Miami=Midtown Miami Performing Arts District [Archive] - Page 4

dave8721

December 15th, 2005, 07:57 PM

The writers are shocked!!! A neighborhood is ok with highrises since they will improve the quality of life. Who would have thought??

http://www.miamisunpost.com/thirdstoryfrontpage.htm

High-Rises Welcome
Shorecrest Neighbors Back Variances for Highrises

“I’m not looking forward to seeing a 20-story building right outside my door, but I believe it will enhance my neighborhood.” — Manny Simon, Shorecrest resident

By Mario Martinez

Miami’s Zoning Board cleared the way for a new development on the shores of Biscayne Bay, Monday, after residents said the project going up just north of the 79th Street Causeway near Mike Gordon’s Restaurant would become a welcome addition to their neighborhood.

Shorecrest residents said the variances given to River Bait and Tackle, LLC, the current owner of the site, were needed to help protect the character and scale of the historic neighborhood.

The zoning also would allow the developer to build two high-rise condominiums on the site.

Lucia Dougherty, attorney for The Related Group of Florida, who will develop the site, told the board her client has been meeting with neighbors since the project’s inception to ensure it is the best possible fit for Shorecrest.

One of the zoning changes allows for a waterfront restaurant, converting the property at 7951 NE Bayshore Court to “C-1 Restricted Commercial” from “O Office.”

Changes were also made across the street at 7921 N. Bayshore Drive and 7950 NE Bayshore Court, where The Related Group intends to build parking for its project. Dougherty requested the property be changed from R-3 to C-1, but insisted her client has no intention of using the liberal height and mass the C-1 category allows for a large commercial project. Without the change, Dougherty explained, parking on the site would be prohibited, forcing the developer to build parking along the water’s edge, something both the neighbors and developer are trying to avoid.

Several neighbors appeared before the board to attest that the developers considered their concerns before completing the design.

“This is an area that has been forgotten for a long time and has become an eyesore,” said Manny Simon, who lives across the street from the project site. “I’m not looking forward to seeing a 20-story building right outside my door, but I believe it will enhance my neighborhood and that the benefits far outweigh the negatives.”

Allyson Warren of the Shorecrest Homeowners Association said the developer has been meeting with the community even before closing on the property and has brought positive suggestions to the table.

“The [Related Group] has offered a number of things for this neighborhood: a park, a bay walk, repairing a retaining wall. We all want a 15-story building there, but that will never happen,” said Warren. “We believe this will be a very good asset.”

Besides a waterfront restaurant and ground-level retail stores, the site will house two 20-story towers with condominiums aimed at median-income homebuyers. The added traffic in the area concerns neighbors, but supporters of the variance are confident that plans to add a lane for eastbound 79th Street traffic and to return 81st Street to a single-lane road will be adopted by the Florida Department of Transportation next year.

nimbyhater

December 15th, 2005, 08:30 PM

we need more people like this... we need to throw them a party, can get them all drunk, and have them make lots of babies, and spread their offspring throughoutt he northeast section of miami and all over miami beach... we need more people like this

dave8721

December 15th, 2005, 09:42 PM

One northeast bulding gets through, another gets chopped beyong recognition. Did you guys notice that one the development report they cut Rail72 from being a 30-story 396 foot tall building to be a 2-story, 30-foot tall building? Thats why I call downsizing.

The Mad Hatter!!

December 15th, 2005, 10:02 PM

no its not downsized.....its that rail72 is 2 buildings

renner01

December 15th, 2005, 10:11 PM

http://www.guardianfire.com/tools/jobmanager/constructionImages/thumb_operatower3.JPG

renner01

December 15th, 2005, 10:14 PM

http://www.guardianfire.com/tools/jobmanager/constructionImages/palmermo.JPG

renner01

December 15th, 2005, 10:33 PM

http://img437.imageshack.us/img437/5187/operatower11ll.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

renner01

December 15th, 2005, 10:37 PM

http://www.guardianfire.com/tools/jobmanager/constructionImages/platinum.JPG

renner01

December 15th, 2005, 10:42 PM

http://www.guardianfire.com/tools/jobmanager/jobImages/thumb_moonbay.jpg http://www.guardianfire.com/tools/jobmanager/constructionImages/moonbay.JPG

rider_of_rohan

December 16th, 2005, 05:14 AM

[QUOTE=dave8721]The writers are shocked!!! A neighborhood is ok with highrises since they will improve the quality of life. Who would have thought??

Whoaaa Dave for a minute there I thought you were talking about that 52 story building. I was shocked too lol. Ah this area needs some development, a 20 story building is not so bad.

dave8721

December 16th, 2005, 03:16 PM

no its not downsized.....its that rail72 is 2 buildings

That would make sense. The 2-story building could be the long short building from the renderings and that would explain why it would still have 394 parking spaces but then again the development report does list its height at only 30 feet and says it now has only 51 residences and is only 102,000 sqft. For comparison the Bay Park Plaza (also 39 stories) is 819,000 sqft. 102000 sqft is about the total square footage of Brickell Vista on 8th Street. Hope those are just the stats of the smaller building and they left out the taller one.

MIAballinboi

December 16th, 2005, 09:38 PM

your on a row renner, nice updates, go cranez

The Mad Hatter!!

December 16th, 2005, 11:22 PM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v289/enyers/corcasa.jpg

streetscapeer

December 19th, 2005, 08:04 PM

I'm lovin all the updates...I'm surprised by how much I like Platinum, much better looking than in the renderings imo

thanks renner and everyone else!:)

nimbyhater

December 20th, 2005, 02:03 AM

wooo... hatter, wat is that so tall north of i-195?

brickell

December 30th, 2005, 05:38 PM

Bad news friday...

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/13512638.htm

Condo project dealt blow
An appeals court decision has reopened a contentious battle over a Biscayne Boulevard condo complex -- and may test how stringently city of Miami officials will apply some new development rules.
BY ANDRES VIGLUCCI
aviglucci@MiamiHerald.com

An appeals court has handed civic activists a rare legal victory in a high-profile development battle, overturning the city of Miami's approval of a controversial Biscayne Boulevard condo project that critics say would overshadow a nearby historic neighborhood.

The Third District Court of Appeal concluded that Miami officials applied the wrong standards in reviewing the Kubik project, which was approved by the City Commission in June 2004 after several redesigns and more than 60 contentious community meetings and public hearings.

Barring appeals by the city or the developers, the decision essentially sends the proposal back to the city for reconsideration -- but under stricter criteria that opponents contend the project can't meet in its existing form.

The court ruling could thus reopen a drawn-out and bitterly contested decision that elected officials thought was settled...

ISG

December 31st, 2005, 03:43 AM

never heard of this project where is it supposed to be located?

MIAballinboi

December 31st, 2005, 04:52 AM

sucky news, maybe the new year will bring better news

trickykid

December 31st, 2005, 10:21 AM

never heard of this project where is it supposed to be located?

Biscayne and 48th or there abouts? that area has nearly no pedestrian activity anyway. AKA no sidewalks!?!

havok100

December 31st, 2005, 10:46 PM

Actually, Kubik is just to the north of 55th Street Station, which contains Soyka Restaurant, Sushi Samba, a gym, and a few other stores. Just to north is a few more retail stores, starbucks, and other restaurants. The area is still kind of shady at night, but it has changed for the better, compared to what it use to look like 4 years ago.

mileageman

January 5th, 2006, 08:57 PM

Well-Known Architect and Artist Add Talents to Pinnacle's Miami Development

MIAMI, Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Pinnacle Housing Group believes that
affordable housing can be as attractive to look at and to live in as the
market-rate housing that has skyrocketed out of reach for so many working
families in South Florida.
Pinnacle is proving that theory with its latest affordable-housing
development, Los Suenos, a 179-unit apartment building in the city of Miami's
Wynwood neighborhood, at 500 NW 36th St. Pinnacle recently broke ground on the
development and residency is projected for October of 2006.
The 13-story high-rise residential community was designed by prominent
Miami architect Kobi Karp and will feature a colorful 20-foot-tall sculpture
by well-known Miami Beach artist Romero Britto, making Los Suenos a beautiful
addition to Miami's glittering skyline while offering apartments at rents that
are affordable for working families, couples and individuals.
"We do not believe that affordable housing has to look affordable," said
Pinnacle Housing Group Partner Michael Wohl. "All of our affordable-housing
developments are attractive additions to their communities and offer modern
and comfortable living that is affordable for working-class people."
Approximately 13 percent of the apartments in the Los Suenos community
will be affordable for residents with incomes at or below 30 percent of the
Miami-Dade County median-income guidelines and the remainder of the units will
be affordable for residents with incomes at or below 60 percent of the median-
income guidelines.
The Miami-Dade County median income guideline for a family of four is
currently $46,350. Rents in Los Suenos will range from $258 to $771 per month,
depending on the size of the apartment and income of the residents.
Los Suenos will offer 18 one-bedroom, one-bath units; 112 two-bedroom,
two-bath units; and 49 three-bedroom, two-bath units.
All apartments will be energy efficient and have high-quality appliances
including dishwashers, central air conditioning and heating units, window
treatments, laundry hook-ups, bedroom and living room ceiling fans, berber
carpet and ceramic tile. The development will feature a community center,
swimming pool, playground/tot-lot, fitness center, secure parking and a secure
card-entry system.
Karp has designed many award-winning projects worldwide and is well known
for his designs of high rises in South Florida and his renovations of historic
hotels, retail spaces, nightclubs and restaurants in South Beach. He received
both the Miami Design Preservation League Merit Award and Dade Heritage Trust
Preservation Award in 2004.
"Proving that creative design and affordable housing can coexist and
result in an attractive home for working families was an exciting
opportunity," said Karp.
Britto is known for his "neo-pop cubism" style, using vibrant colors, pop
imagery and playful patterns of flowers and swirls. Collectors of Britto's
works include Michael Jordan, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Andre Agassi, as well
as the Guggenheims, Rothschilds, Kennedys, Mitterands and former Whitney
Museum President William Woodside. His art is shown in more than 140 galleries
nationwide.
"I am so pleased that my sculpture designed for Los Suenos will grace a
building that is so needed in South Florida's rapidly changing real estate
market," Britto said. "I hope that this sculpture will bring joy not only to
the residents of Los Suenos, but also to all the residents of Miami and Miami
Beach who will drive by it every day."
Britto's creation will be mounted on the top floor of the north facade of
Los Suenos, which faces one of the major gateways between the cities of Miami
and Miami Beach.
The $33 million community is being financed by Citibank and Alliant
Capital. The city of Miami and Miami-Dade County have agreed to contribute
nearly $4 million from funds earmarked for investments in affordable housing
developments.
The 1.6-acre site was a vacant lot that community, city and county leaders
had long sought to have redeveloped into affordable housing that will be an
asset to the community, Wohl said.

Pinnacle has developed more than 4,000 units of affordable rental housing
in South Florida and other areas of the state. In Broward County, Pinnacle is
developing two new affordable-housing communities: Crystal Lakes in Hollywood,
in conjunction with the Broward County Housing Authority, and the "All-
American City" award-winning Pinnacle Village in Pompano Beach.
In Miami-Dade County, Pinnacle plans to break ground in December on The
Corinthian Apartments, an affordable-housing development in Liberty City at
Northwest 78th Street and Northwest 22nd Avenue.
Pinnacle Housing Group is based in Miami, at 9400 S. Dadeland Blvd. For
more information, call Pinnacle at 305-854-7100 or visit the Pinnacle Web site
at http://www.pinnaclehousing.com .

dave8721

January 5th, 2006, 09:19 PM

God, not another Brito sculpture. This one will be visible from I-95 and will pretty much be the main thing people will see approaching Miami from the North. Better not be as silly as the Dadeland North one which was cute for about a day.

Roark

January 13th, 2006, 03:34 PM

http://www.dailybusinessreview.com/news.html?news_id=37423
Plan would leave only presses on Herald site

January 13, 2006
Developer Pedro Martin’s plan to build on the waterfront home of the Miami Herald would replace the 1960s-era office with a high-rise residential tower and suggests most of the newspaper staff would move.

The design opens all kinds of possibilities, brokers say. Possible new homes for everything but the newspaper’s printing press operation include Airport West, Doral and Homestead.

The Herald has not announced any plan to move. Knight Ridder vice president Larry Marbert in Miami would not comment on prospects for relocation based on the plans, which he has seen. Martin declined to comment.

He said Martin, who has a $190 million contract to buy 10 acres around the Herald building and first right of refusal on the waterfront piece, is “not buying” either the Herald office building or printing press acreage on Biscayne Bay.

But artist renderings of Martin’s project designed by Coral Gables-based Revuelta Vega Leon show the squat printing press building sitting between two new waterfront high-rise condo towers.

The newspaper has been the leading corporate booster of downtown Miami for years and helped pave the way for the performing arts center by offering some of its own property.

But real estate experts tantalized by thoughts of a large-scale corporate move focus almost entirely on suburban relocation rather than a switch to another downtown location.

Moving the office staff to the suburbs “makes total sense,” said Edgar Jones, senior director of Florida operations for Rockefeller Group Development Corp., a national office and industrial real estate development company.

The relocation of the Miami Herald Publishing Co. except for its printing press would touch the bottom line on many levels.

“Moving out of downtown and moving to a suburban location brings operating cost substantially down,” said Jeremy Larkin, president of commercial brokerage NAI Miami. “Employees will be willing to work for less if it costs them less time to get there.”

Herald parent Knight Ridder relocated to San Jose, Calif., from downtown Miami in 1998.

Leaving the press in place eliminates a huge piece of baggage, both financial and logistical, that company executives have cited as a disincentive to move the newspaper out of downtown.

The newspaper squeezed a new press directly above the old one to avoid lost production time.

The Herald reported on Martin’s design Sept. 3 and quoted a real estate agent saying the seven-story office might have to be demolished. The article didn’t expand on that concept with any company comment.

Jones said he heard that the Herald had an interest in keeping the press in place for at least 10 more years, even though prospective buyers had proposed an immediate relocation.

“It may not happen five years down the road, but in 10 to 15 years they would get it out of there and build” on the land under the press, Jones said.

Florida City Mayor Otis Wallace said south Miami-Dade County has the land and a residential base that is ready for newcomers.

Jones helped Delta Air Lines shop around for a new call center three years ago. His cost analysis of Miramar, where his company is helping build a town center, and Homestead produced a $2 million cost difference in favor of Homestead. But Delta chose Miramar for its central location for employees.

Broker Jose Juncadella, who worked at Codina Group for more than 15 years and was involved in the Delta deal, said Homestead has its drawbacks: a long commute from Miami-Dade’s population base, industrial amenities below the level expected by major corporations and a lack of corporate peers as neighbors.

Lobbyist and former county manager Steve Shiver said a Herald move to Homestead doesn’t make sense because the area is not centrally located.

If land costs are not the overriding priority, brokers agree that the likeliest spot for a move would be Airport West, where Codina Group has Beacon Lakes, or Medley’s Flagler Station.

Armando Codina, who is selling his company to Florida East Coast Industries for $270 million, would likely be involved because of his experience and leverage with potential relocation sites.

“He has ability of making his clients see benefit in his projects,” said Steve Degiacomo, a broker based in Doral. “That’s why you see Ryder where they are.”

Toucano

January 13th, 2006, 05:25 PM

Moving The Herald to the Suburbs is the worst idea I have ever heard...

Dale

January 13th, 2006, 05:50 PM

Moving The Herald to the Suburbs is the worst idea I have ever heard...

It may make more financial sense for them.

