Brickell Homeowners Association

Roadway Improvement projects
New Bike Lanes, Other Roadway Improvements in the Works

It’s not news to residents that many roadway improvement projects are underway in the Brickell area. The obvious downside is the inconvenience and mess brought about by all the construction at the same time. The good news is that the projects should address areas that have been problematic or required special consideration, and hopefully each will improve traffic flow, safety and aesthetics.

Bike Lanes Coming
Perhaps the most exciting news is that roadway improvement project on South Miami Avenue from 15th to 25th Roads that began last fall now includes the addition of bike lanes on the roadway. Bicycle and pedestrian safety has been of particular concern to BHA neighbors over the past several years, so this solution was good news for many. Both the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County increased their contributions to the overall $4.45 million project which includes building a traffic roundabout (at 15th Road), new pedestrian lighting and sidewalk resurfacing, and drainage improvements.

New bike lanes will be welcome in the Brickell area,
where biking is popular even in adverse conditions.

Brickell Avenue Streetscape Project Underway
The Brickell Avenue Streetscape project from 15th to 26th Roads continues. The lighting is nearly complete. Plumbing plans for the fountains and irrigation were under review by the City, which reportedly had some concerns that delayed the fountain installation by several weeks, but is now on track. Fountains are incorporated into the entry markers on Brickell Avenue at 15th Road and 25th Road as part of the project that includes new lighting, crosswalk markings and landscaping.

BHA, now with the added assistance of City of Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, continues to try to convince the Florida Department of Transportation that added traffic signals are needed along Brickell Avenue for pedestrian safety on our main thoroughfare. This is especially true at the 1800 block of Brickell Avenue, in front of the UTD Towers.

Projects by FDOT
An FDOT traffic improvement project is underway on Brickell Avenue from S.E. 15th Road to S.E. 13th Street (Coral Way). It includes signalization improvements at S.E. 14th Street, closing existing median openings at S.E. 14th Lane and S.E. 13th St., reconstructing existing curb ramps to comply with American with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards, and minor road widening. This $615,000 project is scheduled to be done in Summer 2007.

Another FDOT project is underway on State Road 90, better known to neighbors as SW-SE 7th Street. The work from 27th Avenue to Brickell Avenue includes reconstruction of curbs and gutters, sidewalk replacements, pedestrian improvements and roadway milling and resurfacing. It is scheduled to be complete in July 2007 at a cost of $1.9 million.

For both FDOT projects, the project manager is Carlos Sarmiento who can be reached at (305) 499-2410 or (305) 345-7269, or carlos.sarmiento@dot.state.fl.us.

The FDOT has included synopses of these and other projects in Miami-Dade at their website, which includes any news of lane closures and other facts about the projects.

Historically, it doesn’t make sense. Geographically, it doesn’t make sense. From a brand-name-identity standpoint, it doesn’t make sense. But, to a few big-time developers pushing to have two blocks of Southeast Second Avenue renamed to the more chic “Brickell Avenue” just north of Miami River, the idea makes a lot of sense, financially, for their pockets.

Readers may recall the uproar began last spring when the name change went before the City of Miami Commission. The commission heard from interests to the north who would like to take on the readily recognizable and highly regarded Brickell name, and business and residential interests to the south of the river intent on protecting their brand name and not allowing it to be diluted by random extensions. Torn, but off the hook, the City said it didn’t have the jurisdiction to make the name change since the road is part of the federal highway system with oversight by the State of Florida. That’s how it ended up in Tallahassee.

Brickell Avenue in 1948 was lined with mansions
and called "Millionaire Row." The home on the left
is Santa Maria. Photo courtesy of Arva Parks McCabe.

Members of the Brickell Area Association, the business alliance leading the charge in this naming battle, have been preparing for the 2007 Florida Legislative session in case the name change provision gets lopped onto the coattails of another bill, and slipped into law. A similar last-minute effort died in 2006 when the legislative session ended in May, but those developers with strong interest in pursuing the change haven’t given up.

Miami's most regarded historians on local history, Arva Parks McCabe and Paul George, have both publicly explained that south of the River was the Brickell family’s territory and north of the river was Julia Tuttle’s. The river was always the geographic dividing line. The proposed name change would mean Julia’s street would be called Brickell, which many see as beyond literary license, perhaps more akin to historical heresy.

"It is so ironic that someone today is trying to move the Brickell name to the north side of the river,” Ms. McCabe said. “The north side of the river belonged to Julia Tuttle. It would be a terrible slap in the face to the ‘Mother of Miami’ to put the Brickell name there.”

Ms. McCabe explained that after Miami was founded by railroad tycoon Henry Flagler and pioneering Julia Tuttle in 1896, William Brickell refused to cross the river to the north because he thought Flagler had slighted the south side. Each side clearly had, and has, its own identity. Over time, Second Avenue has been known as Dixie Highway (after 1916) and before that Avenue “B.”

