Project Timeline

On October 31, 2017, the City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2017-30082, approving a Management Agreement with the Sabrina Cohen Foundation (the “Foundation”), for the Foundation to raise the funds and be responsible for all of the expenses related to the City’s design, development, and construction of an Adaptive Recreation Center (the “Center”) to be located within a portion of the City’s P72 surface parking lot at 53rd Street and Collins Avenue.  The Agreement provides that the City would be the owner of the Center, which would be used for the primary purpose of providing the general public, specifically persons living with physical and cognitive disabilities, with an accessible access point to the beach and related beach programming.  

On July 2, 2018, pursuant to the Agreement’s terms, the City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2018-30377 approving the Foundation’s proposed concept plan for the Center.

On January 16, 2019, the City Commission approved Amendment No. 1 via Resolution No. 2019-30671 updating certain technical references, consistent with the concept plan approved by the City Commission on July 2, 2018 and applicable provisions of the City Code.  

On July 31, 2019, the City Commission approved Amendment No. 2 via Resolution No. 2019-30922 extending the fundraising schedule and deadlines in the Agreement by 12 months to provide the Foundation with additional time to raise donations for the design and construction of the Adaptive Recreation Center.

Due to the COVID-19 emergency, the Foundation was entitled to an extension to their fundraising schedule and deadline, which is set to expire in September 2021. 

Project Costs

The project includes a new 3-story wellness center that will house an adaptive gym, rooftop pool, robotics lab, locker rooms, and storage space for the Adaptive Beach Days Program.  Planned services include a resource library, yoga and meditation classes and various therapy forms (water, art, dance, music).  The cost of the project is currently estimated at $15 to $20 million to be funded entirely by private donations.

The Foundation has worked with Miami-Dade County to secure funding for an accessible park to complement the mission of the future Adaptive Recreation Center. Funding has been secured through the Miami-Dade County Building Better Communities General Obligation Bond Program, from which the County has allocated $577,000 for the design and construction of public infrastructure improvements associated with the development of an inclusive outdoor park (Exhibit “A”). This project is separate from the Adaptive Recreation Center and not included in the management agreement. On April 29, 2021, the Mayor and City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2021-31683 accepting a grant allocation.

The funds will be provided to the City on a reimbursement basis. In addition to the $577,000, the Foundation has separately identified $73,000 in additional funds to be donated to the City and applied to the project.

Ocean Terrace Settlement Agreement

A settlement agreement between Ocean Terrace Holding and its related entities and the City was approved by the City Commission on April 21, 2021. Of the total $3 million contribution to the City, $1 million is earmarked for the 72nd Street Community Complex and $400,000 is needed to cover the legal fees for the settlement agreement, leaving a total of $1.6 million that is uncommitted and available to fund a capital project.

During the June 11, 2021 Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee (FERC) meeting, the Committee recommended that the City appropriate and match, dollar for dollar, future donations made to the Foundation for the design and construction of the project, up to an amount not-to-exceed $1.6 million, and further provided that the Foundation be required to raise the funds within a period of time specified by the Mayor and City Commission.

At the June 23, 2021 Commission meeting, Resolution No. 2021-31751 was passed directing the City to appropriate an amount not-to-exceed $2.5 million, for the City to match future donations made to the Sabrina Cohen Foundation for the design and construction of the Adaptive Fitness and Recreation Center, to be located at 53rd Street and Collins Avenue, provided that the Foundation raise the funds within a period of time to be determined by the Mayor and City Commission.

During the July 30, 2021 FERC meeting, the Committee approved the project scope and conceptual plan, as well as accepted the Foundation’s donation of up to $73,000 to the City for the adaptive outdoor park project. The Committee also approved authorization via an amendment to the Collaboration, Funding and Management Agreement between the City and Foundation (Exhibits “B”, “C”, and “D”), which will allow the City to work with the Foundation to leverage additional funding and offset additional costs for the outdoor park project, and for the design and construction of the adaptive recreation center. 

Additional funding will be secured through sponsorships in the form of, but not limited to, a brick paver program and the naming opportunities of park amenities. These sponsorships will be recognized in the form of a small plaque or on a donor board located within the park. Outlined below are the initial proposed sponsorship opportunities, which are subject to modification during the fundraising efforts:

Naming Opportunities

• Art Installation: $25,000
•  The Pathway of Inclusion: $150,000
• Bridge to the Beach: $150,000
• 1^st of its kind Beach Viewing Platforms (North & South): $150,000 each
•  Outdoor Fitness Area: $100,000
• Equipment in Outdoor Fitness Area: $25,000 each
• Plant Sculpture Mazes: $100,000
• Butterfly Garden: $100,000
• Climbing Mounds/Open Play Space: $100,000
• Picnic Benches: $10,000 each
• Children’s Outdoor Playground:
  “The Classroom”: $150,000
  Zipline: $100,000
  Swings: $100,000
  Play Structure/Slides: $100,000

Approval Process:

Recognition from the naming opportunities will follow all established City standards. It will also require a positive recommendation from Neighborhoods and Quality of Life Committee and approval from the full City Commission. It will then be followed by a public hearing and a 5/7^th City Commission vote, as all plaques/signage require a Land Development Regulations (LDRs) waiver, as per Section 138-5 of the City Code, entitled, "General advertising signs," which specifically states: "[n]o general advertising sign shall be constructed, erected, used, operated or maintained in the City."

Brick Paver Program: “The Pathway to Inclusion”

As part of the plans for the project, a new and improved ADA accessible pathway within the park will be created. There is an opportunity for 11,000 bricks to be purchased for the follow fee:

• 4” x 8” Bricks: $500
•  8” x 8” Bricks: $1,000

Approval Process:

Recognition from the brick paver program will follow all established City standards. All pavers are subject to approval by the City Manager or her designee.

In addition, Amendment No. 3 will include clarification that all surplus funding would go towards the design and construction of the Center and would count towards the Foundation’s fundraising goal for the Center.