Miami Today: Week of Thursday, January 4, 2018

WEEK OF THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2018

A Singular Voice in an Evolving City

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NEW WYNWOOD TRADE SHOW MAY AID MIAMI’S TEXTILE, MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES, PG. 14 CONSTRUCTION STARTS GAIN: The value of construction starts in South Florida rose 7% in November from November 2016, reaching almost $612 million, Dodge Data & Analytics reported.

The single-digit gain masks a 55% rise in purely nonresidential starts to more than $321 million in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, while residential starts continued a double-digit decline of 21% to over $290 million. For 2017 as a whole for the first 11 months, total construction starts were off 7% for the area, with nonresidential starts up 32% and residential starts tumbling 31%.

The Achiever

AIR FREIGHT GROWING: Freight tonnage handled at Miami International Airport has risen 2.55% through November for the 2017 calendar year, statistics released by the airport show. Domestic tonnage has risen 4.3% and international tonnage has gained 2.29%. International freight is by far the larger of the two categories, with nearly 1.58 million tons handled during the first 11 months of the year versus less than 243,000 tons of domestic air freight. In both categories, slightly more tonnage of air freight is unloaded here than the amount we send the other direction.

GEM OF A SITE: The Miami Beach Jewelry & Watch Show won’t be holding its second edition on Miami Beach at all – it’s moving across causeways to prime land where Malaysian casino firm Genting once touted the world’s largest casino development. The show this year will move from the Deauville Beach Resort on Miami Beach, where it debuted last year, to the spot that formerly housed the Miami Herald at 1 Herald Plaza in the Omni Area, directly between the Venetian and MacArthur causeways linking the mainland to Miami Beach. The show will be in a tent area built for Art Miami and Context, two major shows of just-concluded Art Week Miami. Show dates are Feb. 1-4; the producer is the Palm Beach Show Group. The site is destined to soon become a Genting-owned marina, pending negotiations now going on for state submerged lands just offshore.

LITTLE HAVANA GETS HEALTH BOOST: The Miami City Commission has accepted $144,375 from the Health Foundation of South Florida for the 2018 program year and $151,594 for the 2019 program year for the administration and coordination of the Live Healthy Little Havana Initiative. In 2014, the foundation launched an initiative aimed at strengthening community capacity to collaboratively plan and collectively carry out strategies to improve health. The foundation selected Little Havana to invest up to $3.75 million over six years, and since 2016 the City of Miami has been responsible to administer and coordinate the Live Healthy Little Havana Initiative to ensure broad, multi-agency and resident representation in the program

Photo by Cristina Sullivan

Ira Hall

Performing Arts Center Trust chair builds on diversity The profile is on Page 4

City clears way to transfer bay site to Genting

By John Charles Robbins

Miami can move ahead to lease bayfront bottomlands to a subsidiary of Malaysian gambling giant Genting for a marina now that the city commission has unanimously OK’d the transfer.

Resorts World Miami LLC – the developer that owns choice waterfront where the Miami Herald once stood – is in negotiations with city officials for submerged land to build a marina.

Before the deal can be cut, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) needed to deed a strip of bottomlands back to the city so the city can lease it to Resorts World, which bought the site for a resort casino that would have been the world’s largest.

Genting has owned the waterfront about six years while floating ideas for a billiondollar resort on the 14-acre site, known as 1 Herald Plaza. But attempts to get a casino approved in Tallahassee have been dashed repeatedly, and the land has remained barren.

The exception was for temporary use, for Art Miami and CONTEXT Art Miami last month in tents that will be used again in February for the Miami Beach Jewelry & Watch Show.

In October 2016, Resorts World Miami representatives said the company was moving ahead to construct the marina, independent of the ultimate fate of the upland property.

At its December meeting, the city commission authorized the city manager to accept a quit claim deed for the donation and conveyance of submerged land from the FDOT north of I-395 to the city.

A background memo says the state transportation department originally got the property from the city in order to build the MacArthur Causeway, which leads to Watson Island and Miami Beach beyond.

“The FDOT has determined the property is no longer needed for the continued maintenance of the MacArthur Causeway and has agreed to convey the property to the city,” the memo reads.

“The city anticipates including a portion of the property in a submerged lands lease and is currently negotiating such lease with the adjacent riparian upland owner, Resorts World Miami LLC … [which] intends to develop and operate a marina which shall be located partly on submerged land cur-

rently owned by the city and partly on the property,” it says.

Genting Group purchased the former newspaper site in 2011 for $236 million. It also purchased surrounding sites and announced plans for Resorts World Miami, a sweeping $3 billion luxury casino with multiple towers, stores and an elevated beach and lagoon.

Without winning approval for a casino, the plan was scaled back to two residential towers, a hotel and retail, but nothing has been built.

Resorts World’s plan to move ahead on the marina was detailed in 2016 when the company received a supportive vote from the Miami River Commission to build a 50-slip marina on the site, between the MacArthur and Venetian causeways. This included the transfer of ownership of 42 boat slips on the river to the bayfront site.

A proposed layout shows the marina could handle 50-foot to 175-foot-long vessels.

The deal includes construction of a public baywalk along the shore and a Genting promise to pay to build part of the baywalk under I-395 connecting to the existing baywalk in front of the Pérez Art Museum Miami.

Most ever on job here, a 2.3% rise

With a strong spurt in employment, Miami-Dade has more non-farm workers on the job today than ever in history, the most recent data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics show, with 1,207,700 people employed in November.

It’s the first time the county has crossed the 1.2 million employment line for non-farm jobs, the bureau’s records show. The October total was 1,193,800 at work. The annual gain is 2.3%.

As the jobs total grew while unemployment held steady at 4.6%, three distinct categories of employment hit their own all-time highs in November: professional business services, leisure and hospitality, and trade, transportation and utilities.

Professional and business services employment in November hit 174,100 persons in the county, up 1.3% over the prior 12 months.

The leisure and hospitality industry – often branded simply tourism – showed a 1.7% annual gain to 146,600 jobs.

Trade, transportation and utilities as a whole hit an all-time high of 309,300 jobs, up 3.7% for the calendar year – a gain for a group of industries that encompasses three distinct sub-categories: wholesale trade, retail trade, and transportation, warehousing and utility.

According to CareerSource South Florida, the largest gain in that group was a 6.9% rise in jobs in wholesale trade, which added 5,100 workers in the county to total 79,200.

Transportation, warehousing and utility jumped 6.1% in jobs in the 12-month period, adding 4,400 to total 76,700.

The third of those three subcategories, retail trade, had a much smaller gain, adding 1,400 jobs to reach 153,400, a 0.9% increase.

