On July 27, 2018, to address immediate needs with vacant storefronts, the Finance Citywide Projects Committee (FCWPC) recommended that the City provide immediate funding for a storefront cover program, using existing City designs. On October 17, 2018, the Mayor and City Commission accepted this recommendation and allocated funding beginning with $35,000 for vacant storefront covers in North Beach.
In Mid-Beach, the Mayor's Ad Hoc Blue Ribbon 41st Street Committee (41st Street Committee) had been exploring the potential use of a portion of the $100,000 appropriated for the Short Term 41st Street Improvements project in FY 2018/19 from Mid-Beach Quality of Life Funds for storefront covers. (Note that, based on the 41st Street Committee recommendations, the Commission has authorized that $25,000 of these funds be used for a temporary parklet and is also exploring a host of other items host of other items such as lighting, artistic installations, etc.)
In addition, the Administration submitted a budget enhancement for $35,000 for Fiscal Year 2019/20 to address the vacant storefronts in South Beach within the Economic Development Department budget.
Staff is working to identify business and property owners who want to participate in the storefront covers program.
During the October 26, 2018 Finance and Citywide Projects Committee (FCWPC) meeting, the Committee was presented with Design and Architecture High School (DASH) student designs. The recommendation was to ask the students to revise the designs to better reflect the Miami Beach essence, to ask the Communications team to assist with Miami Beach color plate as well as advise the students along with the Planning Department team. The direction was to return with the updated designs to FCWPC and to potentially use these designs citywide.
In February 2019, the DASH student storefront cover (and parklet) designs were received by the City. Economic Development, Communications and Planning teams reviewed the 20+ designs with respect to capturing the Miami Beach essence, color plate, ability to place the Miami Beach logo, information about how to contact the landlord, opaque enough for security, and aesthetically pleasing. The final five (5) designs at attached in Exhibit A for your review.
The 41st Street Committee, during their February 2019 meeting, expressed their recommendation for all four designs as suitable for use on 41st Street but, at their April 2019 meeting recommended preference for #3 and #4.
During the March 19, 2019 NCAC, the committee recommended approving the five (5) DASH storefront cover designs (see attachment) for utilization citywide, with a preference for #2, #4, and #5 and recommended recognizing Eric Hankins, 41st Street Committee member, DASH instructor and catalyst of the student storefront designs and the students for their great work.
At the April 19, 2019 FCWPC, the committee recommended approving the five (5) DASH storefront cover designs for utilization citywide and recognize DASH instructor Eric Hankins and students for their contribution to the beautification of Miami Beach vacant storefront initiative.