NEW BUSINESS  13.

COMMITTEE MEMORANDUM

HISTORY:

In the January 11, 2017 Commission meeting, the issue of potential use and activation of the Rotunda in Collins Park was referred to the Neighborhood/Community Affairs Committee in order to discuss possible options for activating the space. On February 17, 2017, the Neighborhood/Community Affairs Committee recommended further exploration of three proposed options, which include activating the Rotunda as a café, public art installation, or climate change station. The Rotunda is the last standing piece of the prior Public Library of Miami Beach in Collins Park, designed in 1962 by Albert Vrana with a sand-cast concrete façade, named “The Story of Man”.

In preceding conversations, the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee initially discussed food and beverage concessions at Soundscape Park, Collins Park, and the Miami Beach Botanical Garden at the June 20, 2014 meeting and recommended pursuing food and beverage concessions through the pop-up concept or food trucks for both Soundscape Park and the Miami Beach Botanical Garden. The Finance and Citywide Projects Committee recommended waiting for a broader master plan for activating Collins Park before pursuing a concession operation at this location.  This matter was further discussed and developed at the January 7, 2015, March 18, 2016, May 20, 2016, June 17, 2016, and December 16, 2016 Finance and Citywide Projects Committee meetings. At the January 11, 2017 Commission meeting, the Commission approved authorizing the Administration to negotiate with the Bass Museum to provide an outdoor café in conjunction with their indoor café.  The Commission direction was to explore possible options for the use of the Rotunda.

On April 26, 2017 the City Commission discussed four options for potential uses for the Rotunda including a full-service food and beverage café, an art installation implemented by the Bass, a climate change station and an artist design performing arts venue. Based on estimates provided by Capital Improvement Projects the cost to convert the Rotunda into a full-service food and beverage café with commercial kitchen, restrooms, finishes, mechanical, electrical, fire alarm/suppression, means of egress/accessibility, etc. was $929,000 (Attachment 1), Without the need for a full commercial kitchen, the cost to renovate the Rotunda would be less than the $929,000 estimated for a full-service food and beverage cafe, but could possibly still require upgrades such as finishes, mechanical, electrical, fire alarm/suppression, means of egress/accessibility. The conversion of the Rotunda into an art installation by the Bass was estimated between $600,000-$800,000; the renovation into an artist designed performing arts venue was estimated at $800,000; and no cost estimates were provided by the design firm of Sapient and Nitro to convert the Rotunda into a Climate Change Station

During the April 26, 2017 City Commission meeting, a motion was made to proceed with the Cultural Arts Council’s plan to convert the Rotunda into an artist designed performing arts space. Funding for this project was allocated on September 13, 2017 when the City Commission approved by Resolution 2017-29969 the use of $800,000 from the Cultural Arts Council Endowment to fund the transformation of the space.

The Art in Public Places Committee issued an invitational Call to Artists to internationally recognized professional artists with experience in architectural-scale projects which involve highly specialized transformation of existing structures and interior spaces. Based on the above estimates, it was stated in the Call to Artists, that the scope for the total allocated amount of $800,000 from the Cultural Arts Council Endowment to convert the Rotunda into a functioning performing arts venue, included design, engineering, fabrication, installation, and all code and building requirements associated with the renovation including restrooms, accessibility and life safety systems, among any other necessary requirements.

After discussion and review of the artists’ previously completed works, on December 18, 2017 three artists were recommended by the Art in Public Places Committee to develop site specific project proposals. The artists were as follows: 

Daniel Arsham/Snarkitecture (Brooklyn)

Frida Escobedo (Mexico City)

Gia Webb (New York City)

On February 20, 2018, the three artists presented their site specific project proposals to the Art in Public Places Committee, members of the Cultural Arts Council, community representatives and staff, despite not meeting the requirement of providing a restroom solution that would meet accessibility requirements, as described in the solicitation. With the exception of the restrooms, other stated requirements were addressed, including design and budget line items  to accommodate for accessibility and life safety system requirements for the Rotunda.

