Miami Today: Week of Thursday, April 12, 2018

WEEK OF THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018

A Singular Voice in an Evolving City

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TWO STATE ROAD 836 DIVERGING DIAMOND INTERCHANGES TO DEBUT BY EARLY FALL, PG. 13 AIR TRAVEL GOES ALOFT: A 7.75% increase in international airline passengers helped Miami International Airport achieve a 6.25% total passenger gain in February from the February 2017 total. Total air passenger traffic for the month was 3,325,899 and brought the total for the calendar year’s first two months to 7,490,9878, a gain of 3.22% so far for the year from the same two months of 2017, according to figures posted by the Miami-Dade Aviation Department. For the year so far, international passengers are up 3% and domestic passengers up 3.43%.

The Achiever

By John Charles Robbins

PLAYHOUSE PARKING: The Miami Parking Authority is close to a final agreement with Miami-Dade County on its partnership for a new parking garage adjacent to a restored Coconut Grove Playhouse. That’s the word from Authority CEO Art Noriega, who on April 4 told the Off-Street Parking Board, “We are in the very, very, very final stages of finalizing our MOU (memo of understanding) with the county … we’re ready to move forward with the current plan.” The county’s approved plan calls for restoration of the historic site to include a new 300-seat theater and ancillary uses on the footprint of the large and dilapidated auditorium, and a public garage next door with residential units and retail shops.

IRMA CLAIMS PILE UP: A total of 120,921 claims in Miami-Dade for insurance losses from Hurricane Irma had been filed as of Friday, with insurance companies having closed 90.1% of residential claims but just 58.2% of commercial-property claims statewide, according to information posted by the state Office of Insurance Regulation. Irma barreled up the peninsula after making landfall Sept. 10 in Cudjoe Key, less than 30 miles northeast of Key West, and making a second landfall in Collier County. More than 56% of claims statewide have been closed with some payment. Another 32% were closed without money changing hands, often because damage totals fell below hurricane deductibles. The state doesn’t release figures for individual companies.

TREASURY ADDS TO LOAN FUND: The US Treasury Department’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund has awarded $630,000 to the Miami Bayside Foundation to spur economic growth through its loans to minority-owned businesses in the City of Miami. Using its award programs, the federal fund says, it supports financial institutions recognized for their expertise in providing service and support to low-income communities, as organizations leverage the fund’s grants to draw in new or increased sources of private funding. The Miami Bayside Foundation says it has lent more than $2.8 million to minority-owned businesses in the city, creating more than 350 jobs and providing technical assistance to more than 250 business owners.

Bo Boulenger

Photo by Cristina Sullivan

Heads operations of all Baptist hospitals, outpatient sites The profile is on Page 4

City-village lawsuit over Virginia Key may end

By John Charles Robbins

A three-year-old lawsuit between the Village of Key Biscayne and the City of Miami about land uses on Virginia Key may finally be over: a settlement is on today’s (4/12) Miami City Commission agenda.

A 15-page settlement draft basically limits the size and frequency of events at city-owned Miami Marine Stadium and the historic basin it fronts.

Years of litigation between Key Biscayne, the City of Miami, Miami-Dade County and others was triggered in 2015 when the city announced plans for a license agreement with the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) to host the Miami International Boat Show at Marine Stadium Park. The show moved there from Miami Beach.

The iconic concrete stadium has remained closed but the city agreed to sink millions into a so-called flex park surrounding it. The improvements were part of the city’s deal with the association to host the boat show, but city officials talked of other events on the improved space.

MDCcould run theater, get housing

The city was also in early stages of launching a restoration of the stadium, idled since Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

The main concern of Key Biscayne officials and residents was that increased use of the site would further clog the already-congested Rickenbacker Causeway, the only road to Key Biscayne.

Side issues surfaced too, including potential adverse impact on the environment and damage to the island, along with concerns about the island becoming too commercialized.

The proposed settlement says “the parties wish to cooperate in furtherance of the city’s conceptual plans to design and develop the civic space as open space intended for active and passive recreational uses and to manage effectively traffic congestion and other potentially adverse impacts as may affect Rickenbacker Causeway on account of events staged at the property … the parties have agreed on certain restrictions and procedures for the boat show and other events so as to manage traffic and other impacts at or affecting the property or access to it.”

The proposed settlement provides, in part: The village will be notified and given op-

portunities to meet with the city and the designer to review in advance and comment on design proposals for the civic events space. The village’s role in park design is advisory; the city retains sole discretion as to the design plans. The parties agree to meet to explore improving the property as part of a park system encompassing Virginia Key and Rickenbacker Causeway with passive and active recreational amenities, compatible with the causeway’s function both as an essential access link for the village and as a desirable recreational venue itself. The city and the NMMA agree to create a comprehensive transportation plan for boat shows at the property. Working with the village and the county, the city will use its best efforts to establish maintenance of traffic plans for mid-size, large and major events at the site. The city and village may plan and cooperate with a view toward establishing a joint venture for a recreational and ball fields complex at the former Virginia Key landfill, which is under remediation.

The boat show was held at the city property in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Miami commissioners are looking to Miami Dade College to run the vintage 1926 Olympia Theater downtown. Ken Russell’s resolution for the city manager to explore the idea is on tap at today’s (4/12) commission meeting.

Commissioners are pursuing multiple ways to add affordable housing, and the proposal would address that too.

The city owns the aging and grandiose Olympia Theater at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts at 174 E Flagler St., which not-for-profit Olympia Center Inc. now manages. While the iconic venue continues to host concerts and other large events, it has seen better days. The theater and the residential units above haven’t had a major facelift in more than 15 years.

