DISCUSS AND TAKE ACTION ON THE ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE SITE SELECTIONS FOR THE LOCATION OF THE NEW FIRE STATION NO. 1 PROJECT.

In the weeks since the January 31, 2024 Commission Meeting, and at the direction of the Commission, the Administration and project team, including the design consultant and construction manager, have commenced a review of potential alternate sites for the Fire Station No. 1 project. The Administration has been working closely with Commissioners Bhatt and Fernandez to identify potential alternate sites:

1. 833 6 Street- (South Shore Community Center) - Current Site
2. Flamingo Park at Alton Road, between 11th and 12th Street (Flamingo Park)
3. 1000 Alton Road (Whole Foods)
4. 1100 5th Street (Pier 1)
5. 960 Alton Road
6. 550 9th Street and 900 Washington Avenue (City owned Surface Parking Lot P-12)
7. 1260 Washington Avenue
8. 429 Lenox Avenue

Identifying and selecting a potential site to house the new Fire Station No. 1 facility is defined by certain parameters which establish requirements as to size, location and physical arrangements. Characteristics which need to be taken into consideration include geographic location and service area, size of lot (3/4 to 1 Acre min.), length and width of lot, adjacent roadway elevations, and ingress/egress paths. Estimated travel times from the proposed location throughout the service area must also be considered. As this is a Category-IV essential facility as identified in the National Building Code, and needs to meet specific finished floor elevation requirements, access to the facility by fire-fighting apparatus is accommodated through ramped driveways. Given the difference of elevation between the adjacent roadways and the required finished floor, the ramps must travel certain lengths which, together with the minimum ground floor dimension of the building, establish the minimum length of any site which might accommodate the facility. The combination of these site selection parameters further limits the availability of potential sites.

As directed by the Commission and following the directive to minimize the redesign of the building, to the extent possible, the project team prepared overlays and reviewed potential site constraints or limitations for each of the identified alternate sites. In order to facilitate a comparison of the various sites, City staff engaged the design consultant and construction manager, and estimated additional costs to date for these services could reach approximately $60,000. Pursuant to the directive received in January 2024, City staff from the Office of Capital Improvement Projects has dedicated over 500 hours, to the exploration of alternative sites. The analysis has been summarized and a matrix of potential sites with their respective characteristics has been prepared (Exhibit A).

Of the sites identified and reviewed, only the proposed location at 6th Street between Meridian and Jefferson, and three (3) alternate sites, Flamingo Park between 11 and 12 Street, 1000 Alton Road and 1100 5th Street, appear capable of accommodating the Fire Station No. 1 facility with associated ramps and driveways. Parcels owned by private entities will also incur acquisition costs, which for the purposes of this exercise have been estimated using Miami-Dade County’s 2023 Market Values. The site analysis generated potential site plans for the three alternate sites. Regardless of the site selected, all alternatives including the South Shore Community Center, will require amendments to the agreements with both the design consultant and the construction manager.

The sites identified as potential locations are listed in the matrix, and further summarized as follows:

Site 1. South Shore Community Center
This location has been fully designed, is currently in the construction phase and meets all the necessary parameters for site selection for this facility. The property is large enough, measuring approximately 45,000 square feet, and provides sufficient length, approximately 300 feet, to accommodate the facility as well as the necessary ramps (Exhibit B). Furthermore, the length provides the opportunity to include ground floor parking under the building for staff, thereby reducing parking needs in the surrounding community. The use of this site will require the demolition of the existing South Shore Community Center, and the temporary relocation of the Rainbow Intergenerational Learning Center (Daycare) to Flamingo Park, the costs of which are included in the project’s overall budget. The temporary Daycare in Flamingo Park, including the dedicated playground, occupies approximately 5,200 SF, or 0.33% of the overall park. The map of estimated travel times has been prepared for this location (Exhibit C), and there are 2,841 residents that live within 500 feet of this location.

Additional costs associated with construction escalation, additional professional services and related fees, as a result of delays to commencement of construction, beyond the current $33.6M total project budget, are estimated to be at least $2M. The City has committed to finding a location and funding for a permanent Daycare facility, the cost of which is yet to be determined. As of March 31, 2024, approximately $4M have already been spent on the project in its current location.

Based on the original project timeline, the new Fire Station No. 1 would have been completed in the spring of 2026. Assuming that direction is provided by May, 2024, restart of the project at this location could result in at least 6 months of project delays for a new completion date of fall, 2026.

