BHA News-Spring 2012 - Brickell Homeowners Association

Transcription

VOL. XXII
NO. 1
inside
President’s Column:
Building for the Future
3
12
14
18
Brickell Green Space
Pursuing Parkland
Watchdog Log: Trash,
Noise, Water, Sewer
Marine Stadium:
A Second Chance
NEWSLETTER OF THE BRICKELL HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC.
Focus on Legislative Agenda & Advocacy
t the February BHA Board meeting,
BHA Vice President Gail Feldman led
a visual presentation on some of the
problems affecting Brickell Avenue. FDOT’s
Gus Pego, the top man who has the power
to make changes on Brickell Avenue, was in
attendance at the meeting, along with leaders from the City of Miami and Miami-Dade
County. The goal was to get those with the
power to fix things in the same room at the
same time. These top guns represent
the key entities that have a stake and
a responsibility for various aspects of
the Brickell community’s roadways.
A
Photos, videos tell the
story
Marine Stadium rendering by Arseni Varabyeu
BRICKELL
HOMEOWNERS
ASSOCIATION is comprised of
Condominium
Association
members and Associate members representing over 25,000
residential units along the
Brickell corridor and on Brickell
Key from the Miami River to
Rickenbacker Causeway and
from Biscayne Bay to SW 3
Ave. Founded in 1990, the purpose of BHA is to communicate
common interests more effectively and mobilize support on
important issues relating to
quality of life in the Brickell
community.
www.brickellhomeowners.com
Spring 2012
Ms. Feldman presented compelling photos and videos of problems on Brickell Avenue, our “Main Street,”
that make it unsafe and unattractive. The
images were disheartening and maddening
for residents, business owners, and property holders in the area, especially considering the property taxes they pay. Everyone
agreed that the images should have been
embarrassing for those responsible. (See
photo highlights on pages 9-11.)
Any glimmer of hope?
Yet, weeks later, many of the most egregious incidents of City and County neglect
remain uncorrected. Having seen the BHA
presentation and personally confirming the
poor condition of Brickell’s main thoroughfare, Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff
asked for 90 days to come up with a plan
for significant Brickell Avenue improvements. News from the Commissioner’s
office at the time of publication is that they
have identified partial funds needed for a
beautification program involving medians,
swales and sidewalks, as well as major art
installations along Brickell. City department
heads are likewise committed, we are told.
Mayor Regalado also pledged his support.
Roadway safety
Beyond aesthetics, BHA is advocating
for measures to make Brickell Avenue safer
Continued on page 6
1814 Brickell Avenue Park to Open
ust a week shy of one year since
groundbreaking, the park at 1814
Brickell Avenue is finally slated to open
on May 25th. This is welcome news after
various construction delays, including the
early discovery of ancient bones on the
grounds. BHA salutes Commissioner Marc
Sarnoff for his vision for this parcel of land
in the middle of the Brickell corridor, and his
persistence in seeing it to fruition.
J
The park features a large work of art by
Artist Christian Bernard, who is donating
the piece, his time and talent. The art features the last steel girder from the World
Trade Center given to a city, a strong symbol befitting an important location in the
1814 Brickell Avenue Park.
Check www.brickellhomeowners.com for
details about the opening event.
Safeguarding quality of life for the Brickell community
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From the President Ernesto Cuesta
Building for the Future
am humbled and honored to continue to serve as your BHA President. Thank you, my fellow BHA
Board members, for the confidence
you have shown in me.
I am also extremely encouraged by
those who accepted the challenge to
serve as BHA officers. Before I introduce those who have pledged their
dedication to our mission of enhancing quality of life in the Brickell community, I must thank Herb Bailey, a
founding BHA Board member and
long-time resident of Brickell Forrest,
who chaired the nominating committee. He brought forth a slate for the
executive committee that represents
old and new; young professionals and
retired folks; and each area of the
Brickell community from the Miami
I
River to 26th Road and Brickell Key.
Thank you, Herb, for the 2012-2014
executive committee:
Vice President:
Gail Feldman,
Bristol Tower
I have had the
pleasure of serving
with Gail for the past
two years and am
pleased to have her as my right-hand
in the VP seat. She is passionate and
persistent in her advocacy for Brickell,
and I am very grateful for her dedication. Gail had a long, successful
career in publishing, where she
worked as a magazine publisher, first
in the tourism industry and later with
regional luxury lifestyle magazines
Ernesto Cuesta, on the balcony of The Metropolitan
before she decided to retire five years
ago. She’s a (young) grandmother to
a set of triplets and a set of twins, and
has been a volunteer on the Bristol
Tower Board where she and her husband Steve have lived since 2000.
Gail is heading up a number of initiatives for BHA that you’ll be hearing
more about. We are fortunate to have
her service.