It will also make them look like hypocrites if they move to the suburbs and continue to inveigh against urban sprawl.

BornInTheGrove

January 13th, 2006, 08:48 PM

I keep saying in the back of my mind, why doesn't the herald ask Martin to draw up plans for, instead of condo's, but for an brand new office tower. if the new york times is getting a new building, why not the herald.

archifreese

January 13th, 2006, 09:18 PM

^because the herald (knight/ridder) doesn't invest like the NY times in its own facilities, after all the ny times will be in their third or fourth building of the last century. (remember people its times square because of the NY times building now the billboard clad building we all know as the emblem of the square).

dave8721

January 14th, 2006, 05:57 AM

Its not like the Herald would take up that much space. Couldn't they have just put as part of the sale of the land (I'm sure there were many bidders) that they include as part of their design 8 stories of office space for the Herald in whatever they build?

BornInTheGrove

January 14th, 2006, 06:13 AM

brickell

January 14th, 2006, 11:32 AM

I don't like the implication that the suburbs are easier to get to (and cheaper) either. They apparently haven't driven down the Palmetto lately.

My questions is: Why leave the presses? Those seem to be the one thing that should move.

dave8721

January 18th, 2006, 02:40 PM

Tried to post this yesterday but the site was down. The two tower (657 ft, and 619 ft) 1490 Biscayne goes before the planning board today. It will be nice to see some renderings.

http://www.ci.miami.fl.us/hearing_boards/meetings_agendas/Planning%20Advisory%20Board%20Agendas/06-01-18.pdf

dave8721

January 18th, 2006, 02:49 PM

New project:

Domain Upper East Side - 6443 Biscayne Blvd
http://www.domain64.com

Image from the Herald:
http://newspaperads.miami.com/imagehandler/ss-zoom/1007727

dave8721

January 18th, 2006, 04:32 PM

Close ups of the ground level of some new projects:

Electra:
http://www.kobikarp.com/images/Electracommercial.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/Electracommercial2.jpg

Electra II:
http://www.kobikarp.com/images/ElectraIIcommercial.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/ElectraIIcommercial2.jpg

Lima:
http://www.kobikarp.com/images/newlimacommercial.jpg

The Mad Hatter!!

January 18th, 2006, 09:04 PM

good stuff dave,and lima was apporved by the planning board recently,and i love to get some pictures of the renderings of 1490biscayne but my camera is brokenso i'll try my best to describe it to you guys.

The Mad Hatter!!

January 19th, 2006, 03:34 AM

ok 1490biscayne was continued until febuary1,it seems like the performing atrs ppl weren't to happy at the prospect of having some very tall neighbors so they asked the board to continue the item to give them a chance to review the plans..

as to the design a saw a very small rendering and wasn't impressed it seems like arquitectonica is getting repetitive,from the small rendering which was no very clear it look very similiar to icon brickell/the herald towers.

south florida dave

January 20th, 2006, 06:05 PM

found a new rendering of 1650 Biscayne on the developer's website. (http://www.cardinaldevelop.com)

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/4541/1650biscayne29ec.jpg

Toucano

January 26th, 2006, 12:17 AM

http://www.miamidda.com:16080/implementation/pipeline/Slide91.jpg

http://www.miamidda.com:16080/implementation/pipeline/Slide93.jpg

http://www.miamidda.com:16080/implementation/pipeline/Slide94.jpg

Toucano

January 26th, 2006, 12:21 AM

http://www.miamidda.com:16080/implementation/pipeline/Slide96.jpg

The Mad Hatter!!

January 26th, 2006, 12:30 AM

anyways like i said on the brickell dev.thread, that rendering that they provided of cardinal symphony is completely wrong if you look at the lower right corner theres a bridge gatekeeper house,which leads me to believe that this is borges and associates early renderings of what was supposed to be riverfront.

furthermore the 1400 biscayne renderings are also incorrect because i believe the are the herald towers instead.

lastly the chelsea renderings are suppose to be the "real" 1400 biscayne

rider_of_rohan

January 26th, 2006, 04:40 AM

Ok Max tower is a stupid name. It reminds me of Homer simpson changing his name to max power

mileageman

January 26th, 2006, 05:05 AM

Another tower at midtown is doing groundwork, I assume it is 4 midtown and then 3 midtown will be next. Does anyone know for sure?

dave8721

January 27th, 2006, 05:04 PM

Former Aria, now Casa from the Herald. The article states the construction is to begin in February with completion late 2007:

http://specialsections.miami.com/imagehandler/ss-ad/485970

mileageman

January 27th, 2006, 05:16 PM

Posted on Thu, Jan. 26, 2006
DESIGN DISTRICT
Condo project permit approved
BY TRENTON DANIEL
tdaniel@MiamiHerald.com

Miami's Planning Department has issued a special permit to a condominium project planned in the Design District, striking a blow to residents in the adjacent Buena Vista East who argued the 23-story tower is out of context in the low-lying neighborhood.

But the planning department, which approved the permit on Jan. 18, did request that the developer meet certain conditions, according to a recommendation from department director Ana Gelabert. The applicant must provide the department with a temporary construction plan that includes details on parking and noise management. Also, the city's Zoning Office must approve the plan.

Electra Two, as the Kobi Karp-designed building is called, will be built as a mixed-use condo at 100 NE 39th St.

Members of the Buena Vista East Neighborhood Association, which opposed the project because of its height, say they likely will appeal the decision.

The Miami City Commission soon will hear two separate items concerning Electra One, a 32-story towner planned for an area immediately south of the Design District. That project is also opposed by the Buena Vista East group.

The Electra One items are expected to go before the City Commission next month.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/states/florida/counties/miami-dade/cities_neighborhoods/northeast/13697244.htm

Roark

January 28th, 2006, 07:25 AM

anyways like i said on the brickell dev.thread, that rendering that they provided of cardinal symphony is completely wrongYeah, don't be surprised. You are exactly correct. The Downtown Development Authority is doing their best ( used to keep them updated with renderings and information a couple of years ago) but they are inundated as you can imagine.
Some of those renderings are a couple of years behind what is accurate. C'est la vie!
If you want the latest and greatest skyscraper info, just stay tuned here, the guys on this forum have it under control!!

mileageman

January 30th, 2006, 10:04 PM

http://www.marinablue.com/images/popDeveloper_2.jpg

nimbyhater

January 31st, 2006, 03:31 AM

so nice from the north...

such crap from the south...

jzquince69

January 31st, 2006, 05:19 PM

Wow. thats the first shot of Blue finished I've seen. nice.

dave8721

January 31st, 2006, 10:31 PM

Another nice pic of the completed Blue I ran across today, this one as seen from the Causeway:

http://images.living.net/ImagesHomeProd/FL/idx/photos/miamimls/D1083272.jpg

kevinkagy

February 1st, 2006, 12:42 AM

Nice pic Dave. The Tower looks better in your photo. It actually looks like a commercial building more than a condo tower, but maybe it's just me looking at it from this perspective.

miamicanes

February 1st, 2006, 06:33 AM

Roark

February 1st, 2006, 07:43 AM

Speaking of the Causeway... are they going to build a "U-turn" exit road for Blue that goes under 195 and heads back toward US-1 after merging with the westbound exit ramp for 195 (or is there one there already)? Or do they just plan to unleash a few thousand new residents on the little 2-way stub of 36th Street that heads back towards Biscayne along the south side of 195 and hope there isn't accident after accident when cars exiting from eastbound 195 to Biscayne slam into Blue traffic going the same way?My take is that the Florida Department of Transportation is not going to build any special "U-turn" exit roads for a private development.
The Blue buyers will do the same thing as the Hamilton people that exit on the north property line do, and that is exit on 36th and do exactly as you mention. That is, saunter westbound and pray that an easy merge will be achieved. Blue sure is beautiful!
But this is one that looks good from the outside, but the more you get to know it, the more troubled it is. Like a lot of South Beach girls I know. Very flashy and beautiful, and very tough to get away from!

900Biscayneguy

February 1st, 2006, 03:58 PM

Has anyone been inside blue? Would be nice to see some street level pictures as well as of the lobby and pool areas.

miamicanes

February 2nd, 2006, 04:11 AM

BornInTheGrove

February 2nd, 2006, 04:20 AM

bump

dave8721

February 2nd, 2006, 03:04 PM

Ouch. It's probably not even on their radar or their 20-year plan, but I suspect FDOT is going to end up having to do some massive reconfiguration of eastbound 195 once Midtown opens and the surrounding area builds up even more. The current configuration just isn't going to cut it once Midtown opens and the condos under construction around it are finally occupied. It's barely adequate now... :wallbash:

You could just exit from the 195 onto N Miami Ave instead which is what I'm guessing people will be using to get to and from the Midtown Miami complex.

My problem with the Biscayne exit from 195 is how sharp that turn is. There have been a few times when I have come too fast from 195 (I have a tendancy to do that :) ) and had a hard time making that immediate hard u-turn down to Biscayne.

BornInTheGrove

February 2nd, 2006, 04:19 PM

FDOT could just do to 195 what they are planning to do to 395, submerge it and reallign. Well, for 195, they wouldn't have to reallign it that much, but submerging it wouldn't be a bad idea.

nimbyhater

February 2nd, 2006, 06:44 PM

they wont cough up the millions for one project... what makes u think theyll do two?

doesnt mean they shouldnt though

dave8721

February 3rd, 2006, 03:17 PM

The Mad Hatter!!

February 3rd, 2006, 10:22 PM

yea they did, i personally dont like 1490 its not arquitectonica's or chloe khedish's best work.

the pac havd the nerve to claim that 1490 is not up to par with the pac in terms of architectural quality,i just laughed.

Roark

February 5th, 2006, 04:56 AM

Did the PAC people let 1490 get through yesterday?What does that mean "PAC people"??
Funny thing happened to me this afternoon....
I was talking to some business leaders about setting up another PAC hardhat tour for 150 people in this organization that volunteer in and and I expressed the notion that I've heard feedback from some people that don't like the architecture (didn't specifically say where I've spent this time gathering feedback!). All four of the people said, nearly at the same time, "have they taken a tour?"
Anyone, and EVERYONE that I know that has taken a tour of the PAC is absolutely blown away.

ChuckScraperMiami#1

February 5th, 2006, 11:54 PM

Former Aria, now Casa from the Herald. The article states the construction is to begin in February with completion late 2007:

http://specialsections.miami.com/imagehandler/ss-ad/485970

Okay DAVE :) , finally, I'll be watching this one down the street from my work, CASA Condo Tower sounds better, and now that the site is cleared and the long rebars are on the site, lets see What happens at this site , Now !!! :cheers:

dave8721

February 6th, 2006, 02:40 PM

What does that mean "PAC people"??
Funny thing happened to me this afternoon....
I was talking to some business leaders about setting up another PAC hardhat tour for 150 people in this organization that volunteer in and and I expressed the notion that I've heard feedback from some people that don't like the architecture (didn't specifically say where I've spent this time gathering feedback!). All four of the people said, nearly at the same time, "have they taken a tour?"
Anyone, and EVERYONE that I know that has taken a tour of the PAC is absolutely blown away.

It was in reference to Hatter's previous post:

"1490biscayne was continued until febuary1,it seems like the performing atrs ppl weren't to happy at the prospect of having some very tall neighbors so they asked the board to continue the item to give them a chance to review the plans.."

nimbyhater

February 7th, 2006, 02:28 AM

What does that mean "PAC people"??
Funny thing happened to me this afternoon....
I was talking to some business leaders about setting up another PAC hardhat tour for 150 people in this organization that volunteer in and and I expressed the notion that I've heard feedback from some people that don't like the architecture (didn't specifically say where I've spent this time gathering feedback!). All four of the people said, nearly at the same time, "have they taken a tour?"
Anyone, and EVERYONE that I know that has taken a tour of the PAC is absolutely blown away.

roark... as much as the interior of ur pac and revuelta buildings may make up for their exterior deficiencies... the vast majority of miamians will never see the interior of either... and the building thusly does not totally tailor to the city

mileageman

February 7th, 2006, 04:46 AM

Developers Diversified Realty Announces Anchor Tenants and Unveils Unique Design for The Shops at Midtown Miami

CLEVELAND, OH -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 02/06/2006 -- Developers Diversified Realty (NYSE: DDR) today announced that The Shops at Midtown Miami will be anchored by Target, Linens 'N Things, Ross Dress For Less, Circuit City, PETsMART as well as a selection of specialty shops, lifestyle tenants and restaurants when it opens in the fall of 2006. Imaginatively constructed in the burgeoning arts district in the Biscayne corridor, the shopping center will be divided into three distinct blocks on 26 acres, each with a unique architectural style reflecting the urban neighborhood's cultural flair.

(Click here for details)
Elevations of The Shops at Midtown Miami.

Robin Walker-Gibbons, Developers Diversified executive vice president of leasing, commented, "The Shops at Midtown Miami is a unique development in an area with remarkable opportunity. With its exceptional cultural, population and financial growth, the Biscayne corridor is attracting residents, tourists and retailers. Our shopping center will solidify this neighborhood as a regional, cultural and shopping destination in Miami."

The Shops at Midtown Miami is a 645,000 square foot development located minutes from downtown Miami on North Miami Avenue with access and visibility from Interstate 195, the primary east-west arterial to and from Miami Beach. The shopping center will serve a trade area of more than two million people living within a 15-mile radius, with an average household income in excess of $57,000.

Manny Diaz, Mayor of Miami, said, "The Shops at Midtown represent the first physical steps in the creation of a new community born in the heart of the City of Miami. The shopping center will create an energetic and vibrant setting that will link the surrounding neighborhoods and bring long-awaited revitalization to the area. The Shops at Midtown, in their own right, will be a destination for people from throughout Miami."

The North Block of the center will feature Target, Linens 'N Things, Circuit City, Ross Dress For Less and a multi-level parking structure with loft-style architecture. The South Block will house PETsMART and additional retail attractions with a style echoing South Florida history. The Mid Block will contain specialty and lifestyle retailers, as well as national and local restaurants and feature landscaped pedestrian walkways, seating areas and a public plaza.

Dan Herman, vice president of development, noted, "Approximately 2,800 residential units will be adjacent to The Shops at Midtown Miami. Because of its mixed-use elements, the shopping center will have a built-in consumer base in this urban area."

renderings (http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=108604)

Toucano

February 7th, 2006, 07:05 AM

roark... as much as the interior of ur pac and revuelta buildings may make up for their exterior deficiencies... the vast majority of miamians will never see the interior of either... and the building thusly does not totally tailor to the city

Sorry, but everyone will have the opportunity to see the inside of the PAC as soon as it opens, if they aren't interested enough to see what their public dollars built, then their opinion doesn't count in my mind.

As for the other buildings, it is difficult to see their insides unless you are visiting or live in one of them...

archifreese

February 7th, 2006, 04:28 PM

Sorry, but everyone will have the opportunity to see the inside of the PAC as soon as it opens, if they aren't interested enough to see what their public dollars built, then their opinion doesn't count in my mind.

As for the other buildings, it is difficult to see their insides unless you are visiting or live in one of them...

Once its opened wont you have to buy a ticket to get in (?), i havent seen many miami buildings that host events as such (gleason, AAA, colony, olympia, etc.) that are even open when there isnt an event (except for the box office) i dont know if the PAC is different or not but i cant imagine it would be.
and either way i agree w/nimby whatevers inside cant/wont compensate for what isnt going on outside.

