Miami Today: Week of Thursday, October 12, 2017

WEEK OF THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2017

A Singular Voice in an Evolving City

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COUNTY’S BONANZA OF ‘FREE’ TRANSIT WI-FI AND WEB OF UP TO 300 KIOSKS SHRINKING, pg. 3 MARLINS SCORECARD: Miami-Dade’s Government Operations Committee passed without comment Tuesday legislation by Sally Heyman instructing Mayor Carlos Giménez’s office to “obtain a comprehensive report regarding the status of all of the Miami Marlins’ obligations under the Baseball Stadium Agreements.” In 2009, Miami-Dade County entered into agreements with the then-Florida Marlins over construction, management and operations of the new Marlins’ stadium. With the stadium now past its fifth anniversary and the team under new ownership, the resolution instructs the mayor’s office to provide a status report that details which obligations have been met, remain unmet or are currently on-going. The legislation is to go on the county commission agenda Nov. 7.

The Achiever

By John Charles Robbins

AIRPORT’S AIR: Honeywell International is in line for a no-bid $143.6 million contract renewal to handle the building management systems in 14.5 million square feet of Miami-Dade Aviation Department buildings because it would cost more than a half billion dollars and take six years to take out Honeywell’s equipment for another provider’s. The contract on the table is for 10 years with a five-year renewal option. The system controls heating, ventilation and air conditioning, plus fire alarm and smoke evacuation. At Miami International Airport alone, 8 million of the 10 million square feet are air conditioned. Data on the contract, up for a county committee vote today (10/12), say aviation areas under Honeywell’s purview have more than 100,000 primary and 300,000 secondary monitoring and control points. The current $65 million contract is to run through 2019, but with 18 months left added projects have used up the allocated funds.

DOLPHINS DOLLARS DELAYED: Miami-Dade County commissioners last week unanimously deferred bonus payments to the owners of the Miami Dolphins for holding major events at Hard Rock Stadium until the end of 2025 so that the county has the time to build up a reserves shortfall. The one-time delay will allow the county to build its Convention Development Tax shortfall up to a $45 million target before using the funds to pay the team owners as an incentive for them to host major tourist-generating sporting events. One of those delayed bonus payments will be $4 million for hosting Super Bowl LIV (54) on Feb. 2, 2020. The delay in payments is permitted in the agreement that had the owners, not taxpayers, spend their own money to renovate the stadium.

COMMISSIONER’S SUPPORT: Joe Martinez supported legislation proposed by Dennis Moss to allow a municipality to form in a part of Mr. Moss’s district when it came before the county’s Government Operations Committee Tuesday (10/10). When the clerk called for Mr. Martinez’s vote, he said, “I respect the chair, so yes. I don’t want to be spanked later on,” he joked.

Norman Braman

Photo by Cristina Sullivan

Prepares for opening of Institute of Contemporary Art The profile is on Page 4

Turkish owner plans 73-story tower downtown

By John Charles Robbins

Asurface parking lot in the heart of downtown Miami is destined for new heights – Turkish developers plan a 73-story tower to be called The Sterling.

The nearly 966-foot tower is to be home to a 300-room hotel, 363 dwellings, commercialretail and office space.

The architectural team says the design, with its sloping and curved top, was inspired by the shape of a tulip, the national flower of Turkey.

The city’s Urban Development Review Board on Oct. 6 recommended approval of the tower, with conditions.

“There’s a lot of joy being here today,” said attorney A. Vicky Leiva, representing Turkish developer Okan Group (Miami 6th LLC).

On hand to see the developer’s team presentation was Turkey’s consul general in Miami, Ms. Leiva said.

“This is the first of its kind. It’s an incredible project,” she told the board.

Ms. Leiva said The Sterling will be a retail, hotel, office and residential tower with “a sky high 68th floor restaurant.”

No parking at 43-story Omni hotel

The design is to include about 55,000 square feet of offices, 3,000 square feet of retail and a 9,800-square-foot restaurant.

There will also be parking for about 500 vehicles, according to documents given to the city.

Ms. Leiva said it represents a major urban infill project, rising in an area near Miami Worldcenter, Miami Dade College, county and federal courthouses, and the new MiamiCentral transportation station with its promise of passenger rail from Brightline.

The site at 501 N Miami Ave. is between the College North and Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. Metromover stations, and adjacent to Christ Fellowship church.

The developers are requesting several waivers, including permission for parking in the second layer and above, reduced setbacks, less distance between driveways and more.

Architect Robert Behar, review board chairman, recused himself from the discussion and took a seat in the audience, as his company is designing the building.

Architect Eduardo “Edie” Vera, with Coral Gables based Behar Font & Partners P.A., told the board the hotel is a five-star hotel with

meeting rooms, not far from the city’s new museums and other major new developments like MiamiCentral.

Mr. Vera said many major cities are defined by their skyline and The Sterling, with a state-of-theart design offering the architectural expression of a tulip, helps Miami have an outstanding skyline.

Levels 24 and 25 will have swimming pools, a fitness center and panoramic views, he said.

The 68th floor will house a restaurant and be open to the public, Mr. Vera said. The layout consolidates the kitchen functions to the west, opening up the northeast and south sides of the restaurant to great city views, he said.

The high-end condo units will have private amenity decks. The top floor, with its large arch, is to have an exclusive pool deck.

Board member Neil Hall called it a “stellar project” and a very beautiful building. “It has set a high bar,” he said.

Conditions from the board included the developer enhancing Americans with Disabilities Act access, the city planning department reviewing the landscape plan for compliance with the street tree code, and use of more durable materials for murals on pedestal walls.

