WEEK OF THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2018
A Singular Voice in an Evolving City
WWW.MIAMITODAYNEWS.COM $4.00
MIAMI OK’S PILOT SCOOTER PROGRAM AS COUNTY LOOKS FOR NATION’S BEST MODEL OF RULES, pg. 10 AIR PASSENGERS GAIN: After an August decline, Miami International Airport remains slightly ahead of the first eight months of last year in number of passengers passing through the airport to arrive or depart. The total gain is a half percentage point to 30,584,672 passengers. If the flow continues at the same pace, the airport will handle just under 46 million passengers this year. International passengers are down three-tenths of a percentage point for the year to 14,791,485, while domestic passengers are up almost 1% to 15,793,187. In August, international passenger traffic fell 4.72% from August 2017 and domestic passengers decreased 0.68%, for a total decline in the month of 2.74% from August 2017.
The Achiever
By John Charles Robbins
STILL A DREAM: The $4 billion American Dream Miami mall megaproject in Northwest Miami-Dade County has seen no further development. The next step in the permitting process, administrative site approval, is still in the works and has been since July, when Miami Today first reported the process. The site plan is a detailed plan of the mall, including ground elevations, floor plans, parking, landscaping, storm water management, wetland mitigation and environmental considerations. Along with administrative site approval, the property must be platted, which is the process of legally subdividing land to create a legal description for the clerk of courts. None of these documents has been submitted to Miami-Dade, said Nathan Kogon, assistant county director of development services, and there is “nothing to report.” In August, the South Florida Regional Planning Council, a combination of South Florida mayors and commissioners, voted to recommend delay of the project over traffic concerns. Backers predicted the county would approve their concept in October, Miami Today previously reported. ADDING TO THE FLEET: The city’s Off-Street Parking Board approved the purchase of 15 new vehicles for the Miami Parking Authority’s enforcement officers. The Operations Department plans to add 31 new parking enforcement officers in the fiscal year that began Oct. 1. Authority CEO Art Noriega said the new vehicles will enable the officers to perform their duties more efficiently and provide better coverage city-wide. The purchasing instrument to be used is a state-wide intergovernmental cooperative agreement awarded though a competitive process, and the authority will order from the awardee in the lowest contracted price range, Mr. Noriega told the board. The aggregate cost of the 15 Ford Escapes is estimated at $286,170. The board in late July approved spending up to $281,529 for 13 vehicles to replace older vehicles needing repair.
José Leonardo Martí
Photo by Marlene Quaroni
Growing Mexico’s Miami-based CMX Cinemas chain The profile is on Page 4
State asks Miami to run park under I-395 bridge By John Charles Robbins
The Florida Department of Transportation is looking to the City of Miami to develop and run a 30-acre illuminated park under a rebuilt and elevated I-395 and its long-planned “signature bridge.” It appears the state is finally ready to start the I-395/SR 836/I-95 project, with major work by early 2019. James Wolfe, who heads the state transportation department for this area, reported on the project to Miami city commissioners Oct. 11. People focus on the signature bridge, he said, “but there is a lot more to the project.” The elevated roadway will bring more connections for the neighborhoods and many new “under deck area opportunities.” He said land under the freeway can be a world-class public space. An added benefit to an improved freeway system spanning the urban core and taking traffic to Miami Beach via the MacArthur Causeway is the plan to reconnect several areas to a growing downtown. That would include Overtown, Edgewater and the Omni neighborhood, which is being transformed into the art and entertainment district.
Rate hikes for parking flow to bay
State transportation officials are looking to the city to handle the new open spaces below the raised roadbeds. “DOT needs a partner, and the logical partner is the city,” Mr. Wolfe told commissioners. “We have had opening discussions,” he said of state and city representatives. But he noted there’s no rush to seal a partnership for the open space because construction is to take 4½ to 5 years. Commission Chairman Keon Hardemon asked if there’s any chance the project wouldn’t be finished after construction begins. “No,” answered Jacqueline Sequeira with the transportation department. “It will be built.” The $802 million project will be funded by the state transportation department ($616 million) and the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority ($186 million). It will include a double-deck stretch to handle local traffic on the ground and Miami Beach-bound traffic on the upper level, as well as changes to State Road 836 and the addition of one lane to the northbound entrance to I-95. The new road itself is a suspension bridge over Northeast Second Avenue and Biscayne
Boulevard crowned by six rainbow-shaped, 330-foot arches. Commissioner Manolo Reyes cited concern about maintenance costs to the city if it managed the 30 acres. “It has a cost and we need to be financially responsible,” he said. “You have no obligation to take it on,” responded Mr. Wolfe. He quickly pointed to expected revenue-producing opportunities on the land, perhaps through public-private partnerships. As examples he mentioned a coffee shop, limited parking, or a farmer’s market. “Some of that [maintenance] cost can be offset,” Mr. Wolfe said. The project is in Ken Russell’s District 2. “To me this is very exciting. I’m an optimist,” he said. “I see a new type of park here… providing a major opportunity for connection.” He said stakeholders should work hard to ensure “this magnificent park is connected to our magnificent baywalk – they’re so close.” Preliminary construction is due this month and in November, with major work to begin in February and March. Construction will be in phases to minimize impact to the public. Details: www.i-395miami.com
Commissioner Joe Carollo is holding up a final vote to raise parking rates until he’s assured Miami will hike fees at city marinas too. For the second time this fall, commissioners deferred a vote Oct. 11 on raising parking rates, to Oct. 25. Mr. Carollo pushed for the delay as he pressured the administration to raise dockage fees at city-run Dinner Key Marina and Miamarina at Bayside. Mr. Carollo cited rate differences at private vs. city marinas. He said private marinas are charging about 50% more for wet slip rentals than city-run marinas, and some have 60% higher rates for larger boats. Commissioner Manolo Reyes agreed. “We are not receiving what we should be receiving,” he said. Mr. Carollo has indicated he’ll vote for higher parking rates after he’s satisfied something is being done to get more money out of city-run marinas. “If you want my vote, I want to see increased rates at the marinas,” he said. Mr. Carollo basically gave the city manager’s office an ultimatum: raise rates at the two city marinas or request proposals for private companies to take over. Daniel Rotenberg, head of the Department of Real Estate and Asset Management, said privatization could see the city hire a management company to run the marinas for about 3% or 4% of profits, with the city getting about 97%. “I don’t care … as long as we get top dollar,” Mr. Carollo said. This has become part of his narrative since he took office last year, preaching that the city must do all it can to bring in new revenue in the face of growing costs and unknown financial anchors like labor contracts and lawsuit judgments. On Sept. 13, commissioners demanded that city residents not face the higher parking rates, and the proposal was amended. For most on-street parking, the rate would rise from $1.75 an hour to $3. Many monthly permits would jump from $70 to $90. If approved, new rates begin Jan. 1.
EXPRESS BUSES TO LINK MIAMI BEACH, GOLDEN GLADES ...
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AS AIRPORT’S CARGO SOARS, AMAZON AIR LANDS HERE ...
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SOME CRY ‘DISCRIMINATION’ ON TRANSIT TAX SPENDING ...
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RARE GAIN IN TRANSIT RIDERSHIP: METRORAIL UP A BIT ...
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VIEWPOINT: ADD HOTEL, FINISH CONVENTION CENTER JOB ...
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COUNTY GROWS AFFORDABLE HOUSING INVENTORY 3% ...
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CITY-COUNTY BATTLE MIGHT SEE PARKING FINES ON RISE ...
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NEW STORES, LARGER GARAGE AS BAYSIDE RENOVATES ...
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