Roark

February 7th, 2006, 05:00 PM

roark... as much as the interior of ur pac and revuelta buildings may make up for their exterior deficiencies... the vast majority of miamians will never see the interior of either... and the building thusly does not totally tailor to the cityFor starters, I don't think they are deficiencies, but regardless... Getting into some subtly designed buidings allows you to understand the exterior elements and their function.
Comparing Reveulta to the CP PAC is a bit of a stretch because of their two entirely different functions. PAC can't/shouldn't have lots of glass because you need the darkness for the theatre. Revuelta's buildings give a large proportion of glass to residents because the people that buy them demand light and views.
True, not everyone will be inside of the PAC, some people will be too lazy, or have "other things to do" when there are public open houses.

Roark

February 7th, 2006, 05:07 PM

Once its opened wont you have to buy a ticket to get in (?), i havent seen many miami buildings that host events as such (gleason, AAA, colony, olympia, etc.) that are even open when there isnt an event (except for the box office) i dont know if the PAC is different or not but i cant imagine it would be. and either way i agree w/nimby whatevers inside cant/wont compensate for what isnt going on outside.If you have the motivation, you can get into the PAC right now! Of course they will have open houses. Of course you can get into the Gusman without a ticket! There are several events a year where you can get into just about any public venue without paying, you just have to make a little effort.
You don't necessarily have to be inside a Revuelta building to understand what sets him apart, and why the best luxury developers choose him, but if you don't get it from looking from the outside, you can certainly get if from being inside!

archifreese

February 7th, 2006, 05:18 PM

For starters, I don't think they are deficiencies, but regardless... Getting into some subtly designed buidings allows you to understand the exterior elements and their function.
Comparing Reveulta to the CP PAC is a bit of a stretch because of their two entirely different functions. PAC can't/shouldn't have lots of glass because you need the darkness for the theatre. Revuelta's buildings give a large proportion of glass to residents because the people that buy them demand light and views.
True, not everyone will be inside of the PAC, some people will be too lazy, or have "other things to do" when there are public open houses.

one last dis on the PAC - i promise !!!!
it could have a lot of glass cuz the theatre is a shell inside the outer shell, Rem Koolhaas had proposed a pair of volumes inside a glass 'box' for our PAC and in his casa de musica in Portugal, the end walls of the theater are sliding solid and glass walls that can open and reveal the city on 2 ends.
but the miami committee didnt like alot about his design esp. cuz he said the little tower was arbitrary and could be anywhere as it served no prominent role in its current site.
heres an article by someone who took the 'tour of light' and wasnt all that impressed http://www.criticalmiami.com/index.php?id=146

Roark

February 7th, 2006, 06:05 PM

one last dis on the PAC - i promise !!!!
it could have a lot of glass cuz the theatre is a shell inside the outer shell, Rem Koolhaas had proposed a pair of volumes inside a glass 'box' for our PAC and in his casa de musica in Portugal, the end walls of the theater are sliding solid and glass walls that can open and reveal the city on 2 ends.
but the miami committee didnt like alot about his design esp. cuz he said the little tower was arbitrary and could be anywhere as it served no prominent role in its current site.
heres an article by someone who took the 'tour of light' and wasnt all that impressed http://www.criticalmiami.com/index.php?id=146What?? Clearly, he is cynical and more of a fan of Koolhas than of Pelli, but he didn't write that he wasn't impressed! The quote was
But enough dumping on the guy and on to the buildings, which are not unspectacular.
"not unspectacular"!! :) Whether the writer is using a double negative or not is a question that my fourth grade English teacher might know. I'm not a good writer. Either way, it doesn't seem like a compliment, but what do you want from a critic?!?
Surely, with enough research you can tally up a load of people that don't like the building.
But again (and again), you should make the effort to take a tour for yourself. Don't believe me or any other critic or advocate, just experience it for yourself. The function of this building is truly spectacular and we are going to be very proud.

dave8721

February 7th, 2006, 08:31 PM

dave8721

February 7th, 2006, 08:54 PM

The Chelsea at 1550 Biscayne will go before the Planning Board on Feb. 15th. I was wondering if this project was ever going to get going.

Also what looks like Marquis West (111 NE 11 ST) is going to be there as well but now its listed as 42 stories, 425 feet (it was listed in the development report as 496 feet tall before.

http://www.ci.miami.fl.us/hearing_boards/meetings_agendas/Planning%20Advisory%20Board%20Agendas/06-02-15.pdf

Toucano

February 7th, 2006, 09:57 PM

Are there any rederings of Marquis West?

nimbyhater

February 9th, 2006, 01:40 AM

Toucano

February 9th, 2006, 02:05 AM

and some people dont have the 100 bucks for the tickets...

Missing the point...

The Point is that it is a Public Venue and not a private one...

and yes, i am sure you can and will be able to see the inside of the PAC without having to pay...

Tifosi

February 9th, 2006, 07:21 AM

a resume to PAC right now. That way when they open you may have an income AND you will be able to go all over the inside everyday for free! I am certain there will be a wide range of openings and you are certain to quilify for something... :lol:

ChuckScraperMiami#1

February 11th, 2006, 03:58 AM

EVERYONE :grouphug: , GREAT News !!! :dance: , the ICE 2 is now the 56 floor ELEMENT :rock: Condo Tower at www.miami-condo-lifestyle.com/element-preconstruction-miami-condos.php This is REAL, and there's action already on the site , I checked it out today, the land has been cleared and there's a huge 4 point rebar Weight holder on the site, ready for the foundation. :banana: :cheer: :pepper:

P.S. :righton:
Also :hm: , the same website has the Villa Magna :okay: Condo towers at 62 and 63 Floors, FANTASTIC SITE !!!, I say Go Cranes !!! :cheers1:

ChuckScraperMiami#1

February 12th, 2006, 12:13 AM

Everyone :) , I got the 13th Anniversary issue of Ocean Drive with Paris Hilton :) on the front page, Shes a beauty, and the Book is HUGE over 500 Pages, Got to get one !!! :) Has all the lastest renderings of the was ICE 1 and 2 as The Element Condo tower at WWW.ELEMENTMIAMI.COM a must see :) , has the Old ICE 1 site as a future Park, and the other old houses that this developer bought as a cleared site for another park with a community center in the middle, Looks great . :cheers:

dave8721

February 12th, 2006, 10:17 PM

Sad article about the saga of trying to secure parking for the PAC. The main problem they faced was that the owners of surrounding properties had no hope that the pac would ever be built so they never agreed to work on parking solutions.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/13849027.htm

MIAMI PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Stage is set for theater with no parkingThe Miami Performing Arts Center officials put off funding for parking garages. Now leaders are scrambling to secure spaces for opening night on Oct. 5.
BY FRED TASKER
ftasker@MiamiHerald.com

Come Oct. 5, fans who buy tickets at up to $4,000 each will flock to the grand opening of the Miami Performing Arts Center in their finest gowns and tuxedos only to learn that some will have to park five blocks away and walk to the $446.3 million complex.

Or use valet parking at $15 or more a pop, and wait for runners to retrieve their cars from those distant lots.

More than 10 years after PAC leaders acknowledged the crucial need for nearby parking garages, the center -- which will hold 4,820 people if sold out -- will open this fall with such facilities three to five years away. Maybe more.

And instead of profiting from parking fees -- the Los Angeles Music Center takes in $2.5 million a year from its garages -- the Miami PAC could have to pay millions to upgrade the surface lots for temporary parking.

''Who's going to walk for blocks in the rain and the heat and the dark and the mosquitoes, especially in that neighborhood?'' demanded arts fan Taffy Gould, who arranged a gift of $250,000 toward PAC construction after she said she was promised garages.

''It was a flaw in the original plan not to buy the land [for parking] at the start,'' PAC Trust President Michael Hardy told board members at a recent meeting.

Why aren't the garages ready?
The answer lies in a knowing gamble Miami arts leaders took to get the PAC built in the first place. Lacking the money or land to build garages in 1995, PAC Trust chairman Parker Thomson said PAC leaders put off the parking problem hoping conditions would change.

'We had to take the position, `The Lord will provide,' '' Thomson said.
The answer also lies in construction woes -- soaring costs and builders' disputes are making the building 20 months late and $102.1 million over budget -- that had officials scrambling to keep construction going, leaving little time to focus on parking.

MALEVOLENT MUTT
Thomson: ``There's an old saying that you deal first with the dog that's closest to you with its mouth widest open.''

But now, as the opening approaches, that malevolent mutt is coming with it.
''What good will it do to build the most beautiful center in the world, but on opening night it rains and nobody comes?'' board member Roger Carlton said recently.

Assistant County Manager Bill Johnson, Miami-Dade County's point man, agreed with Thomson's assessment: ``It's been known since Day One that parking was never a part of the program.''

But he said all hoped garages would catch up with the PAC's opening.
``No one from the [PAC] Trust or the county would disagree that the success of the center depends on parking that is convenient and safe.''

Not everyone finds all this a disaster.
''These people are spoiled,'' said Miami music fan Hubert Harriman, a season subscriber to the New World Symphony. ``In New York we used to trudge through the snow and rain and sleet to get to Lincoln Center or Carnegie Hall.''

But South Florida residents are different, arts leaders said.
When the Broward Center for the Performing Arts opened in 1990, it had a covered parking garage directly across the street. Even then, patrons complained for five years until it added a $1.5 million covered, elevated walkway between the garage and center.

''`We have to deal with behavior as it is,'' Broward Center President Mark Nerenhausen said.

At the Los Angeles Music Center, home to Walt Disney Concert Hall, an underground garage beneath the building can hold every car that arrives -- even for an 8,100-seat full house. And it brings in $2.5 million.

Thomson said he knew there was a problem in 1995, but could see no way around it. It was then that the PAC Trust told the three architects bidding on the PAC -- including Cesar Pelli, the eventual winner -- not to include parking garages. The PAC Trust and the Miami-Dade School Board would take care of it.

''We appeared to have broad support for the PAC, but that support was less than one millimeter deep. There was no real commitment. Nobody thought it would really happen,'' Thomson said.

The PAC at that point had $167 million for construction, from the county's Convention Development Tax and private donations. It had been given 5.6 acres of land -- by Knight Ridder, which owns The Miami Herald, on the east side of Biscayne Boulevard and Sears on the west side.

But nobody was offering any more free land, Thomson said. And getting more money from the convention tax seemed impossible. County commissioners wanted that tax to build what would become AmericanAirlines Arena.

The price of the PAC eventually would soar to $446.3 million, requiring many millions more from the tax. But that would be when the building was half finished, leaving county commissioners little choice but to go ahead.

Thomson and other PAC leaders turned to a risky Plan B. It was based on the hope that as the PAC rose out of the ground, it would convince developers the neighborhood was finally coming alive, so they would put up big buildings around it.

Those new buildings would share their garages with the PAC. And, while the PAC would get no parking revenue, it also would have no development cost.
But until the PAC broke ground in 2001, few believed it would happen. In 1998, Thomson proposed a joint parking garage on Miami-Dade School Board land just across Northeast Second Avenue from the PAC, but said he was turned down by school officials. They said it would be a waste of time because the PAC would never happen, Thomson said.

Parking plans began to gain traction in 2003, after Roger Carlton came on the PAC Trust board. In the 1980s he had been Miami's off-street parking director.
Carlton found the then-new Miami-Dade Schools superintendent, former County Manager Merrett Stierheim, more amenable. The School Board would build a parking garage just west of the PAC, possibly with investor Hank Sopher, who owned the land just south of the School Board lot. In February 2004 the School Board held a design charrette with the Urban Land Institute, seeking to draw up a proposal that would lure a major developer.

But Sopher sold his lot to an Israeli company called Africa-Israel, under chairman Lev Leviev, listed by Forbes magazine as one of the world's 500 richest people. So negotiations began again.

On the east side, attempts to get a parking garage were equally frustrating. By 1999, The Miami Herald had built a 218-car parking garage to make up for employee parking lost when Knight Ridder donated land to the PAC.

PAC officials eagerly sought use of The Miami Herald's new parking garage. It wouldn't be. ''There was never a plan to build a parking garage for PAC use,'' said Armando Gonzalez, The Miami Herald's director of engineering at the time.
Last year, Knight Ridder agreed to sell that garage and all of its parking lots to Miami-based Terra Group. Again, the PAC had to start over.

By the end of 2004, PAC Trust members realized there would be no parking garages when the PAC opened -- so they started scrabbling together surface parking lots.

PAC leaders put Jarrett Haynes, their new director of facility operations, in charge of finding 1,500 surface spaces before the Oct. 5 opening.
Haynes said by opening night, the PAC will have those spaces, with paving, some landscaping and adequate security. Managed by the Miami Parking Authority, the spaces will be in lots owned mostly by the School Board and the Florida Department of Transportation.

Some of the spaces are directly across 13th Street. Others are more than five blocks away. Haynes said he expects up to half of the PAC's patrons will use valet parking. But they would have to wait for runners to retrieve their cars from distant lots.

THE FUTURE
Seeking spaces in Omni's 2,600-car garage a block from the PAC is on hold, Haynes said, because of continual changes in the building's ownership and concern that those spaces might be needed for functions in the Omni's hotel.
For the future, negotiations are under way for two proposed parking garages, although neither is expected to materialize for three to five years.

To the east, Terra Group and two other developers have unveiled plans for a shopping mall called City Square and a hotel/residential tower in The Miami Herald's parking lots.

The PAC is negotiating for 750 to 1,000 spaces in the Terra project. Knight Ridder still owns the land; closing is set for this summer. No completion date has been announced.

To the west, the PAC is seeking 500 to 750 parking spaces in an underground garage being discussed by the builder Leviev-Boymelgreen. The Israeli company wants to develop a multiuse project in the four-square-block area across the street from the PAC.

The School Board has agreed to sell its one-acre lot there to Leviev-Boymelgreen for $8 million and the promise of 750 free parking spaces for school use. The PAC is negotiating to piggy-back onto that deal, which has not closed yet.

The School Board contract calls for the garage to be under construction by next year and be finished by 2011, said Ana Rijo-Conde of the school facilities office.

So to Thomson's credit, it seems the Lord eventually may provide. If the surrounding big developments go up, and if they provide garage space for the PAC, it will be part of the building boom spurred in part by the PAC.
''I remain hopeful that God will provide,'' Thomson said.
Only not in time for the grand opening.

mileageman

February 13th, 2006, 10:44 PM

Does anyone know what the crane that just went up at 25th and biscayne is for? On the west side of the street, across from the City 24 crane.

ChuckScraperMiami#1

February 13th, 2006, 10:55 PM

Does anyone know what the crane that just went up at 25th and biscayne is for? On the west side of the street, across from the City 24 crane.

Good Eyes and Good Question there Mileageman :) , Its got MELO Construction on the covered fence and its a huge foundation just put in the past 6 months, BUT !!!, I never did find out , What it is, I'll drive by there tomorrow for sure and get all INFO !!! :cheers:

archifreese

February 13th, 2006, 11:18 PM

Does anyone know what the crane that just went up at 25th and biscayne is for? On the west side of the street, across from the City 24 crane.

Yes - I do !!
its biscayne park phase I (my office is the architect for it) 227' height with 26 floors we r currently developing phase II for the 2nd ave/25th st corner that will be about 20 floors. they r pretty nice and are very similar to the biscayne plaza (also our firms) at 18th/biscayne.

900Biscayneguy

February 13th, 2006, 11:27 PM

Question???, It looks like from the web cam (Miami Herald) that the street in front of the AA Arena is under constuction. Anyone know what is going on?

archifreese

February 13th, 2006, 11:43 PM

^ yeah they are doing some work there on biscayne between 6th and 7th (in front of arena SW corner) but i dont know exactly if its just repairs to the surface or if its part of the project to repair and "enhance" the railroad tracks that cross biscayne there - they have revamped most of the railroad from the old arena to the current one (about a 4 block stretch) and i believe this is the last part of the renovations before it crosses over to the port.

either way this construction is killer for traffic and especially with the heat and cirque du soleil going almost nightly together you should see the backups the lane closures cause on biscayne at night !!!!

