1. Revitalize Targeted Areas and Increase Investment
a. North Beach CRA
Following Miami-Dade County’s delegation of CRA powers to the City last summer, preparation of the North Beach CRA (“NBCRA”) Redevelopment Plan is well underway by the City and its consultant group. An informational webinar occurred in December and the City conducted a virtual community charrette from January 11 – 15, 2021, where public input was provided by 580 attendees throughout six interactive virtual meetings and eight (8) focus group sessions. On February 10, 2021, the City Commission adopted a resolution formally creating the NBCRA and appointed the Mayor and City Commission as its governing body, the City Manager as executive director, and City Attorney as general counsel.
The draft Redevelopment Plan will be presented for review and approval in the near future at public hearings of the City Commission and Planning Board. At the same time, the Administration will negotiate an interlocal agreement with the County in order that the interlocal agreement and Redevelopment Plan may be presented for adoption concurrently by the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners.
b. 41st Street Corridor Streetscape Plan
On January 13, 2021 the Miami Beach City Commission approved a conceptual streetscape design for a $15 million G.O. Bond project that will revitalize the 41st Street business corridor. The corridor runs from Alton Road to Pine Tree Drive over the Biscayne Waterway and through five major intersections. To make room for added pedestrian space, the project calls for the removal of some on-street parking and the relocation of some palm trees. The result will be wider sidewalks, textured crosswalks, more seating and a shade tree canopy along the main road as well as on each connecting side street.
Highlights include mid-block seating areas, bicycle corrals on every side street, more than 100 new shade trees, and upgraded LED light pole fixtures to accompany the existing decorative tree-wrap lighting. The design also incorporates programable spaces that can be used for expanded café seating, food trucks, and other activity.
The conceptual design, produced by AECOM, is considered preliminary. Specific details concerning pavement patterns and materials, reforestation and parking decisions will be finalized in the design development phase managed by the Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) Department. Next steps include issuance of a competitive RFQ solicitation for design, development, and construction administration services by CIP. The final design will be subject to Design Review Board (DRB) approval. The construction schedule has not yet been determined, but it is expected to take approximately one year to complete from groundbreaking. The Economic Development Department will work with CIP to ensure that business engagement occurs at the various phases of the project.
c. Art Deco Cultural District (ADCD)
The Mayor and City Commission have directed the Administration to devote great consideration in developing a strategy for elevating the economic vitality of the Mixed-Use Entertainment District, including examining issues with the current business climate and encouraging new investment. Last year, the City Commission authorized Zyscovich Architects to prepare a comprehensive multidisciplinary planning strategy. Resident and community stakeholders were appointed to the Mayor’s Art Deco Cultural District Panel in an advisory capacity to provide insights to city’s consultant. The Panel has convened biweekly since January 8, 2020 and intend to soon provide short-term recommendations for the City Commission’s consideration.
2. Real Estate Assets and Joint Development (P3)
a. Collins Park Cultural Arts Facility
On January 27, 2021, the City Commission directed negotiations with an existing nonprofit cultural arts partner, Miami New Drama, following an unsolicited proposal for development and activation of the ground floor of the Collins Park Parking Garage. Pursuant to direction that a negotiated term sheet be brought before the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee within 60 days, the Administration is negotiating deal terms for development and activation of a brand new 16,000 sf cultural arts space that will further distinguish Collins Park as the city’s preeminent cultural arts campus. Economic Development is currently negotiating with Miami New Drama.
b. Collins Park Artist / Workforce Housing Project
On January 11, 2021, the City Commission approved the Ground Lease and Development Agreement for a private developer to construct a brand new facility that will provide 80 workforce residences for artists, teachers, and other eligible workers employed in Miami Beach, as well as campus dormitory housing for the Miami City Ballet, and an additional 5,300 sf ground floor space available to the City to further activate the cultural arts campus. Economic Development was actively involved in negotiating this public-private partnership which requires little capital investment from the City.