“Second Avenue should either look for a totally new name that reflects today’s Miami or work on changing the image of Second Avenue,” Ms. McCabe said. “About 25 years ago Hank Meyer came up with the New World Center for downtown. I have always thought that was clever and had a lot of good, subtle meanings. New World Boulevard isn’t bad since Miami-Dade campus is called the New World Campus.”

An early view of the Brickell hammock.
Photo Courtesy of Arva Parks McCabe.

Perhaps because Miami has too many examples of history overlooked for contemporary expediency, the Brickell Area Association has aligned with a lobbying arm to assist watching that history isn’t cast aside and the Brickell name sold for a song in Tallahassee in this year’s session which got underway in late February.

Left: City of Miami Preservation Officer Kathleen Kauffman explained the process the City uses to make historic designations for properties and roadways, as part of a BHA’s Feb. Board education program.
Center: Matthew Monica, Legislative Aide to Rep. Luis Garcia, explained how citizens could work with Mr. Garcia to get a bill passed for a special designation.
Right: David Korros, FDOT District 6, explained the process used by the State to designate state roadways, like Brickell Avenue, Florida Scenic Highways.

The BAA and Dade Heritage Trust are also investigating the feasibility of obtaining a special historic designation for Brickell Avenue, either as a Scenic Transportation Corridor, which is the City’s designation status, or as a Florida Scenic Highway, the statewide designation. The FDOT criteria requires one or more of six resources of “intrinsic value” be present to be considered for the designation. These include cultural, historic, architectural, recreational, natural or scenic resources.

The BAA is launching a website, www.savehistoricbrickell.com, to track the issue. The BAA resolution, see below, further outlines the reasons why extending the Brickell name is not beneficial for the Brickell community. For further reading, see the article on the history of Brickell Avenue, read The Authentic History of Brickell Avenue from the Brickell Area Association.

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President’s Column By T. Sinclair (Tory) Jacobs
Looking Ahead – BHA Concerns Need
Vigilance, Invite Your Participation

With the approach of Brickell Homeowners Association’s 18th year this spring, and the milestone of this 50th edition of our News, it’s timely to take inventory of our issues and priorities.

Throughout our organization’s history, we have been concerned with matters involving quality of life, traffic improvement, crime prevention, beautification, graffiti prevention/removal, public safety, better code enforcement, tree and green space protection and a better informed, more involved electorate. These are generalities. Following are some of the ongoing specific involvements of your BHA as laid out to our elected representatives at the start of this calendar year.

Traffic and Street Improvements

• Timely completion of the Brickell Streetscape now in progress between 15th and 26th Roads
• Pilot study of two-waying SE 8th St. between Brickell and South Miami Avenue
• Traffic calming at eastern end of SE 8th St. Causeway to Brickell Key; County Public Works Approval and installation by City
• Traffic control at the intersection of SW 15th Rd. & Coral Way (3rd Ave/13th St.), a five-street intersection that requires a traffic circle (round-about) or signalization
• Signalized crosswalks on Brickell Avenue
• Treatment of Brickell and Biscayne Blvd. as major city thoroughfares rather than US 1, federal highway as mandated by FDOT & the Federal Highway Commission.
• Elimination of construction sprawl – the usurpation of public rights of way to facilitate high-rise construction.
• Study of reversing direction of traffic flows on SE 7 and SE 8th streets from Brickell west
• Reconsideration of the Brickell Tunnel Project
• Schedule fewer special events that interrupt Brickell traffic flow

Code Enforcement

• Pre-hurricane secure tie-downs at construction sites
• Strict enforcement of noise level ordinances with very judicious granting of exceptions for city-sponsored events. There are issues with Brickell clubs/ restaurants noise, as well as clubs on Virginia Key where the sound comes over the bay. Complaining residents are told that the establishments have permits to allow the noise, leaving thousands of residents disturbed for the benefit of a few club/restaurant owners.
• Monitor noise from jet skis along Brickell and Brickell Key shorelines
• Restore neighborhood code enforcement officer to each NET office

Other Concerns

• Public Input: The most recent example is the location of the Department of Juvenile Justice Probation Office at 602 South Miami Avenue, without any neighborhood notice. BHA is advocating relocation of that office and insisting that the State afford public notice and public comment before taking preemptory actions that adversely impact City neighborhoods.
• Brickell Name: Limit the use of the Brickell name for streets to the south of the Miami River. (See story beginning on page 1.)
• Equity on imposition of excise taxes on solid waste service.
• Pedestrians/Beautification: Crosswalks, sidewalks, street furniture, signage, newspaper racks, POS and street advertising, trash receptacles including for dogs, benches and shelters, covered shelters at all benches, trash receptacles and crosswalks at all bus stops.
• Commercial Encroachment: 1900 Brickell Avenue commercial signage removal advertising a spa and plastic surgeon.