900Biscayneguy

February 14th, 2006, 01:15 AM

Thanks Archifreese,

I was wondering if the activity in front of the AA areana is part of a widening/beautification program of Biscayne Blvd. I thought they were going to install planters in the median from Bayside to the start of the Pac.

Also, what is going on in front of Marina Blue where the water is? Any plans or drawings of what that area just south of the park and accross from Marina Blue will be?

Miaminole

February 14th, 2006, 03:04 AM

Actually you all it is the beginning of the beautification of biscayne blvd. I read somewhere that they were beginning that project last week and will be under construction till next year.

trickykid

February 14th, 2006, 04:16 AM

After checking Marinablue.com in the area that says 'location' it says there will be a deepwater marina, so im guessing thats whats being done directly across the street from the site.

BornInTheGrove

February 14th, 2006, 04:20 AM

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a31/BornInTheGrove/Highrises%20and%20Construction/BiscayneBlvd.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a31/BornInTheGrove/Highrises%20and%20Construction/FutureBiscayneBLVD.jpg

ChuckScraperMiami#1

February 14th, 2006, 04:34 AM

Great Pic Born in the GROVE :wave: !!!, That's the future BAYLINK rail line in the Biscayne Blvd Median some 10 years from now coming in from Miami Beach :cool: to Downtown Miami :cool: or to the Midtown Miami Arts :cool: Center up to N.W. 36 street. Hopefully around 2016 :runaway: . :cheers:

P.S. everyone :) , Only one problem with the beautification program, it takes one lane from both sides of Biscayne Blvd which now has bad traffic with 4 lanes both ways Now. :bash:

Miami as in Perfect

February 14th, 2006, 04:56 AM

hmm. that isn't what it will look like is it? i mean on the right, will there not be soaring towers such as ten museum park, marina blue, and 900 biscayne? the old time coral gables-ish spanish-ish looking buildings . . . are they the "pedestrian friendly" bases of the "great wall of miami?"

archifreese

February 14th, 2006, 03:56 PM

Miami as in Perfect

February 14th, 2006, 04:25 PM

so the buildings bases will be right there on the street? good. pedestrian friendly is good, when it fits the area. spanish looking [things] would look great in the gables, the grove, or maybe even lauderdale, but not against modern skyscrapers. glad to hear this is not the case.

dave8721

February 15th, 2006, 03:19 PM

The Chelsea and 111 NE 11th ST (Marquis West) go before planning board today.

It looks like the Chelsea (1550 Biscayne) exceeds the FAA's limits for the area by a whopping 423 feet. Since 1550 is 649 feet, the limit must be only 226 feet. Anything taller than that needs the dreaded letter from the FAA giving their specific approval. Also the FAA office that handles these requests is in Ft.Worth, TX not Atlanta.

The long 140 page document:
http://www.miamigov.com/hearing_boards/meetings_agendas/Planning%20Advisory%20Board%20Agendas/06-02-15.pdf?bcsi_scan_7FC3C74FD9762EFF=0&bcsi_scan_filename=06-02-15.pdf

A rendering of Chelsea is on page 54 of the document and it is the one that was seen on the DDA website, not the one that is currently on Kobi Karp's website. The KK website version must be the old one.

dave8721

February 15th, 2006, 03:50 PM

The Chelsea rendering:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/dave8721/chelsea.jpg

rider_of_rohan

February 15th, 2006, 04:03 PM

dave8721

February 15th, 2006, 05:04 PM

That height doesnt make any sense. The Doubletree which is in the left of that picture 365 feet tall. Why would a block make that big of a difference? And there are taller buildings to the north of this? Maybe the location to the southeast makes more of a difference than the FAA in this requirement.

You're expecting the FAA to make sense? They take each building on a case by case basis and do not take into account existing buildings. For example, they say Marquis West is 100 feet too tall (its 425 feet) when its over 200 feet shorter than Marquis next door.

dave8721

February 15th, 2006, 05:07 PM

rider_of_rohan

February 15th, 2006, 07:42 PM

Also I'm sure they'll make Chelsea (1550 Bisc.) and the 1450 Bisc proposal (also 649 feet) next door each apply separately and each go through the whole long process of FAA analysis of the buildings effects on the airport separately instead of just doing it once for any new buildings in the neighborhood.

Lord Dave that is so stupid. What a retarded setup. They should do a zone like the picture that was posted a while back. Its a good idea for buildings to be shorter as they get closer to the airport, thats reasonable. Its stupid to make every building have to go through them. If its ok to have 650 feet on this block, then why not on the one right across the street? Its not closer to the airport...Im ranting, the FAA is evil.

Miami as in Perfect

February 15th, 2006, 10:31 PM

that's retarded. i agree rider of rohan, a little diagram of every city should define building limits. another thing is: as soon as a plane takes off, how long do you think it takes to get 1000 feet? definatley not 5 air miles, or anything close. does anybody know how far DT is from the airport, a precise number?

p.s.- a regular plane is 1000 feet elevated in roughly a half a mile . . that is a complete guess. i am sure it is shorter.

SkyDiveJunkee

February 16th, 2006, 02:32 AM

Chelsea is amazing, to cut it down to under 300ft would be total crap.

nimbyhater

February 16th, 2006, 11:15 PM

chelsea is freaking beautiful... they better not touch it...

trickykid

February 16th, 2006, 11:27 PM

my measurement using a map of Miami made by UniversalMAP shows a distance of just slightly over 5 miles(5.27 miles) from the very end of one of the southern runways to NE 2nd Ave. Another measurement from a similar runway was 5.63 miles from the end of the runway to Brickell Ave and 14 street aka the Four Seasons tower. I hope the map is to scale haha.

renner01

February 17th, 2006, 11:54 AM

here is alittle better rendering posted previously on chelseahttp://www.guardianfire.com/tools/jobmanager/jobImages/thumb_1550biscayne.jpg

dave8721

March 1st, 2006, 10:41 PM

A couple of renderings from Dean B. Lewis' page:

Max Tower (30 stories, 400 feet. 1600 NE 1 Ave, next to the future Bayview Market)
http://www.dbla1.us/Max%20Tower%20-2.jpg

http://www.dbla1.us/Max%20Miami_B.JPG

http://www.dbla1.us/Max_Miami_C.jpg

http://www.dbla1.us/Max_Miami_D.jpg

Avenue One (different than "Avenue") - 16 stories, 180 feet. 1950 NW 1 Ave.
http://www.dbla1.us/Avenue%20One.jpg

http://www.dbla1.us/Avenue%20One%20Aerial.jpg

Miami as in Perfect

March 1st, 2006, 11:18 PM

sexy!

The Mad Hatter!!

March 1st, 2006, 11:31 PM

whats sexy about it....it looks real nice i just dont like its bulkiness it looks like the tried to MAX out its FAR..and what about the location? why have an office tower there?

Miami as in Perfect

March 2nd, 2006, 12:25 AM

i see what you're saying. very bulky, but i like the modern look.

PeterSmith

March 2nd, 2006, 01:12 AM

That Chelsea tower is really nice. If it goes up, I think it'll give Miami a nice look, with most of the tall buildings concentrated in downtown, but still have a nice signature tower for the midtown skyline. Very nice.

DGM

March 2nd, 2006, 01:51 AM

I like the MAX. The facade looks pretty cool... certainly better than a wall of glass. It is tall and bulky, itll make the midtown skyline look much bigger. As for it being an office tower, who can complain about offices? I suppose one might argue that they could have built an office tower in the CBD instead. But, I would like to see Midtown become more of a self sufficient edge city.

PeterSmith

March 2nd, 2006, 07:10 PM

Dave, you mentioned Bayview Market earlier. What is that? Is it an actual market space, or just another random name for a tower?

dave8721

March 2nd, 2006, 07:17 PM

Dave, you mentioned Bayview Market earlier. What is that? Is it an actual market space, or just another random name for a tower?

Bayview market is the long white-ish building in the 4th Max pic. Its a proposed verticle retail center (like Dadeland Station) that will feature a Home Depot I believe among other things. It will have 600,000 sqft of retail and a few condos lining the facade.

DGM

March 3rd, 2006, 05:53 PM

ChuckScraperMiami#1

March 4th, 2006, 01:11 AM

Does anyone have recent photos of the progress at Midtown or any of the near by projects? I havent seen much news about those projects in a while. Also, I noticed on a map of Midtown that there is going to be a school on the south side of that inlet (27th st) that Onyx 2 is going to be on. Does anyone know anything about the new school?

DGM :wave: , my friend , This Complex is gonna be AWESOME !!! :cheers1: ,
I'm glad the Marlin stadium :bash: never went up there, like it was supposed too, some 8 years ago :cheer: :banana: ,

MIDTOWN FOUR :righton: has just started with the HUGE foundation, Long 50 feet Rebar round ties are going into the ground ther Today with a Crane Drill, :cheers:

MIDBLOCK :okay: is till over Half way up, and its Huge and Bulky, I also have seen which of the stores for the New Shops of Midtown , The Super Target :soon: is also Huge, !!! opening this Fall, 2006 Hurricane :bash: Permitting !!! :cool:

mileageman

March 12th, 2006, 02:23 AM

COMMISSION PAVES WAY

FOR MIXED-USED CONDO

The Miami City Commission has cleared the way for a mixed-use condo called Electra One in the Design District, which has generated opposition from some area residents.

At its Feb. 23 meeting, the commission approved two separate items that will allow developers to move ahead with plans for the project, to be located at North Miami Avenue and Northwest 36th Street.

In an effort to placate both sides, Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones got developers from the A & S Design District Development to drop the building's height from at least 420 feet to 240.

A group from the adjacent Buena Vista East neighborhood argued the condo was wildly out of scale with the low-lying area.

ChuckScraperMiami#1

March 12th, 2006, 07:01 PM

MILEAGEman :) , that really sucks, but anyway, at least something will go up there to 24 floors, instead of the beauitiful 42, but its a start for that ugly area where resisdents in No roof homes call home :bash: .

anyway :) , I was by the MIDTOWN 3 sales center with that great future Model, and sales still strong for MIDTOWN THREE and ready for groundbreaking after the Hurricane Season THIS late FALL, 2006 :cheers: .

The Mad Hatter!!

March 13th, 2006, 02:23 AM

i think that article is incorrect...the developers cameout and said they would drop the buildings height to 350ft,in order to be in the same scale with blue and the midtown buildings, the neighborhood association which was opposing the project was based 12 blocks away from the electra project they were just still pissed about the midtown project and decided to come out and bitch about this project,

nimbyhater

March 14th, 2006, 03:47 AM

fuck... MAX is awesome... im loving what happening in this area... chelsea, this one, the midtown buildings... alot more sleak, glassy, sexy, modern towers in this part of miami... what are the actual chances of this MAX getting built though?

dave8721

March 17th, 2006, 04:37 PM

Here is 1490 Biscayne: 2 towers 657 feet and 619 feet tall. Goes before the Commission for approval on the 23rd of March. Next door to the PAC on the North side. Plans call for it to have a sidewalk cafe on the corner of 14th and Biscayne right accross the street from the PAC so that could be good for the area.
(Height subject to FAA approval)

http://egov.ci.miami.fl.us/Legistarweb/Attachments/21989.PDF
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/dave8721/1490Bisc.jpg

south florida dave

March 17th, 2006, 08:32 PM

good find, dave. i searched the legislative files on the city's site & found more submitted drawings. the pdf file is here (http://egov.ci.miami.fl.us/Legistarweb/Attachments/22126.PDF).

here's a nice skyline pic of it:

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/5458/1490biscayne29ov.th.jpg (http://img139.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1490biscayne29ov.jpg)

dave8721

March 17th, 2006, 08:41 PM

Imagine that pick with the next property to the north (Chelsea) and the next property after that (Cardinal Sypmhony) as well as all the towers on the Herald land and the Omni redevelopment drawn on there. That'd be one tall dense neighborhood.

south florida dave

March 17th, 2006, 09:05 PM

yeah, the potential for that area is awesome. i just hope these projects aren't coming in too late in the game & get built.

there's something weird about 1490, btw. the rendering shows the towers on the southern edge of the lot, right next to the anderson opera center. why din't they flip them around & put them on the northern edge of the lot so that the bottom floors aren't obscured by the aoc? i guess the bottom floors are probably parking or something, but it still seems weird...

quefueuno

March 18th, 2006, 12:17 AM

when do you guys think that sales will start on this project?

Toucano

March 28th, 2006, 04:35 PM

Courtesy of Critical Miami (http://www.criticalmiami.com/)

http://www.criticalmiami.com/images/379.jpg

mileageman

March 30th, 2006, 01:07 AM

It looks like Paramount Bay finished clearing the site and now has a crane driving pilings, so they are officially under construction.

dave8721

March 31st, 2006, 10:35 PM

Buena Vista neighborhood association got Electra trimmed down from 420 feet tall to 360 feet.

http://www.biscayneboulevard.com/news/news_2006/news_0306_exclusive_electra.htm

Commission Reverses Zoning Board
Decision in Favor of Electra
Buena Vista East Historic Neighborhood and Developer Meet Halfway

By Kemila Velan
Contributing Writer

The February 23 Miami City Commission meeting marked a big day for District 5 Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones: It was the day she learned that being a politician means you can’t always be nice.

She led the commission’s unanimous votes to approve two of the last items on the planning and zoning agenda, which stuck her between the developers of Electra One, a proposed 360-foot high rise on the corner of N. Miami Avenue and N.E. 36th Street, and the Buena Vista East Historic Neighborhood Association (BVEHNA), whose members supported her during her campaign last November.

The first item at hand was the closure of a 188-foot-long, 10-foot-wide alley that runs between N.E. Miami Court and N. Miami Avenue. Forkosh Development Group, represented by attorney Gilberto Pastoriza, maintained that the closure, in effect, renders N. Miami Avenue pedestrian-friendly, thus meeting the city’s requirement that the action provides a “public benefit.”

It will be pedestrian-friendly because of Electra One’s ground-level retail space and front-lobby waterfall features. Additionally, developers are promising $50,000 toward capital improvements in Buena Vista Heights and another $50,000 to build a “Landmark Feature” that will serve as a gateway to the N. Miami Corridor.

These concessions were added to the package since the BVEHNA has objected to the project’s height (originally 420 feet, reduced to 360) and overall general lack of context in the Design District, an area comprised mostly of low-rise buildings (even though zoning stipulates no height restrictions).

“But that doesn’t mean unlimited heights,” said Brenda Kuhns, a third-year law student at FIU and an active member of the BVEHNA. “This is a private condo high rise and the alley closure provides no public benefit. The alley closure is what makes the project possible.”

Residents Wendy Stephan and several others were also against the alley closure, but when they attempted to list the reasons why they were silenced by City Attorney Jorge Fernandez. Arguments must be limited to the alley specifically, he explained, and could not make reference to the building itself, nor zoning and context.

“I was completely mystified at how the city attorney hijacked the public meeting part,” Stephan told the BBT after the meeting. “The commissioners were confused, the other attorneys were confused. Earlier in the day, other alley closure items all involved discussion of the building, but [Fernandez] applied different standards to this case.”

A Design District merchant and several other residents supported the project on the grounds that it would invite more pedestrian traffic at night.