Renewed interest in the building surfaced last year when a developer’s unsolicited proposal sought a public-private partnership to redevelop the 80 residential units and improve the theater.

In the face of concerns and controversy that the offer stirred up, the developer withdrew in late October and commissioners asked the administration to study what would be needed to fix the building and to look at its future uses and management.

The emphasis ought to be on historic preservation at the outset, Mr. Russell said then.

The new resolution would direct City Manager Emilio González “to explore the feasibility of a potential partnership with Miami Dade College for the operation of the Olympia Theater, including housing options for MDC students.”

The city would “support a capital investment in the physical structure of the theater to bring it up to acceptable standards before a final agreement with MDC,” it says.

It notes MDC has successfully managed the civic and cultural programming and operations of other historic assets, including the Koubek Center and city-owned Tower Theater in Little Havana and the Freedom Tower downtown.

CITY MAY ADD WATSON ISLAND PARKING AS USERS GROW ...

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IN BALLPARK’S SEVENTH YEAR, MIAMI MAY FINISH RETAIL ...

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‘RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED’ ON NEW COURTHOUSE ...

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VIEWPOINT: DON’T BUY COURTHOUSE PIG-IN-A-POKE DEAL ...

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FEDERAL GRANT WILL EXPAND COUNTY’S CNG BUS FLEET ...

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MIAMI-ISRAEL TRIPS TOP EXPECTATION, EL AL ADDING ON ...

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MIAMI TODAY

WEEK OF THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018

TODAY’S NEWS

The Insider TECHNOLOGY MOVES FORWARD: The days are numbered for the few remaining traditional coin-operated parking meters in the City of Miami. The Miami Parking Authority’s use of the online service PayByPhone, where motorists use their smartphones to pay for parking sessions, continues to grow in popularity, says CEO Art Noriega. The agency ended last year with a record 80% of all parking transactions completed with PayByPhone. On and off-street parking areas managed by the authority have identifying numbers, used to bill customers. Over the years it has led to the removal of the old parking meters. Mr. Noriega told the Off-Street Parking Board this month the usage has reached 85% and realistically the only way to surpass that level will be to completely remove the old meters, which he called “the ultimate goal.”

GROVE BAY GARAGE: Within a week, construction may begin on the long-awaited Grove Bay Parking Garage. Miami Parking Authority CEO Art Noriega told the city’s Off-Street Parking Board last week all necessary permits have been issued and the city has signed off on the project. The municipal garage and its ground floor retail are a key part of a public-private partnership among the authority, the City of Miami and Grove Bay Investment Group LLC. The developer has leased about 7 acres from the city as part of an agreement to redevelop the waterfront Jungle Island, now in the midst of renovations, is expected to seek to build a hotel on its city-owned land. north of City Hall into The Harbour. Clearing of the garage site has begun at Pan American Drive and South Bayshore Drive.

COUNTY FINDS MONEY FOR HURRICANE REPAIRS: The Florida Inland Navigation District this week presented a $675,000 check to Miami-Dade County to repair the marina at Pelican Harbor.

FIND Commissioner Spencer Crowley told county commissioners the state agency had budgeted for $2 million to repair projects throughout the state that had been Maria Nardi damaged by Hurricane Irma. “The Spencer Crowley funding was on a first-come, firstserve basis, so communities had to act fast,” Mr. Crowley said before commending Parks Director Maria Nardi for her quick action. “You should all be very proud.” The county’s share represents about 35% of the total funds.

GOOD GENES: Commissioner Audrey Edmonson this week had the honor of recognizing her granddaughter Bianca Alexandria Casher with a congratulatory certificate for winning a statewide essay contest on Black History Month. Ms. Edmonson took the opportunity to express her pride in her granddaughter: “Bianca is the only middle school student in the county and the whole state of Florida who won this scholarship. I want to let you know just how pride I am of her,” Ms. Edmonson said before turning to her granddaughter, “You’re my dolly.” For winning the essay contest, Bianca now Audrey Edmonson has a four-year scholarship from the Florida Prepaid College Foundation. Mayor Carlos Giménez congratulated Bianca: “you have a very bright future ahead of you.”

JOIN ADVISORY BOARD: Candidates are needed for the Community Advisory Board that advises the Miami Police Department on strategies and training, to improve responsiveness to community concerns and carry out community public safety priorities. It meets monthly, receives public comments, and conveys recommendations to the department. Those seeking to serve must be residents of the City of Miami. Board members will be selected by the current sitting members of the Community Advisory Board. Any individual who lives in the City of Miami may nominate himself or herself by filling out the application at miamigov.com/cab.

Applications are due April 27, and can be submitted online. To inquire: CAB@miamigov.com CHARGING STATIONS STILL CHARGING: Electrify America, a Volkswagen Group subsidiary that plans to bring 21 car charging stations to Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties in coming years, “is getting closer to installing stations but not quite there yet,” said spokesperson Mike Moran. The company, which remains in the first phase of deciding where to allocate funds, anticipates a national outreach in July 2019 to accept feedback and data from government and local authorities on how Electrify America can plan its second phase effectively. “We have to determine the best way to spend that money,” Richard Steinberg, company director of communications, previously told Miami Today, “which is why we opened ourselves up from various stakeholders and we’ll formulate our plans based on that input.”