Ahotel wearing a cloak of colored glass is planned a block from the bay in downtown Miami, with no on-site parking.

Mandala Holdings proposes the 43-story hotel on a corner at 511 NE 15th St., next door to Trinity Cathedral on North Bayshore Drive.

The property is about a half block from the Adrienne Arsht Center Metromover Station, and adjacent to the waterfront owned by Genting Group (former Miami Herald site) where a resort and marina are planned.

The mixed-use hotel would include 270 rooms, four top levels of offices with two devoted to Mandala use, a rooftop bar, and 715 square feet of retail.

Levels 3 to 5 are identified on plans as bistro, dining and events space. The architect is Allan Shulman.

Mario Garcia-Serra, an attorney for the developer, said the company hopes the project sparks more development in the Omni area.

The developer is requesting less required parking, all to be off-site but within 1,000 feet of the hotel.

The city’s Urban Development Review Board on Oct. 6 recommended approval, with conditions.

“The issue of parking is major,” said board member Anthony Tzamtzis. As for dedicated off-site parking nearby, he said, “I don’t think it works.”

Other board members took issue with a drop-off and pick-up area that would provide only four spaces for vehicles operated by hotel valets.

A developer’s representative pointed out that some hotel patrons can self-park at the nearby Omni garage, and he noted nearby public transit.

Review board Chairman Robert Behar said he shared concerns voiced by colleagues but commended the architect for a “dynamic” building on a small lot of 11,545 square feet.

Board conditions include the developer studying the functionality of the loading area, committing to lease 117 off-site parking spaces for at least 20 years, and considering larger shade trees near the building.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ON HOOK TO FILL IN TREE CANOPY ...

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WOULD-BE MARINE STADIUM OPERATORS OUTLINE AIMS ...

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NOVA LISTS ITS NORTH MIAMI BEACH CAMPUS FOR SALE ...

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HOME MORTGAGES NOW MORE AVAILABLE, AFFORDABLE ...

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VIEWPOINT: IGNORING EFFICIENCY IN CHARITY FUNDING ...

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SOME FRET THAT VIRGINIA KEY IS IRMA’S DUMPING SITE ...

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SOUTH AFRICA MISSIONS NETS $38 MILLION EXPORT HOPE ...

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OUTBOARD CLUB, CHILDREN’S MUSEUM SEEKING CHANGE ...

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MIAMI TODAY

TODAY’S NEWS

The Insider WOMEN SPEAK UP: When legislation requiring Miami-Dade County contractors to comply with the Equal Pay Act came to the Government Operations Subcommittee on Tuesday (10/10) for preliminary approval, Commissioner Rebeca Sosa encouraged her fellow committee members to pass the item so it could go before the commission.

“I’m not going to say that women are better than men, because that would be discriminatory,” she joked. “We should make sure that everyone is paid for their work and treated fairly.” Sally Heyman echoed Ms. Sosa’s remarks before the item passed, saying, even though the Rebeca Sosa state needs to address the item more thoughtfully, the county should do its part: “it’s a local and global issue, and we can model best practices locally.”

TRAINING GROUND TIES: The city in Guatemala where the Central Intelligence Agency sent soldiers and pilots of Brigade 2506 to train for the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba should be made a formal Sister City of Miami-Dade County, a resolution before a county committee today (10/12) recommends. The resolution by Commissioner Javier Souto says the role in the invasion of Cuba and the fact that “Miami-Dade County is home to hundreds of members of and families of members of the Brigade 2506” qualifies Retalhuleu, Guatemala, to join Javier Souto the county’s existing 27 sister cities. The Sister Cities Program, founded in 1981, says a city must meet one of three criteria to be a sister city of the county: it must be the national capital, have about the same population as Miami-Dade or have some quality in common with Miami-Dade. Retalhuleu’s population is about 40,000, and the region’s population is about 241,000; Miami-Dade’s is about 2.7 million.

SUPPORT FOR VICTIMS: Two full-time victims advocate posts with the Miami Police Department will be funded with a mix of grants from the state and the City of Miami. City commissioners agreed to establish a special revenue project entitled: “2017-2018 Victims of Crime Act Grant.” It consists of an anticipated grant from the state Office of the Attorney General, Division of Victim Services, for about $85,158.20, including operational expenses and training costs, with matching funds of $21,289.55 to fund two full-time jobs for one year. The total fiscal impact will be $106,447.75 (including the match, via in-kind services). The grant program funds direct services for responding to emotional and physical needs of crime victims, assisting victims in stabilizing their lives afterwards, helping victims understand and participate in the criminal justice system, and providing victims safety and security.

PUT IT DOWN…ON A POSTER: Blown off course by Hurricane Irma, the deadline for the Florida Department of Transportation District 6’s Put It Down! poster contest has been extended to 5 p.m. Oct. 13. Part of a campaign to discourage drivers from texting while driving, the contest is open to full- and part-time college students in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties; the winning poster will be featured in the 2017 Put it Down Campaign and potentially in future campaigns. Three additional posters may also be featured as part of the Put it Down campaign’s social media messaging.

Details: http://www.fdotmiamidade.com/putitdown.

DISASTER LOANS AVAILABLE: The US Small Business Administration said more than $5 million in low-interest disaster loans have been approved for Florida businesses and residents hit by Hurricane Irma. Currently, 108 disaster loans totaling $5,569,900 have been OK’d for affected survivors.

The SBA encouraged anyone who hasn’t applied to act now. The 24-county disaster declaration includes Miami-Dade. SBA disaster loans are available to businesses, most private nonprofits, homeowners and renters to cover uninsured losses from Irma. Interest is as low as 3.305% for businesses, 2.5% for private nonprofit organizations and 1.75% for homeowners and renters.