Spence-Jones was visibly stressed out.

“This is the toughest decision I’ve made since taking this seat,” she sad, her voice raspy from the cold everyone in Miami seems to be battling.

Spence-Jones pointed at the BVEHNH and said: “Those are the people who supported me and they work so hard dealing with code enforcement and other issues in their neighborhood. I wish all my neighborhood associations were as organized as [they are]. I was hoping to hear more from the Design District – there was a few, but not too many. I also want to support development because the district needs it. This decision will set a precedent.”

On the grounds that the BVEHNH didn’t give good enough reason not to close the alley, she voted to approve the request and Commissioners Regalado and Gonzalez followed her lead. Joe Sanchez was absent and Johnny Winton wasn’t there to help the green Spence-Jones because he was at the Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting discussing Miami’s most pressing issue – traffic.

“Winton not being present made a big difference in the outcome of the vote because he has guided Spence-Jones in the past,” said Stephan.

With the alley closure granted, it was difficult not to also grant the developer’s appeal of the zoning board’s decision against the Electra project, the last item on the planning and zoning agenda. At this point, the commission transformed into an appellate court, whereby different rules applied, as explained by the city attorney.

Only one person could speak for each side. Attorney Adrienne Pardo said that Brenda Kuhns, Wendy Stephan and Pat Kelly, all on behalf of the BVEHNA, each live 1,200 feet from the project, which is not close enough to raise objections. The project only requires a Class II permit, not a MUSP, so surrounding residents’ objections should not factor into the commission’s decision. Nor are they especially aggrieved, apart from other residents in the neighborhood, nor were their reasons against the projects facts.

“They were all opinion,” she said, adding that most of their evidence should not be considered by the commission since they are not experts, i.e. engineers, architects or urban planners.

Meanwhile, Brenda Kuhns maintained that the zoning board did not approve Electra because the developer’s evidence was insufficient. Trees blocked photographs of the building and references to the downtown skyline were used for context.

In the end, Spence-Jones decided to grant the appeal with conditions. First, the developer and the residents must meet each other halfway, meaning the building height would be reduced by half, to 240 feet. Second, the developers must work with residents to create a beautiful gateway to the N. Miami Corridor, to be designed by city staff.

“I feel very encouraged,” Stephan said afterwards. “It could have been 420 [feet] and now it will be 240 and I’m pleased with that. The commissioner is on record saying that if it had been closer to a residential neighborhood, she would have denied it. It’s encouraging because there are other projects that are directly abutting our neighborhood. And that’s wonderful.”

But the story does not end here. The possibility of either side taking the city to court over the decision still remains.

dave8721

March 31st, 2006, 10:49 PM

On Rail 72:

http://www.biscayneboulevard.com/news/news_2006/news_0206_NY_developer_stalled.htm

City Stalls New York
Developer’s Live/Work Project
No Facelift for N.E. 4th Ave Industrial Zone

By CHRISTIAN CIPRIANI
BBT Editor

During the planning and zoning portion of the January 26 City Commission meeting, Selig Sacks, a Manhattan attorney and Florida real estate newbie, presented his plan to convert an aging set of warehouses at 7205 N.E. 4th Ave. into a live/work space. During the presentation, more than half a dozen local business-owners spoke in defense of the project, describing the area’s problems as dire. Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones, well aware of District 5’s situation, took their negative characterization of the area personally, calling herself “from my people” and thus directly offended by the multiple testimonies calling the industrial tract a crime-ridden haven for derelicts.

Last year Sacks formed 7205 Holdings LLC and purchased the property with plans to create a live/work compound for artists, architects, designers and the like tentatively called Rail 72. Rather than paying to live in one place and work elsewhere, the idea is for one to consolidate these payments and gain tax benefits (a situation of great appeal to many working in the competitive and often under-compensated fields of art and design).
“The goal is to not price creative professionals out of the market, and to create a young, diverse community,” Sacks said.

He described his vision almost dreamily: “400 square feet of green space for every unit, great sunlight provided by the 130-foot railroad setback – a real community, that’s what I want to create.”

To most residents of the Boulevard Corridor, the industrial area from 71st to 75th Street, between N.E. 4th Court and N.E. 2nd Avenue, which was once the center of the garment industry, is puzzling. Located within spitting distance of surging Biscayne Boulevard regeneration, the area crawls on as disjointed industrial land, fenced-in by abandoned Florida East Coast (FEC) railroad tracks and navigated via confusing and ill-maintained connecting streets. For businesses in need of functional warehouse space, like Van Teal Lighting and Weathertrol Maintenance Corporation, the land is just that – functional – but not a place in which one wants to live or spend leisure time.

Bids to rezone the land from industrial to commercial have so far been rejected. Initially, the Planning Department advised against the project in lieu of Miami 21; the city does not want to let go of industrial land and did not wish to set a precedent in the area that day by rezoning Sacks’s property to commercial. Miami 21 leaders want businesses to come to Miami and utilize industrial property, like the large tract surrounding (and including) his site.
But Sacks and company insist the site is not a desirable location for any modern company. Sacks, Tony Cho, president of Metro One, a newly founded real estate development company and Peter Ehrlich, head of Palm Bay Studios, all noted that the area is currently home to few operations, none of which create any significant revenue. The buildings are too old and lack the stock height and parking space required by modern industrial businesses. Today’s factories, they argued, do not want to be bordered by residential areas, nor do they wish to be landlocked.

This, combined with the success of live/work projects in Wynwood and the Design District, formed the backbone of their case to the City Commission.

David Lombardi is principal of Lombardi Properties, the company that spawned Wynwood Lofts, a project which helped the predominately industrial part of Wynwood reinvent itself as artist-friendly. According to Lombardi, the looming plans of Miami 21 have developers nervous:

“They’re are on pins and needles waiting to see what DPZ [Duany Plater-Zyberk, the architecture and urban planning firm in charge of Miami 21] comes out with over the next year. Many developers have purchased land and spent more than $30,000 on legal costs to rezone, and when Miami 21 comes and tells them they can’t execute their plans, there are going to be lawsuits.”

Larry Mizrach is vice-president of the Bakehouse Art Complex. He went before the commission and stated that since Wynwood’s rebirth, more than 50 artists and art groups have moved into the area, and are now pushing north into Little Haiti towards Sacks’s proposed site, making the need for projects like this all the more urgent.

On the 7205 N.E. 4th Avenue property sits a series of 1950s warehouses – originals, not modern updates – with 30-foot ceilings. Sacks claimed these buildings could be successfully recycled in a manner consistent with what has happened along N.E. 4th Court, the vibrant thoroughfare running along the eastside of the railroad tracks that is home to restaurants, galleries and artist studios. Tony Cho sold Sacks the land, and as marketing director for the project accumulated a long waiting list of would-be buyers. Graphic designers, filmmakers, furniture distributors and the like all wanted space in the development.

According to Cho: “The city government has allowed Miami to become flooded with high-density, luxury real estate – people’s second and third homes, essentially – and ignored the needs of people who want to live and work here and have access to reasonably priced real estate. Every city in the world has live/work structures – New York, London, Paris – and if Miami is to rise to the status of a world-class city, this is part of the deal.”

A representative of the Planning Department stated otherwise, arguing that live/work structures built in San Francisco throughout the 1990s eventually pushed jobs out of the neighborhood. The threat of job loss and rising property values in an already blighted area, along with the bleak picture of her district painted by the various speakers, motivated Spence-Jones to suggest rehearing the measure at the April 27 commission meeting. She and Commissioner Johnny Winton were not convinced of the supposed hopelessness of the situation. The initial results of an in-progress $300,000 economic study of District 5’s industrial potential should yield at least preliminary result by the end of April. Until Spence-Jones understands which industry would best suit her ailing district, she does not feel adequately informed to decide the fate of Sacks’s property.

“I don’t want to give away industrial land if there’s a possibility that the people in my district can do something with it,” she said.

Winton and Spence-Jones, however, were not alone in feeling as though District 5 was unfairly characterized at the meeting. After the hearing, Leonie Hermantin, of the Haitian Neighborhood Center in Little Haiti, approached Sacks and expressed her disappointment that residents were not represented, only land- and business-owners. To this Sacks apologized and then expressed interest in meeting with residents to collaborate.

The developer and his supporters, however, have grown frustrated. To Peter Ehrlich, anyone willing to invest money into a neglected area should not be met with red tape.

He said: “Miami 21 does not understand the Upper Eastside or its needs. For four years I’ve offered city leaders tours of the area, to show them how it’s different and what the unique problems are, but they’ve turned all of these offers down.”

Neighboring land- and business-owners are largely in favor of the project. Hivo Van Teal (née Hivo Gonzalez), owner of Van Teal Lighting, located at 7240 N.E. 4th Ave., as well as the property itself, is a Sacks supporter. A spokesperson for the company said the area is starved for development, and any rezoning measures, regardless of whatever impact it would have upon Van Teal’s property taxes, are fine by him. At the commission meeting he described the area as rife with homeless, drugs and crime, arguing that full-time residents would act as a deterrent to troublemakers.

Commissioner Tomas Regalado agreed: “To stop crime, you need police on every block, but the next best thing is residents, light and traffic.”

Isidro Borja, manager and landlord of Weathertrol Maintenance Corporation, located at 7250 N.E. 4th Ave., argued that rezoning Sacks’s property, which is just across the street from his own, only enhances it, doubling its usage capabilities. He, like Van Teal, supports the project. With respect to the property’s zoning change potentially pushing up his property value, and consequently his taxes, Van Teal said: “The Boulevard boom is going to affect my property taxes anyways. Progress is a good thing, but you pay a price.”

For now the matter must wait until April 27, but the implications of rezoning approval are not to be trivialized: On the one hand, it could kick-start the growth of an entirely new district, one that could act as both a commercial Petri dish, crime-deterrent and buffer between commercial sites to the east and residences to the west. On the other hand, however, it could set an undesirable (for the city, at least) zoning precedent, alienate struggling residents of District 5 and compromise future industrial activity in Miami.

But as Sacks sees it, his is the only way up for the site: “This is a perfect opportunity to continue Upper Eastside development as a creative market. It will encourage entrepreneurs to invest in the area and help reverse decay.”

To comment on this story, send an email to editorial@biscayneboulevard.com

dave8721

April 3rd, 2006, 03:33 PM

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/classifieds/real_estate/14233135.htm

CYNERGI BREAKS

GROUND IN WYNWOOD

Del Trust Developers has announced the groundbreaking for Cynergi, a condo at 2700 N. Miami Ave. in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood.

The 10-story building designed by Kobi Karp will house 100 lofts. Prices for units range from $350,000 to $800,000. Completion is expected by summer 2007.

For information call 305-576-8191 or visit

www.cynergimiami.com.

dave8721

April 3rd, 2006, 04:47 PM

dave8721

April 6th, 2006, 04:42 PM

Website for one of the new office buildings announced recently: 2121 Biscayne. 16-stories, 223 feet tall (accross from the Barcardi HQ)

http://www.2121biscayne.com/

You can see a rendering if you click on "amenities"

ChuckScraperMiami#1

April 6th, 2006, 10:58 PM

The 34-story Hotel de l'Opera (next to Opera Tower) and Seven 7 (former Avant) go before the Planning Board on April 5th at 7PM:

http://egov.ci.miami.fl.us/meetings/2006/4/1240_A_Planning_Advisory_Board_06-04-05_Agenda_Short.pdf
DAVE :) , I need to know, about this tower, was it approved ??? :eek2:

wow, another for Tibor Hollo :) , the ancient hello of Towers !!! :cheers:

dave8721

April 7th, 2006, 03:50 PM

dave8721

April 12th, 2006, 03:52 PM

Here are some renderings submitted by Hotel d'lopera, the 34-story 400 foot hotel with 350 rooms. Surprisingly Tibor Hollo hired Zyscovich for this one.

http://egov.ci.miami.fl.us/Legistarweb/Attachments/22898.PDF
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/dave8721/hoteldopera.jpg

47 pages of plans and drawings of the building:
http://egov.ci.miami.fl.us/Legistarweb/Attachments/22936.PDF?bcsi_scan_7FC3C74FD9762EFF=0&bcsi_scan_filename=22936.PDF

dave8721

April 12th, 2006, 04:10 PM

DAVE :) , I need to know, about this tower, was it approved ??? :eek2:

wow, another for Tibor Hollo :) , the ancient hello of Towers !!! :cheers:

Yes it was approved by the planning board. It will go before the city commission in the next few weeks or so for final approval (sadly even with a low height of 406 feet above see level the FAA is saying it may be too tall so it must be looked at and approved by the FAA first)

Aviation Dept. Comments:
http://egov.ci.miami.fl.us/Legistarweb/Attachments/22820.pdf

The Mad Hatter!!

April 12th, 2006, 05:04 PM

The Herald parking lots go before the Zoning Board on Monday April 10th to get their zoning changed to start the process of their approval.

http://egov.ci.miami.fl.us/meetings/2006/4/1261_A_Zoning_Board_06-04-10_Agenda_Short.pdf

The zoning bored got quite pissed, when the land owners(the herald) didn't show up since it got confusing when terra group started talking about the possiblity of building on the herald building, item moved to next month.

renner01

April 13th, 2006, 02:42 PM

http://www.guardianfire.com/tools/jobmanager/constructionImages/operatower.jpg

renner01

April 13th, 2006, 02:45 PM

http://www.guardianfire.com/tools/jobmanager/jobImages/MONDRIAN1.jpg
http://www.guardianfire.com/tools/jobmanager/constructionImages/mondrian4-9-06.JPG

renner01

April 13th, 2006, 02:59 PM

http://www.guardianfire.com/tools/jobmanager/jobImages/cynergi0jz.jpg
http://www.guardianfire.com/tools/jobmanager/constructionImages/PICT1083.JPG

renner01

April 13th, 2006, 03:01 PM

http://www.guardianfire.com/tools/jobmanager/jobImages/platininum.jpg
http://www.guardianfire.com/tools/jobmanager/constructionImages/PICT1082.JPG

BornInTheGrove

April 13th, 2006, 03:22 PM

great updates renner. haven't seen u in quite awhile.

renner01

April 13th, 2006, 03:31 PM

http://www.guardianfire.com/tools/jobmanager/jobImages/city24(1).JPG
http://www.guardianfire.com/tools/jobmanager/constructionImages/PICT1079.JPG

EVIDENTLY DEVELOPER HAD TROUBLE GETTING FINANCE AND GENERAL CONTRACTOR HAS PUT A HALT TO CONSTRUCTION UNTIL HE GETS PAID BUT I THINK IT IS NOW TAKEN CARE SO SHOULD BE GOING UP HIGHER SOON

renner01

April 13th, 2006, 03:35 PM

http://www.guardianfire.com/tools/jobmanager/jobImages/onyx.jpg
http://www.guardianfire.com/tools/jobmanager/constructionImages/PICT1080.JPG

The Mad Hatter!!

April 13th, 2006, 04:21 PM

Good stuff renner, I always thought that city 24 would never rise, and then when i saw the crane on site i was totally surprised, passed by a month later and the site was exactly the same....But now i gues we know why.

do you have any info oon onyx 2? and please tell me you gotta some shots of midtown miami,please?

thanks for the update..

renner01

April 13th, 2006, 06:34 PM

ONYX 2 IF it is the empty plot next to the sales center is basically an empty plot. no work done yet. Nothing on midtown maybe next time

ChuckScraperMiami#1

April 14th, 2006, 02:35 AM

RENNER :hi: , my friend, you"ve done it again :righton: ,
Great job with the after designs and the now Pictures of each tower,
Please more later :okay: , that was great,
:applause: Also, I wish you put the rendering of the Opera Tower in front of its Real Now Picture :cheers1: , that would have looked nice, too. But anyway,
Thanks, and :wink2:
Go Cranes !!! :banana: :cheer: :pepper:

Toucano

April 14th, 2006, 06:33 AM

Fantastic job renner...