A clearly rebounding type of employment is manufacturing, in which jobs had been plunging in Miami-Dade since June 2007, when 48,200 workers here were active in manufacturing. A 3.9% 12-month gain in the sector has pulled jobs back up to 43,100, the most since that June 2007 total.

TRI-RAIL TARGETS ADDING MAJOR TRAIN SAFETY DEVICE ...

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COUNTY ALTERS PUBLIC PRIVATE DEALS PROCUREMENT ...

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EFFORT FAILS TO INDEX LIVING WAGE TO COST OF LIVING ...

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GARAGE DELAYS WEAKEN OUTLOOK ON PARKING BONDS ...

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VIEWPOINT: RIFE COUNTY ABSENTEEISM IS EYE-OPENING...

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BRIGHTLINE ‘ALL ABOARD’ CRY COULD MOVE 4,800 DAILY ...

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PARK & RIDE TO FEED PASSENGERS TO BUSES BY SUMMER ...

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STATE TO COMPLETE FOUR MAJOR ROAD PROJECTS HERE ...

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MIAMI TODAY

TODAY’S NEWS

WEEK OF THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2018

The Insider NEW OCEAN DRIVE LEADERS: The Ocean Drive Improvement Association has elected new officers, with Mike Palma, operating partner of the Clevelander and Essex House hotels, replacing an association founder, Marlo Courtney, senior managing director of Goldman Properties USA, as chairman. An association statement said that Mr. Courtney “has committed to remaining active in the organization.” Jonathan Plutzik, owner of The Besty – South Beach, has been named vice chairman. Other officers are Secretary Ian Hendry, the president of the Mike Palma Netherland Condominium Association, and long-time Treasurer Alfie Feola of Altanini Realty Corp. “We will be working very closely with the local community, resident activists and city initiatives to enhance the guest experience on Ocean Drive,” Mr. Palma said.

The association’s website says “We promote a community of international scope, cleanliness, safety, and good taste.” Details: www.oceandrivemb. Tri-Rail, which will share a station downtown with Brightline, works to add safety provisions everywhere. com or (305) 521-4394.

Tri-Rail targets added safety factor

HOTELS BOOM: Hotel revenue per available room in Miami-Dade rose 10.8% in November to $141.64 from $127.78 in November 2016, according to figures from STR, which monitors hotel performance nationally. The average daily room rate rose 2.5% to $180.18 as occupancy rose 8.1% to which is essentially an advanced to implement PTC while maintain78.6% of available rooms. Room supply inched up 0.2% for the 12-month By Katya Maruri system that is designed to auto- ing regular operations.” period to 54,652 while the total number of room-nights sold rose 8.3% for As Tri-Rail works toward rolling matically stop a train before certain “Our goal moving forward,” he the month to nearly 1.29 million.

BEACH CHAMBER ACTIONS: In a year-end message to members, Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce President Jerry Libbin focused on two 2017 accomplishments: “increasing the floor area ratio… in town center in North Beach. This was an important first step in bringing about real change that has been needed in North Beach for decades, and it will now provide the impetus for the North Beach Master Plan to move forward. Additionally, we assisted in defeating the potential ban of alcohol sales on Ocean Drive at 2 a.m. This initiative, if passed, would have been detrimental to our tourism- Jerry Libbin based economy.”

PRE-COLUMBIAN EXHIBIT STILL IN WORKS: After discovering artifacts from a pre-Columbian village on the north Bank of the Miami River in 2004 at the site of MDM’s Metropolitan Miami Project, HistoryMiami Museum, which agreed to preserve and put the artifacts on public display, is still in the process of coming up with a finalized list of artifacts to showcase within the site’s 2,236-square-foot Met Square Gallery inside the building’s northeast corner, according to Michele Reese, a spokesperson for HistoryMiami. “As of right now,” she said, “we are still in the process of coming up with a finalized list of what to put on display.” However, she said, “once we know exactly, which artifacts will be showcased, we will definitely put out more information regarding the exhibit.”

RIVER TOUR: The Hype Miami committee of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce is planning a Miami River tour with guest speakers focused on the river’s resurgence. Paul George, HistoryMiami Mueseum resident historian, and Brett Bibeau, managing director of the Miami River Commission, will join guests aboard the Island Lady to talk about the river’s history, significance as a shipping lane and the significant commercial and residential real estate growth on the horizon along the river. The Saturday, Jan. 27, trip from 9 a.m. to noon costs $45 for chamber members and $65 for non-members. Prices rise Jan. 15. Paul George Details: Ivette Canales, (305) 577-5458 or icanales@miamichamber.com RENTS INCH UP: Miami area apartment rents have risen only 0.4% in the past year to average $1,070 for a one-bedroom apartment and $1,350 for a two-bedroom apartment, according to the Miami Rent Report from ApartmentList.com. But the average masks broad differentials. The report says that over the past 12 months average rents have fallen 9.1% in Miami Beach to average $1,000 for a one-bedroom apartment and $1,270 for two bedrooms. Fort Lauderdale rents were listed as rising 2.1%, Pompano Beach 2.3%, Deerfield Beach 2.4% and Boynton Beach 3.6%. Miami Beach’s rental rates are among the lowest in the region, the company says.

MISSILE SITE TOURS: Tour the Nike Missile Site at Everglades National Park, where an Army anti-aircraft missile base remains virtually the same as it was when official use ended in 1979, on a new free Homestead National Parks Trolley trip. The free guided tour leaves at 1:30 p.m. every Saturday through April 29 from Losner Park, 104 N Krome Ave. in Homestead. The site you’ll visit recalls the high-stakes era of the Cold War when defense against Soviet attack seemed vital to US security. The Florida National Parks Association and the City of Homestead have partnered for the new attraction. But, as in the time of the defense site’s use, visitors face warnings: there are no restrooms or vendors, so bring snacks, water and – notably – bug spray to ward off aerial invasions. Details: (305) 224-4457 or www.cityofhomestead.com/gateway.

into Miami Central Station, its parent South Florida Regional Transportation Authority is focusing its efforts on adding positive train control so that all Tri-Rail trains can safely run into Miami within nine months of AllAboard Florida’s Brightline train service debut, according to authority Executive Director Jack Stephens.

“Once All Aboard Florida’s Brightline makes its way to Miami Central Station,” he said, “we will have nine months to be completely up and running.”

However, he said, “until then we will be focusing all of our efforts on implementing positive train control (PTC) within all Tri-Rail trains,

accidents occur.”

As a result, he said, the system will work toward specifically preventing train-to-train collisions, derailments caused by excessive train speed, train movements through misaligned track switches and unauthorized train entry into work zones.

