Miami Today: Week of Thursday, August 16, 2018

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TODAY’S NEWS

WEEK OF THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2018

MIAMI TODAY

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North Miami moves closer to Chinatown architectural plan By Katherine Lewin

The proposed Chinatown in North Miami is moving closer to solidifying some design plans. The city could be requesting proposals for architecture firms in the next few weeks, according to City Manager Larry Spring Jr., who said the city also plans a surprise public announcement in the next three to four weeks. “Currently, our in-house engineers are looking at storm water plans so that we can to have the details for the RFP [request for proposals]. That RFP will be to start the street redesign work,” Mr. Spring said. “Our engineers are supposed to be getting back to me in the next week or so. For the storm water collection system we are looking to unify it, create a water feature and build it into the new look of the street.” As for the surprise announcement, he said it will be a city-initiated project working with both the public and private sectors that “may already be built or started. But it will be a physical space.” North Miami city officials are continuing to meet with potential Chinatown investors while the in-house engineers work on the storm water plans, Mr. Spring said. They are hosting delegations as well as individual investors, and Mr. Spring said he had a meeting scheduled the next day with an investor who flew in from China earlier in the week. So far, most investors are interested in mixed-use development. The Chinatown Cultural Arts & Innovation District, which was championed by Vice Mayor Alix Desulme and designated by the North Miami City Council in 2016, is to be comprised of 16 blocks of commercially zoned land along Northwest Seventh Avenue between 119th and 135th streets. The area is to be complete with parks, green space, bike lanes and rooftop gardens, along with pagodas, canals and an entrance inspired by the Ming Dynasty,

Chinatown is estimated to cost $60 million, with $300 million in potential development. Officials continue to meet with potential investors.

The city completed a conceptual design master plan for the district in September 2017. The city’s Community Redevelopment Agency approved the city’s master plan on Nov. 14, 2017, according to Mr. Spring. “Obviously, we want to attract authentic restaurants so we have cultural elements for it to become a tourist destination. We might have an innovation incubator where we’re inviting entrepreneurs and researchers and different industries to come in and take a space,” Mr. Spring said. “We’re looking at rezoning the area to include residential buildings on the east side of Seventh Avenue that will attract residential investors, as well as interest with the hotel.” Mr. Spring declined to name any developers or investors. The CRA paid about $175,000 to Keith & Schnars for development of the master plan and the city planned a minimum of $3 million for street construction, Mr. Spring told Miami Today in December 2017. The total contract with Keith & Schnars is $200,000 to $250,000, he said.

‘We might have an innovation incubator where we’re inviting entrepreneurs and researchers and different industries to come in and take a space.’ Larry Spring The project is still estimated to cost about $60 million, with $2 million for maintenance and beautification and $300 million in total potential development. The “high-level estimate” was $60

million and the city has not drilled down on that number any more since, but it is probably going to be cheaper based on how the city is looking at it, Mr. Spring said. The city would like some physical development in the designated Chinatown area in the next fiscal year but faces procedural hurdles, Mr. Spring said. He listed Florida Department of Transportation permitting along with permitting from the county that could turn a year into a year and a half to two years. But the public will see “elements” of Chinatown by 2024, Mr. Spring said. One of the first pieces that may be up is the gateways on either side of the area. Mr. Spring previously said in December 2017 that at the beginning of 2018, the city would request proposals from architectural firms to begin the gateway design. “We went back to Keith & Schnars, the company that designed the master plan, and asked them to provide us with design concepts for the gateways. They’re still working on that,” Mr. Spring said. “We met with them

about four weeks ago.” The city is also talking internally regarding the current US administration’s stance on trade with China, Mr. Spring said, and has to “watch what’s happening on a federal level.” However, there has not been any reduction in interest in the project from Chinese investors, he said. Some benefit for North Miami’s Chinatown has come from the recent tax code that President Trump pushed through, according to Mr. Spring. The city was able to designate a part of Chinatown as an underserved development area. “We’re able to take advantage of the President’s opportunity zone in the new tax code. It created a tax incentive on capital gains,” Mr. Spring said. “If you go into one of these areas and put a mixed-use building or infrastructure and you hold onto that property for 10 years, you get a full tax credit on your capital gains when you sell the asset.” Details: http://northmiamifuture.com/Chinatown/