Loans can be up to 30 years. The filing deadline for physical property damage is Nov. 9, for economic injury June 11, 2018. Applicants should register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or on the FEMA mobile App, or call the FEMA toll-free helpline at (800) 621-3362.

FUNDING GABLES PROJECT: The county will provide $1.5 million from its general obligation bonds to help finance a new public safety building for Coral Gables on Salzedo Street between Minorca and Alcazar Avenues. It will replace the present police, fire and emergency services building at 2801 Salzedo St. The new building is expected to cost about $37 million to build.

The city commission last month allocated $275,000 for pre-construction work on the new headquarters. County commissioners approved their $1.5 million last week in a 12-0 vote.

CRIME-FIGHTING COMMISSIONER: When a resident told Commissioner Dennis Moss that his bike was stolen at the Stephen P. Clark Government Center during his public hearing testimony, Mr. Moss sprang to action.

“Last time I came to speak,” said the resident representing the Sierra Club, “I went outside to leave and my bicycle was stolen, so I had to find a new way to get here today,” the resident said before finishing his testimony. Mr. Moss spoke into his microphone and asked county officials to look into the matter, on the record: “Can we look at the security cams? I want to Dennis Moss know who stole this man’s bicycle.”

CORRECTION: A Sept. 28 article about reconstruction of Flagler Street downtown contained errors. One-fourth of the project is completed. The contract that will allow the next phase to begin is anticipated before the end of November. The first phase was under the supervision of a consultant and two senior project managers. An owner representative was hired, not to supervise the project but to protect the owner’s interest. Lanzo Construction proposed use of ground-penetrating radar but it was not used. An industrystandard method called “soft dig” was used.

CORRECTION: In an article last week about the Miracle Mile and Giralda Avenue streetscaping, the number of driving lanes on Miracle Mile was misstated. There are two driving lanes in each direction, as there were before the revitalization.

WEEK OF THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2017

Minus FEMA help, governments face tree canopy replacement cost

By Gabi Maspons

Though Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Giménez requested that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) cover the full cost of debris removal from the county, FEMA doesn’t cover the cost of replanting lost trees after the storm, and the county will need to fund the full cost of replacing fallen trees.

Even before the storm hit, the county’s tree canopy was struggling, said Gaby Lopez, Neat Streets manager in the county’s parks department.

“Our community has about a 20% tree canopy – meaning, the percentage of area covered by shade trees,” Ms. Lopez said. “That’s much lower than the 30% to 40% national targets for healthy metropolitan cities.”

After Hurricane Irma, The Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department estimates it has lost 30% of the already limited tree canopy in its parks and rights-of-way across the county, said Maria Nardi, parks director.

“We’re finding an estimate for how much it will cost within the parks department to replace our tree canopy, but there isn’t a countywide estimate,” Ms. Nardi said.

“It’s hard to know what was lost, because we’re still losing trees,” Ms. Lopez said.

Though some fallen trees still have a shot at survival after being quickly replanted, some replanted trees are likely to die within the next year, Ms. Lopez said.

“The number in parks is a good measurement of the percentage of the canopy lost,” Ms. Lopez said.

“And that’s a conservative estimate – it may be more than 30%.”

Neat Streets Miami, a county board chaired by Commissioner Dennis Moss, is working to increase Miami-Dade’s tree canopy through its Million Trees Miami program, a county initiative started in 2011 to plant 1 million trees by 2020.

Neat Streets has two sources of funding, both of which are to increase this year, and will help to cover the cost of additional trees planting in the wake of Hurricane Irma, Ms. Lopez said.

The Tree Canopy Replacement Fund, set by county commissioners, allocated about $750,000 to plant trees throughout the county last year.

This year, Ms. Lopez said, commissioners increased the Tree Canopy Replacement Fund by $250,000 to allocate $1 million to replacing trees throughout the county.

Some 35% of the Tree Trust Fund, funded by money collected through tree permitting throughout the county, goes into a tree matching grant Neat Streets runs to encourage municipalities to plant more trees.

“Municipalities submit grant applications and, if approved, we match their tree-planting funds,” Ms. Lopez said.

The Tree Trust Fund collected more money this year and the tree matching grant is to receive an additional $50,000, 25% more than last year’s allocation.

When asked how the county is to fund any additional trees, Ms. Lopez said it is always looking for more funding opportunities.

“There are a lot of eyes on Miami, and people know we lost trees and are willing to help,” Ms. Lopez said.

Photo by Cristina Sullivan

A common sight throughout the county is the trees uprooted by Irma.

Chamberteamshiftsdebrisandde-mucksBigPineKeyhomes,pg. 12 Some worry that Virginia Key is now Irma’s dumping ground, pg. 16 American Forests, one of the nation’s oldest conservation organizations, is helping to connect the county to funding sources.

Neat Streets has worked with Bank of America, Bacardi, TD Bank and others to host employee engagement events to plant trees in parks around the county.

“We reached out to Arbor Day Foundation, who launches community tree restoration programs after national disasters, and they’ve set up a fundraising campaign to help us restore our canopy in the next two to five years,” Ms. Lopez said.

Miami-Dade County’s Landscape Manual suggests guides for how, where and which trees to plant.

The Landscape Ordinance is an enforceable code that states the minimum standards when planting trees, but it applies mostly to public spaces.

The code requires the parks department to adhere to the “right tree in the right place” guidelines, Ms. Nardi said.

“This means using appropriate species selection for planting near power lines, proximity to roadways, sidewalks and buildings,” Ms. Nardi said.