The all-in cost of implementing PTC, Mr. Stephens said, will be around $64.3 million.

“Right now there is a deadline put in place by Congress to have PTC up and operational by Dec. 21, 2018,” Mr. Stephens said, “or you need to have a plan in place that is approved by the Federal Railroad Administration stating how you plan

said, “is to stay on schedule as much as possible while making all Tri-Rail trains accessible, safe and up to par with all the necessary requirements.”

As for running Tri-Rail trains into Miami Central Station, Mr. Stephens said, “according to recent reports, Brightline is preparing to launch its introductory passenger rail service between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale the week of Jan. 8, so let’s see what happens.”

“As Brightline continues to focus on their issues,” he said, “we will continue to focus our efforts on implementing PTC, which is a big issue for all commuter and freight systems in the US.”

Gold Medal Awards entries open

Miami Today is accepting entries until Feb. 14 for its 19th annual Gold Medal Awards competition, which spotlights six elite individuals, companies and institutions that have been honored by others in the past year as the best in their fields.

The medalists will be featured in Miami Today’s annual Gold Medal Awards edition April 26.

Respected judges in key positions in the community will select the gold, silver and bronze medalists among organizations and individuals.

Only those who in 2017 received other awards as the best in their fields and who have not received a Gold Medal Award from Miami Today for at least two years will be considered in the competition. Judges will choose from among these entrants based on the importance of the awards they have already received, the stature of those presenting the awards and the long-term impact on our community of the honorees’ achievements.

“This annual award gives our community its only opportunity to publicly honor the best of the best –

because winners are selected from among those who have already been judged the best in their class,” said Michael Lewis, publisher of Miami Today. “We present these awards to spotlight those who succeed by giving back to our community.”

The 2017 winners were: Gold Medal individual: Donald Slesnick, managing partner of the law offices of Slesnick & Casey and honorary consul of Australia in Miami.

Gold Medal organization: Miami International Airport.

Silver Medal individual: Alice N. Bravo, director of the MiamiDade County Department of Transportation & Public Works.

Silver Medal organization: The Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority.

Bronze Medal individual: Elaine Bloom, president and CEO of Plaza Health Network.

Bronze Medal organization: United HomeCare Services.

A special lifetime achievement award was presented Jorge Pérez, chairman of The Related Group for

SECURITY GRANT ALLOCATED: Miami city commissioners have accepted a $100,000 grant from the State of Florida Department of Financial Services for the continued funding of the city’s South Florida Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 2. The grant will be used by the Department of Fire-Rescue to acquire equipment and provide training in State Fire Marshal approved urban search and rescue training courses.

FIRING RANGE CLEAN-UP: Decon Environmental & Engineering Inc. recently earned a contract with the City of Miami. The city commission accepted a bid from the company to provide indoor firearm range decontamination, disposal and maintenance for the city’s police department. The initial contract is three years with an option to renew for one additional three-year period. The procurement department said the company had the lowest responsive and responsible bid. The estimated amount for the initial term and option to renew period is $606,000. Officials said approval of the Photo by Sergio Alsina contract will enable the city to continue to keep the indoor firearm range Jorge Pérez gets award from Michael and Carmen-Betancourt Lewis. clean and provide a safe environment for police officers and trainees.

nearly 40 years, who was honored for his many past and current contributions to the community. His award was presented by Mr. Lewis and Carmen Betancourt-Lewis, Miami Today vice president, on behalf of dinner sponsor Coastal Construction Group.

Awards were presented for the fifth consecutive year at an invitation-only dinner at the JW Marriott Marquis.

The entry form for this year’s competition can be found on page 10 of this edition of Miami Today or at www.miamitodaynews.com or may be obtained by calling (305) 358-2663.

A Singular Voice in an Evolving City

Phone: (305) 358-2663 Staff Writers:

Gabi Maspons gmaspons@miamitodaynews.com John Charles Robbins jrobbins@miamitodaynews.com Katya Maruri kmaruri@miamitodaynews.com People Column people@miamitodaynews.com Michael Lewis mlewis@miamitodaynews.com

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MIAMI TODAY

VIEWPOINT

WEEK OF THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2018

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

Act now on eye-opening study of rife county absenteeism If everything local government does seems to cost more than in the private sector, one pivotal reason might be that county employees are paid so many more days to stay home.

As we reported last week, more than one- Michael Lewis sixth of the time Miami-Dade County employees are being paid not to come to work.

Companies that paid their workers so much for totally non-productive time would have closed long ago – more productive and efficient competitors would kill them in the marketplace.

But government has no competition, so there’s no reason beyond decency, responsibility and pure voter outrage for those in charge to keep a lid on costs.

As the records show, the lid on county payroll costs is loose. Tightening in the right places would benefit both the public and the thousands of county employees whose sense of responsibility causes them to show up and do productive work every day.

Back in May 2017, Commissioner Rebeca Sosa asked the mayor’s office to break down the absentee rate among county workers. The report that Mayor Carlos Giménez issued in response on Dec. 18 was eye-opening, but not reassuring.

The report show that the average county employee has scheduled leave about 11% of

the time – one day out of every nine – for a variety of holidays, vacation time, union activity, military leave, jury duty, administrative leave, educational leave and more. Those are a lot of days for administrators to arrange to cover for absent employees – but at least they can be planned for.

Beyond those days, the average county employee is absent more than one day out of 20 for illness or just plain not showing up, days nobody can plan for but still must be covered. The mayor in his report notes that these absences can mean overtime pay for other workers to fill the unexpected gaps – and overtime adds to the county’s payroll costs.

In both planned and unplanned time off, county employees are being paid not to show up far more often than are workers in general in this nation.

For example, the county gives 13 paid holidays. Federal law does not require any paid holidays, though most employers offer them. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics found the average US salaried worker gets 7.6 paid holidays. The nonprofit WorldAtWork found an average of nine days.

Clearly, the county is more than generous with our tax money by rewarding its workers far more liberally than the rest of us are.

Then look at those unscheduled leaves, those days when people just plain don’t show up.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics found in studies that in 2016 the average US worker was absent for illness, injury or other reasons 1.5% of the time – fewer than five days a year.

But the county’s transit workers are absent 14.2% of the time for those reasons – nearly 10 times as often.

Pardon us, but is driving a bus so danger-

L etters Miami-Dade Transit late, drivers rude, buses smell

to the

Told you so: MetroFail will never be popular

Workers in water and sewer, aviation, solid waste and rank-and-file police are out for all reasons more than one day out of six.

Every other category of county worker is ill or missing more than one day out of seven.