Continued on next page
BHA Board of Directors
BHA EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
Gloria Blasini
Greg Karasik
BRICKELL PARK
SOLARIS AT BRICKELL BAY
PRESIDENT Ernesto Cuesta
Maria Campa
Reed Khan
THE METROPOLITAN
BRICKELL TOWNHOUSE
500 BRICKELL (EAST BLDG.)
VICE PRESIDENT Gail Feldman
ASSOCIATE
MEMBERS
Marta Armas
Regan Marock
KW PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Eugene Michelle
BANKATLANTIC
ST. JUDE MELKITE CATHOLIC
CHURCH
Joel Berger
Sam Miranda
Jose Maria Carneiro da Cunha
Susan King
BRICKELL TOWNHOUSE
SANTA MARIA
BRICKELL WOODS
TREASURER David Lucterhand
Jose Dieguez
Joaquin Mayoral-Parracia
THE ATLANTIS ON BRICKELL
ONE TEQUESTA POINT
THE METROPOLITAN
Scott Buser
Arthur Murphy
SECRETARY William Fitch
Oscar Dominguez
Stephen Owens
BROWN & BROWN OF FLORIDA
CMC MANAGEMENT
BRICKELL ON THE RIVER
BRICKELL PLACE PHASE II
THREE TEQUESTA POINT
Donna Candreva
Randy Olen
MEMBER AT LARGE Juan Cordoba
Fred Drasner
Juan Carlos Pulido
HOTEL URBANO ON BRICKELL
BRICKELL AREA ASSOCIATION
500 BRICKELL
FOUR SEASONS RESIDENCES
500 BRICKELL (WEST BLDG.)
Joseph L. Combs
Fernando Perez
MEMBER AT LARGE Timothy Czerniec
Vicente Ferrera
Judy Santos
IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH
TWO TEQUESTA POINT
BRICKELL 25
THE EMERALD AT BRICKELL
MEMBER AT LARGE Larry Imber
Lourdes Figueroa
Scott Wizner
THE PALACE
VILLA REGINA
DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY
Joanne Russo
THE IMPERIAL AT BRICKELL
GENERAL COUNSEL
Rosa M.delaCamara
Luis Gonzalez
Yvonne Yeomanson
ST. LOUIS
HOUSES OF BRICKELL
Robert B. Green
Jeff Samas
BECKER & POLIAKOFF
Sergio Garcia Granada
DIRECTORS
Blanche P. Back
BRICKELL BISCAYNE
Herbert Bailey
BRICKELL FOREST
Gio Barbarena
ONE BROADWAY
Marguerite Beaty
THE PALACE
SPRING 2012
BRICKELL EAST
Patricia Gomez
BRICKELL TERRACE
Steve Greenberg
BETH DAVID CONGREGATION
Cesar Garcia-Pons
1550 BRICKELL APARTMENTS
Tibor Hollo
FLORIDA EAST COAST REALTY
Jeffrey Hooper
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRICKELL HARBOUR
Rabbi Chaim Lipskar
Marta Hermida
CARBONELL
THE SHUL OF DOWNTOWN/
THE SHUL OF BRICKELL
Carl Hochheiser
Greg Mangram
25 BAY TOWER
CITY NATIONAL BANK
CROSSBRIDGE CHURCH
BRICKELL MAIN STREET, LLLP
(MARY BRICKELL VILLAGE)
MIAMI MANAGEMENT
WELLS FARGO INSURANCE SERVICES OF FLORIDA
Shelly Tygielski
CONTINENTAL GROUP
Phillip Yaffa
ENGEL & VOELKERS
__________________
Natalie Brown
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
Josie Gulliksen
ASST. COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
3
President’s Column continued from previous page
Treasurer:
David Lucterhand,
The Atlantis on
Brickell
David moved to
Brickell in 2009, and
quickly became a fan
of the neighborhood. He joined his
condominium board as secretary and,
currently, serves as its president. He’s
an avid biker, and a vocal advocate of
anti-littering. He stepped up to serve
as a BHA member-at-large in 2011
and will now serve as BHA Treasurer.
This is an important role as we
expand our scope and corresponding
resources to serve the many needs of
our unique community. David is well
suited to the financial role, as he is
Senior Advisor to MarketGrader.com
and Managing Director of MarketGrader Capital where his job is to
build up the company’s Barron's 400
Index Fund over the next 10 years. We
are grateful for his expertise.
Secretary:
William Fitch,
Brickell on The
River
I have had the
pleasure to work
with Bill this past year
as he served as our Bylaws Chair who
tackled updating the bylaws of our
22-year-old organization. Bill is recognized nationwide as an expert in
the fields of building codes and fire
safety. He is the principal of Phyrefish.com, a consulting firm for building code and fire safety, support and
representation. He is President of
Brickell on the River North Tower
Association and Treasurer of the Brickell on the River Master Association,
where he has resided since its opening six years ago. He and his wife,
Ann-Rhea, have lived in Miami since
2005.
4
Member at Large:
Juan Cordoba,
500 Brickell
Mr. Juan Cordoba is a friend to
many in the Brickell
community. He is vice
president of commercial lines for
Wells Fargo Insurance Services of
Florida. He is an owner at one of the
newest member associations of BHA,
500 Brickell, which joined last year
just a short time after coming online in
2008 as one of our community’s latest developments. Juan is a young
man of great energy, enthusiasm and
charm. He came to this country only a
decade ago and began by washing
cars. He says he believes that those
whose paths cross meet for a reason,
and credits those chance meetings for
opening doors in his career. The
charm helps.
Member at Large:
Timothy Czerniec,
Two Tequesta Point
Tim has been a
resident of Two
Tequesta Point since
1999, a member of
the Board of Directors since 2002 and
president for the past six years. He is
also president of the Tequesta Point
Homeowners Association. He has
been directly involved in all aspects of
the ongoing and day-to-day activities
of the condominium as a volunteer.
He’s extremely qualified, with more
than three decades at Barry University
as senior vice president for business
and finance, as well as treasurer of
the corporation. Tim accepted the
nomination to serve on the BHA Executive Committee and the Brickell community, “to help bring people together
for the common good.”
Member at Large:
Larry Imber,
The Palace
Larry Imber has
served on the BHA
Board since 2009. A
50-year+ South Florida resident, Dr. Imber moved to Brickell and The Palace Condominium
from the Gables eight years ago. He
has served on the Palace Board,
including as its president. He had a
long, successful practice as an oral
surgeon/periodontist, and is enjoying
retirement and travel. He is passionate about Brickell and his love of
plants makes him a vocal advocate
for a more beautiful, vibrant Brickell
community.