Site 2. Flamingo Park

This site presents sufficient site length to accommodate the ramps and drive-through functionality, in the north-south direction, with access driveways from 11 Street and 12 Street (Exhibit D).  This site provides an opportunity to accommodate parking under the building, for staff, with driveway access to this parking from Alton Road, which will require a driveway permit from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).  In order to accommodate the new fire station, the existing running track will need to be shifted eastward approximately 15’.  Additionally, the approximately 1700SF restroom and locker building currently located west of the track, the approximately 800 SF field house located east of the track, and the scoreboard will have to be demolished and reconstructed.  The Fire Station in Flamingo Park occupies approximately 40,000 SF or 2.5% of the overall park. In contrast, the temporary Daycare occupies approximately 5,200 SF, or 0.33% of the overall park. See attached Flamingo Park site plan depicting both areas (Exhibit E). The selection of this site will require a county-wide voter referendum, waivers of certain Land Development Regulations and review and approval by the Historic Preservation Board.

City Staff presented this location for Fire Station No. 1 to the Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association on April 1, 2024, which requested renderings showing the facility from different vantage points to better understand the impacts of the facilities on the park. See attached renderings (Exhibit F).

The map of estimated travel times has been prepared for this location (Exhibit G) and there are 2,748 residents that live within 500 feet of this location.

Additional costs associated with construction escalation, additional design and pre-construction services, construction scope, impacts to the track, locker-room building, field house, artificial turf and drainage, fees and other incidentals are estimated to be approximately $15-20M ($7-9M for fire station and $8-10M for park modifications).  Assuming the voter referendum passes in August of 2024, and corresponding direction is provided at that time, relocation of the facility to this site could result in at least 24-30 months of project delays from the original project timeline, for a new completion date of fall, 2028, inclusive of park modifications.

Site 3. 1000 Alton Road / 1001 West Avenue / 1025 West Avenue (Whole Foods)
This site is comprised of three individual parcels and a right-of-way and appears to accommodate a drive-through configuration of the facility in an east-west orientation, with ingress/egress drives at Alton Road and West Avenue (Exhibit H). Similar to the Flamingo Park site, this parcel could provide parking under the building, for City staff. This site will require a driveway permit from FDOT, and the vacation and reconfiguration of a portion of the right-of-way (Alton Court Alley). This alternative will require land acquisition of the parcels from private owners, waivers of certain Land Development Regulations and review and approval by the Design Review Board. The map of estimated travel times has been prepared for this location (Exhibit I) and there are 3,938 residents that live within 500 feet of this site.

Additional costs associated with construction escalation, additional design and pre-construction services, construction scope, land acquisition ($15M per MDC 2023 Market Value) and other fees are estimated to be approximately $20-25M. Development of the Fire Station No. 1 project at this site will take at least 48 months upon completion of land acquisition and assuming the existing buildings are vacated timely. For example, if the land acquisition process is completed in fall of 2024, the project will be completed in fall 2028, resulting in at least a 24-30 month delay from the original project timeline.

Site 4. 1100 5th Street / City Parking Lot P-5 / Right-of-Way (Pier 1)
This site is comprised of several contiguous parcels including the City owned surface parking lot located at 401 Alton Road (P-5), and a right-of-way which will have to be vacated. Drive-through functionality cannot be accommodated in the north-south direction, does not provide sufficient height to accommodate ground floor parking in the east-west direction, requiring staff to park off-site. However, the project team did identify two potential layouts for the facility (Exhibit J). Both alternatives will require land acquisition of the parcel from a private owner, vacation of right-of-way, waivers of certain Land Development Regulations and review and approval by the Design Review Board. Proximity to 5th Street and Alton Road with associated driveway locations may require FDOT approvals. The map of estimated travel times has been prepared for this location (Exhibit K) and there are 2,535 residents that live within 500 feet of this location.

1. Alternative 1 for this site includes drive-through functionality, ingress/egress from Alton Road and Lenox Avenue, and maintains, albeit reduced, public parking spaces. This layout will require additional grade level space for the maintenance of the trucks and equipment.

2. Alternative 2 for this site is comprised of a single ingress/egress arrangement from Lenox Avenue, eliminating the drive-through functionality, and maintains, albeit reduced, public parking spaces. A level turn-around area allows for vehicles to turn and back into the facility, as well as an area for vehicle and equipment maintenance.

The owner of this property has indicated that they are not interested in selling the property to the City.

Due to the many constraints and challenges at this location, the Administration does not recommend this site as a viable option.