Every employer reading these numbers should gasp. How could you run your business efficiently having to fill in employee gaps so often – and how could you do it with such a large percentage of the workforce calling in sick each day or just not showing up? Virtually impossible.

It’s a wonder, in fact, that the county functions as well as it does with so many personnel gaps popping up so often everywhere.

But wonder or not, it’s also incumbent on those in charge – commissioners, mayor and administrators – to get the absentee ratios out of the stratosphere and back into the realm of normal.

In the old days there was a sense of government service. Private pay and benefits were far better, but government was both steady employment and a calling for those who wanted to serve the public. Today, it seems, the reverse may be true.

It’s true that government unions are strong and they control votes that elected officials need. But collective bargaining need not give away the store – particularly when what is being given away belongs to the voters themselves.

Even with strong union contracts, triple the normal illness rates can and should be brought under control. Sick rates should not be negotiable numbers, nor numbers that county officials should tolerate.

The business community should be pressuring elected officials not to shelve this eyeopening study but to act on it now.

E ditor

swimming in your suit.

Why new Metrorail cars are sitting in storage by the airport and not being placed in service doesn’t help resolve this issue.

Older Metrorail cars also contribute to numerous delays in shutdown on the tracks, which is also exasperating when you have meetings downtown.

Let’s face it, the surface is not good and needs to improve dramatically in order to attract ridership.

I for one would love to be able to use the Metrorail again where the cars fully function Rider says drivers are rude, buses smell. and the trains arrive on time every time.

Ronald A. Marini more parking lots and more suburban sprawl in areas without mass transit.

Grato de Cardenas

I will keep it simple. Miami-Dade Transit is the worst public transportation system in the country, if not the world. The drivers are rude, late, most can’t speak the proper languages. They go out of their way to make your ride a terrible experience.

Uber, Lyft and now Brightline trains will put Miami-Dade Transit out of its misery.

It’s a culture within Miami-Dade Transit that needs to be fixed to serve such a vibrant tourism market.

It’s the most unpleasant experience riding with nasty drivers who are late, lost, can’t give directions, plus the thugs and such make it that much worse.

Lastly the buses are outdated, dirty, smelly, people will continue to use Uber, Lyft, etc.

Miami-Dade, you never seem to amaze me how bad of a city/county you are. Good luck I was there when MetroFail passed in the to Brightline trains. Hopefully, someone will ’70s.

We told them it would never become fix the water taxi, which also failed. popular except amongst the lobbyists and Joseph Nodarse lawyers who needed to get from South Dade to Government Center. Miami Herald Tropic Magazine (John Dorschner) did an exposé in 1985. The fixed rail profiteers can now cease Don’t forget to add the geography and and desist from claiming people want rail.

Charlotte Greenbard physical senseless suburban sprawl (I don’t care to call it urban sprawl as there is nothing urban about it).

When are we going to realize that American cities are not built for mass transit? There The Metrorail service is abysmal. Most is nothing encouraging to take mass transit.

Stations are devoid of markets, stores, human of the cars don’t have fully functioning activity. Where is the density around mass air-conditioning so that by the time you transit stations? The only density I see is arrive downtown you look like you went

Sprawl and bare stations work against mass transit

ous that injuries and illnesses are 10 times as frequent as the national average, or is it that the county is worse than lax in overseeing the workers that the public – not elected or appointed officials – pays?You know the answer.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics looked at transportation workers nationally and found the unscheduled absenteeism rate at 2.9%, about one-fifth the rate of our county’s transit workers.

The county’s transit workers are by far the worst examples, but unscheduled absenteeism is rife in the county. The average county worker is absent 5.2% of the time, more than triple the national average.

Examples by department: workers in both communications and public housing are absent for illness or not showing up 7% of the time. In corrections and rehabilitation, the homeless trust, legal aid, the economic advocacy trust and solid waste it’s 6%. Seven more departments have unscheduled absenteeism of 5%.

It’s not government in general with the high illness and no-show rates. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that while the national rate of work time lost to illness, injury or not showing up was 1.5%, the rate for all local governments combined in this nation is merely 1.7% – just a tick more than the average of all workers.

Miami-Dade County’s hours lost by workers who are sick or don’t show up is 5.2%, more than three times as much as that national local government average.

Combine those unscheduled and scheduled days away and totals are staggering – at lease by private industry standards. Transit workers at 22.2% and police supervisors at 20.7% are absent more than one day a week for all reasons.

Brightline trains great but they’re hardly luxury

From what I have seen of the equipment for this service (one set was available for local railfan groups to see at the Jacksonville yards recently) it is great, but hardly luxury.

I hate to see this term used because it does give the impression that it is an “exclusive” operation of some kind.

While I do not expect to ever see it operate to Jacksonville, I would hope that the masses, rather than the few, could use it if they choose.

Jerry Sullivan

Metrorail must be on time Privatize county’s transit and needs air conditioning I vote we hand off Miami-Dade Transit to

a privately run company ASAP. A for-profit company will make sure the buses are on time, the drivers show up with a smile on their faces, and the fleet is maintained so it’s

never down, which would interfere with its profit margins.

DC Copeland

Safety first on Brightline

This Brightline rail line has not seen a passenger train in 50 years. It’s best they get it right before any paying customers get on board.

I know some people who work with the industry’s safety program, Operation Lifesaver.

They have been working very closely with Brightline’s operations personal for months on safety. It’s good to know they are putting safety first!

Ray Del Papa

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WEEK OF THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2018

TODAY’S NEWS

MIAMI TODAY

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Dolphin Park/Ride hub to feed 836 express bus passengers by summer

By Rebecca San Juan

The Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX) expects to finish the Dolphin Station Park & Ride by late March to feed riders into the Miami-Dade Transit SR 836/Dolphin Express Bus Service by summer, linking Dolphin Mall, Miami International Airport, Downtown and Brickell.

MDX leads construction on the $19 million project alongside the county’s Department of Transportation and Public Works and Florida Department ofTransportation. MDX plans to not only complete construction but also maintain the hub.

“The park-and-ride facility will be used primarily for our express bus service from the Dolphin Park & Ride station, which is approximately on Northwest 122nd Avenue and Northwest 12th Street along 836, using the shoulders we’re currently using as part of our capital improvement program,” said authority Deputy Executive Director and Director of Engineering JuanToledo.

Dolphin Station, spanning almost 15 acres of public land, will cater to commuters on the east-west corridor.

Mr. Toledo and project partners expect this node to encourage more people to ride public transit.

The lot adds an incentive for express bus riders to keep using the service and others to hop aboard.