When thinking about which trees to plant after a storm, there isn’t always an easy answer, as plants are complex, integrated systems, just like the Miami-Dade environment, said Joanna Lombard, a registered architect and professor at the University of Miami who studies public health effects of built environments.

Miami’s surface, climate and plant population is as complex as a storm system, and we need to reframe how we think about the environment in Miami and who is responsible to maintain it, Ms. Lombard said.

“Many have a limited understanding of storm systems; they’re complicated and have different elements,” Ms. Lombard said. “If a vegetable soup can is thrown at you, you may get hit by a carrot or just have some broth in your hair.”

To account for the variable surface system, the parks department follows historic guides when planting trees, which “identify the plant species that have shown to best grow in the various regions/soil types of Miami Dade,” Ms. Nardi said.

“Native sabal palms, naturalized coconut palms, green buttonwood trees and mangrove trees are ideal plants near the Atlantic Ocean, but further inland we plant live oaks,

gumbo limbos and lysilomas,” Ms. Nardi said.

Rather than thinking about plants as isolated, we have to think about how they contribute to the larger ecosystem and tree canopy throughout the county, Ms. Lombard said.

“We need a better understanding of how connected we are; we’re not islands, and our decisions affect everyone around us,” Ms. Lombard said.

Our ecosystem is integrated and “we’re not just responsible for what we own,” Ms. Lombard said. Recovering from the storm and increasing the tree canopy in the county, she said, should be a community effort.

Miami sits on a porous limestone bed so every street is connected.

“If you put cardboard on a sponge, it won’t stop water from being absorbed,” Ms. Lombard said. “And if you put ink on one side of the sponge, it will still be seen on the other.”

Though the county is inclined to compartmentalize departments to address problems, Ms. Lombard recommends integrating efforts to rebuild after the storm, reframing how we think about greenery and communicating with each other.

Ms. Lopez extended an invitation to all who are willing to plant trees throughout the county: “We work with anyone who wants to work with us – No project is too small.”

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, OCTOBER 12, 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

Why ignore efficiency, effectiveness in funding charities?

It’s hard for charities to win county aid, but once they get it, they get it forever.

That’s true no matter how effective or ineffective a group is, or how its services meet actual local needs. What’s in place stays Michael Lewis in place.

For more than a decade a roster of impressive charities – which the county terms community-based organizations – have tried in vain to enter the ranks of groups that get Miami-Dade budget funds. The same groups always divide the money, year after year.

The funds are meaningful: $15.445 million for the year that began Oct. 1 for charities that do vital jobs that the county itself can’t get done.

Each organization has backers on the commission. Choices of who wins and

Letters to the Editor Museum seeks expansion for early childhood needs Your Sept. 19 article “Miami Children’s Museum preparing to expand by 47%” did not accurately represent the resolution proposed to transfer the land adjacent to the museum in order to expand the museum’s early childhood program offerings. The museum’s lease is currently for 2.53 acres and the resolution would add 26,599 square feet or 0.61 acres, a 26% increase in land.

Miami Children’s Museum has welcomed nearly 5 million visitors since it opened on Watson Island in 2003. In 2013, the museum and its stakeholders examined all aspects of our institution to develop a master plan for the future of the museum.

The master plan has served as a tool to incorporate the needs of our community into our renovation and expansion.

In the past 2 years, the museum has renovated four permanent exhibit galleries and will open a fifth in early November.

As an extension of our master plan, Miami Children’s Museum is considering converting the 26,599 square feet of blighted, unused space into an early childhood experiential center, which may include specific program offerings for children on the autism spectrum. It would create a national model, hands-on learning center for children on the autism spectrum, guided by best practices including Snoezelen theories and modalities utilizing proven practices from Beit Issie Shapiro and other premier centers.

The added land will also create a new and inviting entranceway that provides a “wow” experience to the visitor that’s easily identifiable.

We feel confident the Miami City Commission will support our efforts to expand our community offerings and improve the aesthetics on Watson Island.

Deborah Spiegelman Executive Director/CEO

who loses are thus very political.

But for more than a decade the county hadn’t held a competition for the funds. The list was always the same, based on who knows and likes whom. Effectiveness and need would have been far better yardsticks.

Finally this year the administration, at the request of the commission, finished a formal year-long competition for the charity funds. County officials whittled a list of more than 250 groups that applied down to the top 70.

But that rational effort fell apart in March when commissioners refused to remove from the recipient list any charities that hadn’t measured up to criteria of effectiveness, even though a group of new applicants rated far higher in impartial county reviews.

Commissioners were caught between a rock and a hard place: how could they take in new groups that had passed county reviews with flying colors – groups that also had backers sitting on the commission – without kicking out long-standing recipients who had been found less effective users of the funds or less able to fill major needs?

The commission turned to administrators for cover on how to divide the same pie in various ways without leaving any current recipients without funds. The budget office offered three scenarios, dividing funds among charities now being funded that are doing the job well, newly recommended charities, and charities currently being funded that didn’t measure up. The percentages of the pie that each group got differed in each scenario.

Obviously, the same pie divided among more groups yielded to none of the old ones what they used to get or to newly funded charities what the administration had recommended.

In the political process, commissioners also gave all charities that weren’t doing the job 75% of their old funding – the other options from the administration would have given them only 50%.

But why fund inefficiency at all? The county found that these long-time recipients didn’t measure up to others, and more than 100 additional applicants were left out entirely. Why did non-performing groups stay on the dole when it meant that all recommended charities got only

80% of their suggested aid so that those not recommended could each get 75% of their old county funding?

In business, that doesn’t make sense.

Suppliers who do best at the best price win. Others don’t get a penny until they show better service results.

