enriches the city and the community in the arts, recreation, culture, sports and education while operating sustainably and generating sufficient revenues over expenses so that it will function like an enterprise fund which will not need to access the general operating budget of the city on a recurring basis.”

The board is also tasked with considering the planning, maintenance and operational challenges for Virginia Key “in terms of the kinds of open spaces, events, shows, features, goals, objectives and promotions that are consistent with the 2010 Master Plan.”

The city owns the bulk of the barrier island.

24

WEEK OF THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2016

MIAMI TODAY

Brand new addition to our website

Check out Miami Today’s revamped online calendar of events and activities

click on

miamitodaynews.com/calendar Visual, appealing and quick Nobody else lists all of these events Now it’s time to list yours

Calendar overview

• • • • •

Hover over the event for a sneak peek

Click on the event for full details

To begin planning your week A single click adds favorites to your Google or i-Cal calendar Search for events by keyword, location or dates View events in a month, list or day platform Link directly to the event website page to purchase tickets Get directions to the event with our map

Advertise in our exclusive online calendar. Gain the exposure Miami Today will provide.

The price is right Contact us at 305-358-2663 for further information and rates.

MiaMiToday A Singular Voice in an Evolving City