ANALYSIS:
At the June 5, 2019 referral, Commissioner Arriola referenced the Betsy Hotel alleyway as having received worldwide accolades for its creative placemaking. He requested that the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee take the next step and consider linking Ocean Drive through the Betsy Hotel alleyway to Espanola Way, through the Drexel Avenue neighborhood greenway, and finally to Lincoln Road, creating a long, fluid pedestrian pathway which would link the City's major economic engines. Such a public infrastructure enhancement would also serve to activate the 200-400 blocks of Espanola Way (between Collins Avenue and Washington Avenue) that have remained underlit. By positively activating these blocks, it is anticipated to prevent crimes like the recent one that occurred during Rolling Loud.
Some of the short term options discussed within the department of Public Works is making the area of Espanola Way from Washington to Collins Avenue more pedestrian friendly by improving street lighting, wrapping the existing coconut trees with decorative lighting, similar to Washington Avenue, installing street pavers and even the possibility of projecting art onto the walls of existing buildings. Preliminary estimates for some of the short term considerations as follows:
Replacement of mainstream pedestrian lighting with LED’s, $6,000
Wrapping of Coconut trees with decorative lighting, $2000
Road asphalt removal and installation of standard brick paver, $200,000
Projection of Art is being considered and would be funded by the Washington Avenue Business Improvement District.
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