Pablo63090

April 15th, 2006, 03:00 AM

Great shots. What's the progess on the 1800 Club?

ChuckScraperMiami#1

April 15th, 2006, 03:12 AM

Great shots. What's the progess on the 1800 Club?
PABLO :) , believe it or not, Its topped out this week, with a huge round top roof on the northeast side of the tower being put on for final topping.
the Southwest side of the tower has been topped for the last two weeks. :runaway:

Its fantastic and " The Opera Tower :) " will be completed before the Quantum towers get completed. :cheers:

Paul305

April 15th, 2006, 10:29 PM

The Miami Performing Arts Center has announced a line up for its opening weekend. It will open on October 5th, 2006, only two years later than its expected completion. This article can be found at Playbill Arts (http://www.playbillarts.com/news/article/4282.html).

Miami Performing Arts Center Announces Lineup for October Opening

By Vivien Schweitzer
04 Apr 2006

The new Miami Performing Arts Center has announced the lineup for its opening weekend, October 5-8.

On October 6, the New World Symphony will present a program conducted by artistic director Michael Tilson Thomas that will include the world premiere of an orchestral fanfare by Steven Mackey commissioned for the event. Soloists will include violinist Maxim Vengerov and soprano Measha Brueggergosman.

On October 7, Florida Grand Opera and Miami City Ballet, both MPAC resident companies, will inaugurate the Ziff Ballet Opera House. FGO will present Act II of Puccini’s La bohème, featuring soprano Patricia Racette as Musetta and conducted by music director Stewart Robertson. MCB will present Act III of Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty.

The Miami PAC, designed by Cesar Pelli, was originally slated to open in October 2004, but suffered from construction delays and budget problems. It lost a prominent tenant when the Florida Philharmonic shut down in 2003. The Cleveland Orchestra will begin an annual residency at the center next year.

Toucano

April 19th, 2006, 04:32 PM

Midtown 5

Midtown developer submits plans for 392-unit tower

By Deserae del Campo
Midtown Group, developer of the 18-square-block Midtown Miami, has submitted design plans to Miami's Planning and Zoning department for Midtown Five, a 392-unit residential tower.
The developer presented plans last month to the city, a procedure required before building permits can be issued.
According to design plans, 31-story Midtown Five is to include 34,430 square feet of retail, 4,600 square feet of restaurant space and 477 parking spaces.
The entire Midtown Miami, rising in the former Buena Vista Rail Yard in Wynwood/Edgewater, is to have 600,000 square feet of retail and more than 3,000 residences. The area is bounded by the Florida East Coast Railway tracks, North Miami Avenue and Northeast 36th and 29th streets.
Comments about Midtown Five from the city's design-review committee say the "massing and articulation of the building is commendable," yet more "detailed landscaping that indicates pedestrian amenities, sidewalk dimensions and more specific planting information" should be provided.
"These plans are very preliminary," said Colin Carby, high-rise developer with Midtown Group. "We are currently addressing the comments from the city."
The city is also seeking more "information on the public plaza and restaurant feature of the project, including elevations, plans, 3-D models, color landscape plans and site plans."
Some projects at this juncture more on to permitting, others don't, said Luciana Gonz·lez, special projects coordinator for the city planning department. "Some might have to come back to Internal Design Review. Others move on to the Urban Design Review Board. It's up to the planning director on a case-by-case basis. These projects are in the preliminary phase. They haven't formally submitted their application

ChuckScraperMiami#1

April 20th, 2006, 01:06 AM

Nice Toucano :wave: , the way these Midtown towers are going so far,
impressed me very much,
Now Midtown 5, at this rate of speed, all 8 planned towers should be completed by 2015, Fantastic !!! :cheer: :applause:

P,S, remember everyone, we're talking here of 8 future, already under construction or planned Average 30 floor towers for MIDTOWN,
that's :hm:
8 towers Times 30 floors = 240 floors of 3,000 residents just for this area that was supposed to be a Baseball stadium 9 years ago for the Marlins,

WOW, and Go Cranes !!! :dance:

Toucano

April 20th, 2006, 06:15 AM

I think a baseball stadium would still fit there nicely...especially if the Miami LRT gets built...

DGM

April 20th, 2006, 06:21 AM

I'm imagining a trolley full of drunk Florida Marlins fans (probably under a different name) screaming and yelling as the trolley makes it way through downtown Miami after their third World Series (of course all the fans could fit on one trolley after this season). I guess that would never happen in Miami, but that's how we do it here in G'ville (minus the trolley). I'd love a new ballpark, but for now I'm rooting for the Red Socks because they have more Marlins from last year than the Marlins.

Miami as in Perfect

April 20th, 2006, 06:33 AM

dave8721

April 23rd, 2006, 08:34 PM

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/classifieds/real_estate/14397798.htm

Miami's Paramount Bay tower breaks ground
Royal Palm Communities has broken ground for Paramount Bay at 2066 N. Bayshore Dr., Miami.

The 47-story tower will house 346 one-, two- and three-bedroom units. Prices start at $800,000. Completion is expected in summer 2008.

For details, call 305-438-1004 or visit www.paramountbay.com.

dave8721

April 30th, 2006, 06:30 PM

The Herald had a feature today on the area surrounding the new PAC with a cool interactive graphic of the area with all the towers completed:

Cool Graphic:
http://www.miami.com/multimedia/miami/entertainment/archive/pac/

article:
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/14455233.htm

Development blossoms around Performing Arts Center -- with no plan in place

BY ANDRES VIGLUCCI AND MATTHEW HAGGMAN
aviglucci@MiamiHerald.com

Even before it opens, the Miami Performing Arts Center, conceived as both cultural lodestar and urban growth enzyme, has filled the latter role in spectacular fashion. Better than even its fondest proponents dreamed.

Maybe even too well.

As the MPAC finally nears completion, nearly two years late and millions over budget, private development is following on its heels, fast and hard.

No fewer than 22 major residential and commercial projects are under construction, approved or proposed in the neighborhood surrounding the center's twin halls -- along Biscayne Boulevard and Biscayne Bay, on the site of the shuttered Omni Mall, and in the largely derelict blocks to the west and north of the MPAC, where bulldozers are daily at work, tearing down vacant warehouses and the last few rickety wooden houses remaining from the early days of Miami's expansion.

To ecstatic city officials and arts supporters, the development wave augurs fulfillment of a vision some skeptics once scoffed at -- a dynamic, artsy urban district comprising lofts, condos, stores, offices, restaurants and nightclubs, with rising property values and tax revenues, all with the MPAC as its beating civic heart. Not least of all, such a thriving district would put thousands of new, affluent residents at the MPAC's doorstep to help ensure the success of the $446 million public and private investment it represents.

But the headlong rush to develop troubles some.

It is occurring with no comprehensive development plan in place. Even as the city's Community Redevelopment Agency, nominally in charge of guiding the Omni district's revival, spent three years and $716,000 preparing a 250-page master plan for the area, the City Commission has approved one massive project after another, rendering moot some sections of the CRA's plan before it was ready. The city's vaunted new, neighborhood-friendly development rule book, Miami 21, is months behind schedule and may not be in place until fall.

Even some in the real estate business question whether stacks of high-priced condos -- with few provisions for new parks, public spaces or other public amenities, much less affordable housing or a solution to the area's persistent homeless problem -- are what the MPAC district really needs amid signs of a possible condo glut.

''It has to be more than a series of towers on the water,'' said Henry Harper, developer of the completed Parc Lofts and the forthcoming Filling Station Lofts, both west of the MPAC. ``I don't think it is totally disorganized and chaotic, but it's not inspired. There will have to be a certain level of proactivity by the city.

'When inundated with projects, you have to say, `This is crazy.' ''

It's by no means certain that all, or even most, of the proposed development will actually get built. Boosters say redevelopment is unstoppable given the area's easy proximity to downtown, the water, South Beach and Miami International Airport. But as bankers leery of Miami's high-rise condo boom cut back on construction financing and sales slow, skeptics abound.

That, conversely, gives rise to another fear: scattershot development that fails to deliver the critical mass of residents necessary to support the cohesive, pedestrian-oriented, mixed-used neighborhood everyone wants.

''The people who drive this are the people with the money to build, as it should be,'' said Frank Rollason, the Omni CRA executive director. ``But there's a balance between too dense and onerous, and being too sparse and not having any sense of security. You need to develop some mass of people on the street.

``If it becomes another Brickell, it'll be beautiful to look at. People will be up in their castle, and so what?''

To be sure, no one expected this much potential development so soon.

An economic-impact study commissioned by the MPAC just five years ago predicted the center's construction would generate at most 6,000 nearby residential units over 25 years.

Yet the number of residential units in the projects now underway or in the planning stage add up to nearly 13,000, concentrated in a cluster of condo towers as tall as 72 stories, along with three major shopping centers containing hundreds of thousands of square feet of retail space: in effect, a dense new high-rise city-within-a-city packed into some 40 square blocks running from the Interstate 395 overpass north to Northeast 20th Street, and between the bay and the FEC railroad tracks, the Omni CRA district's boundaries.
Those numbers don't even include the six mammoth condo projects planned along the west side of Biscayne Boulevard south of the I-395 overpass, which many say the MPAC helped attract.

A PLAN TO DEMOLISH OMNI

The largest single project is in the very early stages: a plan to demolish the fortress-like Omni Mall, including its still-operating hotel, and replace it with a mega-development of six towers comprising 4,350 condos. Two new streets would cut through to reconnect Biscayne Boulevard to North Bayshore Drive.

''Lincoln Center turned Hell's Kitchen into one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Manhattan, but that took over 20 years,'' said Robert Heuer, director of Florida Grand Opera, one of MPAC's resident companies, which plans to build its new $34 million headquarters -- including a 500-seat recital hall and a restaurant -- next to the center.

''Has it happened too fast without planning? Probably. That's Miami. But for better or worse, that's how it's happened,'' Heuer said.

City planning director Ana Gelabert-Sanchez did not respond to repeated requests for an interview. Neither did Commissioner Johnny Winton, whose district includes the MPAC.

In the past, city officials have described a grand vision for the area that calls for weaving it together with Bicentennial Park to the south, the proposed home for new art and science museums, the downtown waterfront, and a series of interconnected entertainment districts in the adjacent Overtown and Park West districts. The key: a proposed baywalk and the possible reconstruction of the outmoded I-395 that would elevate the roadway on stilts, allowing for green space and pathways beneath it. That concept, however, remains far from realization.

In the meantime, MPAC supporters say initial apprehensions about the scale and bulk of surrounding development, which they feared would obliterate views of buildings meant to be civic and architectural landmarks, have been allayed. To permit the I-395 redesign, the state paid $78 million to buy up properties between the MPAC and the highway where a developer planned two condo towers, securing clear vistas from the center south and east to the bay and the proposed Museum Park.

Consultations with architects and developers of other nearby projects have assured MPAC sponsors that the center will not be overshadowed, while crucial views of the MPAC down Biscayne Boulevard will be preserved, even enhanced, said MPAC President Michael Hardy.

For instance, 1490 Biscayne, an approved mixed-use project

across Northeast 14th Street from the ballet/opera house, would have two 65-story towers set well back from the performance hall. On the northwest corner of 14th Street and Biscayne, the building would be elevated on 20-foot-tall columns to accommodate an open-air restaurant and afford dramatic views of the hall to motorists and pedestrians, said its designer, Arquitectonica's Bernardo Fort-Brescia.

''You want the new buildings to frame the PAC. Very orderly, with very defined rectangular blocks. And suddenly, you arrive at the difference -- the Performing Arts Center, which has its own expression, like sculptures. And it becomes the event that it deserves to be,'' Fort-Brescia said.

Architects and CRA and MPAC officials say careful review of individual projects by city planners has ensured that all new buildings conform to sidewalk-friendly guidelines, which require that parking garages be hidden behind living units and commercial spaces, while ground floors are open and accessible, lined with shops and restaurants.

The new buildings, they say, will be far different from the nearby auto-oriented buildings of the 1970s and '80s, like Omni, Plaza Venetia and The Grand, whose big suburban-style driveways and broad blank facades make for awkward pedestrian access and little street life.

''Having all shops facing the sidewalk and fronts that are consistent and hug the sidewalk creates real city blocks,'' Fort-Brescia said. ``The planning department, working with the architects, has done a really good job in creating a real cityscape in that neighborhood. Things fell into place.''

In fact, when Arquitectonica's initial design for City Square, the shopping center proposed for The Miami Herald's parking lots struck planners as walled-off and Omni-like, they requested a redesign that made it more ''transparent,'' in part by keeping 14th Street open as a pedestrian mall, with a glassy bridge overhead linking two halves of the 10-story shopping center.

''We're very happy with the way things are going,'' MPAC President Hardy said. ``We were very much focused on shops, people on the street, places where people will feel comfortable walking and create active street life. When people plan to go out for a show or a concert, it's a package.''

Moreover, MPAC backers say, a CRA plan to rebuild streets and sidewalks, and add distinctive lighting, sidewalk paving and landscaping -- already under construction on the blocks immediately contiguous to the MPAC -- will not only beautify the area but help pull the district together.

`SIGNS OF OVERBUILDING'

Some skeptics, however, are not persuaded, citing the number and bulk of proposed buildings and their impact on narrow neighborhood streets already plagued by heavy traffic.

''The PAC was going to be a 100-year property, a unique landmark. It better be for $450 million,'' said veteran Miami real estate analyst Michael Cannon. ``You don't want to crowd the building. But that area is showing signs of overbuilding. The street configuration can't handle that much density, even though the zoning allows it. Can you imagine what the traffic is going to be like?''

Cannon and others are particularly skeptical of the Omni redevelopment's colossal scale. Prominent developer Tibor Hollo, who co-developed the Omni and believes it may still be financially viable, says the new plan is unrealistic. Officials at Argent Ventures, the New York firm planning the new project, declined to comment.

Hollo is a believer in the district: He's building the Opera Tower condos and an adjacent 350-room hotel just north of the Omni. The condo tower is sold out and he sees no bust coming. But he thinks the Omni market can absorb only 1,500 condos a year.

''It can't absorb more,'' Hollo said.

Other city goals seem likely to be frustrated. The CRA district was created to capture taxes from new development and reinvest in neighborhood improvements. Some of that money is going to street reconstruction, beautification and new infrastructure.

But sharply rising land costs mean that a proposal in the CRA's Omni plan for incentives to encourage development of housing affordable to office workers, teachers and police officers west of the boulevard is now unfeasible, the CRA's Rollason concedes. One purpose in setting up the CRA was capturing tax revenues and providing subsidies to encourage mixed-income development.

Rollason wants to expand the CRA area west of the railroad tracks to encompass cheaper land for such ''workforce'' housing.

As land is snapped up by developers, there is little left over for parks or public spaces. The one large park in the neighborhood, Margaret Pace Park, will soon be overcrowded, the CRA plan concluded, adding that creating a ''system'' of green spaces throughout the district is ``imperative.''

Some participants lament planning was not in place before development came knocking.