I want to also
welcome Rosa de
la Camara, shareholder attorney with
Becker & Poliakoff,
who has graciously
accepted the position
of
General
Counsel to BHA. She has concentrated her practice on representing com-
BHA News is published by the Brickell Homeowners Association to keep
neighbors, public officials and others in the community informed of the activities and concerns of its residents. Advertising is accepted on a space-available
basis, and BHA reserves the right to accept or reject all advertising. For advertising information or other details, reserve your space at the BHA website
(www.brickellhomeowners.com) or send an email message to Communications
Director Natalie Brown at [email protected]. Editorial suggestions are also welcome for consideration.
Editor: Natalie Brown • Assistant Editor: Josie Gulliksen
BHA’s mailing address: P.O. Box 45-2403 • Miami, FL 33245-2403
BRICKELL HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION
President’s Column continued
munity associations and understands
the complex issues facing Boards, unit
owners, managers and state and local
policymakers. She was appointed by
the Speaker of the Florida House of
Representatives to be a member of the
Florida Community Association Living
Council whose role is to receive public input on community living and
make recommendations for legislative
changes to the Florida Legislature.
She has served on the Board of Directors of Community Associations Institute–Greater Miami Chapter, and on
the Editorial Advisory Board of Condominium Management Magazine.
She serves as co-counsel for the Miami Beach Council of Condominiums.
Welcome, Rosa, we greatly appreciate
your dedication of time to our community.
The team we have in the Executive
Committee is poised to take BHA to
the next level, with your involvement
and participation. Each officer brings
a unique perspective, abundant talent
and extensive résumé to their volunteer roles of leading our organization.
They will be working on the issues we
have highlighted throughout this publication on behalf of everyone in the
Brickell community.
They will use their experience to
lead, but need your participation to
succeed. As always, we welcome your
involvement, suggestions and comments. Write to us via email at:
[email protected]
•
On the Web:
Latest news,
advisories and
calendar news:
www.brickellhomeowners.com
SPRING 2012
BHA Legislative Agenda
Impact Fees
•
Ensure the proper and legal
use of fees to be invested in
infrastructure that will mitigate
impacts in the area affected by
development, and not to be
diverted to the general fund.
Brickell Avenue Safety
•
Accommodate pedestrians in
this unique urban
environment. Maintain speed limit at
30 mph for all of
Brickell
Avenue
after road resurfacing project is complete.
•
Remove the dangerous,
ineffective flashing beacon at
the 1800 block and replace
with a traffic signal.
•
Change the configuration at
SE 26th Road and Brickell to
discourage the illegal, dangerous left turns to north on Brickell from 26th.
•
Don’t allow FDOT to close the
left turn from Brickell Avenue
to Southeast Sixth Street.
•
Add left-turn arrows at the SE
15th Road and Brickell Avenue
intersection traffic signal.
•
At 11th Street and Brickell Bay
Drive, eliminate some street
parking for added visibility
Parks & Greenspace
•
•
Ensure the timely completion
of development of the 1814
Brickell Avenue Park.
•
Replace all light poles from the
Miami River south to SE 26th
Road for cohesion along the
entire Brickell Avenue corridor.
•
Provide regular, professional
maintenance of median landscaping, sidewalks and utility
hardware on Brickell Avenue.
•
Enact effective rules and oversight for the utilities and other
companies that deface our
pavements with their markings
and do not properly maintain
their equipment and boxes.
School for Brickell
Revisit the Mater Academy Proposal for a Charter School in
the Brickell area as the need
remains acute and is critical for
the area’s success as an urban
neighborhood that includes
families.
Garbage & Waste Hauling
•
Provide condominium owners
refunds or garbage service.
Condo homeowners have historically been assessed in
property taxes for garbage collection but don’t get the service;
high-rise
buildings
—whether commercial or residential—must pay a private
waste hauler for service.
Police Coverage of the
Brickell area
•
A dedicated patrol unit is
sought for the Brickell Avenue
neighborhood.
Other Major Issues
Continue to seek additional
greenspace for the growing
Brickell residential and business community.
•
The City should terminate its
contracts for Red Light cameras citywide as they are a nuisance and hazardous.
Landscaping & Beautification
•
Extend the DDA catchment
area to include Point View and
Southeast 15th Road to Southeast 26 Road.
•
Trolley service – should be free
for all districts.
•
Improve medians, sidewalks
and swales appropriate for
Miami’s gateway thoroughfare.
5
Legislative Agenda continued from previous page
City Commissioner Marc Sarnoff: “Give me 90 days to
come up with a plan.”
for those who use it for walking,
strolling, running and cycling every
day, as well as driving. BHA asked Mr.
Pego to consider the following needs
as identified by residents and those
who live, work, play and drive in the
Brickell community:
o Maintaining the 30 mph speed
limit for all of Brickell, post-construction. Currently the southern
portion of Brickell is slated to go
back up to 35 mph instead of 30
mph like the rest of Brickell when
the roadway construction is completed, which is imminent.
o
Changing the dangerous pedestrian flashing beacon at the 1800
block for a real traffic signal
before a pedestrian gets hit trying
to cross.
Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado: “You have the support of
the Mayor’s office to do it the right way.”
o
Adding left turn
arrows to the traffic signal at SE
15th Road and
Brickell Avenue.
Limited site visibility and speeding
cars on Brickell
make left turns in
all directions dangerous here.
o
Changing the configuration at SE
26th Road and Brickell (shown
above) to discourage the illegal,
dangerous left turns when heading north on Brickell from 26th.
We do not want to close the South
Miami Avenue left turn access
from 26th Road.
o
Not closing the left turn from
Brickell Avenue to SE 6th Street.
County Engineer Gaspar Miranda later “Re-analyzed the proposed improvements at this intersection” and agreed with BHA.
A plan for SE 26th Road
and Brickell intersection
Thus far, BHA has been successful
on one count…where Miami-Dade
County, not FDOT, is drawing up the
plans. After presenting video footage
of two flagrant traffic violations
caught on tape in just 15 minutes’
time, Miami-Dade County re-looked
at the SE 26th Road and Brickell
County Commissioner Bruno Barreiro: “Let us know how
we can help.”