c. Byron Carlyle Redevelopment
On December 9, 2020, the City Commission requested further negotiation of the developer’s term sheet before bringing the item back to the City Commission on February 24, 2021. Since that time, a real estate property appraisal for the Byron Carlyle and an economic analysis of the proposed development terms were prepared, and a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment report concluded that existing site conditions do not present considerable remediation concerns, thereby reducing the City’s pre-development financial exposure. Continued negotiations have made progress on deal points the City Commission highlighted as a priority, including enhancement of the cultural component that the developer will deliver for public use.
d. Class A Office Space RFLI
In October 2020, the City issued a Request for Letters of Interest that proposed private developers convert up to three existing surface parking lots along Lincoln Lane North into Class A office space. The RFLI cited the office market analysis prepared by the City’s consultant, CBRE, Inc., indicating increased interest in the South Florida market. The due date for letters of interest was extended until February 11, 2021 to enable promotional marketing of the RFLI in collaboration with the Lincoln Road Business Improvement District (BID). As of February 11, 2021, the City received a total of fifteen (15) letters of interest.
CBRE’s Q4 2020 Marketview Report for Miami (Exhibit A) indicates that new-to-market tenants touring the Greater Miami marketplace total approximately 500,000 sf, with the majority of these tenants headquartered in New York, Illinois, and Connecticut. Compared with market data attached to the RFLI document (Exhibit B), the latest CBRE report indicates encouraging Miami Beach market conditions. Specifically, Miami Beach Class A total inventory has decreased from 937,526 sf to 896,802 sf.
Accompanying the decrease in Class A office space inventory, between Q2 and Q4 2020, average lease rates in Miami Beach have increased from $48 to $53.
In light of letters of interest submitted from credible sources, broker reports of continued interest from out-of-state firms, and the demonstrated resiliency of the Miami Beach market, the Administration recommends that an RFP be prepared for the Lincoln Lane sites.
3. Business Assistance, Business Attraction, and Market Research
a. Restaurant Industry Relief: Reimbursement Grant Program, Recovery Outdoor Seating Program, and Uber Eats Partnership
On September 29, 2020, as part of the FY 2021 General Fund Budget, the City Commission allocated $60,000 for a delivery service reimbursement program benefiting Miami Beach restaurants.
Aimed to provide relief to restaurants facing hardships due to the pandemic and associated emergency orders, the City Commission accepted the Neighborhood and Quality of Life Committee’s recommendation and created the Miami Beach Restaurant Reimbursement Grant Program on October 28, 2020. To date, fifteen (15) grants have been awarded. Interested businesses may access the online application at miamibeachfl.gosmart.org.
Since March 2020, the City has waived sidewalk café permit fees for all Miami Beach restaurants citywide, a relief measure approved to span 12 months through March 2021, with additional months at the discretion at the City Commission. In addition, the Restaurant Recovery Outdoor Seating Program has permitted 120 local business establishments to expand their footprints outdoors into the right-of-way at no cost to the businesses.
On February 10, 2021, the City Commission accepted the recommendation of the Neighborhood and Quality of Life Committee and authorized the City Manager to negotiate an agreement with Uber Eats to provide economic relief and support to Miami Beach restaurants and residents. By waiving certain consumer delivery fees, the agreement will benefit both Miami Beach restaurants and residents and includes a joint marketing campaign between Uber Eats and the City.
b. CDBG-CV-funded Business Assistance: Emergency Small Business Reimbursement Grant Program (Round 2) and Business Assistance Technical Services
On October 28, 2020, the City Commission allocated an additional $600,000 of Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funds for small business assistance grants. On January 6, 2021, the Administration began receiving applications for the Emergency Small Business Reimbursement Grant Program, with aims of assisting at least 30 microenterprises or small businesses with up to $20,000 for reimbursement of eligible business expenses.
Economic Development will use additional CDBG-CV funding to provide technical assistance, including creation of a city employee position dedicated to providing small business concierge support services, grant administration and technical assistance coordination. In addition to in-house technical assistance services, the City is in talks with the Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at FIU, to conduct monthly trainings and 1-on-1 business consulting on topics related to business finance, operations and management, and market growth—free of charge to Miami Beach small businesses.
Since last summer, the Department continues to issue its weekly e-Newsletter Updates & Resources for Businesses Impacted by COVID-19, which reaches 3,090 recipients. The website MBbiz.com is updated regularly to provide business assistance resources to the community, including current labor and business data powered by Local Intel.