County transportation chief Alice Bravo said of all east-west transit solutions to heavier traffic, the most affordable was utilizing the expressway’s shoulders.

“Every single highway has a shoulder, so that’s an opportunity to create an express bus service on every single highway at a very low cost,” she said. “All you need is the cost of the vehicles and the operations, and you have a mass transit solution. Rather than everyone being stuck in traffic, this vehicle is going to zip past everybody.”

The Dolphin Station Park & Ride is geared to entice more people to hop on.

“For the express bus service to be successful,” Ms. Bravo said, “you have to have a location where you get the people on the express bus.

The park-and-ride facility is in essence how you feed people to your express bus service.”

The 849 long-term parking spaces and 20 short-term parking areas frame the 12 bus bays and 10 bus layover bays. The transit hub also provides waiting areas and retail space.

Ms. Bravo said she believes the express bus service will increase in ridership with the park-and-ride lot despite an overall decline of nearly 10% she cited in overall bus ridership this year.

As a result of the decline, the transportation department cut service on some routes and expects more route changes in March to generate savings.

However, Ms. Bravo remains optimistic due to the 14% growth in use of the express buses running on the South Dade corridor from 2016 to 2017.

“While bus ridership overall is declining,” Ms. Bravo said, “you see that the express bus service is

Dolphin Station Park & Ride has 849 long-term parking spaces, 12 bus bays and 10 layover bus bays.

‘The bus service is contingent on the work they’re doing on the expressway since the plan is to put that express bus on the inside shoulders of 836.’

Juan Toledo increasing because people want to save time.” She said amenities at the station will make public transportation even more appealing.

Dolphin Station work is 75% complete, Mr. Toledo said, and on The $19 million project will also have waiting areas and retail space on almost 15 acres of public land. budget. His team plans to finish by late March, with buses pulling in by summer.

CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA “The bus service is contingent NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING on the work they’re doing on the expressway since the plan is to The Miami City Commission will hold a Public Hearing on Thursday, January 11, 2018 put that express bus on the inside shoulders of 836,” Mr. Toledo said. at 9:00 A.M., to consider the award of a contract to the non-profit organization listed He expects a promotional campaign below through Anti-Poverty grant funds from the District 5 share of the City of Miami’s to precede the opening.

Anti-Poverty Initiative Program. Martin Luther King Economic Development Corporation The total project cost is estimated operates the Kitchen Incubator Program which assists food-based business owners with at $19 million, with $16.9 million the expense of buying and maintaining a commercial kitchen, and to consider the City of it construction. Mr. Toledo said Manager’s recommendations and finding that competitive negotiation methods are not DMT chipped in $5 million, the practicable or advantageous regarding these issues: county tossed in another $5 million and MDX filled in the gap with about • Martin Luther King Economic Development Corporation – Kitchen Incubator $9 million for the park-and-ride lot.

Program Officials expect to measure the project’s success by the number of Inquiries regarding this notice may be addressed to Malissa Treviño, Project Manager express bus riders. Ms. Bravo said for the Office of Community Investment, Office of the City Manager, at (305) 416-1005. her department targets at least 849 daily riders using the site.

This action is being considered pursuant to Section 18-85 (A) of the Code of the City of “What we really want is people to Miami, Florida as amended (the “Code”). The recommendations and findings to be concarpool to the park-and-ride, to take sidered in this matter are set forth in the proposed resolution and in Code Section 18-85 our bus routes to the park-and-ride, (A), which are deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and are available as with and that way we can really multiply the regularly scheduled City Commission meeting of January 11, 2018 at Miami City Hall, the number of people using the ex3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida 33133. press bus,” she said. “The goal is to have those buses full once they’re The Miami City Commission requests all interested parties be present or represented up and running.” at the meeting and may be heard with respect to any proposition before the City ComThe area’s county commissioner, José “Pepe” Díaz, a long-time advomission in which the City Commission may take action. Should any person desire to cate, sees the Dolphin Station Park appeal any decision of the City Commission with respect to any matter to be considered & Ride location as ideal. He said at this meeting, that person shall ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is he believes the nearness of Dolphin made including all testimony and evidence upon which any appeal may be based (F.S. Mall, Miami International Mall and 286.0105). the new Telemundo headquarters supplies commuters with a soluIn accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, persons needing special tion for their rising transportation accommodations to participate in this proceeding may contact the Office of the City Clerk demands. at (305) 250-5361 (Voice) no later than five (5) business days prior to the proceeding.

“Business-wise, there’s a lot of TTY users may call via 711 (Florida Relay Service) no later than five (5) business days business entities going in there and prior to the proceeding. growing.” Commissioner Díaz said, “That means a lot of employees need to get there and leave from there. It’s a great place.”

Mr. Díaz looks towards nearby state-owned land with a vision of expanding the Dolphin Station Park & Ride in coming years. “As this Todd B. Hannon grows,” he said, “there’s some other City Clerk land that we’ll be looking at to try to build a parking facility to hold a #29105 lot more vehicles.”

WEEK OF THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2018

TODAY’S NEWS

MIAMI TODAY

9

Garage delays, industry changes alter parking bonds outlook

By John Charles Robbins

Emerging technology and delayed projects are having an impact on the Miami Parking Authority, the city’s semi-autonomous parking agency.

That’s according to a report from Fitch Ratings service.

Fitch Ratings has just affirmed the city Department of Off-Street Parking (DOSP)’s $65.04 million of outstanding series 2009 A & B parking system revenue bonds at ‘A’. The Rating Outlook has been revised to Stable from Positive.

The rating reflects the parking authority’s monopoly over key off-street and on-street parking in Miami’s thriving central business district, the report says.

“Though parking revenues tend to be correlated with the economy and could be volatile, this is partially offset by DOSP’s diverse system of assets and a history of strong revenue generation. The rating is further supported by the authority’s flexible annual ratesetting ability and its level debt service profile, which together have generated an increasing debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) profile that should remain in the 3.0x range even in a scenario of very modest growth.

“The discretionary practice to transfer surplus cash flow to the city may limit the system’s ability to build and maintain liquidity; however, leverage of 3.1x on a net debt-to-cash flow available for debt service (CFADS) basis is moderate and continues to evolve downward,” the report reads.

The Outlook revision reflects the increasing medium to longterm risk of the parking industry, due to the use of ride-sharing services and development of driverless car technology, Fitch says. “While the DOSP’s metrics remain strong, potential new debt issuances and the evolving technologies lend uncertainty to the long-term future,” the report reads.

Fitch Ratings also said the authority’s capital improvement plan is being updated “due to significant delays in projects.”