6
Legislative Agenda continued from previous page
Avenue intersection. For years BHA
residents have complained about
vehicles heading east on 26th Road
before the toll plaza making illegal
and dangerous left turns onto Brickell
from the second left lane. Drivers
make this illegal turn because the one
left turn lane provided backs up, often
beyond the holding queue space, and
because the configuration of the lanes
and median cut seem to encourage it.
Gaspar Miranda, P.E., assistant
director of highway engineering for
the Public Works and Waste Management Department reported a few days
after the February BHA meeting that
the County has agreed to not close
the South Miami Avenue left turn
access, which many feared would
make the problems at Brickell and
26th Road even more acute. Mr.
Miranda provided details of the
changes to be made to the lane configuration in conjunction with the
upcoming Rickenbacker toll plaza
construction project. It is hoped that
the changes mitigate the dangerous
left turns that most residents have
experienced. Mr. Miranda explained
the planned improvements:
“As a part of the [Miami-Dade
County] project to improve access to
the Rickenbacker Causeway toll facility, we propose to narrow the SE 26
Road center median to extend that
left-most eastbound straight lane (that
you see individuals improperly turning
left from) all the way back to South
Miami Avenue, so that it will look like
a straight lane and not be part of a
left turn bay. We will also be using
striping to “bend” all of the eastbound
26 Road straight lanes away from the
left turn lane at the Brickell Avenue
approach with a fat painted wedge
median island to further clarify that
only one lane turns left. All of this
work is tied to changing the lane
usage at the toll plaza and aligns with
the striping between the plaza and
Brickell Avenue. Since all of this work
will be within State right of way, [Miami-Dade] Public Works and Waste
SPRING 2012
Management Department is coordinating with FDOT to obtain their permits to accomplish this work.”
After the meeting, Miami Police
Lieutenant Alberto Alberto responded
with dedicated traffic enforcement at
the SE 26th Road and Brickell Avenue
intersection. He reported 40 summonses written and one traffic arrest
in the days after the meeting.
Thank you, Mr. Miranda for your
speedy response and a sound plan for
addressing the issue. BHA directors
are disappointed we couldn’t have
you assigned to the Brickell area permanently.
Who can help?
FDOT Secretary Gus Pego: “I have a whole page of notes.”
neering study shows 30 mph, then
we’ll go to 30 mph,” he said.
“Everything we’re doing on Brickell is going to raise the bar,” Mr. Pego
told BHA Directors and residents. “Let
us finish the [roadway refurbishing]
project and see where we’re at. I have
a whole page of notes.”
At the March BHA Board meeting
County Mayor Carlos Gimenez
offered his support on the Brickell
safety measures and vowed to appeal
to those in charge on BHA’s behalf.
Mayor Regalado pledged his support on addressing the problems of
safety and aesthetics along the Brickell corridor. “You have the support of
the Mayor’s office to do it the right
way,” Mayor Regalado said. “We are
trying to do more with less, but we will
try to do it with the County and State’s
help.”
However, since Brickell Avenue is
part of U.S. 1 and the State Highway
system, the man who really controls The next four pages further
the fate of Brickell residents is FDOT detail the problems facing
District VI Secretary, Gus Pego. After Brickell with articles in our
seeing photos of Brickell sidewalks in neighbors’ own words and
unsafe and unsightly condition and
photos from a typical walk
videos of roadway issues that create a
walk-at-your-own-risk environment along the Avenue.
for pedestrians, Mr. Pego said that he
would consider the
requests and take
another look at engineering studies, but
made no promises on
the key issues involving the speed limit
and traffic signalization. Any added signals
on
Brickell
Avenue would require
FDOT approval.
“As you continue to BHA Vice President Gail Feldman, Communications Director Natalie Brown and
get more density, traf- President Ernesto Cuesta with Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, who said
he would advocate to FDOT on BHA’s behalf for maintaining the 30 mph speed
fic will slow down,” Mr. limit for all of Brickell and converting the flashing pedestrian beacon at the 1800
Pego said. “If the engi- block to a regular traffic signal.
•
7
The Safety of Brickell Avenue
Jay Solowsky doesn’t mince words over dangerous, ineffective “beacon”
After another near-miss at the
1800 block of Brickell Avenue at
the flashing pedestrian beacon,
Mr. Solowsky boldly expresses
the sentiment felt by many
neighbors in this email.
Commissioner Sarnoff: Many of us
have expressed to FDOT and Gus
Pego that the flashing light crosswalk
on Brickell Avenue at Stanley Axelrod
Towers (a seniors facility) is dangerous
and ineffective. BHA has expressed its
belief that the crosswalk is ineffective
and that the 30 mph speed limit on
Brickell be maintained when construction is complete. The requests have
been rebuffed. FDOT is concerned
with moving vehicles — not with protecting pedestrians.
I live on Brickell Avenue and drive
it twice daily and walk it at least three
times a week. You have seen the
videos of pedestrians almost being run
over as they cross. I see issues several
times a week. Today I was walking
back from Mary Brickell Village and
triggered the crosswalk. I crossed
three lanes of traffic without incident
and as I set forth into the final lane, I
was almost hit by a car that did not
stop. I am quite a bit more agile than
the seniors who live at Stanley Axelrod
Towers and was fortunately able to
jump back and avoid the car.
It is quite clear that Gus Pego is
either incompetent, unwilling, unable
or willfully ignorant. The urban density
that we now have on Brickell and the
CBD is outside of his realm of experience as it has not existed in the State
of Florida prior to now. But it is our
reality. Mr. Pego is a creature of his
experience, which given the significant change in population in the past
10 years, makes him a dinosaur.