''It's an important quality-of-life issue,'' said Raul Rodriguez, architect for the new opera headquarters and coauthor of an early MPAC district plan that was never adopted. ``Chances are not everything proposed here will get built. But if it does, no one alive today will live to see it come down.''

dave8721

April 30th, 2006, 06:39 PM

Check out #13 and #19 on the graphic below. 13 is a new design for Urbana and #19 is a new one I haven't seen before (between 1800 club and the Bay Park Plaza apts)

The Mad Hatter!!

April 30th, 2006, 08:07 PM

#19 i believe is a redesign of an apartment building that was proposed quite a while ago, it was 40 stories and designed by arquitectonica.

Dale

April 30th, 2006, 08:35 PM

Urbana is much, much better now.

rider_of_rohan

May 1st, 2006, 07:50 AM

That area will be amazing if all that gets built

MIAballinboi

May 2nd, 2006, 05:46 AM

i saw the giant ad in the sunday paper, kick ass, too bad the max height is "700 feet" but it will be one freaking dense area, just imagine this is only part of the miami boom, not including downtown or brickell!

nimbyhater

May 2nd, 2006, 05:04 PM

id rather have 8 700 ft buildings in a four block area than two 100 footers... this is gonna b amazing but i dont have much confidence in all of these buildings goin up... but even if we only get about half itll be kik ass...

but i think the most significant change to this area's rejuvenation (besides the PAC of course) will be the 395... making it a high span instead of a depression gives up that park space underneath that will connect the areas so its better in that way... although the best possible scenario would still be a underground tunnel with park space on top... ill gladly sacrifice half the buildings around the PAC for 395 to get done, and its fdot, not dade county, so id like to believe theres a little competence running it...

magic-city

May 4th, 2006, 07:10 AM

Onyx II is being marketed by Edie Laquer for $24 million - Land, Plans, Permits and Contracts. Was also told by a sub contractor at a cocktail party that his contract for work at this project has been cancelled. Does anyone have any more info on this?

Element (FKA Ice II) is being marketed by Edie Laquer for $31 million - 3.09 acres on the bay sold with approved plans. Anyword on this one?

Also heard that Premire Towers next to Mary Brickell Village may be dead. This is also a BAC project.

I also saw a flyer marketing the development site of the Empire World Tower on 300 Biscayne.

Lenders are really applying pressure to developers to make their pro-formas work. With the rising cost of construction material and petroleum, not to mention interest rates, developers are running into more financial difficulties.

We must have Miami's next tallest (MET 3) under construction asap.

The Mad Hatter!!

May 4th, 2006, 10:50 PM

dave8721

May 4th, 2006, 11:02 PM

I had a feeling this was going to happen........I thought onyx2 would've been built, but it was just to expensive and premiere's location kinda sucks.

as to ice2, i really thought bcre was a serious company, i guess not, also theres a huge parcel next to ice2 for sale also, magic are you sure you're not confusing the two parcels?

I sure hope Premiere didn't fail because of its location because if thats the case then Miami is basically doomed. There wont be anymore waterfont buildings (other than Villa Magna) so I would think being next door to MBV would be the next best possible location. If we still can't sell non-waterfont projects then thats not good to say the least.

Dale

May 5th, 2006, 02:45 AM

Premeire and Onyx II just happened to be two of my five or six favorite designs for Miami projects. :(

Oh well, Capital Towers and Platinum II might make up for the loss.

nimbyhater

May 5th, 2006, 03:45 AM

i loved premiere but never had much hope for it... as long as capital and infinity go up ill b happy... and if i can get flatiron thatll be the icing on the cake

Dale

May 5th, 2006, 03:47 AM

I mystified though as to why BAP has been so successful elsewhere, but belly-up on these two.

I mean, Miami has had so few failures in this boom (comparatively speaking), yet two of then are BAP's.

quefueuno

May 5th, 2006, 04:58 AM

The thing is that they sold the units for to cheap and construction prices went up, also Capital had over a hundred cancelations the other day...the reason all this is happening is because people keep saying the market is going down and people that buy property there get scared...theres just alot of people saying that and i know that its all a lie people talk a lot of smak because there dont believe everything can happen prices are going to rise for ever at a lesser rate but miami is oging to be a very expensive place up there with New York and the city is still overcrowded Miami will be the next New York even if projects get cancled other people will buy the land and create high rises i dont even worry Miami is going to change into a Urban city buy the end of 2008

Dale

May 5th, 2006, 05:20 AM

Oh, please don't tell me that Capital's in trouble too ! :(

Meanwhile, Chicago is absolutely sizzling.

mileageman

May 5th, 2006, 05:29 AM

also Capital had over a hundred cancelations the other day...

What was the cause for that?

magic-city

May 5th, 2006, 05:34 AM

Hatter:

Yep, that parcel is for sale also. It was part of "Sapphire Bay" that was going to be built by the same developer as ICE.

"TIMES ARE A CHANGING"......................................................

I want Capital to be built. I'll give up Onyx II, Element, and others in the Biscayne corridor --BUT I WANT BOTH CAPITAL TOWERS TO BE BUILT!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/miami17/ELEMENTFORSALE.jpg

magic-city

May 5th, 2006, 05:35 AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/miami17/ONYX11FORSALE.jpg

BornInTheGrove

May 5th, 2006, 08:42 AM

Miami as in Perfect

May 5th, 2006, 10:01 PM

this sucks a little bit.

miamicanes

May 6th, 2006, 12:39 AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/miami17/ONYX11FORSALE.jpg

No! No! Not the building that inspired the Ubertown "(menage a) TROIS" spoof in the New Times! :omg: Please, someone, build it!

http://media.newtimes.com/cover/mia/2005-08-18/Cover%20Big

dave8721

May 8th, 2006, 09:14 PM

Is the Platinum on the Bay land up for sale as well???

http://www.loopnet.com/xNet/MainSite/Listing/Profile/ProfileSE.aspx?LID=14510682&linkcode=1070&sourcecode=1lww2t006a00001

dave8721

May 10th, 2006, 08:03 PM

Patty and her nimby friends were sucessful in preserving their views for now. The zoning board denied the Herald towers but it goes before the full commission for a final decision later:

http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/060511/fyi.shtml

64-STORY TOWERS DENIED: Miami's zoning board Monday voted to deny a zoning change that would have allowed construction of a pair of 64-story towers on the Miami Herald site fronting Biscayne Bay. The city commission will make the final decision. The board voted 4-2 to deny the change from C-2 commercial, with a height limit of 120 feet or 12 stories, to SD-6, which would allow unlimited height. Herald Plaza Parcel 1 is designed with 650 residential units, 24,000 square feet of commercial space and 1,064 parking spaces. Herald Plaza Parcel 3 would have 554 residential units, 4,000 square feet of retail and 700 parking spaces. Developer Terra Group is to take the project before the city's planning and zoning board May 17.

dave8721

May 10th, 2006, 08:35 PM

Entering the approval process by going before the UDRB this month are the City Square Towers and Retail developments and a new building for 1770 N Bayshore (between bay park plaza & the 1800 club) and the MAX office/hotel tower. Also, expect hell to break out word spreads of Related's tower trying to go up next to Mercy Hospital "300 Grove Bay Residences".

http://www.miamigov.com/planning/pages/Boards/UDRB051706.pdf

miamicanes

May 11th, 2006, 01:15 AM

Patty and her nimby friends were sucessful in preserving their views for now. The zoning board denied the Herald towers but it goes before the full commission for a final decision later
I wouldn't quite say it's hopeless yet... look at the archived marked-up city commission agendas. About 97% of them go something like...

"Planning and Zoning Board recommends denial."

"Planning and Zoning Staff Recommend Denial."

${city_commissioner}: "god, our zoning laws are wacky and messed up."

${city_commissioner_2}: "Staff -- do you REALLY think we should vote against it?"

${staff}: Um, I can't personally comment. We're only allowed to give our opinions as it relates to the law as written...

${city_commissioner}: (interrupting) "OK, I've heard enough. Our silly zoning code is coming around to bite us again. I'd like to move for approval"

${city_commissioner}[0..n-1]: "yay"

${city_commissioner_n-1}: "nay"

"OK, the request is approved. Next!"

:D

It's almost a tradition... the Planning and Zoning Staff invariably recommends denial, and the City Commission -- knowing that they invariably recommend denial -- ignores them and votes for approval.

umiami305

May 11th, 2006, 06:09 AM

Lets hope this is the case!

umiami305

May 11th, 2006, 06:14 AM

Lets hope that is the case.

Im so sick of all these people bickering like a bunch of school girls about the traffic and bay views. These people are obviously blind and ignorant. ITS THE BIG CITY. ITS DOWNTOWN. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT. If you dont want to sit in traffic ride the metromover or walk. Better yet, visit NYC and learn how to live and interact in a big city. And dont get me started on views! What view do you have from the performing arts center to the bay. UMM...the Miami Herald building. Im sorry that your so blind you miss that huge building.
These towers will be great for the area in particular the performing arts center. Its will create the needed constant pedestrian traffic to feed all these new business(shops, restaurants, etc) resulting from the construction of the PAC.

DGM

May 11th, 2006, 07:07 AM

I think these people also have their financial interests in mind. It is much harder to sell a condo in that area without a bay view. But, I still think these guys are idiots. I just don't get how a few angry residents can bring a construction project to a halt. I hope Miami 21 will try to fix this (though, I think that it will do the opposite).

archifreese

May 11th, 2006, 09:30 PM

^me 2 i see an underlying neoconservatism coming our way that no one sees through all the smoke and mirrors.

dave8721

May 11th, 2006, 09:39 PM

Yet another article on the subject, the last sentence is very true about the residents of Plaza Venetia complaining about someone else's highrise:

http://www.miamisunpost.com/fifthststoryfrontpage.htm

Herald High-Rise!
Daily Paper Asks City Board for Zoning Increase

“That reporter doesn’t speak as a steward of our business any more than I write stories every day.” —Larry Marbert, Knight Ridder productions and facilities VP

By Tiffany Rainey

After Venetian Causeway residents lined up to speak on the proposed zoning change that would allow a condo tower to be built on a Miami Herald-owned parking lot adjacent to the causeway’s entry to Miami, the majority of the Miami Zoning Board voted to deny an application for up-zoning, during its meeting Monday.

Discussed two parcels that make up One Herald Plaza: one includes the area that is currently used as a parking lot by the newspaper’s offices and another is home to the Herald’s offices and printing press. The applicants, Knight Ridder and Citisquare Group (a subsidiary of developer Pedro Martin’s Terra Group), requested a change to “SD-6” to allow for a mixed-use development project on the parcels.

“I find it strange that the Miami Herald, the voice of this community, has somehow lost its voice when it comes to this application,” board member Joseph Ganguzza said, referring to an April 30 article entitled “Packed In” that included illustrations of projected developments in the Omni district, including Terra Group’s proposed building, a 63-floor tower called Herald Square.

Ganguzza, who said he began a series of e-mails with Herald reporter Andres Viglucci shortly after the piece ran, claimed he was told that the towers were “highly speculative” and that neither the Herald nor Knight Ridder was seeking any changes, a claim that he felt negated the applicants’ claims.

“That reporter doesn’t speak as a steward of our business any more than I write stories every day,” said Larry Marbert, Knight Ridder vice president of productions and facilities. Marbert continued to say that though the company has received offers on the parcel containing the paper’s printing press and office building, there are no plans to sell.

As it stands, Citisquare, listed as the “contract purchaser” on the zoning applications, has first right of refusal on the parcel containing the Herald’s headquarters should it ever be sold. Citisquare is already under contract to purchase the parcel adjacent to the Venetian Causeway that currently serves as a waterfront parking lot. (Knight Ridder itself, a corporation with daily papers all over the country, is contracted to be sold to the McClatchy chain on June 26 for $4.5 billion.)

Attorney Lucia Dougherty argued that whether development was planned or not, the zoning change was simply meant to assure her clients that whatever is built will comply with what they envision for the area.

“At least you, as citizens, and we, as major investors, will know what will be built there,” Dougherty said. A covenant that runs with the land has been signed dictating exact development plans should a condo be built on the lot, according to Dougherty. The covenant also allows for the Herald’s printing press to remain and have the access it requires for delivery trucks.

Michael Hardy, president and CEO of the Miami Performing Arts Center, which is also located in the district currently overseen by the Community Redevelopment Agency, spoke on behalf of the zoning change. Currently the land the center sits on (which was partially donated by Knight Ridder), as well as all other parcels surrounding One Herald Plaza, are zoned SD-6. “We are pleased to play a part in the revitalization but we cannot play it alone,” he said. “This is an integral part of the redevelopment of our neighborhood.”

Jack Luft, former director of Miami’s planning department, claimed that the parcels have become a product of reverse spot zoning. The entire waterfront area downtown was zoned to accommodate transportation and industry in accordance with the port and an FEC railway station but parcels have slowly been re-zoned as office and residential interests have moved into the area, he said.

Luft also reminded board members of the limited time remaining to build up the district, which benefits from tax incentives that are recouped through tax intensive distribution. “This district doesn’t go on forever,” Luft said. “The longer you wait on a zoning change, the more you deny the tax increments that were the original point of this deal.”

But residents from both sides of the Venetian Causeway, many with addresses at Miami’s Plaza Venetia, argued against the zoning change that would allow Citisquare to build a mixed-use condo development at the foot of the passage between Miami and Miami Beach. Among their complaints: increased traffic, lack of infrastructure and blocked vistas.

“If we were to sit here and protect everyone’s view, we wouldn’t have any buildings in Miami,” board member Juvenal Pina told residents.

Dougherty pointed out that nothing can be built without building permits which must go through the city’s planning department and would be required to address issues of traffic mitigation and infrastructure.

“This is not cast in stone,” Frank Rollason, executive director of the Omni CRA, told residents. “I encourage people from the community to participate the rest of the way.” The application will have to go through commission then to the Omni board then back to commission before the county can give final approval, Rollason said.

Board members eventually voted 4-2 to deny the zoning change on both properties. A vote of five or more is needed for an actual recommendation of denial to the City Commission. The application will move on with the vote noted though no recommendation can be made.

“I’m sympathetic but you have to look at this for what it is,” said board member Ron Cordon, one of the two who voted against denial. “It’s a group of people living in high-rises that have a problem when someone else wants to do it. Why should whoever developed your property be allowed to do it but not these people?”

Comments? E-mail tiffany@miamisunpost.com.

dave8721

May 15th, 2006, 05:01 PM

The city now requires that developers submit documents showing the other projects submitted in the area of a new proposal (for traffic analysis and such). Here is the submittal by the Herald for their proposal. By my count that would be 9919 new units in just this little view (a whole bunch more are just outside the view to the north).

http://egov.ci.miami.fl.us/Legistarweb/Attachments/24336.pdf

dave8721

May 15th, 2006, 09:18 PM

Lyghte has a website out. The 32-story building will have 5 parking/amenity floors and 27 single condo floors.

http://www.lyghte.com/

nimbyhater

May 16th, 2006, 02:03 AM

dave8721

May 17th, 2006, 03:52 PM

More craziness with the Herald land:

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/14596304.htm

DEVELOPMENT
Bayfront high-rise plans face tough opposition

Plans to build a high-rise tower on one of downtown Miami's last undeveloped bayfront lots will be put to the test before a city planning board.

BY MATTHEW HAGGMAN
mhaggman@MiamiHerald.com

A hotly contested proposal to build a 64-story condo and hotel tower at the foot of the historic Venetian Causeway goes before a Miami planning board tonight.

Developer Citisquare Group wants to build three condo towers and a massive retail center with shops and restaurants on 10 acres east of Biscayne Boulevard. It is buying the land for $190 million from Knight Ridder, parent of The Miami Herald.