BAR THE CASE, TIKD SAYS: TIKD Services LLC, a Miami-Dade County firm that helps motorists fight traffic tickets, asked the state Supreme Court to dismiss a case alleging it has violated a ban on practicing law without a license. The Florida Bar in January filed a petition requesting that the Supreme Court issue an injunction against TIKD Services LLC, a company created in 2016. But in a 19-page document filed Monday, TIKD disputed arguments that it practices law without a license and asked the Supreme Court for a summary judgment and a dismissal of the Bar’s claims.

REALTORS ACQUIRED: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty has acquired Foster & Clark Real Estate, a 24-realtor operation at 135 San Lorenzo Ave. in Coral Gables. Previous operators and owners Rafael and Terry Rodriguez are to remain with the company as team leaders. “Foster & Clark and its sales professionals are a perfect addition to our operations in the Coral Gables and Miami areas,” said Rei Mesa, president and CEO of BHHS Florida Realty.

CORRECTION: Riviera Schools admission director Olga Mestre misspoke in our report about increasing tuition and enrollments at private schools in the county. The school hopes to expand in the next two to three years and offer a cap of 400 high school students.

Rei Mesa

Study targets more city parking as Watson Island needs expand

By John Charles Robbins

A parking study will begin soon on city-owned Watson Island, after recent action by the OffStreet Parking Board.

Officials with the Miami Parking Authority, under the direction of the board, have considered a study of the parking needs on the barrier island for several years.

The island between the mainland and Miami Beach is home to several users that have leases with the City of Miami, including Jungle Island and the Miami Children’s Museum.

In 2016, the parking board approved the funding of a parking study on the island to be conducted by a parking consultant from the authority’s qualified pool of firms.

“Given the continued expansion of development on Watson Island, regarding current and future construction projects, MPA subsequently released [an] invitation to quote [on] the Watson Island Parking Study,” Art Noriega, authority CEO, wrote in a background memo.

The authority received five submissions, and Bier Associates was selected as the lowest, most qualified, responsive and responsible bidder, he said.

On April 4 the parking board approved a professional services agreement between the authority and Bier Associates for up to $30,000 for the study. At the meeting, Mr. Noriega indicated the desire for a parking needs study arose after completion of the PortMiami Tunnel.

Stakeholders on the island have been actively involved in talks about parking needs and the push for a study, and have contributed money for a study, said Mr. Noriega.

“There is a lot vested out there,” he said. Once the tunnel was completed, talk among the parking agency and the stakeholders turned to: “maybe now is a good time to look at the supply and demand, to get a sense of what’s coming,” said Mr. Noriega.

“We hope to identify the real current demands versus future demands,” he said. “We’ll take a snapshot of what we’re at now.”

‘We hope to identify the real current demands versus future demands.

We’ll take a snapshot of what we’re at now.’

Art Noriega

Of the $30,000 study cost, the authority’s share will be $5,000.

According to the city, there are two existing municipal parking areas on the island.

The South Side Parking Lot is adjacent to the Miami Children’s Museum and Chalk’s Airlines.

This surface parking lot has 340 spaces.

The Public Boat Ramp Parking Lot was completed in the summer of 2003. This lot provides 50 oversized parking spaces for vehicles with trailers after launching a marine vessel on one of the three public boat ramp docks and 30 standard-size parking spaces.

The parking authority built and maintains both facilities.

“There is a lot going on out there,” Mr. Noriega told the board.

Indeed, Jungle Island is in the midst of redevelopment and is expected to seek permissions to build a hotel on its section of the island’s northern end. A seaplane and heliport plan has been approved for the island’s southwest portion.

The children’s museum is asking for 26,599 more square feet on its southwest side to expand program space and provide a new entrance.

Meanwhile, one of the largest parcels remains mostly vacant and in legal limbo as the city

and developer Flagstone Island Gardens LLC are tied up in litigation. The company sued the city after the city commission found the developer in default of a ground lease of island property, determining little to none of the upland portion of a planned mixed-use mega resort had been built. A deep harbor marina was completed in 2016.

The contract for the parking study says Bier Associates is to “identify and quantify parking generators and determine parking demand, parking resource adequacy, and the potential need for the development of a parking deck to be constructed on the MPA’s existing surface parking lot to be located on the south side of Watson Island.”

It also notes that “all approved development projects shall be analyzed to determine project square footage and proposed mix uses.”

Parking Demand Locations are identified as: Miami Children’s Museum, Island Gardens, Jungle Island, Linden Airport Services, and Chalks Airlines d/b/a Nautilus Enterprises LLC. The island is also home to Ichimura Miami – Japanese Garden, the Miami Outboard Club, and the Miami Yacht Club.

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, APRIL 12, 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

Don’t buy a pig in a poke in secretive courthouse proposal A mayor’s plea to scuttle an expensive, unsolicited and secretive bid for a new county courthouse is, for government, absolutely blistering. Rightly so.

Mayor Carlos Giménez trained all his guns on the offer tied to the owner of the Brightline rail line that is to link Miami to Orlando.

He wrote that accepting the unsolicited offer while the county is already calling for qualified candidates to do the job as the county wants it done would destroy all competition, resulting in naming the developer before prices, terms or details were ever negotiated.

That, as he states, would hamstring county negotiators. The developer, already chosen, would have no incentive other than goodwill to give us anything but the worst possible price, quality or timing.

That’s a hell of a way to run a railroad – or a government.

The report’s insight from both Mr. Giménez and consultant KPMG makes clear that even considering simultaneously with the county’s process the unsolicited offer from New Flagler Courthouse Development Partners would drive off competitors, making the new courthouse more costly at a smaller and worse site.

Far more perilously, from a good government perspective, New Flagler has invoked law that keeps secret the heart of its proposal.