Authority CEO Art Noriega did

Photo by John Charles Robbins

A garage long planned for this patch of Coconut Grove waterfront is one of three that have been delayed.

not respond to emails from Miami Today seeking comment on the Fitch report.

Fitch notes the dominant position held by the parking authority or DOSP. “The DOSP holds a monopolistic position over essential on-street parking spaces in the Miami central business district, which account for 56% of operating revenues. The department’s operation of parking garages, surface lots, and on-street parking spaces provides revenue diversity and minimizes reliance on any single system component,” the report says.

Flexible rate-making ability is cited as a plus for the agency.

“The DOSP’s authority to increase rates at an average annual rate of 3% per year without city council approval has helped the department maintain a solid operating profile and generate debt service coverage levels above 2.0x historically. The DOSP makes substantial transfers to the city after payment of debt service each year; however, transfers are made entirely at their discretion and there is no minimum required amount,” the report says.

There were no rate increases in fiscal 2017. Rates have been typically adjusted every five

years, with the last increase in fiscal 2015.

Due to significant delays in projects, management is currently updating their capital plan, Fitch reports.

“The update will include the removal of a project from the capital plan, as well as plan for some possible new projects.

Due to the change in the capital plan, management has stated that there will be a potential new debt issuance in fall 2018, though definitive amounts have not been

established,” reads the report.

About 25% of the current debt matures in 10 years, though additional borrowing is anticipated to complete the new capital plan.

The previous three-year capital improvement plan totaled $31 million and included the construction of three garages, IT developments, and basic maintenance, Fitch reports.

At least three planned garages have been delayed for reasons including prolonged litigation and the action or inaction of third

parties. Miami Today has reported on those three, proposed for: the Coconut Grove waterfront; on Virginia Key as part of marina redevelopment; and as part of restoration of the Coconut Grove Playhouse.

The Miami Parking Authority, officially the Department of Off-Street Parking of the City of Miami, was created in 1955 by a Special Act of the Legislature and incorporated into the City of Miami’s Charter in 1968.

The authority manages and develops on-street and off-street parking in the city. It shares responsibility with the Miami Police Department and MiamiDade County for enforcement of parking regulations.

Self-sustaining authority is managed by parking industry professionals and financed by parking revenues. Funds not used by operations are returned to the city, and all ticket citation revenues are payable directly to the county.

In 2016, the authority contributed more than $7 million in excess revenue to the city.

The authority provides parking for about 6 million vehicles a year.

Currently the authority has more than 34,000 parking spaces under management, including 15 garages, 75 surface lots, and 11,200 on-street spaces.

CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING The Miami City Commission will hold a Public Hearing on Thursday, January 11, 2018 at 9:00 A.M., to consider the award of a contract to the non-profit organization listed below through Anti-Poverty grant funds from the District 5 share of the City of Miami’s Anti-Poverty Initiative Program. Foundation of Community Assistance and Leadership, Inc. (FOCAL) (the organization) is a not for profit company that focuses on assisting those in need of educational assistance, and to consider the City Manager’s recommendations and finding that competitive negotiation methods are not practicable or advantageous regarding these issues: • Foundation of Community Assistance and Leadership, Inc. (FOCAL) – educational, vocational, and social services Inquiries regarding this notice may be addressed to Malissa Treviño, Project Manager for the Office of Community Investment, Office of the City Manager, at (305) 416-1005.

This action is being considered pursuant to Section 18-85 (A) of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida as amended (the “Code”). The recommendations and findings to be considered in this matter are set forth in the proposed resolution and in Code Section 18-85 (A), which are deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and are available as with the regularly scheduled City Commission meeting of January 11, 2018 at Miami City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida 33133.

The Miami City Commission requests all interested parties be present or represented at the meeting and may be heard with respect to any proposition before the City Commission in which the City Commission may take action. Should any person desire to appeal any decision of the City Commission with respect to any matter to be considered at this meeting, that person shall ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made including all testimony and evidence upon which any appeal may be based (F.S. 286.0105).

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, persons needing special accommodations to participate in this proceeding may contact the Office of the City Clerk at (305) 250-5361 (Voice) no later than five (5) business days prior to the proceeding.

TTY users may call via 711 (Florida Relay Service) no later than five (5) business days prior to the proceeding.

Todd B. Hannon City Clerk #29106

12

TODAY’S NEWS

MIAMI TODAY

P Royal Caribbean names senior VP/CIO Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has appointed Martha Poulter senior vice president and chief information officer. Ms. Poulter had been a chief information officer at Starwood Hotels and Resorts. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut and a master’s degree from the University of New Haven.

Carlton Fields adds three attorneys Carlton Fields has added attorneys Jay Koenigsberg, Michele Softness and Matthew Jacobson, all from Isicoff, Ragatz & Koenigsberg, to its real estate and commercial finance practice group.

Mr. Koenigsberg holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston University and a JD from the University of Miami.

Ms. Softness holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Buffalo and a JD from the University of Miami.

Mr. Jacobson holds a bachelor’s degree from Kenyon College and a JD from Tulane University.

U.S. Century Bank appoints VP U.S. Century Bank has appointed Sheila Morales vice president and business banking lender II in its business banking division. Ms. Morales had been vice president and a com-

To Submit Information Miami Today welcomes news of job changes, promotions, hiring and awards. Please send your submissions to Katya Maruri at People @Miamitodaynews.com or mail them to Miami Today, 2000 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 100, Miami FL 33133. Be sure to include contact information. We will select submissions for publication.

WEEK OF THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2018

e o p l e

Rico, a master’s in taxation degree from Nova Southeastern University and a JD from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law. Mr. Emans had been an associate at the firm. He holds a bachelor’s degree, a master of laws degree and a JD from the University of Florida.

Ms. Otero had been an associate at the firm. She holds a bachelor’s degree and a JD from the University Jay Koenigsberg of Miami.

mercial banking officer at Mercantil Bank. She holds a bachelor’s degree Durée Ross from the Instituto Tecnológico de promotes to VP Santo Domingo.

Durée Ross has promoted Chrissy Cox to vice president. She had Berger Singerman been an account director at the firm. adds partner She holds a bachelor’s degree from Berger Singerman has added Loyola University Chicago.

Javier Fernandez as a partner on its government and regulatory team. Bilzin Sumberg names Mr. Fernandez is the former chief managing partner of staff to City of Miami Mayor Bilzin Sumberg has promoted Manuel Diaz and was most recently Albert Dotson Jr. to managing a partner at Holland & Knight. He partner. Mr. Dotson had been a holds a bachelor’s degree from Colby member of the firm’s executive College and JD from the University committee and chair of its land of Miami. development and government relations practice group. He holds a Holland & Knight bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth promotes to partners University and a JD from Vanderbilt Holland & Knight has promoted University.