Citisquare also is asking to rezone the site of The Miami Herald building for a fourth condo, although Knight Ridder has said repeatedly those offices are not for sale.

The proposed tower near the causeway is drawing stiff opposition in another example of Miami's ongoing struggle to balance growth with preservation.

Last week the city zoning board voted 4-2 against the proposal, citing traffic concerns and resident opposition. Zoning board members also voted 4-2 against rezoning the site of The Miami Herald building, saying there's no need to rezone a property that's not for sale.

After the Planning Advisory Board, the City Commission will decide the matter this summer.

Venetian Islands homeowner groups and nearby residents fear a 564-unit tower on what is now a parking lot north of The Miami Herald will block views and clog the only roadway connecting the islands to Miami.

''There is universal objection to the overwhelming likelihood of dumping thousands of additional cars onto the causeway,'' said Matt Leibowitz, president of the Venetian Islands Homeowners Association. ``We will aggressively advocate our position and, if necessary, litigate it.''

Citisquare argues traffic concerns are overblown and that the project would revitalize the area. The developer has promised a bay walk and plaza on the site.

Some residents spoke in the tower's favor; ''I think it's beautiful to build up this community,'' said Venetian Isles resident Shmuel Mann.

The other aspect of Citisquare's proposal under consideration tonight is the rezoning of The Miami Herald site at 1 Herald Plaza. City zoning board members wondered why the developer was applying to rezone for a high-rise tower if Knight Ridder insists the land isn't for sale.

Under the terms of the deal, Knight Ridder is giving Citisquare permission to seek rezoning and development approvals for The Miami Herald offices -- despite saying it won't sell. Citisquare must provide parking for Herald employees and ensure Herald delivery trucks operate without interruption. The developer also gets the first chance at buying 1 Herald Plaza if Knight Ridder -- or Sacramento-based McClatchy Co., which is buying Knight Ridder -- ever chooses to sell.

KNOWING THE FUTURE

Citisquare attorney Lucia A. Dougherty said her clients are seeking the rezoning of 1 Herald Plaza because they want to know what could spring up between the 10 acres they're buying and Biscayne Bay, in case the building should be sold to somebody else down the road.

And proponents contend rezoning is needed to bring the parcel in line with nearby properties.

''I have no problem with tall buildings in that area,'' said zoning board member Charles Garavaglia, who supported rezoning.

But others remain perplexed. Since Knight Ridder put the land up for sale in 2004, rumors have been rampant it plans to sell The Miami Herald offices, given they are on prime waterfront real estate just a block from the Miami Performing Arts Center. The fact Knight Ridder declared the printing plant off-limits for redevelopment but not the offices has sparked further speculation.

''It is very unusual to permit someone else to rezone their property when they have no intention of selling,'' said Stanley B. Price, a land-use attorney in Miami.

Price said, for instance, a zoning change allowing a high-rise condo could result in a higher tax assessment -- something a property owner with no plans to sell would presumably want to avoid.

''The sense is that there is more than meets the eye here,'' Price said.

Larry Marbert, Knight Ridder's vice president of production and facilities, reiterated what Knight Ridder officials have said repeatedly since the company first put the 10 acres on the block.

''I don't know how many different ways I can say it, the building is not for sale,'' he said. ``In fact, during the bidding process, those who included the building in their bids were disqualified.''

McClatchy CEO Gary Pruitt also said there are no plans to sell the building when he visited The Miami Herald earlier this year after signing a contract to buy Knight Ridder. However, he acknowledged the site's value -- ''Great view,'' he said while standing in the newspaper's cafeteria, which overlooks Biscayne Bay.

In opposing the project, some zoning board members also criticized The Miami Herald's coverage. Board member Joseph Ganguzza cited a recent Miami Herald story and rendering illustrating proposed development around the Miami Performing Arts Center as incomplete, because a rendering of the condo proposed for the site of The Miami Herald offices was not displayed.

Ganguzza said The Miami Herald really ''has not spoken clearly about what is going on'' and called the coverage ``selective.''

To date, The Miami Herald has published some nine articles on the land deal, including reporting on Knight Ridder allowing Citisquare Group to pursue development approvals on 1 Herald Plaza.

Tom Fiedler, executive editor of The Miami Herald, said a rendering of the proposed tower at 1 Herald Plaza was not included in the April 30 story and graphic because Knight Ridder has consistently said the property is not for sale.

`NOT IN PLAY'

''To the best of our knowledge, we've been told again and again, the property is not in play,'' said Fiedler, who added: ``As a newsroom, we have no dog in this fight.''

Citisquare Group is led by Miami builders Terra Group, headed by Pedro Martin, and New York-based RFR Holdings, whose principals are Michael Fuchs and Aby Rosen. Other investors include Chilean utility executive Jorge Rosenblut; Patricio Kreutzberger, son of Hispanic television star Don Francisco; Miami real estate investor Hank Sopher; and Brooklyn-based developer Shaya Boymelgreen, head of real estate development company Leviev Boymelgreen.

Developer Mark Siffin, who has operations in Miami and Indiana, is a joint-venture partner in the large retail project. Plans for the retail complex and two other condo towers adjacent to the Boulevard Shops are still in the early stages of the approval process; they go before the Urban Development Review Board today.

dave8721

May 18th, 2006, 07:45 PM

Lyghte has a website out. The 32-story building will have 5 parking/amenity floors and 27 single condo floors.

http://www.lyghte.com/

The Miami Sun Post Groundwork column has a blurb about it as well:

http://www.miamisunpost.com/groundwork.htm

http://www.miamisunpost.com/images/m3_gw%20003%20lyghte.jpg

Lyghte (above), a lavish 31-story condominium on Biscayne Bay just north of downtown Miami, will have a total of 27 sky villas of 3,000 square feet each. That means unobstructed panoramic views of Miami from every direction. In addition, two four-story town houses with roof terraces open directly onto the bayfront. The building — designed by Miami architect Lester Beilinson of Beilinson Gomez Architects — features a dramatic slash of light that seems to burst from the building’s edge, giving the effect of a beacon. Fittings and amenities include high-speed private elevators to each residence with keyless entry access, floor-to-ceiling glass doors and windows and a choice of natural wood or stone flooring. Kitchens will feature the expected gourmet level, bathrooms will be equally lavish, and there will be a temperature-controlled wine cellar with private storage compartments. Hi-tech everything is also included. The building will have a sports lounge with plasma screen and surround-sound stereo system, bar and conference room. There’s also a fitness center with steam room and sauna, waterfront pool and cabanas, etc. Prices are $1.5 million to $2 million plus.

dave8721

May 30th, 2006, 09:18 PM

Does anyone know what building is rendering #7 on Chad Oppenheims site? They don't bother to label any of them (or make it user friendly in any other way)? It appears to b e upper Biscayne Corridor near the causeway, east of Biscayne. 3301 Biscayne possibly? Or just a misplaced Park Lane Tower or something.

http://www.oppenoffice.com/

dave8721

May 31st, 2006, 05:45 PM

Chuck, you can breathe easier. Tibor Hollo's Hotel De l'Opera was approved.

http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/060601/story1.shtml

Downtown luxury hotel gets OK

By Deserae del Campo
Miami commissioners granted a permit last week to veteran developer Tibor Hollo to build a 34-story, 350-room luxury hotel in the Omni area.
"It will be 25 years since this area of Miami has had a hotel built," said his attorney, Vicky Garcia-Toledo.
Mr. Hollo, president of Florida East Coast Realty who developed the Omni complex and nearby Grand and Marriott hotels, says the Hotel De L'Opera will be rated four stars.
"I approve of this project for this site because it is relative to Miami 21," the city's land use initiative, said Commissioner Johnny Winton. "It will bring a perfect fit to the area."
"As a hotel project it will provide jobs at an entry level," agreed Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones.
The 400-foot, 34-story hotel at 1771 NE Fourth Ave. is to offer 350 rooms and 44,606 square feet of offices between Bay Parc Plaza rental apartments and the Opera Tower, projects permitted to Mr. Hollo in 2001.
"The original project started in the 1980s" as Miramar Center, said Philip Dahan, Florida East Coast senior vice president. It included Bay Parc Plaza, Opera Tower luxury condos and a site zoned institutional. "The institutional building could have included office space or an education facility," he said.
Mr. Hollo said he was going to build the institutional building because the Miami-Dade School Board approached him in 2004 about the site.
"I don't know what they had in mind," he said, "but it was going to be for school board use. But I haven't heard from them in about a year and a half, so I decided the next best thing would be a hotel on that land."
"This hotel will be the only new hotel in that whole area," Mr. Hollo said, "and I think it should be pretty good, with views of Biscayne Bay and dock space for people who want to bring in their boats."

dave8721

May 31st, 2006, 05:47 PM

A little further up Biscayne a project was downsized due to neighbor opposition:

http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/060601/story7.shtml

Developer told to downsize plans for Morningside project

By Deserae del Campo
The battle between Morningside residents and developers over a Class II building permit ended last week with developers forced to scale down plans for a multifloor office and residential building.
For two years, Morningside Development LLC has fought for a permit to construct a 92-foot high, 105-unit residential building at 5301-5501 Biscayne Blvd.
The Morningside Civic Association filed an appeal seeking denial of the permit, arguing that two towers next to single-family homes along Biscayne Boulevard would not bein character for the neighborhood.
City commissioners last week declined to grant the appeal by Morningside residents but asked developers to scale the project down to 35 feet high.
"I'm going to choose modifying or amending the actions of the zoning board because it is crystal-clear that the developer has a right to build his project," Commissioner Johnny Winton said in the meeting devoted to planning and zoning matters.
In October 2004, the city's planning department granted a permit to Morningside Development for a 92-foot building that would include 11,994 square feet of office space on the first two floors of two condo towers and 211 parking spaces.
The city's zoning board also approved the permit.
In December 2004, the zoning board voted 7-1 to deny the appeal filed by the civic group.
Three months later, Miami commissioners voted to deny the building permit and grant the appeal. Developers returned to city hall in October after the 11th Circuit Court quashed the commission's denial.
At a planning and zoning hearing in January, city commissioners sent the issue back to the zoning board for modifications to its December 2004 decision denying the appeal. Morningside residents once again lost the battle with the zoning board when the board voted 6-2 to deny the appeal and grant the permit.
The final decision came last week on a 5-0 vote by city commissioners last week to order a scaling-down of plans.
City attorney Jorge L. Fernandez said that based on the circuit court ruling, commissioners must decide the issue based on evidence considered during the zoning board meeting. Further, Mr. Fernandez said, commissioners were compelled to decide whether the zoning board afforded everyone an opportunity to speak in front of the zoning board, the zoning board made its decision on substantial evidence and the zoning board applied correct law.
"First, you can affirm the decision of the zoning board, you may reverse the decision of the zoning board or you may modify the action of the zoning board," Mr. Fernandez said.
Mr. Winton said the board followed due process. "Yet the zoning board did not apply correct law under the design-review criteria because this building of considerable height will be built literally against the line of R-1 single-family residential homes. These are real homes with real people, and I would suggest that the zoning board did not respond to the neighborhood context."
Morningside resident Elvis Cruz said city commissioners were justified in making last week's decision. "The commission's ruling is consistent with the five different pieces of neutral, third-party substantial competent evidence we found that specify 30 to 35 feet as the proper scale for buildings on a commercial corridor outside downtown," he said. "Tall buildings belong downtown, where we taxpayers have spent billions of dollars building the infrastructure for high-rise living."
Evan Goldenberg, attorney representing Morningside Development, argued that commissioners should have conducted last week's hearing as an appellate court and not second-guessed the evidence heard before the zoning board. "The commissioners' role was to review the zoning board's decision, but they decided not to and voted to change it."
Mr. Goldenberg said the developer could return to court to appeal the city commission's ruling, but "I don't make the decisions - my clients do."

dave8721

June 1st, 2006, 10:31 PM

The saga of Kubik goes on:

http://www.miamisunpost.com/ninethstoryfrontpage.htm

Kubik Rising
A mixed-use project gets approval from the Miami City Commission.
Again.
Will neighbors go to court and try to stop it?
Again?

http://www.miamisunpost.com/images/j1_kubik%20Night%20View%20baja.jpg

Green Light
Multi-Story Condo Finally Gains Approval to Build in Upper Eastside

Community members have been divided over the issue and the Upper Eastside Miami Council decided to not take a position on the matter.

By Omar Sommereyns

After a couple of years of delay and compromise through several public hearings and meetings, the mixed-use Kubik project at 5600-5780 Biscayne Blvd. finally has the green light to begin construction sometime later this summer.

Revised plans for Kubik were unanimously approved by the Miami City Commission at its May 25 meeting.

According to Camilo Alvarado, principal architect of Kubik’s Lab Group Developers, construction should last about 20 months. The complex, situated across the street from Mark Soyka’s 55th Street Station, will feature two 14-story (or 150-foot) buildings with a total of 293 residential units as well as 422 parking spaces.

Furthermore, there will be 41,745 square feet of office and retail space for art galleries, boutique shops, and a restaurant behind Andiamo, a popular pizza spot. Alvarado would not reveal specific names for any of the commercial ventures, but guarantees the mix will be “fantastic.”

The City Commission had first approved the project in 2004, yet some residents – including the Morningside Civic Association – were still unhappy with the project’s scale (despite modifications) and filed suit. They claimed the project had to follow the specific design criteria stipulated by Section 1305, a more stringent set of design regulations for major projects passed by the commission a month prior to Kubik’s previous approval.

The 3rd District Court of Appeal agreed with the Morningside residents and instructed them to go back before the commission to argue whether or not the project meets the 1305 criteria.

“It’s too large,” Michael Sastre, an attorney representing Cesar Hernandez-Canton (a resident who lives very near the project), told the commission during the public hearing. “It is out of scale and we think it should be rejected outright.”

Commissioner Joe Sanchez and his colleagues at the dais, however, emphasized that the point of the hearing was for each side to argue whether or not the project is in line with the proper design criteria.

“This is a unique site along Biscayne Boulevard and this project does in fact meet the criteria,” said Commissioner Johnny Winton.

Community members have been divided over the issue and the Upper Eastside Miami Council (UEMC) decided to not take a position on the matter.

“The official position of the UEMC is to have no position – the board agreed not to agree,” said Bob Flanders, the council’s president. “As for my personal opinion, these people have really accommodated the public requests – they gave us more parking, more retail and made the building lower. This went through a multitude of changes and the developers’ commitment to the neighborhood was clearly demonstrated. Had they muscled their way in or shoved this down our throats, I might have a different an opinion, but they didn’t.”

In a letter to the city, Shane Graber, former president of the Bayside Residents Association, which spans from NE 62nd to 72nd streets, wrote, “The Kubik developers have made ample changes to their original plans. The ‘opponents,’ who are few in number, yet quite vociferous, have not made any concessions. This is not reasonable behavior.”

As for the opposing side, Sastre told the SunPost there are no plans to appeal the commission’s approval again.

“No determination has been made at this time, but we still believe the project is out of scale for the neighborhood,” he said. “The options are open – we can appeal it or even take independent action if the project runs afoul of the city’s master plan.”

Regarding the hearing at the last commission meeting, Sastre added, “Previously we had long public hearings and everything, but this time both sides only got about eight minutes for arguments. I think there are some procedural due process concerns there. But anyway, for now the project is a go.”

But Morningside activist Elvis Cruz, reached by e-mail just before deadline, said Kubik “at 293 units, 150 feet tall and 400 feet wide, is out of scale and incompatible with the area, and violates the comprehensive plan.” He added that “an appeal is being considered by individual property owners.”

Comments? E-mail omar@miamisunpost.com.