While the mayor and KPMG have read it and can respond, they can’t communicate details to either commissioners who will vote on the offer or the public that must pay for it.

“As a result, critical information pertaining to the financial impact and structure of the unsolicited proposal cannot be communicated in this report for the benefit of the Board [of commissioners] or Miami-Dade County taxpayers,” the mayor wrote.

That means commissioners either must vote blind to key facts or be “briefed” by lobbyists, but they can’t discuss or debate what that private lobbying covered. That will leave anything promised in private to the imaginations of voters who already distrust county hall.

New Flagler says it doesn’t want competitors to see anything because it put a lot of work into site plans, architectural designs, construction costs, the value it places on the current inadequate courthouse that it wants to take over, and more.

But New Flagler was never asked for a word of what it sent the county but wants us to keep secret. It did all that work voluntarily for an unsolicited proposal after the county was already targeting a very different deal.

The mayor made clear that he didn’t want a proposal that undercut everything the county has been doing on a courthouse, yet the county is being forced by law to protect something it never wanted in the first place.

The New Flagler proposal thus becomes a “secret plan” to adopt sight unseen.

New Flagler did offer to allow a chosen handful of county judges who would benefit from a new courthouse to review its plans – but only if the judges also agreed to keep the facts secret.

That smacks of the disgraced Star Chamber, where from the 15th to 17th centuries English judges privately issued edicts based on secret testimony. Surely our judges would never be trapped into restoring that process, especially for their own benefit.

While the consultant read and analyzed the proposal, New Flagler’s use of confidentiality laws tied KPMG’s hands in advising the county what to do.

“Please note that certain findings, considerations, and observations from KPMG’s analysis have been redacted from the enclosed report, as directed by the County Attorney’s Office due to [New Flagler’s] confidentiality request,” KPMG told the county.

So KPMG submitted a four-section report in which we and commissioners can see only two sections.

Section 3 analyzed the financial ability of New Flagler to do the job and how its major participants are tied in. It said only “The findings, considerations, and observations from this analysis have been redacted in this memo as directed by the county attorney’s office due to [New Flagler’s] confidentiality request.”

So commissioners are asked to approve work by a company that might not have the funds to do what it promises. That alone should rule out the proposal.

Then we get to New Flagler’s financial model. This section compared New Flagler’s cost assumptions to the county’s, and compared the county’s ability to fund each plan. It also said only, “The findings, considerations, and observations from this analysis have been redacted in this memo as directed by the county attorney’s office due to [New Flagler’s] confidentiality request.”

Leave that out and commissioners are voting on blank checks of costs and revenues.

That’s like the 2009 votes for a baseball stadium that wound up costing almost $3 billion including interest. The word “billion” was never uttered before the vote and commissioners got no financial data until two days after they had voted yes.

Again, that’s no way for the county to run a railroad.

The New Flagler proposal did contain details: a financial information summary, financial capacity industry benchmarks and financing assumptions. But for each of those three packages, KPMG again noted, “The

findings, considerations, and observations from this analysis have been redacted in this memo as directed by the county attorney’s office due to [New Flagler’s] confidentiality request.”

Other than a secret proposal, what commissioners know as they discuss the courthouse this week is the key points of the mayor’s memo: the New Flagler proposal will cost more, it’s on the wrong site, and it will net the county far less when selling its outdated 1920s courthouse.

The mayor also warns that taking New Flagler’s offer would boomerang when the county deals on its public-private goldmine, the Smart mass transit plan, because serious bidders would opt out. After letting this cockamamie offer distort the courthouse playing field well after a call to compete based on the county’s vision, why should bidders risk that for transit too?

The mayor’s report, buttressed point by point by KPMG, makes it hard to fathom why commissioners would be swayed by New Flagler’s mostly-secret plan that deviates so far from what was sought.

Then again, it was hard to imagine why the county ever built a baseball stadium for $3 billion, and why nine commissioners voted yes. Even with Bruno Barreiro’s recent exit, though, some of those nine will still vote on New Flagler’s plan, which they already know will cost the county more and will boomerang on future massive publicprivate projects.

We have absolutely nothing against New Flagler – not that we know anything about them from the heavily redacted report that their secrecy required. Maybe they could win the courthouse bidding on a level playing field instead of setting their own rules.

And that’s all we can ask: a level playing field with all competing openly on what the county asks for. Commissioners, what could possibly be wrong with that?

Access to United States market isn’t a right, it’s a privilege It’s a brutal world out there for America’s exporting manufacturers.

I founded Blumberg Grain to manufacture and export state-of-the-art, 100% American-made food security systems around the world. As Philip Blumberg a Democrat, I support President Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs and back his economic nationalist policies.

Steel is a vital component of our grain storage, conveyors and more. The president’s metals tariffs will likely hike our cost of inputs. And we’re okay with that, and for good reason – these tariffs level the playing field and motivate other nations to remove their own blockages to free trade.

Ultimately, manufacturers make money when we sell, not when we produce. And for decades, American manufacturers have had to sell into the strong headwinds of restricted international market access: tariffs up to 50% and other import regulations, mandated joint ventures, intellectual property theft, corrupt governments and much more.

It gets even harder. American companies abroad must respect environmental standards and employment practices that others do not. Importantly, we follow the rigorous US

The Writer

Philip Blumberg is founder and chairman of Blumberg Grain, a Miami-based global food security company.

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which forbids payoffs and other unethical practices no matter where they take place. That doesn’t stop our international competitors, who make a standard practice of bribing decision-makers.