Since he is unwilling to respond to the
situation, I request that you, as the District 2 Commissioner, request a meet-
ing with the head of FDOT and/or
with the Governor’s Office. Perhaps
the City Manager can attend as well.
We should request that Mr. Pego be
reassigned, replaced or retired. He
just doesn’t get it and we cannot and
should not wait until someone else is
seriously injured or killed. In the past,
Mr. Pego has looked at the number of
vehicles traveling down Brickell. This
is not the appropriate analysis. Look
at the change in population density –
the number of people living in Brickell
and the CBD. That is the only appropriate metric. The fact the he is myopically studying vehicular and not
pedestrian traffic tells us all we need
to know about his focus and degree of
competence.
I am willing to travel with you at
my own expense. I have copied Mr.
Pego with this email as I want to deal
with this in an open and transparent
manner.
•
1221 Brickell Avenue, Suite 800 • Miami, Florida 33131
Phone: (305) 789-7900
www.kanecpas.com
8
The State of Brickell Avenue
An appeal from Brickellite Gail Feldman
BHA’s photographic and video
review of the state of Brickell
Avenue for elected officials at
the February Legislative meeting
was introduced with this message.
Most great cities of the world have
a primary road that prepares its travelers for an unfolding introduction to
its central business and residential districts, such as the Champs Élysées in
Paris and Park Avenue in New York.
For example, Park Avenue’s character achieves an urban excellence
that promotes a strong sense of arrival
and amazement by utilizing important
elements of landscape, lighting, colors, materials, traffic control and flow,
safe and sensible pedestrian and bicycle utilization, etc.
In addition, one has an immediate
sense of a serious high quality maintenance condition that is the same level
each and every day. Some of us
remember when the oncedirty city changed its character with a beautification and
utilization program. The success of this program allows
the observer to experience
one of the most elegant and
exciting entries into the heart
of this world-centric place.
We are not in Manhattan,
nor is Brickell Park Avenue.
However the underlying assets, policies, programs and processes that
brought Park Avenue to its world-class
condition and utilization also apply to
our Brickell Avenue…Miami’s gateway boulevard.
Brickell Avenue is home to thousands of residents, core businesses,
entertainment venues, pedestrians,
bike riders, adults, children, visitors,
daily workers, and on and on! All of
this is most certainly meaningful to
everyone who falls into this endless
Park Avenue in New York City underwent the same
transformation needed in the Brickell community.
list…we finance the City of Miami.
Seventy-nine percent of all of the city
real estate taxes Miami collects is generated from District 2, the heart of
which is Brickell, and all of us who live
here. We deserve, and should
demand excellence!
Our gateway is in terrible condition. It exudes a “second-hand status”
rather than an image of the ultra-valuable asset that it is. We implore the
City of Miami, FDOT and Miami-Dade
County to take care of this treasure.
•
Sidewalks & Pedestrian Safety
• Sidewalk repairs inconsistent, often creating hazards
• Deep ruts lining sides of new slabs
• Inconsistent slab patterns and colors for a patchwork,
random quality
• Bus shelters obstruct sidewalks, full of litter and graffiti
SPRING 2012
9
Utilities seem to have free reign
• Hanging, exposed wires and lines
• Utility boxes with no consistency in design, placement
and no maintenance of grafitti
• Manhole covers unsightly, irregularly placed, shaped
and serviced
• Markings for utilities left for months after work done
10
Worker disregard for
safety, aesthetics,
decency
• Work sites left for pedestrians to
navigate
• Dangerous hazards marked, left for
weeks
• Huge cement traffic signal box left
on sidewalk for weeks
• Spray can left for weeks
Medians:
Simply a disgrace
SPRING 2012
11
COLUMN
Community advocates for increased Brickell parkland
By Mark Schrieber
rickell has undergone a significant transformation over the
past few years, burgeoning from
a neighborhood dominated by offices
with little activity after the workday
ended, into a bustling urban district
which is the envy of all of Miami. The
recent condo boom has provided a
healthy mix of residential options and
retail components giving Brickell the
highest residential density south of
Manhattan.
However, there is still a critical
piece of infrastructure missing. Brickell
lacks the public parkland and open
space needed to create and maintain
a vibrant neighborhood for the long
term. Miami has one of the lowest
rates of parkland per 1,000 residents
among US cities, and the Brickell
neighborhood ranks even lower than
the City of Miami average.
As occupancy rates and population continue to explode, there are
B
12
limited options for the
expansion of public
space to handle the
increased
demand
from our citizens. The
window of opportunity
for the City to secure
available lands for the
health, quality of life
and livability of our
community is rapidly
closing. Brickell Green
Space, led by a group
of local residents, is
One of the best opportunities for a large addition of parkland in Brickell is located
advocating for the between the Metrorail and Metromover tracks from the River south to 7th Street.
addition of five acres
of public open space
The potential locations for the profor a neighborhood park, which posed park align with several previwould be similar in scope to Margaret ously published master plans and
Pace Park or Kennedy Park. This can studies. The City of Miami Parks Masbe done through a combination of ter Plan, created back in 2007, identiacquiring vacant land, and turning fied the need for a neighborhood
temporary parks into permanent park between Mary Brickell Village
parks.
Brickell Parkland continued
and the Miami River. The park also
falls along the Metromover and future
Miami River Greenway, both of which
are being developed as key pedestrian mobility conduits through Brickell,
allowing easy access for all. Another
area of focus is the transformation of
the Brickell Flatiron property into a
permanent park, which is identified in
the Miami Downtown Development
Authority 2025 Master Plan (although
construction progress has been slow,
delayed by utility and other site complications).
The ideal site identified
Luckily, the slight pause in the
pace of development has allowed us
time to reconsider our typical development patterns and address the urgent
need for quality open space. One of
the best opportunities for a large
addition of parkland in Brickell is
located between the Metrorail and
Metromover tracks from the River
south to 7th Street. Currently in private ownership, a public/private partnership is being developed to acquire
the property.
