Paseo de la Riviera in Coral Gables is moving forward, but with buildings at a much lower height than the developer initially wanted.
After a three-hour deliberation Friday morning, Coral Gables commissioners unanimously approved a site plan and zoning changes for the controversial $172 million hotel, residential and retail development that will replace a 155-room Holiday Inn on U.S. 1 across the street from the University of Miami campus.
“It comes down to height and how we can control it,” said Coral Gables Vice Mayor Frank Quesada. “It is essential we deliver on that.”
The city commission’s vote will allow developer Brent Reynolds to build a Mediterranean-style complex set around a public plaza with a hotel capped at 126 feet and an apartment building with a height of 112 feet.
Originally, Reynolds sought approval for two 140-foot towers. Over the last two months, during contentious city commission meetings, commissioners pushed the developer to reduce the height of the buildings to allay concerns by residents who live to the east of the proposed project.
The city commission’s vote caps a whirlwind week for Reynolds, who near the end of a marathon meeting on Tuesday had told elected officials he would abandon his plans if he had to go through further delays, as well as more height reductions.
A large number of Coral Gables residents also expressed their objections to the project, claiming it will create traffic gridlock and open the door to more high-density, high-rise developments in the city. A homeowners group, the Riviera Neighborhood Association, had submitted a petition with more than 1,000 signatures against Paseo.
While Paseo cleared its biggest hurdle, the project still will have to be reevaluated by the city’s Board of Architects since the design has changed, said Coral Gables Planning and Zoning Director Ramon Trias.
All Aboard Florida, developer of the only privately-owned and operated passenger rail service in the United States, unveiled a new express train travel service that would connect major cities between South and Central Florida.
At an event held on the construction site for Miami Central, the new downtown transportation hub, All Aboard introduced Brightline and previewed the innovative trains set to become the centerpiece of the new service. "Which is our new transportation service that's gonna connect the four major cities in Florida, with a new way to move about," said Michael Reininger, president of All Aboard Florida.
The $3 billion project will soon give passengers the ability to jump on a train in Downtown Miami and travel to Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Orlando. "It's an alternative to more and more cars on ever more congested roadways," said Reininger.
The designs of the trains were specifically made with South Florida in mind.
The future hub and mixed-use urban development is located in the heart of Miami, at Northwest First Avenue between Northwest Third and Eighth Streets. Previously, the land was solely used for parking. "It's really based on Florida," said David Rockwell, founder and president of Rockwell Group. "It's based on the kind of optimism of Florida."
A color scheme of yellow, blue, green, red, purple and orange was incorporated in the design of the trains.
Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez was also in attendance at the event. He held a pass that hinted at what users will use to board the trains. "That's supposedly the first inaugural pass. I don't know if it will actually allow me on," he said jokingly. "It's nice. It's commemorative."
Gimenez said All Aboard Florida will help the local public transportation services. "It's always about giving different options, more options to our residents, so that's why it's really important," he said.
"It's quicker. It's just a smarter way to travel, but it's more convenient. It's more reliable. It's more enjoyable, and it's more productive," said Reininger.
The Brightline trains are slated to begin service in 2017.
The developer planning a 633-foot observation tower equipped with electronic murals is moving his plans forward even as the mayor of Miami talks of slowing him down.
Michael Simkins’ Innovate Development Group applied this week to Miami’s building department for a permit to erect five large electronic signs embedded within the skin of the tower’s twisting facade and mounted along its pedestal. The signs, which would flash advertisements as well as public art and messages, are as large as 30,000 square feet and would be visible from Interstates 395 and 95.
The high-tech tower is envisioned as the centerpiece of a 10-acre technology district around 10th Street and Northwest First Avenue. Simkins expects to go before the city’s Southeast Overtown Park West Community Redevelopment Agency on June 29 to finalize a crucial community benefits agreement that, when last made public, included $5 million in upfront payments to the redevelopment agency and at least $1 million every year after it opens.
“The CRA board has to accept the benefits [for the project to move forward], but we submitted our permit because we are looking at a bigger picture,” said Simkins. “We’re looking at an innovation district as a whole, with 7.4 million square feet and 13,000 high-paying jobs to downtown Miami. And we’re hoping to start phase one in June” of 2016.
Simkins stressed that he’s followed the “letter of the law,” in part because critics have accused him and the Overtown CRA of quietly negotiating his project for months without involving the public.
When city commissioners considered his project in April in their capacity as CRA board members, they decided that they didn’t need to vote on the tower’s signage and then deferred a vote on the community benefits agreement. Audience members weren’t allowed to speak, and left the meeting wondering if they’d lost their only chance to comment on the project before it was approved.
That would seem a moot point now, with Simkins going back to the CRA board for another hearing. County ethics commissioners began poking around after receiving complaints but decided they had no reason to pursue the issue further.
Still, Mayor Tomás Regalado says he doesn’t believe the CRA should be given the power to approve a billboard tower. Previously, a similar project in the Omni area went before the Miami City Commission. But under Miami law, the executive director of the Overtown redevelopment agency is tasked with reviewing and approving a “media tower” in the redevelopment area, and its correlating public benefits.
This week, at Regalado’s behest, Miami’s legal staff released two pieces of legislation that would repeal the laws that place the authority with the redevelopment agency, and replace it with a new zoning code that requires city commission approval.
“I think it’s unfair for the residents, that they won’t be able to participate in public hearings,” said Regalado, who was accused of fast-tracking the proposed billboard tower in the Omni several years ago.
At first glance, though, activists who hailed Regalado in April for his position on the Innovation Tower are cringing at the legislation. Peter Ehrlich, a member of anti-billboard group Scenic Miami, said Wednesday after reading Regalado’s legislation that he worries it would actually allow for more billboard towers with less scrutiny.
“This legislation is horrible,” he said.
Simkins’ attorneys don’t believe the proposed legislation would even apply to the project should it be approved, since Simkins has submitted his plans to the city and the CRA.
City Attorney Victoria Méndez couldn’t say Wednesday whether she agrees. But in late April, her office issued a legal opinion stating that Simkins must still receive administrative approvals for his project, including the approval of a warrant, which can be appealed.
Car sharing company car2go said it would launch service in Miami Beach on Oct. 1.
The company will offer 11 surface lots with 26 designated parking spaces for its service in the city. Users can locate a compact-size Smart vehicle on their car2go app or the company website. Once they reach their location, they can leave the car in any city metered space, any residential street within a car2go home area or return it to a car2go designated space.
car2go charges based on vehicle usage by the minute. It’s offering a discounted $10 membership registration with the promo code BEACH .
"Since we came to Miami, we've been working to make car2go the most relevant transportation option for the Miami way of life," said car2go Miami General Manager Luis Campo. "We recently began covering all tolls during car2go trips in Miami, and with this expansion to Miami Beach, we're thrilled to continue improving car2go based on what Miami residents and visitors want most."
The company already serves Miami. It has 31,000 members in the area, including more than 2,500 residents of Miami Beach. Given that the tourist-packed city has problems with traffic congestion and parking, car2go could offer a nice alternative.
"We're thrilled to see car2go expand to Miami Beach," said Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine. "Miami Beach residents and visitors are increasingly seeking new, environmentally conscious options to move around North, Middle, and South Beach, and carsharing is an important part of realizing that vision."
car2go is owned by Daimler North America Corp.
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After a three-hour deliberation Friday morning,Coral Gables commissioners unanimously approved a site plan and zoning changes for the controversial $172 million hotel, residential and retail development that will replace a 155-room Holiday Inn on U.S. 1 across the street from the University of Miami campus.