Reciprocal tariffs are a start, but they do not fully address the complex global marketplace hurdles that US manufacturers face. Anyone blaming the loss of our nation’s manufacturing base on one factor misses the complex way other countries have competed unfairly for decades, more unfairly by the day, until after 50 years, manufacturing in America is on life support.

We’ve done it to ourselves by tolerating other countries’ unfair trade practices in an effort to be politically correct around the world. While other nations take advantage of our goodwill, one US factory after another is driven out of business. Mr. Trump is the first modern president to take a stand and take into account that it’s not just tariffs that make for unfair trade.

His powerful common-sense approach: Access to the largest, most lucrative market in history isn’t a right, it’s a privilege. And I applauded when Mr. Trump said in his

inaugural address and State of the Union that foreign policy decisions and foreign aid must be driven by what benefits American workers and businesses.

Our company and our suppliers account for 2,400 direct US manufacturing jobs with the potential for thousands of new jobs as we grow. But we face unique challenges, like footdragging bureaucrats who slip our proprietary specifications to Russian companies so they can compete, win and bribe the culprits.

More than once, we’ve discovered illegal attempts to hack our systems and steal our designs. Flagrant theft and violation of intellectual property isn’t just a Chinese and Russian problem; it’s a global pandemic. Mr. Trump is fighting this head on.

Countries play a role too. European nations and others often bankroll their companies’bids through subsidies that make US companies uncompetitive. And as the president has made clear, foreign governments have put tariffs on American exports for decades and yet are able to sell their competitive products in the US comparatively tariff-free.

The list goes on and on. Yet in spite of these unfair trade practices, past American presidents made open access to our markets a principled right of others. It’s absurd.

For the first time we have a president who will link all aspects of our international relationships, including foreign aid and tariffs, to the impact on American workers and busi-

nesses. As a lifelong Democrat, I now stand lock step with Mr. Trump.

Sure, this get-tough policy will likely cost our company a few more dollars to manufacture our food security systems here.

But when Mr. Trump continues to level the global playing field in support of American commerce abroad, we will sell more, our company will make more money, we will create more jobs, and we will do our part to help Keep America Great.

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MIAMI TODAY

TODAY’S NEWS

WEEK OF THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018

‘We are right back where we started’ on new courthouse

By Gabi Maspons

After a five-hour-long discussion about how to move forward with plans for a new Miami-Dade County civil courthouse, commissioners Tuesday delayed substantive decisions until May. “In essence, we are right where we started,” said Commissioner Esteban Bovo Jr. “We will keep both locations and both processes and report back on May 1.”

The existing courthouse at 73 W Flagler St. was built almost 100 years ago, when the county had about 100,000 residents, compared to today’s over 2.7 million. The county pours millions into remediation of the old courthouse each year to address safety and health concerns.

Today, three floors are completely closed off, as they pose a health hazard to county employees and residents who visit the courthouse.

For the past five or so years, the county has debated how to move forward with a procurement method for the new courthouse.

“This is the kind of discussion that created the maxim of the two things you never want to see being made: sausage and laws,” said Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava. “This is very convoluted and hard for the public to follow.”

While the county was gearing up to release its request for qualifications [RFQ] to the public in January, it received an unsolicited proposal

‘This is the kind of discussion that created the maxim of the two things you never want to see being made: sausage and laws.’

‘This space was envisioned to provide services for children when the children’s courthouse was constructed.’

Daniella Levine Cava

Sally Heyman

Bertila Soto

from the developers of All Aboard Florida’s Brightline.

Mayor Carlos Giménez rejected the unsolicited proposal within his 30-day initial evaluation period, saying an unsolicited proposal is confusing for other developers interested in bidding on the courthouse, recommending Brightline bid on the public RFQ rather than create a separate procurement process.

Commissioners at the Feb. 21 county commission meeting refused to accept Mr. Giménez’s rejection of the unsolicited proposal,

directing him to re-evaluate the proposal and bring back an updated recommendation.

In addition to the updated recommendation, Mr. Giménez was directed to do three things: recommend a final project site for the courthouse, recommend a procurement path for the courthouse and recommend whether to include the existing courthouse in the procurement for the new courthouse.

While the RFQ had initially identified the lot adjacent to the children’s courthouse as the preferred site for

the new civil courthouse, county commissioners in February voted to open the site to an open location on Flagler, half the size of the children’s courthouse site.

Tuesday, commissioners were to review the mayor’s recommendations and vote on a path to move forward.

The commission took three separate votes, extending the existing path and choosing not to make any decisions to narrow the focus of the process until May. First, commissioners discussed the two project sites.

The mayor and his administration prefer the site adjacent to the children’s courthouse, saying it is much larger at 40,000 square feet, possibly reducing the construction price; it has already been environmentally remediated, sparing the county extra costs; and is more conveniently located, as there would be two courthouses side by side.

Commissioner Sally Heyman and Chief Judge Bertila Soto of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit say the new children’s courthouse site is better suited to provide additional service to children.

“This space was envisioned to provide services for children when the children’s courthouse was constructed,” Ms. Heyman said.

Chief Judge Soto echoed Ms. Heyman’s statement saying there are services that children need that they can’t access at the children’s courthouse: “We have children with great needs,” she said. “We need supervised visitation near the courthouse, we need Medicaid and we need additional services to treat our children.” Judge Soto said the county loses children once it sends them to get services, and the most comprehensive and effective solution would be to have one space where children can go to court and have services provided to them.

Rather than choose either project site, commissioners voted to keep both project sites in the RFQ, letting developers bid on the available Flagler location and the site adjacent to the children’s courthouse.