Ariadna Alvarez, Patrick Emans and Elena Otero to partners in its Baptist medical group South Florida firm. adds orthopedic MD Ms.Alvarez had been senior counBaptist Health Medical Group sel at the firm. She holds a bachelor’s has added orthopedic surgeon Juan degree from the University of Puerto Suarez to its Miami Orthopedics

Michele Softness

Matthew Jacobson

Sheila Morales

Javier Fernandez

Ariadna Alvarez

Patrick Emans

Elena Otero

Chrissy Cox

& Sports Medicine Institute. Dr. Suarez completed a residency in orthopedic surgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital and at the University of Miami Miller School

of Medicine and also completed a fellowship in adult hip and knee reconstruction at OrthoCarolina.

He holds a medical degree from the University of Puerto Rico.

Brightline’s ‘all aboard’ could move 4,800 daily

If you registered and qualified for the MDX Frequent Driver Rewards Program you received a CASH Refund this past December.

Registration for the MDX FREQUENT DRIVER REWARDS PROGRAM open until March 31, 2018 Visit www.mdxway.com from your computer or mobile phone to register The program only applies to MDX expressways, not to the Turnpike or the FDOT 95 Express

Startup Brightline rail service to link Fort Lauderdale with West Palm Beach is to begin sometime next week with 10 northbound and 10 southbound trips daily – the potential to carry 4,800 persons each day if all seats on the 240-passenger trains are filled.

Three of the company’s five trainsets will be in use, a spokesperson said.

The exact date to start the longdelayed service still hasn’t been announced, nor have fares. Service is to be daily after startup, the spokesperson said. “Brightline will launch our new website and mobile app with schedules and ticket prices a few days before we begin service,” she said.

Extension of train runs into Miami is still to be “in early 2018,” she said, with no specifics. “More information will be provided as construction progresses,” she said.

Days earlier, the company said it still didn’t have federal permission to start service, but the spokesperson said Friday that “Brightline has all federal permits needed to operate Phase 1.”

The eventual plan – announced with great fanfare when the new rail line was first revealed – is a rail link between Miami and Orlando.

The announced aim of the privately owned line was to carry primarily tourists between the two cities, not to served as a commuter line between Miami and West Palm Beach, a route that is already served by publicly operated Tri-Rail.

Brightline’s parent All Aboard Florida announced two weeks ago that the US Department of Transportation had approved a $1.15 billion private activity bond allocation and that the railroad had

secured the final two South Florida Water Management District permits needed to complete the segment of the line between Orlando and Cocoa in Brevard County.

That announcement said construction on the Orlando-West Palm Beach segment is to begin “in early 2018.”

Also two weeks ago, the company closed on a $600 million bond issue by the Florida Development Finance Corp. on behalf of the line’s owners.

Fitch Ratings, which was hired by All Aboard Florida to rate the bonds, initially rated the bonds BB-.

Fitch said the bonds’ relatively low rating “reflects Brightline’s standing as a new-market, US luxury rail project that exhibits uncertain demand and revenue generation potential.” The service also pointed to the uncertain nature of the market’s “willingness to pay” for the luxury rail as opposed to use of passenger cars.

The pro forma presented by All Aboard Florida to Fitch shows that the company assumes Brightline can break even if stabilized ridership falls 44% lower than projected. The rail line projected a three-year ramp-up period before riders stabilize at 2.9 million per year in 2020, starting at 1.1 million in 2018 and increasing to about 2.3 million in 2019.

Fitch’s own analysis said that it will take four years, not three, to stabilize ridership, starting with 587,000 passengers in 2018, 1.1 million in 2019 and 2.3 million in 2020.

The Fitch report said that at full operation, Brightline planned for 16 hourly round-trips daily on the line from early morning to late evening between Miami and West Palm Beach.

16

MIAMI TODAY

TODAY’S NEWS

WEEK OF THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2018

The I-95 rehabilitation includes improvements from Northwest 29th to 131st streets in two vital phases.

State expects to complete four big...

By Rebecca San Juan

The Florida Department of Transportation expects to complete four of its five major Miami-Dade roadway projects in 2018. The five include major improvements for the Palmetto Expressway, I-95, Southwest 107th Avenue, Flagler Street and downtown.

The Palmetto Express project Flagler work replaces drainage, adds sidewalks, signals, bike lanes.

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($244 million) establishes new express lanes that stretch for 28 miles south of the Dolphin Expressway in Miami-Dade to I-595 in Broward County.

The department’s District Six oversees almost 10 miles from West Flagler Street to Northwest 154th Street and three miles from the Palmetto Expressway to Northwest 170th Street. The project launched

in spring 2014 and the department says it will complete it by March.

I-95 Rehabilitation or the I-95 Emergency Stopping Site and Concrete Replacement Project ($89.5 million) includes improvements from Northwest 29th to 131st streets. The project receives federal and state funds.

Community outreach specialist Oscar Gonzalez said, “This project has two major parts: Construct five Emergency Stopping Sites on the I-95 express lanes between Northwest 62nd and 131st streets, and replace the existing concrete pavement and bridge approach slabs of I-95 or 95 Express from Northwest 29th to 79th streets.”

The project also includes adding concrete medians, enhanced drainage systems along the corridors and pavement replacements. Mr. Gonzalez said, “The concrete medians inside the 95 express lanes is 60% complete, drainage within the five [emergency stopping] sites is approximately 80% complete and the concrete pavement replacement of the outside northbound lane is about 90% complete from Northwest 29th to 79th streets.”

The project, which began in February, was delayed by Hurricane Irma. Mr. Gonzalez said, “Special events and adverse weather conditions including Hurricane Irma have impacted the project schedule. The [emergency stopping sites] contract end date has been pushed to April 2018. The concrete pavement project is expected for the summer of 2020.” The final project should improve driver safety.

Southwest 107thAvenue ($18.2 million) primarily improves congestion and safety conditions for pedestrians. The department depends on federal and state funds for the projects.

“One of the major intents of this project is to alleviate the bottleneck that occurs on SR 985/Southwest 107th Avenue from Southwest Eighth to West Flagler streets, where the roadway reduces into a two-lane street in either direction,” said Hector Fung, the project manager for the South Miami-Dade construction.

“With a major university within the project limits, and two major shopping malls within its vicinity, this area can be highly-congested during peak times throughout the year.”

The additions widen corridors from four to six lanes, adds bike lanes, replaces a four-lane bridge across the Tamiami Canal with six lanes and dual left-turn lanes onto Southwest Eighth Street.