Would you like to participate in any of these efforts? Are there specific initiatives that you think should be added to the above list? Would you be willing to devote some of your time and effort to any of these objectives?
We welcome your input and involvement, and hope to hear from you. An electronic form is available for your completion as we form our 2007 committees. Get involved and help us make a difference! •

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FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Miami’s Oldest Congregation Welcomes Reverend Wayne Kirk
By Donna DeCarlo

After serving as a pastor, preacher and teacher in Texas, Illinois and Florida over the past 30 years, Rev. Wayne Kirk, a Chicago native, landed on the edge of Biscayne Bay last June as the newly hired pastor of the First Presbyterian Church. From just a glimpse at Rev. Kirk’s history, it’s clear he’s not one to shy away from tough assignments, or is at all reticent to venture into new territories, so the challenges of an urban church on the edge of downtown Miami was a natural next step.

Rev. Kirk has served 23 years as a Chaplain (LTC) in the Army Reserve and saw active duty during “Operation Iraqi Freedom” in Kuwait and Iraq. He was assigned as a Task Force Chaplain in “Operation New Horizon/Morzan” in El Salvador in 2006. While in El Salvador, in addition to leading worship and Bible study for U.S. Army soldiers, his mission included new medical clinics, schools and construction of utility services. He’s also worked as a Hospice Chaplain in South Florida.

Rev. Kirk anticipates new and continued growth of the First Presbyterian congregation with new members, a Christian academy for kindergarten through fourth grade, and continuing outreach programs and special events.

First Presbyterian, first organized in 1896 and originally situated a few blocks north of the Miami River before its relocation to 609 Brickell Avenue, is Miami’s first organized congregation. The main sanctuary building at its Brickell home dates to 1948, but contains within its Flagler Chapel the pulpit, paneling, pews and Tiffany stained glass windows from the first downtown church built at Southeast Third Avenue and Flagler Street in 1900.

First Presbyterian presents that special combination of an institution steeped in rich tradition and history while located in the midst of a surrounding community undergoing rapid transformation. New residential neighbors are now within five-minute’s walking distance, including thousands anticipated just two doors to the north at Icon Brickell, The Related Group’s three-tower project on the south bank of the Miami River under construction.

“I see more and more young couples attending services,” Rev. Kirk said, “which is very promising.”

He also said Miami’s warm and inviting winters offer the perfect host setting for a “National Speakers Forum.” This forum would profile national Christian ministers and speakers and embrace the local community, downtown hotels, restaurants and related services. To reach the large contingent of military and their families in Miami, Rev. Kirk foresees an annual special event at First Presbyterian on Memorial Day. Event plans include a worship service for South Florida’s many veterans, active military and their families. Familiar to the area are the Air Force Reserve Unit at Homestead, Florida, U.S. Coast Guard at Opa Locka, Florida and the HQ SouthCom which has more than 2,000 assigned military and civilian personnel.

A continuing urban ministry program sponsored by the church is the DOOR Program (Discovering Opportunities for Outreach and Reflection). It promotes urban community involvement of youth and young adults by their “listening, volunteering and reflecting” with a concentration on urban models of discipleship. DOOR is open to all denominations, and partners with Young Adult Volunteers. In the past, DOOR has been active with Habitat for Humanity, nursing homes and meals at the Miami Rescue Mission.

First Presbyterian was designated an historic site in 2003 by the City of Miami Environmental Preservation Board. Fundraising is now underway for the purchase of a Steinway piano to be placed in the historic Flagler Chapel.
Rev. Wayne Kirk and his wife, Linda, relocated to South Florida in 2004 and are the parents of six children and two grandchildren.

Services at the First Presbyterian Church at 609 Brickell Avenue begin at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings. To contact Rev. Kirk or for more information, please contact the church at (305) 371-3439, or visit the website at www.miamipresbychurch.com. The email is lstpres@bellsouth.net

When we reviewed issues of BHA News leading up to this milestone of our 50th edition, we saw the same themes resonating over the years. The matters of importance to Brickell neighbors 17 years ago – quality of life, traffic, safety and police protection – still require vigilance and remain priority today. (See President’s Column listing the 2007 BHA priority issues.) At the same time, we can also trace a steady current of incremental and important victories achieved by BHA along the way. So while the themes remain constant, the story is continually unfolding, with no imminent end in sight.

We’ve included a list of these BHA accomplishments below, made possible by the will and work of volunteers. Perhaps you, too, would like to get involved with your homeowners association.

Do you have a desire to get involved with neighborhood issues? Do you have time to volunteer? We have a form for you to tell us your areas of interest as we form committees for the year ahead.