Why, taxpayers should ask, is a big chunk of their $15 million going to ineffective suppliers when effective groups were cut by 20% of what a study found they required for needed work that’s efficient?

Virtually all the groups that weren’t recommended had been on the county’s payroll for more than a decade not measuring up. Is keeping them there at 75% of what they used to get suddenly going to make them more efficient?

Further, why hold a funding competition if it makes almost no difference to how money will be spent?

Commissioners must have a reason for ignoring a fair competition and continuing to fund inefficient organizations with your taxes. If you ask them, I’m sure they’ll tell you that they think it’s the wrong approach.

So why did they vote 10-1 to use charity money ineffectively? Just ask.

Can mega data solve our mass transit problems?

In the technical press, the consensus is that Amazon’s search for its second headquarters will end up being a hunt for a city with reasonable urban mass transit solutions. The other criteria seem to be fulfilled, more or less, by seven American cit- Maurice Ferré ies, Miami being one.

Amazon is looking for another Seattle.

All over America, even in the “legacy core” cities like New York, Chicago and San Francisco, transit ridership has been declining for years. In the 19 non-legacy metro areas, share of drive-alone work trips has grown in 50 years from 73% to 76.6%.

Seattle seems to be an exception to this mass transit decline. Why? Seattle has systematically rethought its bus routes, one quadrant at a time. It has, very selectively, poured billions into its mostly underground light rail system. In Seattle, each mile of finished transit tunneling costs $1 billion. Over many years it has developed a well-connected system. In other words, you can go from where you are to where you want to go in an acceptable time. And yet, close to 85% of traveling commuters in Seattle use their cars and highways anyway. Seattle, like Miami, has vehicle traffic saturation.

But there are notable, major differences between Seattle and Miami. Seattle has over a dozen major employment hubs. The average education level is higher, as well as the average family income being $30,000 higher than Miami’s.

Also, Seattle’s local governments have kept faith with voters on transportation.

Miami has a poor track record of keeping transportation promises. Even today, 13 years after we voted for a half percent sales tax increase for transit capital costs, Miami-Dade County (MDC) continues to use the majority of the $200 million a year collected from increased sales tax to operate and maintain our poorly planned and worst operated, obsolete transit system. This,

while costs continue to rise and ridership continues to decline in Miami-Dade Transit.

MDC now has a six-corridor Smart Plan that is almost identical to the sixcorridor plan proposed 40 years ago. The MD Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) seems to be stuck in a 100-year-old technology, steel on steel trains.

But in MDC the Fast Track Institute (FTI) is pursuing its Miami Mobility (MM) quest, to be concluded by mid-December. The FTI: MM is now in its “defining the problem” phase. It will next go to the ideation task.

What are the Miami-Dade transit problems that need solutions? The most obvious is, how much will it cost? How and who will pay for the capital costs? It’s about money.

There is also the difficult issue of sustainability. How and who will pay for the large annual costs to operate the new transit systems?

Then, there is the problem of low usage of transit, the ever-increasing operating cost and the decreasing fare box payments.

Where the national fare box average is over 40% and New York’s transit users pay over 55%, here MD transit payers subsidize the 4% of our travelers who use transit by 82% of cost. That is a national high amongst the 25 major urban areas.

One of the more experienced transportation professionals who serve on the 13-member Regional Advisors Board (RAB) of the FTI: MM sprint, as it is called, defines the major MDC transportation problem: “We have an overused highway system that, if it continues to grow in usage without relief, will collapse.”

How can we get better usage out of our highway assets? In other words, how can we increase throughput while decreasing congestion? The only way is by increasing passengers per vehicle. Today, MDC, like many other large cities in America, has over 75% single-rider usage. This cannot be sustained.

The problem is obviously not solved if we, like Denver and others, build train systems that the traveling public will not use. Americans won’t give up their cars.

Technology may offer solutions. That is

what FTI: MM is about.

At the Awakening event for the FTI: MM sprint at MDC Government Center downtown on Aug. 24, Salim Ismail, one of the cofounders of FTI and a highly respected trendsetter in Silicon Valley, said the target for all FTI projects, including Miami Mobility, was to find solutions that would cost one-tenth of current costs and/or could be done in one-tenth the usual time.

Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, the law of accelerating returns and disruption may have propelled Apple, Google, Facebook and Amazon to become the four largest corporations in America. That may also propel Amazon to soon become the first trillion dollar company.

Maybe these same forces, properly focused by FTI: MM, may help solve our transit problems. Miami-Dade could be the perfect setting for Amazon’s second headquarters. It could also be perfect for Elon Musk, who is looking for disruptive boring and maglev transportation technology, and could come together to really put Miami on the map as a Global City.

Transit is about money, but it is also about time elapsed. The commute to work has historically been less than half an hour.

Maybe it is Miami’s turn.

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TODAY’S NEWS

MIAMI TODAY

WEEK OF THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2017

Potential marine stadium operators offer ideas of what to do

By John Charles Robbins

When it comes to a restored and reopened Miami Marine Stadium, major unanswered questions include: Who will operate the venue and what will it be used for?

Three groups showing an interest in operating the stadium gave recent presentations to the Virginia Key Advisory Board.

One of them, SMG, has vast experience managing major venues for sports and entertainment, including here in South Florida.

The city hasn’t formally requested proposals to operate the stadium, though several entities have approached the city informally to show interest.

In January, Mayor TomĂĄs Regalado told Miami Today that the Miami Heat and Miami Dolphins had inquired about running the stadium, as had global entertainment operators Live Nation and SMG. The city is in early stages of a restoration program for the stadium, estimated to cost more than $40 million. The waterfront venue has remained closed since Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

Members of the advisory board recently discussed the desire to be directly involved in selecting an operator for the city-owned stadium.