The state transportation department also is partnering with MiamiDade County to replace the existing 8-inch water main lines with a new 16-inch ductile iron pipe.

WEEK OF THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2018

TODAY’S NEWS

MIAMI TODAY

17

Southwest 107th Avenue work widens corridors, replaces a four-lane bridge across the Tamiami Canal.

...Miami-Dade road projects in 2018

The project is about 70% complete and, at the moment, focuses on improvements along the east side of the corridor. Mr. Fung said that in the next two months the department will continue to improve the east side.

“These improvements will include the completion of the new sidewalk, new bridge over the Tamiami canal and the installation of the new lighting system and signalization components,” he said.

Mr. Fung said he expects the project to be finished on time.

“The project is currently still on track to be completed by June,” he said. “Recently, the project was impacted by Hurricane Irma.

However, the impacts did not cause a major delay.”

The Flagler Street Reconstruction and downtown projects ($14.24 million) utilize county, state and federal funds and rely on a Joint Partnership Agreement with the Miami-Dade Water & Sewer Department.

The West Flagler project focuses on replacing the stormwater drainage system, installing new sidewalks and pedestrian signals, adding exclusive shared-use bicycle lanes and reconstructing roadways.

The transportation department also is replacing a water main that dates back to 1943.

The project includes work within the area from West Flagler Street from 27th to 14th avenues, to be completed in the spring, as well as Southwest/Northwest 27th Avenue from Southwest 10th to Northwest Ninth streets, to be done by the summer.

The projects have been hit by delays since commencing in spring 2016.

“The projects experienced inclement weather delays,” said community outreach specialist Sergies Duarte. “Additional work was added by Miami-Dade Water & Sewer Department to the project along West Flagler Street from 14th Avenue to Second Avenue, and this added about 90 extra days to the contract.”

The state transportation department added new water mains on both sides, and paved the streets from West Flagler Street between 27th and 18th avenues, Mr. Duarte said. “The next step is to finalize all the stormwater drainage work along West Flagler Street located east of 17th Avenue and continue working on roadway reconstruction.”

Downtown ($3.49 million) plans include Southeast Second Avenue and Biscayne Boulevard.

The state works with the MiamiDade Water & Sewer Department on another Joint Participation Agreement.

The state will repave roadways, install a pedestrian refuge island on the I-95 entrance ramp and update sidewalks on Southeast Second Avenue.

Tasks along Biscayne Boulevard include repaving the roadway, updating the stormwater drainage, extending the bicycle lane from Southeast Third Avenue to Southeast Third Street and installing a

shared-use lane from Southeast Third to Southeast Second streets.

The project utilizes county, state and federal funds. The plan began in July and should be finished by June. Mr. Duarte said the state team currently is working to install a stormwater drainage system along Biscayne Boulevard and is modifying the traffic separator along Southeast Second Street.

Downtown work updates stormwater drainage, repaves the roadway.

Transportation

2018

February 22

Now more than ever, transportation determines the future shape of our community. Transportation limitations are potential roadblocks to our future.

On February 22, Miami Today will produce a special section focusing on transportation, its challenges and opportunities, ranging from our roads to our airports and ports. This section will contain vital information that will discuss our transportation future.

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18

MIAMI TODAY

TODAY’S NEWS

WEEK OF THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2018

Parking authority to run redevelopment agency Overtown lots

By John Charles Robbins

The Miami Parking Authority is taking over management of three parking lots in the Overtown area owned by the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA).

A services agreement between the authority and the CRA board was approved in December by the city’s Off-Street Parking Board.

Authority CEO Art Noriega told the board the CRA owns and runs those three parking lots but there has been a change in operational strategy and the CRA wants to make the lots more available to businesses in the area.

“We have an agreement that we’ll automate and manage those lots,” said Mr. Noriega.

He said the deal will be a plus for the parking agency.

“The return will be good for us.

The lots are relatively small, but this will exhibit how we can be a true partner,” Mr. Noriega said.

“This is what we do; lend our expertise to the CRA,” he added.

Mr. Noriega said he’s hopeful the arrangement can extend to other lots under I-95, if a soccer stadium is built by David Beckham’s partnership in the neighborhood north of the Miami River.

In a memo to the parking board, Mr. Noriega said the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency owns properties at 345 NW 10th St., 262 NW 10th St., and 250 NW 10th St. “It is determined that the public, the CRA, and the MPA will benefit from the installation of Pay-By-Plate and PayByPhone facilities and parking signage on the Lots,” he wrote.

The new arrangement “will provide and facilitate the use of parking spaces within the CRA’s Redevelopment Area for the benefit of the community and visitors alike,” Mr. Noriega wrote.

The CRA board wants to utilize the parking agency’s specialized knowledge, management and resources to provide parking services to maximize the use and operation of the lots, he said.

As part of a parking services agreement, the parking authority will retain a management fee of 15% of all gross revenues, retain an additional 15% of the net revenues, and receive full reimbursement from the CRA for costs incurred by the parking authority for improvements and maintenance of the lots.

Parking board member Marlon Hill asked if there were cost estimates for needed improvements to the three lots.

Mr. Noriega said there would be nominal costs to taking over the lots, including minor costs of new signage.

Mr. Noriega described the lots as two small ones and one with more than 30 spaces, and they are heavily used.

“They are overrun by residential [users]. We will try to address that. We’ll have to manage transient versus monthly,” he said.

The deal with the CRA was effective Dec. 1 and continues through Nov. 30, 2022.

Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency owns the Northwest 10th Street lots.

Other provisions of the agreement include: Before the conclusion of the term, the agreement may be extended for one additional fiveyear period by written mutual agreement.

The authority is to provide and install up to three Pay-ByPlate parking machines and make available the PayByPhone service to the lots, including necessary signage in each lot.

The equipment must be similar

to what the authority uses at other parking facilities throughout the city.

The authority must be responsible for improvements and repairs on the lots, including repairing damaged asphalt, se-

alcoat and re-striping pavement markings, and wheel stop replacement. The CRA shall reimburse the authority for expenses incurred by the improvements.

All improvements and repairs must be approved in writing by the CRA prior to the authority incurring the expenses.

The authority will maintain the lots and be responsible for maintenance of the equipment.

The lots shall be kept clean and safe.

The authority is responsible for collecting revenues derived from the parking services and for paying any taxes due, including sales taxes, on the parking revenues it collects.

The authority must have appropriate revenue controls consistent with the best industry practices aimed at preventing loss or theft and is responsible for all enforcement. The authority shall produce regular weekly/ monthly reports to the CRA regarding parking revenue and usage at the lots.

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