Public support is significant and
will be the driving force in making the
park a reality. The new influx of young
professionals and families that now
call Brickell home have joined long-
time residents with a resounding ‘Yes’
to Brickell Green Space.
How you can support the concept
Brickell Green Space has
launched a website, www.brickellgreenspace.com, where you can sign
up to show your support for new parkland or get involved with the group.
Currently the group has garnered
approximately 500 signatures from
local citizens and key stakeholders
standing behind Brickell Green Space,
and is on its way toward real change
for the community.
Once complete, the new park will
be a key component of Miami’s
growth from a tourist destination to a
true global city.
•
Mark Schrieber is a Brickell resident
and co-founder of the Brickell Green
Space initiative, which is a volunteerled, community advocacy group working for increased parkland in Brickell.
A graduate of the University of Miami
School of Architecture, Mr. Schrieber is
also a Maritime Enforcement Specialist in the US Coast Guard Reserve. He
currently works for The Spinnaker
Group as a project manager, helping
building owners reach their sustainability goals and achieve LEED certification.
In the Community
Lunchtime at the Apollo:
Brickell bank riding wave
of food truck craze
very second Thursday of the
month, the Apollo Bank parking
lot at 1150 South Miami Avenue is
transformed into a food truck haven.
Bank employees and the surrounding
working community are responding.
Since December 2011, some of the
most popular food trucks have gathered to serve up their gourmet eats
including sliders, grilled cheeses,
Mexican fare, seafood and desserts.
Melissa Martinez, director of
Human Resources for Apollo Bank,
conceptualized the event and said
“We wanted to create an event that
would involve the community and
also provide a fun environment for
our employees at lunchtime.”
Ms. Martinez works to rotate the
trucks each month and give lunch
goers as much variety as possible.
Food truck enthusiasts can check
@Apollo Bank on Twitter or facebook.com/Apollobank for each
month’s scheduled participants.
E
•
Send your community events in
advance to Natalie Brown at
[email protected]
SPRING 2012
13
Watchdog Log: The Nuts and Bolts of Quality of Life
The following news briefs highlight a few of the quality of life and safety issues BHA is working on.
Trash
Several residents wrote to BHA to
complain and ask “who should have
been responsible? after the March 2425 weekend which was jam-packed
with activities in the Brickell and surrounding area. Ultra Music Festival,
Sony Ericsson Tennis Tournament,
Taste of Brickell, to name a few. Brickell Resident Jay Solowsky, in his inimitable way, expressed the dismay
conveyed in emails to BHA in this
memo to City officials:
“Miami was the site this past
weekend of multiple events of global
prominence with significant media
coverage. How do you think it made
the City of Miami look to have
garbage strewn along its most important avenue? This question is not
rhetorical and an answer would be
appreciated.
We now have in excess of 93%
occupancy in Brickell and the Central
Business District. We are working hard
and have spent many thousands of
dollars to create and project an
appropriate image. Situations like this
speak volumes to the administrative
incompetence which is pervasive in
our City. As you know, a chain is only
as strong as its weakest link, and Solid Waste has been and continues to
be a weak link.
I await a response from the
responsible official. Thank you.”
Soon after the email exchange,
the Director for the City of Miami
Department of Solid Waste, Keith Carswell, responded to Mr. Solowsky and
BHA. He vowed to rectify the problem
and to have the crews pay closer
attention to emptying the trash, picking up the areas around the trash
receptacles and being better prepared
on major weekends to service the
area. Mr. Carswell attended the April
BHA Board meeting to further
respond to concerns about trash in
the Brickell corridor.
14
Noise
Folks living vertically have a keen
understanding of the physics of
sound—acoustics, amplitude, longitudinal waves, transverse waves—from
living out one truth: loud music travels
up. Up dozens of stories high. Over
the bay and into apartments through
hurricane-strength construction and
impact-resistant windows. Into our
eardrums. Reverberating through our
bones.
Two sources of noise have reemerged in the past few months: the
party boats plying Biscayne Bay and
the partiers on Hobie Beach blaring
their car stereos after hours.
BHA is pursuing both problems
until they get fixed again. (And if
needed, we will renew our efforts
when a key player changes, whether it
be a particular cop or administrator.)
Hobie Beach is an official County
park on the swath of land lining Rickenbacker Causeway. It is particularly
popular with wind surfers, dog owners
and tailgaters, offering calm bay
waters and free access. As a MiamiDade County park, it is subject to the
same across-the-board rule for all
parks: visitors are to be gone by sunset, not after. The statute provides for
a $500 fine and/or 60 days in jail for
trespassers, as well as possible vehicle/equipment impounding.
While BHA neighbors don’t care
about people enjoying the bay after
dark, the problem is that those who
are there late at night seem to be predominantly the type who like to play
their car stereos loudly, subjecting
thousands of residents lining Biscayne
Bay to their beat and their bass. Former NET Police Commander Ethyl
Jones had solved the problem. She
was able to ensure that whoever was
responsible from the City’s Parks
Department was closing the gate at
dusk. Done. But Cmdr. Jones retired
from Miami Police a few months ago,
and we’re on our second commander
assigned to the area. The City and
County are working on who’s responsible for closing the gate...again.
BHA Vice President Gail Feldman
gets a lot of the neighbors’ calls these
days as the unofficial handler of this
problem. “The park must be closed at
dusk...plain and simple,” she said. “It
should not be a police issue, but
rather an issue for the parks folks. I
am trying to be fair and more importantly, polite, but it is hard to do after
12 years of consistent pleading to get
this major disturbance rectified.”