Brickell Avenue Streetscape Plan, as originally conceived and launched by BHA, officially broke ground on September 6, 2006 (2000).

• Successfully held 17 Candidates Forums to give Brickell residents an opportunity to hear from and address candidates for offices that impact our neighborhood. The August 17, 2006 Forum filled the Museum of Science auditorium with interested residents and candidates. (2006)
• Persuaded the City to remove the bus benches with advertising panels that stuck out into the sidewalks and were an aesthetic eyesore to our residential neighborhood. (2003).
• The latest obstruction in our neighborhoods, the grouped news racks that are a visual blight collecting trash and offering predominantly non-desirable advertising circulars, are to be removed, BHA has been promised after BHA resolution and urging. (2006)
• Purchased and continue to coordinate with help of member associations the installation of radar speed reader display to remind motorists to slow down (2002).
• Thwarted a plan without public input by Metro-Dade Transportation to relocate the Greyhound Bus Terminal to the Brickell area. (2003)
• Doggie poop signs installed on Brickell in response to Brickell neighbors’ complaints, BHA articles and request to NET. (2006)
• Re-landscaping and planting of SE 25th Road, in cooperation with the developers of The Metropolitan which included benches in mini-park by the bay, underground irrigation, new trees and sod. (ca. 2000)
• Advocated for relief from odors from Virginia Key Sewage Treatment Plant, for several years.
• Maintain vigilance in getting shoreline debris cleaned up by County vessel.
• Successfully advocated for exempting condominium associations from commercial garbage supplemental fee, which condos were charged by the City of Miami in its financial crisis. (1998)
• BHA leaders have been active participants in the Airplane Noise Abatement Task Force for years, working to eliminate the gross noise pollution that has become a major concern for Brickell residents as well as for many homeowners countywide by advocating for flight pattern and pilot procedures changes.
• Involved with committee working on athletic fields on Virginia Key, and for the protection and renewal of Simpson and Alice Wainwright Parks.
• Sponsor security seminars with City of Miami Police, condominium security forces, property managers and residents.
• Brickell Avenue beautification in cooperation with developer of Bristol Tower (1996).
• Successfully advocated for the relocation of UTD Union meetings at the residential tower, which clogged streets, destroyed median plantings and disrupted the neighborhood ambiance (1994).
• Plan to redo landscaping of SE 15th Road, in cooperation with The Rilea Group, and to have a traffic circle installed to improve this intersection with tricky site lines.
• Patrolling, signage and enforcement of liter-causing fishermen along Brickell Bay Drive.
• Removal of homeless encampment under Rickenbacker Causeway.
• Graffiti removal in cooperation with City of Miami whereby BHA reps alert upon first site (ongoing).
• Persuaded the County to pass an ordinance outlawing noisy jet ski launches on the north side of Rickenbacker Causeway (1990)
• Successful in winning prohibition of advertising lightpole banners on Brickell Avenue from 15th to 25th Roads. (2001)
• Arranged for polling site to be moved from north of the Miami River to the Sheraton Brickell Point when it first opened, and subsequently, when it was razed, to Fire Station 4 instead of Jose Marti Park as first decided by the County Elections Dept. (ca. 1990 and again 2005)
• Advocated and got Emergency Rescue at Fire Station #4. (ca. 1992)
• Successfully took the lead against the building of a memorial for immigrants lost at sea which would have been a traffic hazard at the southwest corner of 26th Road and Brickell Avenue.
• Supported the redevelopment of the blighted surrounding area to create Mary Brickell Village.

Perhaps it’s just as important to note what the list doesn’t reflect: the undesirable consequences if BHA had not intervened, been involved, or shown up and made its voice heard. For instance, just this past week a compromise was reached with a west Brickell property owner who had the courtesy to share his plans with BHA for what would have been a large, brightly lettered sign announcing the renovation of his property. When BHA volunteers explained their objection to the large, foot-high lettering and bright colors in the middle of the residential corridor, the property owner scaled back his plans considerably in an effort to help maintain the residential ambiance.

Details of these accomplishments and the history behind them from the last 10 years are chronicled on the BHA website in the News archives.

Brickell Homeowners Association volunteers, NET Administrator Liza Walton, and Miami Police Officer Jeffrey Girodano continue on the quest to improve the situation for walkers, joggers and other residents running across dog waste on the public sidewalks and greenways. A combination of education (signs), enforcement (police writing citations for those who violate the ordinance and do not pick up after their pets), and equipment (disposal bags and receptacles) is going to be employed. Model programs used in New York to curb the problem are being used.

A listing of Brickell Area Restaurants has been compiled from information supplied by restaurants, other published listings and websites including reviews from Miami New Times and Miami Citysearch. BHA apologizes for any errors or omissions. Please notify the editor for corrections or to inquire about advertising opportunities.