Mr. Giménez told commissioners he would return to them in a few weeks an evaluation of both sites, showing the cost differential.

He said he believes that the extra 20,000 square feet at the children’s courthouse site will make that the preferred location, as it could prove cheaper to build than at the smaller, narrower site on Flagler.

OMNI REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The Board of Commissioners (“Board”) of the Omni Redevelopment District Community Redevelopment Agency (“CRA”) will hold a Public Hearing on Wednesday April 18th 2018, at 5:00 p.m., at the Chapman Partnership located at 1550 North Miami Avenue, Miami, Florida 33136, to consider the award of grant funds to Rebuilding Together Miami-Dade Inc. a legal entity authorized to transact business/render services in the State of Florida, to provide partial funding for a, “Home Improvement Façade Program.”

In accordance with the Board’s 2010 Redevelopment Plan (“Plan”), the Board will consider the funding, in an amount not to exceed $600,000 to underwrite the expenditures and costs associated with the renovation of residential housing units, within the CRA, envisioned to reduce slum and blight.

Inquiries regarding this notice may be addressed to Jason Walker, Executive Director, OMNI CRA, at (305) 679-6868.

This action is being considered pursuant to Sections 18-85 (a) of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida as amended (“Code”). The recommendation and findings to be considered in this matter are set forth in the proposed resolution and in Code Sections 18-85 (a), which are deemed to be incorporated by reference herein, and are available as with the scheduled CRA Board meeting of April 18th, 2018 at 5:00 p.m., at the Chapman Partnership located at 1550 North Miami Avenue, Miami, Florida 33136.

The CRA Board requests all interested parties be present or represented at the meeting, and may be heard with respect to any proposition before the CRA Board, in which the Board may take action. Should any person desire to appeal any decision of the Board with respect to any matter 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), not later than five (5) business days prior to the proceeding. TTY users may call (305) 250-5472, not later than five (5) business days prior to the proceeding.

#29145

‘We need supervised visitation near the courthouse, we need Medicaid and we need additional services to treat our children.’

Todd B. Hannon Clerk of the Board

“Once you have that information, you can make a value judgment on what you think is best,” Mr. Giménez told commissioners.

The commission then voted to keep the procurement for the existing, deteriorating courthouse separate from the procurement of the new courthouse.

The decision to separate the procurement of the existing courthouse from the new courthouse is in line with the mayor’s recommendation.

“The courthouse should be sold separately because we will get a much better price,” Mr. Giménez said, “which is a significant consideration.”

Commissioner Joe Martinez agreed with Mr. Giménez, saying it is common sense to separate the two buildings: “When you sell your car, you are guaranteed more money than if you trade it in,” Mr. Martinez said. “As soon as you tell them you are trading in your car, the value of your car drops significantly.”

Lastly, the commission voted to continue the dual track, moving forward with both the unsolicited proposal and the RFQ, delaying the decision until May. All responses to the RFQ are due back to the county by May 2, and the commission would like to review the competition before dismissing the unsolicited proposal.

Internal Services Director Tara Smith again advised commissioners that keeping the unsolicited proposal in the race could deter developers from bidding on the RFQ, as they may perceive that the county is favoring one developer over others.

Mr. Giménez reminded commissioners before their vote that nothing precludes Brightline from bidding on the RFQ, keeping their project in the race even if the unsolicited proposal is rejected.

“They have drawn out plans and done all kind of work which may fit what we want,” Mr. Giménez said.

“They would certainly be deemed qualified.”

While the commissioners and the administration didn’t agree on much Tuesday, everyone was in agreement on the dire need for a new courthouse.

“We can all agree that we need to have access to justice that can be conducted in a dignified way,” Ms. Levine Cava said.

By the nexty commission meeting on May 1, Mr. Giménez is to have a cost evaluation comparing the two sites for the courthouse location.

Most, if not all, responses to the RFQ will have been submitted and the commissioners are to make two decisions: they are to choose the site for the new civil courthouse and decide between the unsolicited proposal and the RFQ as a procurement method.

‘When you sell your car, you are guaranteed more money than if you trade it in. As soon as you tell them you are trading in your car, the value of your car drops significantly.’

Joe Martinez

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Transportation New federal grant to expand county’s CNG bus fleet

By Rebecca San Juan

The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has just awarded $3.6 million to MiamiDade County’s Department of Transportation and Public Works to replace older buses with new ones running on compressed natural gas, or CNG. With the cash in hand, transit director Alice Bravo sees a po‘These grants will tential for savings.

The county applied in August ensure that these vital for the grant, competing against services continue to be 453 proposals from the 53 other both safe and efficient.’ states and territories. The FTA Elaine Chao selected the county alongside 52 states and territories and

139 other projects totaling $265 million.

In a notification from the FTA, US Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao said, “Every day, working families across America rely on buses, and these grants will ensure that these vital services continue to be both safe and efficient.”

The county keeps adding onto its existing group of new CNG buses, Ms. Bravo said. “We have 19 that we’ve accepted, eight more that we’re reviewing, and we’re on the verge of receiving nine more.”

She says her team thoroughly inspects each delivery before officially accepting a bus.

The county plans to use its new federal funding to purchase six new buses, moving towards its goal of 300 CNG buses.

“Receiving this grant basically frees up that much money for some other use,” Ms. Bravo said.

While a number of projects come to mind, Ms. Bravo said she thinks the savings could help with one in particular: “We have a number of plans and improvements we’re working on, and at the end of the day it’s more capital that we can use towards the SMART Plan,” which is geared to add six new transit corridors in the county.