Chairman Joe Rasco had suggested having interested operators

Virginia Key Advisory Board is to advise Miami commissioners how to handle a rebuilt marine stadium.

appear before the advisory board to talk about potential uses for the stadium.

At the board’s Sept. 26 meeting, some members questioned if it was appropriate to hear presentations from possible operators at this early stage.

An assistant city attorney said they could make their presentations, and he noted that their information might help board members draft language for a future request for proposals. “We’re trying to look at what kind of operations could be had at Marine Stadium,� said Mr. Rasco. “One of our principal tasks is conceptually looking at potential ideas

Chairman Joe Rasco suggested that operators talk of future uses.

‌ we’re not agreeing to anything here. It’s how the stadium could be operated.�

The three presenters included:

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SMG, a worldwide entertainment and convention venue management company. SMG operates arenas, stadiums, amphitheaters, convention centers and more.

Palace Players Inc., a venture of Paul Hollenbach. He says he is a retired Broward County teacher who has a plan to turn the stadium into The Miami Marine Theater Sports & Entertainment Complex. iDEKO Productions, a New York City based full-service events and entertainment agency specializing in helping clients plan and produce large-scale events and marketing projects.

Bob Papke, a vice president with SMG, said the company provides management services to more than 230 public assembly facilities including convention and exhibition centers, arenas, stadiums, theaters, performing arts centers, equestrian facilities, science centers and other venues.

SMG was founded in 1977 with the management of its first facility, the Louisiana Superdome.

Today the company manages nine NFL stadiums (including Soldier Field in Chicago), 70 convention centers, 63 theaters and performing arts centers and more, he said.

In Miami, SMG manages the James L. Knight Convention Center, also known as the Miami Convention Center, for the City of Miami. “We’d like to share our vision for what Marine Stadium could be,â€? Mr. Papke said. “We work for you: The City of Miami. The goals and objectives for Marine Stadium are yours. Our job is to implement them. What the stadium is going to be is a decision the community makes. “What we see there is a very interesting canvas to paint on. There is great opportunity for concerts ‌ the success of the [Miami International Boat Show] there shows the property lends itself to a variety of events, small and big,â€? he said.

Mr. Papke said other important factors are the retention of and improvements to community access to the site, and there should be a conversation about environmental protections on the property.

Mr. Papke said the venue could be profitable. He said SMG manages two theaters in the LosAngeles area that returned $1.2 million to the city in 2015. “It’s your facility. The city and taxpayers are investing in infrastructure and restoration. It’s important we help you recoup that investment as quickly as possible,� he said.

Mr. Hollenbach didn’t speak

much but played a prerecorded presentation about his ideas. He said Palace Players was established in 1974 as a for-profit company. He said his idea to turn the stadium into an entertainment and sports complex got the backing of city leaders in 1984 but the funding was never approved. “This is a community-based project,� he states in the presentation. Under services he mentioned entertainment, Broadway musicals, concerts, television, motion pictures, boat parades and marine sports.

Mr. Hollenbach told the board he has investors for the venue, which he sees as a large outdoor theater.

Evan Korn, managing partner of iDEKO Productions, said the company is a “full-service experiential company.�

The company has 16 years of experience working with two mayoral administrations in New York City, creating and managing a variety of events on city property.

The agency says it aids clients through the entire event process from ideation to completion including planning, design, logistics, securing event permits, budgeting, production, custom fabrications and mobile marketing.

Mr. Korn’s focus is on interactive and innovative consumer experiences for the entertainment, corporate and hospitality industries.

He is responsible for operations, logistics and planning for live event productions including experiential marketing activations and more.

Asked specifically about likely events at Marine Stadium, Mr. Korn mentioned working with the community on food and arts related events, along with concerts.

Asked about incorporating current user groups that take advantage of the stadium property and the historic basin, like kayakers, Mr. Korn said, “They have to be factored in – you can’t have conflict.�

A key to that co-existence is open communication, he said.

Arestored Marine Stadium could host dozens of events from Jet Ski competitions to beauty pageants and more, according to a July report to the Miami City Commission by R.J. Heisenbottle Architects.

Richard J. Heisenbottle said his team and a dozen consultants were able to assemble more than 50 potential uses for the waterfront stadium, thanks in large part to community input.

The report identifies five categories of potential uses: marine; sports and fitness; community; education and nature; and entertainment.

‘They have to be factored in – you can’t have conflict.’ Evan Korn

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Some fret that Virginia Key is now Irma’s dumping ground

By J ohn C harles Robbins

Years ago, the barrier island known as Virginia Key was literally a dump, final resting place for everything from empty soup cans to broken chairs, tires to tree limbs.

The remnants of dredging also got deposited on the island.

Decades passed, policies and priorities changed. The old landfill was capped. A new focus emerged for the future of the island.

A big part of this new approach to caring for and improving the island was the creation last year of the Virginia Key Advisory Board.

Some board members are upset because new piles of debris are being deliberately dumped on the island, and they fear the growing mountain of refuse could last a mighty long time.

City of Miami officials assure all who ask that the debris dump is temporary, yet the piles grow while tons of storm debris continue to hug the edge of city streets, more than four weeks after Hurricane Irma tore up South Florida and beyond.

The issue came up toward the end of the last advisory board meeting Sept. 26.

Board member Blanca Mesa asked city officials about the status of storm debris being dumped on the island.

“What’s happening with that?” she asked, citing a toxic nature of some of the truckloads of debris that are contaminated with household garage.

She also said police are blocking access to portions of the city-owned island, including closing Arthur Lamb Jr. Road to all but the large trucks bringing debris to the north end of the island.

