Directors/Alternates Present
T. Sinclair (Tory) Jacobs/Brickell 25
Bruce Cotten/2000 Brickell
Celestino Pena, Robert Ryder, Alfredo Bared/Brickell Harbour
Sheila Zemsky/Brickell Key I
Herbert J. Bailey/Brickell Forest
Paul Lewin, Julio Estay/Brickell Bay Club
Norman Mininberg/Brickell Place, Phase I
Wanda Bee/Brickell East
Peter Diaz/The Metropolitan
Henry H. Taylor, Jr., Esq./General Counsel
Ronald K. Smith, Esq./Deputy General Counsel
Natalie Brown/ BHA Communications Director
Associate Members Present
Calvin Norman, Rev. Joseph Combs/Immanuel Lutheran Church
Richard Basila/St. Jude Catholic Church
City of Miami Present
Officer Jeffrey Giordano, Commander Frank Fernandez/Miami Police Department
Patricia Castro-Lopez/Downtown NET Administrator
Seth Edge, Osvaldo Iglesias/Miami Fire Department
Also Present
Gary Donn/FDOT
Tina Taylor/Brickell 25
Harvey L. Young/ex-Villa Regina
Meeting called to order 6:15 p.m.
President’s Report
Brickell Streetscape Plan. On Dec. 12 a proposal to go before the City of Miami Commission for streetscape design for Brickell between 15th and 25th Roads. Pedestrian lighting along the sidewalks (has been worked out with FPL); entryway markers; crosswalks; architectural design elements would be included. Need input/suggestions on entryway markers and name. “Brickell Promenade” is one suggestion. Brickell Harbour asked that 15th Road be included.
1900 Brickell Ave. On Monday, Dec. 2, a hearing of Planning Advisory Board is scheduled at which Dr. Suarez-Menendez is appealing the restrictions he agreed to with the City of Miami for his property. Check with president as the last scheduling was continued.
Southside Elementary School. We’re continuing our holiday support again for this school for their tenth annual toy and turkey drive.
Immanuel Lutheran Church.
Calvin Norman introduced the Reverend Joseph Combs who is now on board as Pastor. Going to start programs at the church that will be of benefit to the entire community.
Holiday Tree Sales for Firefighters Benevolent Fund
Miami Firefighters Edge and Iglesias presented plans for a holiday tree lot at the Immanuel Lutheran church, on the South Miami Avenue side. Sales proceeds to benefit a number of charities in the area as well as firefighters in need. Will open the day after Thanksgiving, hours about 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sundays opening at 12noon or so til 9:00 p.m. Fraiser Firs of all sizes, wreaths, tree stands will be offered and they’ll also be collecting toys. Santa will be there on the weekends.
Police Report
Commander Fernandez and Officer Giordano presented charts on the generally low crime rates in the Brickell area with decreases in a number of crime categories.
Gary Don, FDOT Director of Planning: Brickell Avenue Repaving
Brickell Avenue from SW 4th Street to 25th Road is in the FDOT’s master plan for repaving in 2006. Mr. Don said that “we’re just starting to design it so there’s still an opportunity to plan it. Right now we’re just looking at patches and cracks.”
Directors expressed concern over the last repaving effort in 1995 which was messy and inconvenient and resulted in a patchwork, “checkerboard” appearance not befitting Miami’s most exclusive residential area. Currently the FDOT is planning for a one-and-a-half million dollar project while BHA directors want them to consider getting rid of the concrete slabs completely and replacing with asphalt which would provide a uniform look and a quieter ride. The following dialog took place:
Q. What would it cost to remove the concrete pavement and replace with Asphalt?
A. Roughly about $9 million. Another option is to crack the current concrete pavement and cover with asphalt. Not a good alternative because it would raise the overall height of the roadway which impacts surrounding curbs, driveways.
Tory Jacobs: “In 1995, we were promised asphalt and got patchwork concrete. We looked at many alternatives, all the way to Tallahassee, had engineers on the job. Repairing it isn’t just going to cut it.”
Gary Don: “Concrete pavements are really a thing of the past. Some sections in South Dade and some on I-95 are the only concrete roadways left in the county. We don’t design them anymore. Whatever we’ve got we just try to maintain. Only 3 percent in Florida are concrete. We haven’t really drawn anything on a set of plans. What I will do is go back and talk about it. We’re still four years away. Every year we revisit our plan; estimates change and projects change. I hear what you’re saying. Will see what we can do. We’d like to try to work this issue out.”
Tory Jacobs: Between I-95 and Rickenbacker Causeway on 26th Road will be asphalt and further up on Biscayne Blvd. will be asphalt, as well as South Miami Avenue (US 1) just south of the termination of I-95.
Brickell Bay Village
Kurt Kenyon (not present) in charge of the project at Brickell Bay Village. Has been sold by BCom to a Chicago developer who will market as a condo building. They’re upgrading the facades, amenities, railings and glass. It should be a better-looking building, not rental and more compatible with the neighboring buildings.
ATT Broadband Conversion/Installation
Most condos apparently in the neighborhood have had problems with ATT. ATT subcontractors are making appointments and not showing up so they start, stop, come and go. They’re messy, leave cable dangling, etc. In the end, technically it works out. Brickell Harbour had tremendous problems as did Brickell Place I. ATT subcontractors took a position of arrogance and were entirely unpleasant. The City is inundated with complaints.
Bus Bench Advertising
The selection committee has narrowed it down to three different designs. The BHA area of Brickell shouldn’t have any ad panels at all, and where they’re at, they’ll be smaller and detached.
It was decided not to schedule a December BOD meeting. The next meeting is Wednesday, January 15, 6:00 p.m. at Brickell Place I, 1901 Brickell Avenue. The meeting was adjourned at 7:10 p.m.