The federal funds are to arrive by early October, at the outset of the 2019 federal fiscal year.

‘Receiving this grant basically frees up that much money for some other use.’

Alice Bravo

836 diverging diamond interchanges to debut by early fall

By Rebecca San Juan

It’s a delicate balance overseeing several small projects in the grand scheme of State Road 836 improvements for the MiamiDade Expressway Authority (MDX). As a result of shifting priorities, MDX expects to debut its diverging diamond highway interchanges (DDI) on Northwest 27th and 57th avenues in late summer or early fall.

The two interchanges constitute pieces of a $799 million modification for State Road 836, with improvements dating back to 2005.

“The DDI will open in late summer, early fall as opposed to previously [cited dates] because construction activities on LeJeune, which impact the driving public much more, were placed ahead of opening the DDI,” said MDX public information officer Tere Garcia.

Completion of LeJeune Road, or Northwest 42nd Avenue, remains a priority. The reorganization replaces left lane exits towards Miami International Airport at LeJeune with new exits from the right lanes.

“We want to focus on the core of the job, the 42nd Avenue interchange,” said Claudio Diaferia, MDX assistant director of engineering. “We shifted some of the crew to focus on that because that’s more critical to the traveling community.”

Work on the diverging diamond highway interchanges is moving alongside other components of the modification. Mr. Diaferia says his

‘We want to focus on the core of the job, the 42nd Avenue interchange.’

Claudio Diaferia

team is finishing the ramps outside of traffic and installing gantries.

The larger, more traffic-heavy interchange at Northwest 27th will precede the interchange at 57th Avenue by a few weeks, he said.

MDX plans to launch a public awareness campaign a month before debuting its two interchanges. That campaign exceeds the $20,000 budget that Deputy Executive Director and Director of Engineering Juan Toledo predicted in December.

Mr. Diaferia said, “We have prerecorded all of our media ads and we purchased slots, but we don’t want anything too far in advanced because it loses its impact.”

The campaign is to reach speakers of Creole, English and Spanish through various media, including television and social media. All the while, MDX plans to rely mostly on radio to get the Construction on LeJeune is delaying the debut of the diverging diamond interchange road patterrns. word out.

“We’re buying media for radio mostly,” Ms. Garcia said. “We evaluate what are the stations with the greater amount of ratings and to the various categories – young people, the more mature, etc. That is one way. Usually, TV is very expensive unless we can get public service announcements.”

No matter its numerous media strategies, MDX plans to post a few officers at the two innovative interchanges during their debut.

“We will have officers on the first couple of days to ensure that people slow down and drive safely through the DDIs,” Mr. Diaferia said.

MDX is looking at the bigger picture, the impact that interchanges may have on the community, Mr. Diaferia said, “This project overall is going to significantly improve mobility and safety through the whole [SR] 836. There’s many things that we’re doing on this job, so DDI is just one component of this very large, important project.”

The $799 million modification of State Road 836 will include the interchanges at 27th and 57th avenues.

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technology. The vehicles, which have started to rollout in revenue service, are assembled locally and production WILLÂ&#x;CONTINUEÂ&#x;UNTILÂ&#x; Â&#x;

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With letters of intent, Fastrack looks to fund mobility plan

By Katya Maruri

After team Citi.MOOV won a 16-week Fastrack Institute competition three months ago, said Kent Langley, the institute’s chief science technology officer, the team signed letters of intent with RedCoach and Codina Partners to work together strategically to deploy citi.moov in Miami, moving the team one step closer to its goal of solving Miami-Dade transit problems.

The Fastrack Institute, a private nonprofit committed to integrating accelerated technologies into cities, created its mobility Fastrack in Miami last fall with the intent

of finding a comprehensive solution to Miami’s transportation problems.

Team Citi.MOOV, which was one of two five-member teams vying to win the competition, proposed a technology-based solution focused on incentivizing residents to share rides, bike or use public transit in place of driving alone.

Since then, Mr. Langley said, “Mike Lingle and Francisco D’Elia [two members of team Citi.MOOV] have really stepped up and taken the project forward.”

“They have met with advisory boards, potential customers and clients,” he said, “and just recently have taken steps to sign

on potential accelerators and are looking at a couple of investors.”

In addition, he said, “the first of the acceleration money from the Fastrack Institute, which earmarked $82,000, is also starting to be utilized,” along with $20,000 from Google that was secured by the team earlier this year.

The team hopes to utilize these funds to potentially roll out an app in Miami that will incentivize residents to stop riding alone.

“Miami is a driving culture,” Mr. Lingle previously told Miami Today. “About 80% of Miamians are alone in their cars when

they drive, and the app will reward residents for using ride-sharing apps like Lyft and Uber, riding bikes, carpooling and using public transit.”

The more residents who the app, the smarter the app will get.

As for other transportation initiatives in the near future, Mr. Langley said, “the Fastrack Institute has had conversations with several mayoral offices.”

“The city,” he said, “wants to continue working with us on different projects, which we are very excited about and look forward to continuing our partnership with the city.”

Miami-Israel flights beat expectations, so El Al plans more

By Rebecca San Juan

The number of Miami travelers to Tel Aviv is exceeding expectations, and El Al Airlines is flying high. The airline is considering adding a fourth weekly flight in coming months after seeing high demand at Miami International Airport since the Miami-Israel route’s November debut.

Interest from travelers flying from both Miami and Israel on the route remains high.

“Our [average] occupancy on both is 90%; sometimes it can be 100% load factor,” said Yoram Elgrabli, the managing director of El Al Israel Airlines for North and Central America. “Load factor meaning it’s 100% occupancy of the flight. Sometimes it can be 80%.”