“The number one focus is removing the storm debris from the streets, and debris from the yards,” said Kevin Kirwin, director of the city parks department and an ex-officio member of the advisory board.

A former mulching site on the island, used in previous hurricanes, has been employed

Photo by John Charles Robbins

Hurricane Irma debris litters both sides of a Miami street. Much of the mess is ending up on Virginia Key.

Storm debris piles up on Virginia Key, where mulching is the end goal.

again, he said.

The ultimate goal is mulching the vegetative debris from Irma and gradually using the end product in parks throughout the city.

Because the island site had been used for this in the past, it was tapped for the latest deposit and mulching, said Mr. Kirwin.

Before the storm, state environmental officials tested the site and certified or approved of its use, he said. Once the site is cleared, it will be tested again by the state, according to Mr. Kirwin.

“It’s only for vegetative debris. Unfortunately, we’re having to filter out construction and other debris,” he said.

City officials have been trying to spread the word for weeks about not mixing household

trash or non-storm-related trash with storm debris.

Commissioner Ken Russell, whose district includes Virginia Key, posted a video on his Facebook page urging people not to mix the trash.

“The South of Flagler team is taking roadside debris to the old mulching and compost grounds at Virginia Key. This is not for garbage, food waste, plastics or construction debris. It is being done with environmental sensitivity while addressing the crisis at hand,” he said in the video.

Mr. Russell has also been using his district newsletter and his Twitter account to keep the public up to speed on storm clean-up efforts.

In the late afternoon of Oct. 5 he tweeted: “The UPDATED amount of debris collected

in #Miami to date is 244,334 cubic yards by contractors and @MiamiZerowaste & Public Works crews.”

Ms. Mesa told Mr. Kirwin she was concerned about Virginia Key being considered for this debris removal and she worried about big piles of garbage attracting rats and other unwanted activity.

“I think of all of Virginia Key as a park, all of it. This certainly wouldn’t happen in Regatta Park,” she said, referring to one of the city’s newest parks in Coconut Grove.

“Virginia Key doesn’t deserve this anymore,” she said.

Mr. Kirwin responded: “The garage and non-vegetative material we will ensure is taken off the site promptly. I’m the last person who wants to turn a park into one of these [debris] sites.”

Ms. Mesa told Miami Today this week: “I would like to see a day when Virginia Key is no longer considered the go-to location for garbage – even temporarily. It is an ecological treasure and public park and should be treated as such.”

The roadway did have to be closed to clear the way for the 300 to 500 trips made by haulers each day, Mr. Kirwin told the board.

Closure of the road and the hundreds of trips made by

the large trucks has seriously impacted one contractor who leases a trailer on the island from the city for recreational sports.

Esther Alonso-Luft operates the Virginia Key Outdoor Center from an upland site at Shrimper’s Lagoon, near the old Jimbo’s location.

Ms. Alonso-Luft is also an appointed member of the Virginia Key Advisory Board.

She told Miami Today, and city officials, she fears for the continuation of her business.

Ms. Alonso-Luft said not only did her location not suffer storm damage, it continued to have power after the storm passed.

But the closure of the road for the parade of debris haulers means her business is closed, too. She also complains that the heavy trucks are damaging the narrow road and land on the sides of the road.

“Everything I have, everything I own, has been invested into growing that business,” she wrote in a response email to Miami Today. “If my business failed because I had a bad business plan or because people didn’t like the services I was offering, I would understand that failure. For my business to fail because the city decided to turn this wonderful park into a dump is beyond alarming ...

I fear this area will be forever changed. Lost to poor planning and callous disregard for our open spaces,” she wrote.

“I do have to thank Daniel Rotenberg and Mark Burns from real estate and asset management who have gone out of their way trying to facilitate a way for me to operate. Currently I am at Marine Stadium under permit, in the former Captain Eddie’s storefront.

Unfortunately this is only good through Nov. 30,” she said.

Ms. Alonso-Luft said she doesn’t know what the future holds for her business.

“But I’m a fighter and my customers love what we do, so I will do the best I can, as long as I can, and hope people find us wherever we end up and once we return.”

Code updates left commercial realty sitting pretty after Irma

By Gabi Maspons

While Miami-Dade County prepares to strengthen its infrastructure in the wake of Hurricane Irma, as it does after every storm, the commercial real estate market is in great shape thanks to continued building code updates after Hurricane Andrew 25 years ago, a CBRE report says.

“Florida significantly strengthened itself after hits from past major hurricanes, and those improvements were instrumental in helping the state weather this potentially devastating storm,” said Spencer Levy, CBRE’s head of research for the Americas.

Of the 240 office buildings CBRE manages, 95% returned to service within two days of the storm, with the following 5% operational within three days.

Damages that office buildings reported are mostly cosmetic, CBRE says. “Wind resistant glass, to sump and discharge pumps to strategic placement of vital building systems” kept the office sector well-prepared, CBRE reports.

Miami-Dade County has continuously updated its building codes to become one of the strongest counties in the US in hurricane preparedness, with the 2010 revised code making the county protected against Category 5 wind speeds of 175 mph, the National Hurricane Center says.

The Florida Legislature estimates the initial damage of Hurricane Irma to exceed $30 billion; but the Florida economy will remain “largely unaffected” as the majority of the state had little commercial property damage and no long-term loss of power.

Though nearly 60% of Floridians were without power within the first day of the storm, only 7% were still in the dark after a week.

Prior to Hurricane Irma, Florida was in a uniquely strong economic position – its job growth was almost double the national average at 2.6%, and its unemployment rate was 4%. CBRE experts say that Florida’s economic cushion will lessen disruptions in the labor market.