Miami OKs major street improvements, drainage projects By John Charles Robbins

Two major street improvement and drainage projects were approved by Miami city commissioners before the August break. The first resolution combined Mary Brickell Village drainage and roadway improvements and Southwest First Avenue milling and resurfacing, in the heart of Brickell. The second resolution authorizes Grove Park roadway and water main improvements in Little Havana near the Dolphin Expressway and generally north of Northwest Seventh Street. A background memo from the Office of Capital Improvements says the total estimated cost of the Mary Brickell Village drainage and roadway improvements and Southwest First Avenue milling and resurfacing work is $1,279,675.08 The commission accepted a bid received May 21 for a construction contract with V Engineering & Consulting Corp., the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, for $1,163,340.99, plus a 10% owner’s contingency allowance of $116,334.09, for a total contract of up to $1,279,675.08. The Department of Procurement issued

the invitation to bid on April 27. Three bids were received and V Engineering was the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for the project, and the procurement department recommended awarding the work to the company. The scope of the work was defined in the invitation to bid: “The Work consists of furnishing all materials, labor, and equipment necessary for road improvements including drainage system installation, milling and resurfacing, road reworking, replacement of sidewalks, new bulb-outs, repair of driveway approaches, repair of curbs and gutters, installation of ADA compliant ramps and bicycle lanes, striping, signs and tree planting.” Locations of the drainage and roadway improvement work include: nSW/SE Ninth Street from W First Avenue to South Miami Avenue. nSW/SE 10th Street from W First Avenue to Southeast First Avenue (Brickell Plaza). nSW/SE 11th Street from W First Avenue to South Miami Avenue. nSW/SE 12th Street from W First Avenue to South Miami Avenue. Milling and resurfacing improvements

will be on Southwest First Avenue from Southeast Seventh Street to Southwest 15th Road. A background memo from the Office of Capital Improvements says the Grove Park roadway and water main improvements project has an estimated total cost of $1,663,082.82. The commission accepted a construction bid received April 11 from V Engineering & Consulting Corp., the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, for $1,573,500, plus an owner’s contingency of $89,582.82, for a total of up to $1,663,082.82. The Department of Procurement issued the invitation to bid on March 8. Of six bids received, V Engineering was the lowest and the procurement department recommended awarding the work to the company. The scope of the work was defined in the invitation to bid: “The Work consists of furnishing all materials, labor, and equipment necessary for roadway and water main improvements including, but not limited to, installation of an 8-inch Ductile Iron (D.I.) water main and other water main components, milling and resurfacing, roadway reconstruction, installation

of new curbs and gutters, replacement of existing sidewalks, repair of driveway approaches, striping, signs and installation of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant ramps.” Locations of the roadway improvement work include: nAlong Northwest 21st Court from Northwest Seventh to Ninth streets. nAlong Northwest 19th Court from Northwest Seventh to Ninth streets. nAlong Northwest 19th Avenue from Northwest Seventh to Ninth streets. nAlong Northwest 18th Court from Northwest Seventh to Eighth streets. nAlong Northwest Eighth Street from Northwest 18th Court to Northwest 18th Avenue. Locations of the water main improvements include: nAlong Northwest 21st Court from Northwest Seventh to Ninth streets. nAlong Northwest 19th Court from Northwest Seventh to Ninth streets. nAlong Northwest 18th Court from Northwest Seventh to Eighth streets. nAlong Northwest Eighth Street from Northwest 18th Court to Northwest 18th Avenue.


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Miami Today: Week of Thursday, August 16, 2018 by Miami Today - Issuu