Mr. Elgrabli says the demand exceeds the company’s expectations of operating at an 80% average.

“It was the right decision. We are happy to serve this market and that the market is satisfied from us and are showing good demand to our product,” said Mr. Elgrabli.

Nonstop flights leave Miami International at 1:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays while returning flights from Tel

Yoram Elgrabli says the average passenger flight is 90% full, though the airline planned for only 80%.

Aviv leave at around midnight. El Al maintains its partnership with American Airlines for travelers departing other days from Miami International to reach Tel Aviv through other flights.

El Al maintains four Boeing 777 aircraft and expects two more. The plane accommodates

279 passengers, with six in first-class, 35 in business, 30 in economy plus, and 208 in coach.

Seats go fast, especially during the holiday seasons. First-class seats are most occupied during the holidays, Mr. Elgrabli said.

“Most of the time we are full, especially when we are talk-

ing about the high season like Christmas, like Pesach, like Rosh Hashanah.”

High and low seasons depend on demographics. Visitors from Israel tend to visit Miami during winter, while travelers from Miami International go to Israel usually during the summer.

Mr. Elgrabli said, “People like to come and get a break from the Israeli winter to come to Miami. We can see that most of the passengers on the route are Israelis – about 70% Israelis and only 30% American.”

Come April through September, El Al sees passengers as 70% Americans flying to Israel and only 30% Israelis coming to Miami.

Visitors leaving Miami International include domestic and foreigners, particularly from Latin America.

The afternoon departure time gives El Al an advantage. “We have this flight that takes off from Miami at 1:30 p.m.,” said Mr. Elgrabli. “So, we can get a lot of passengers from the first wave that arrive to Miami International Airport in the early morning.”

Passengers from Argentina, Brazil and Mexico top the list.

Continued and increasing interest leads to plans for expansion. In addition to adding a seventh and new nonstop departure to and from San Francisco, El Al is considering adding a fourth flight out of Miami International.

Passengers may see another flight added by November. El Al plans to make the final decision in the next two months.

Miami plans to set up, enforce lower residential speed limits

By John Charles Robbins

It is an everyday occurrence: Motorists in a hurry and unwilling to spend another minute stuck in traffic on congested streets in the City of Miami zip down side streets to try and beat the crowd.

They speed through residential neighborhoods, putting people and property in peril.

Cut-through traffic has been a major problem in the city for years and city elected leaders and administrators continue to wrestle with ways to combat the dangerous situation.

At the city commission’s last meeting, without a vote, commissioners directed the city manager’s office to prepare a plan to establish and enforce lower speed limits in residential neighborhoods.

Commissioners also want to hear specifics about the cost to install new speed limit signs on each street, a measure believed to be a legal requirement before police can start handling out tickets.

The idea to lower speed limits in the city had bounced around for a couple of years, and took additional time because Miami-Dade County government had to be onboard with any changes.

At the commission’s first meeting of the year, Jan. 11, Mayor Francis Suarez reported that the county will allow the city to reduce speed limits in neighborhoods.

He said the key to making an impact is enforcement of the lower limits, a point agreed to by commissioners in support of a crackdown on speeders.

Commissioner Manolo Reyes, elected in November, shares the concern about cut-through traffic and brought up the topic at the last meeting.

“High speed affects all the districts,” Mr. Reyes said. “They fly down the streets.”

He said he wanted to see the administration and police department work on enforcing the lower limits.

“If there is no enforcement, it will not be effective,” he said.

Mr. Reyes asked for a comprehensive plan on how the city will enforce the lowered limits.

The approval from the county came after a 2017 study launched by the city.

The study found that all streets in residential neighborhoods in the City of Miami meet Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) criteria for a posted speed limit of 25 mph, and three neighborhoods – Bayside (north of Morningside), Venetian

Islands and Brickell – meet state criteria for a posted speed limit of 20 mph.

Last summer, on the heels of the report, the city commission directed administrators to continue working with the county to lower the limits.

At that time, commissioners discussed the projected costs of new signage. Sandra Harris, Office of Transportation Management director, estimated 2,500 new signs would cost about $1.25 million.

In response to Mr. Reyes, Police Chief Jorge Colina said enforcement can begin once the signs are installed.

The chief said there could be “saturation” enforcement in the impacted areas, where officers will stop and let drivers know of the lowered limits.

“A little grace period,” he said, and a second chance before a citation is issued.

Mr. Reyes suggested phasing in the sign installation, beginning with the residential neighborhoods most impacted by the fast cut-through traffic.

City officials have taken several measures to combat the problem, including construction of so-called traffic calming projects from traffic circles to speed humps, one-way streets and blocking the ends of some roadways.

In May 2017, Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc. completed a neighborhood speed limit study to evaluate the speed limits and travel speeds for residential streets in 29 neighborhoods within the City of Miami.

The areas of Downtown, Park West, Virginia Key and Dodge Island were excluded from the analysis as they lack sufficient single-family homes and local residential roadways.

Based on Miami-Dade County policy, municipalities that choose to reduce speed limits must install and maintain speed limit signs within the city limits, except on county or state roadways, the study noted.

“The City of Miami and Miami-Dade County will need to execute an interlocal agreement for the city to maintain the speed limit signs on roadways not maintained by the county,” the study says.

“Additionally, speed limit signs will need to be installed on all residential streets that intersect the boundaries of the city, collector, and arterial roadways within the city limits in an effort to make drivers aware of regulatory speeds that differ from FDOT, county, and other municipality maintained roadways,” it concludes.

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