As disaster relief agencies and building supply companies flock to Florida to meet post-storm demand, CBRE predicts the industrial market will benefit short-term from the storm.

In the second quarter of 2017, the vacancy rate was 5%, and CBRE reports vacancies are quickly being occupied.

The retail market is also to experience a dramatic increase in gas and food sales during the final few months of hurricane season. “Big-box storms should perform well in the short term,” the report says. Other retail businesses expected to see an uptick in sales are home goods, building supply, discount and sporting goods.

Miami-Dade County is banking on the bump in sales, anticipating an increase in sales tax revenues of about $2 million that will go toward further hardening the county’s infastructure, Mayor Carlos Giménez said.

Of the nearly 500,000 insurance claims filed, about 87% were for residential

property. Most damage was to singlefamily residential neighborhoods, CBRE says, and apartment demand is to increase significantly in the following months.

Though the hotel industry in Florida usually benefits from hurricanes, giving it a short-term boost to accommodate displaced residents, CBRE projects that the hotel industry may experience a protracted decline, as tourism lulls.

“Stigma results in the reduction in lodging demand because of psychological and emotional barriers to travel,” the report says.

After Hurricanes Andrew and Katrina, demand dropped for an extended period, the report says, and the Florida Keys may experience a similar decline.

Though Miami-Dade was spared the worst of the storm, the report says shortand long-term country preparations helped to mitigate the potential damage to the real estate market and may have been “the X factor” that spared the county expensive repairs to building infrastructure.

WEEK OF THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2017

TODAY’S NEWS

MIAMI TODAY

17

Construction pain in Gables a long-term benefit for retailers

By Catherine Lackner

While the construction pain of the Miracle Mile and Giralda Avenue renovations is temporary, the benefits for the city’s retail tenants will be long-lasting, observers say.

The redo was long overdue, said Doug Jones, managing partner at JAG Insurance Group, which has offices in the city.

“It was a double-edged sword,” he said. “The store owners knew it was going to impede their businesses for awhile, but in the long run, it will also create more foot traffic, and they’re going to love it.

It was time to rip off that Bandaid.

“As a former Coral Gables resident, I know it takes strong leadership to do something like this, and I think the city has that now,” he said.

Next up: eagerly anticipated improvements to Ponce de Leon Boulevard, he said. “The Coral Gables core is bleeding northward,” Mr. Jones said, pointing to the creation of Ofizzina 1200, a 16-story office condo building with ground-floor retail at 1200 Ponce de Leon Blvd.

“The goal is to create a beautiful city that lives up to its namesake,” Mr. Jones said. “If you’re not evolving, you’re dying.”

The city is also working with merchants to grow their business through a series of workshops, said Javier Betancourt, director of the Economic Development Department. The first, covering visual merchandising, was well attended, he said. The next, scheduled for Oct. 16, will disseminate tips to retailers on digital marketing and social media.

“This is a dynamic time for the Coral Gables retail market, as the public and private sector are both taking steps to create a more diverse mix of shops and restaurants in the downtown area and beyond while major developments expand the residential and professional population,” said Roza H. Radkiewicz, director of sales at Astor Companies and principal broker of Astor Real Estate Group, via email.

The Astor Rosa Radkiewicz Companies’ Merrick Manor project at 301 Altara Ave. will include nearly 20,000 square feet of class A retail and restaurant space on the ground floor, along with 227 residential units.

“The city has brought in a dedicated staff member – business

F ilming

in

M iami

These film permits were issued last week by the Miami-Dade County Department of Regulatory & Economic Resources’ Office of Film and Entertainment, (305) 375-3288; the Miami Mayor’s Office of Film, Arts & Entertainment, (305) 860-3823; and the Miami Beach Office of Arts, Culture and Entertainment-Film and Print Division, (305) 673-7070.

Stonehenge Circle/Warner Bros. International Television.

Cologne. Model Maker. Miami Beach citywide, Miami Beach residential.

Paradiso Pictures. Miami. MTV SwipeDate. Amelia Earhart Park.

All In One Productions LA. Monterey Park. Lohas 5.

Haulover Beach Park.

Imagina Content LLC. Medley. Master Chef. Swale Parking.

N House Productions. Miami. Carters. Countywide.

Vector One Inc. Davie. Fine Art Fashion. Miami International Airport.

Little Bear Inc. New York. LV. Ancient Spanish Monastery, Daniel D. Diefenback Bicentennial Park, Judge Arthur Snyder Tennis Center.

Nic Del Mar. Coral Gables. Nic del Mar Shoot. Crandon Park Beach, Miami Beach citywide.

Primo Productions LLC. Boca Raton. Catalog Shoot.

Crandon Park Beach.

development specialist Francesca Valdes – whose primary focus is recruiting new retailers and restaurants to the city,” Ms. Radkiewicz continued. “We will see the arrival of chef-driven restaurant concepts that have a presence elsewhere in the region and an increase in boutique stores specializing in women and men’s fashion, lifestyle wear, accessories, classical art, home design and family pet care.”

And it’s not only downtown Coral Gables that is evolving, she added. “The Merrick Park area has become significantly more desirable for retailers, with the Shops at Merrick Park as a catalyst,” she said.

“The addition of the Landmark Theatre, having strong anchors like Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom and the presence of luxury retailers including Burberry, Diane von Furstenberg and Lilly Pulitzer make the shops a major draw. The suburban exclusivity and walkability of the neighborhood, along with Photo by Cristina Sullivan the proximity to the University of Miami, are also big drivers.”

The pedestrians-only Giralda Plaza will be celebrated with an official unveiling event at 7 p.m. Oct. 13.

24

WEEK OF THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2017

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