Another set of neighbors on Brickell Key whose apartments face the
water have been subjected to the loud
music not from the random revelers,
but from commercial party boats
docking and traveling along Biscayne
Bay. It’s been a problem in the past,
worked out so party boat owners were
in compliance with the ordinance. But,
the problem was back again. BHA got
a flurry of complaints from residents
after several disruptive days in March,
including this from the Giorgetti
household:
“Although I live on the 33rd floor
of Two Tequesta Point (facing the bay),
the music coming from The Biscayne
Lady is so exceedingly loud it makes
the items on my desk move; I assure
you I am not exaggerating. I have
spoken with other residents of my
building as well as the rest of the
island, and they have all encountered
similar “brick walls” when trying to
deal with this particular boat’s noise
violation (as per city ordinance).”
And this, from a resident of One
Tequesta Point: “With spring break
and the Ultra Music Festival on hand,
the problem has once again reached
unacceptable levels. There is no problem with the Ultra venue itself. The
problem is with the tourist boats that
have nothing to do with Ultra, capitalContinued on next page
Watchdog Log continued
izing on Ultra’s presence.
“Miami’s noise ordinance is quite
explicit, and the current practice of the
boats is in clear violation of the codes.
The worst offenders are the boats that
sit at dock (Tiki and Biscayne Lady are
the worst) and play loud music to
attract patrons, an explicit violation of
the code.”
In April, the noise problem
assaulting Brickell Key residents was
brought under control by NET Administrator Haydee Wheeler and Sergeant
Mike Gonzalez from the Specialized
Operations Section of the Miami
Police Department’s Marine Patrol
Detail, who worked with the boat
owners to ensure that they comply
with the law.
But now, in early May we hear that
the party boats are docking along the
Miami River and playing music so
loudly that it’s heard on the top floors
of Brickell on the River.
Now chasing the boats up the River, BHA will continue to pursue this
issue. Stay tuned....
Water and Sewer
The familiar sight of standing
water and flooding conditions after
heavy rains is being addressed.
FDOT’s Brickell Avenue project
has included drainage improvement
work at the Brickell Avenue intersection at SE 13 Street/Coral Way. Work
included the installation of several
underground drainage structures and
a storm water force main.
In Mary Brickell Village, the City is
leading a $2.4 million project with a
new pump station to improve drainage
in the area between SE 1st and SW 1st
Avenues on the east and west, and
from SW 9th Street north to SW 13th
Street.
"We are aware of flooding in the
area and without these improvements,
that will continue,” Albert Sosa, director of Capital Improvements Program
for City of Miami, said. “This pump
station will certainly alleviate flooding
SPRING 2012
and although there is no full
solution to the flooding
problem, this will minimize
it.”
Construction is slated to
begin in June or July. Roads
will be torn up but restored,
as will landscaping, city officials promised. They will
also restore sidewalks that
they rip up.
The plan for the six-tonine-month project is to
work on the area in stages
with the crews dedicated to
the pump stations tackling
one block at a time. They
said they would consult with
businesses prior to beginning work to determine the
hours that would cause the
least business disruption.
"There will never be a
Flooding in Mary Brickell Village (top) and on Brickell at 12th Avenue:
soon both problems of the past?
point where an entire road
will be closed," Jeovanny
Rodriguez, assistant director for the to come back from the private sector
Department of Capital Improvements major projects and the developers,
impact fees and special construction
said.
"Our plan is to minimize impact,” connect charges associated with the
Mr. Sosa said. “Nighttime construction new uses.
“While in the short term there may
is an option.”
Miami-Dade County is collaborat- be certain traffic disruptions in certain
ing with the City on this project while areas, the planned work will improve
they plan a larger water and sewer the overall reliability of the sewer sysinfrastructure improvement project for tem in the area for the long term,” Mr.
the area around and to the north. The Soto said.
On the heels of this report to the
Miami-Dade Water and Sewer
BHA
Board, residents read a Miami
Department is building a new pump
Herald
report about the dire state of
station that was three years in the
design stage, and that will enable the sewer system county-wide, and
them to process sewage more effec- that the federal government is
demanding repair of miles of failing
tively.
This new station and new, larger pipes that carry raw sewage. Recent
pipes are needed in light of the ruptures in the aging system and the
growth of the area and to accommo- threat of major environmental havoc
date the area’s 11 major new devel- have prompted EPA officials to visit
opment projects that are slated to Miami to discuss the County’s 7,500
come online or already in the works. miles of sewage lines and 1,041
Jose Soto, Chief, New Customer pump stations. Apparently MiamiDivision for the Water and Sewer Dade County is not alone as many
Department said that they anticipate counties and municipalities grapple
48 percent of the $28 million project
15
Important Community Contacts
The City of Miami NET office is
generally residents’ first line of
contact in resolving neighborhood
concerns. The NET office will contact the appropriate City department on your behalf, if it is a City
of Miami matter, or direct you to
the right resource to resolve your
issue.
City of Miami Commissioner
District 2: Marc Sarnoff
(305) 250-5333
[email protected]
Dist. 35: Senator Gwen Margolis
Tallahassee (850) 487-5121
Miami (305) 571-5777
[email protected]
Miami-Dade County Commissioner
Florida House of Representatives
District 7: Xavier Suarez
(305) 375-5680
[email protected]
Dist. 107: Rep. Luis Garcia, Jr.
Miami (305) 325-2501
[email protected]
Miami-Dade County Commissioner
Neighborhood
Enhancement Team-NET
District 5: Bruno Barreiro
(305) 643-8525
[email protected]
Administrator Haydee Wheeler
(305) 416-2074
[email protected]
Miami-Dade Public Schools
Board-Dist. 3: Dr. Martin Karp
(305) 995-1334
[email protected]
City of Miami Police
Resource Officer Ariel Saud
(305) 710-5222
[email protected]
Florida Senate
Dist. 39: Sen. Larcenia J. Bullard
Miami (305) 668-7344
[email protected]
Commander Jose Fernandez
[email protected]
Watchdog Log continued from previous page
with how to repair and upgrade their old systems, some
as many as 100 years old.
Meanwhile residents and business people located
between the 1100 block of Brickell Avenue and SE 13
Street/Coral Way are enduring days and days of extreme
noise as the contractor works to install an underground
gravity sewer line as part of FDOT’s project in cooperation with the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department.
This work is scheduled through May.
•
BHA Partners for Educational Programs
BHA Treasurer David Lucterhand (left) and President Ernesto Cuesta (right) with The
Continental Group executives Julie Magaldi, Astrid Marten and Bill Worrall at a Condo Board Member Certification course organized by Continental for Brickell board
members in March.
16
U.S. House of Representatives
Dist. 18: Congresswoman
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
D.C. (202) 225-3931
Miami (305) 688-2285
U.S. Senate
Senator Bill Nelson
D.C. (202) 224-5274
Coral Gables (305) 536-5999
Senator Marco Rubio
D.C. (202) 224-3041
Miami: (305) 418-8553
How BHA Works
ounded in 1990, Brickell Homeowners Association
Membership is open to condominium associations and
businesses in the Brickell community. A representative from
each of the member condominium associations sits on the
BHA Board of Directors which meets monthly.
BHA organizes its Board meetings with speakers of
immediate interest to the Brickell community. These forums
help to inform and direct the work of BHA, which is accomplished through a committee structure and through BHA
representation on important governmental and community groups.
The advocacy work of BHA is carried out by volunteers,
therefore participation of residents is important and
desired in BHA activities and programs. Residents interested in attending a meeting or becoming involved in other
ways are urged to be in contact with their condominium rep.
To directly communicate with residents, timely topics
are covered in this quarterly newsletter, which is distributed
to each household in BHA. This issue is the 61st edition of
BHA News. Information of importance to Brickell neighbors
is also covered on the BHA website, www.brickellhomeowners.com, which contains a comprehensive tracking of
topics over time. This serves to help hold public officials
accountable for timetables and promises, and serves an
important watchdog function.
Contact Communications Director Natalie Brown at
[email protected] to learn more.
F
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SPRING 2012
17
COLUMN
Miami Marine
Stadium To Be
Reborn By Don Worth
nce destined for the wrecking
ball, the legendary Miami
Marine Stadium is now on a
path to restoration. Visitors and residents alike might have access to what
may be the greatest outdoor entertainment venue in the U.S. In March
2012, the Miami City Commission
approved legislation creating a partnership with Friends of Miami Marine
Stadium, a not-for-profit organization,
to develop a plan to restore and operate the Marine Stadium. Under the
terms of the Agreement, the Friends
group has two years to fully raise the
funding necessary and develop an
operating plan for the Stadium.
O
The Past
The Miami Marine Stadium is a
6,500-seat grandstand on and over
the water in Virginia Key, on the way
to Key Biscayne. Originally designed
for boat racing, the Marine Stadium
was built in 1963. The stadium was
designed by architect Hilario Candela, a young, 28-year-old architect
educated at the University of Havana
and Georgia Tech. Hilario went on to
become President of Spillis Candela,
at one time the largest Hispanicowned architectural firm in the United
States. He is a Co-Founder of Friends
of Miami Marine Stadium. The initial
cost of the Stadium and the Marine
Stadium Basin, which was dredged at
the same time, was $2 million. When
it was built, the origami-like, foldedplate roof of the Stadium was the
largest span of cantilevered concrete
in the world.
During its years of operation
(1963-1992), the Stadium hosted a
wide spectrum of events: powerboat
races, symphony and rock concerts,
Easter services, presidential appearances, talk shows and countless num18
Pay 'n Pak, Miss Budweiser, and Lincoln Thrift, 1975 Champion Spark Plug Regatta
bers of community events. Performers
would play on a floating stage
anchored just a few feet from the
Marine Stadium. Dozens—sometimes
hundreds of boats—would surround
the stage to create one of the most
unique entertainment venues to be
found anywhere. Performers at the
Marine Stadium included The Who,
Ray Charles, Arthur Fiedler and the
Boston Pops, Jimmy Buffett, and many
more.
The Stadium was shuttered after
Hurricane Andrew in 1992 (it was
never damaged) and has sat vacant
ever since.
The Present
In 2008, The Friends of Miami
Marine Stadium was organized to
actively promote retention and restoration of this remarkable building.
Since that time, much progress
has been made. In October of 2008,
the Miami Marine Stadium was designated historic by the City’s Historic
Preservation Board. The City’s Master
Plan for Virginia Key, approved in July
of 2010 makes the Marine Stadium
one of the key components of the
plan. The Stadium is also a key priority for Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado.
Meanwhile, the Stadium has generated significant national interest.
The Marine Stadium was named to
the National Trust For Historic Preser-
vation’s “11 Most Endangered List”
(2009) and the World Monuments
Fund Watch List (2010). Jimmy Buffett
cut a video endorsement and the Miami Herald has written seven editorials
in support of restoration.
The Future
Given the challenging economic
situation for government, Friends of
Miami Marine Stadium is committed
to restore and operate the Stadium
without any funding from the City of
Miami. Of the estimated $30 million
restoration cost, Friends of Miami
Marine Stadium already has $10 million in commitments. The balance must
be raised through a capital campaign.
The Miami Marine Stadium will be
a tremendous asset to Miami, a wonderful amenity for residents and an
economic generator capable of hosting one-of-a-kind events and spectacles. To learn more, email Don Worth
([email protected]) or visit
www.marinestadium.org.
Donald (“Don) Worth is a Co-Founder
of Friends of Miami Marine Stadium and
has been involved in a wide variety of
preservation issues over the last 15
years. He was Vice Chairman of the
Urban Arts Committee of Miami Beach,
which created the first photography
exhibit of Miami Modern (MiMo) architecture.
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