Following discussion of all three proposals, the Art in Public Places Committee made a motion and unanimously recommended the proposal presented by Mexico City based Frida Escobedo. On March 2, 2018, the Cultural Arts Council also made a unanimous motion to recommend Frida Escobedo’s design. A second motion was made by the Cultural Arts Council directing staff to identify a solution for restroom facilities to serve the Rotunda. Recommendations included identifying funding for the construction of new restroom facilities as part of the City’s capital budget process or request funding for purchase of pre-fabricated portable restrooms as part of the City’s capital budget process. Any of the above solutions should be realized in collaboration with the recommended artist.

Frida Escobedo received a Master’s in Art, Design and Public Domain from Harvard Graduate School of Design. She was selected to design the 2018 Serpentine Pavilion, London, and will be the youngest and second female following Zaha Hadid to receive the honor. Her work has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art, New York; MAXXI, Rome, Italy; Venice Biennale; Victoria and Albert Museum, London, among others.

ANALYSIS:

The three proposing artists were able to design and budget life safety and accessibility requirements for the Rotunda; however, none of the three proposing artists were able to include an accessible restroom facility within the originally allocated budget of $800,000. Upon further research conducted by each of the proposing artists, all of the proposing artists concluded that an accessible restroom facility should be located outside of the existing interior rotunda space, as the incorporation of an accessible, interior restroom would require a significant amount of square footage, greatly reducing capacity and performance space. Attachment 2 references a possible location, as presented by the recommended artist.

Cost of Accessible Restroom Facilities

On May 2, 2018, Capital Improvement Projects staff provided a separate cost estimate for the construction of a restroom only. Based on the capacity of the Rotunda, staff determined a 200 square foot facility would meet requirements, equipped with 1 male, 1 female ADA restroom with service sink. A total estimate of $173,200 (Attachment 3) was presented.

Funding for Accessible Restroom Facilities

As recommended by the Cultural Arts Council, a motion was made to identify funding for the construction of accessible restroom facilities as part of the City’s budget process or request funding for purchase of portable restrooms as part of the City’s budget process, including potential funding from the Cultural Arts Council Endowment. Potential funding from the Cultural Arts Council Endowment was discussed at the April 5, 2018 meeting of the Cultural Arts Council. The available balance shows $1,618,031 set aside in the Cultural Arts Council Fund (140) for the endowment.  Of that amount, $800,000 was appropriated in the FY18 capital budget for the Collins Park Rotunda artist designed performing arts venue. As detailed in the Cultural Arts Council Master Plan (Resolution No. 98-22760) and Cultural Affairs Strategic Plan (Resolution No. 2014-28732), the Cultural Arts Council can recommend use of funds for capital improvements at Miami Beach cultural facilities

On April 5, 2018, the Cultural Arts Council met and a motion was made by Laurence Moser, seconded by Britta Hanson and passed unanimously stating staff should continue to work with Capital Improvement Projects to further refine the cost estimate, scope of work, life safety, accessibility and code requirements for accessible restroom facilities and to return to the Cultural Arts Council with an update at the May 3, 2018 meeting.

In addition to custom built new restroom facilities, the Cultural Arts Council directed staff to explore alternative solutions to restrooms, including pre-fabricated and mobile units. Pre-fabricated environmentally sustainable units (Attachment 4), are placed permanently on site and range in cost from $97,000-$100,000 per restroom. Electrical, water and sewer connections would be required and are estimated an additional $45,000, as per line item referenced in Attachment 2. Prefabricated, mobile units range in price from $110,000-$250,000, depending on design. Should a prefabricated mobile unit be recommended, a storage facility would need to be identified when the facility is not in use.

On April 10, 2018 staff conducted a site visit with Capital Improvement Projects staff to assess the cost estimate, scope of work and determine code requirements for a restroom facility. Following the site visit, Capital Improvement Projects staff recommended pursuing a consultant to provide a feasibility study, with phase one of the study assessing the possibility of using existing restroom facilities located within the Bass to service the Rotunda. This option is dependent upon the Bass restrooms meeting all applicable requirements for compliance, which includes an allowable distance between facilities. The Bass has stated they would provide the use of bathrooms for the opening of the Rotunda, or for a once or twice a year event. However, on an ongoing, permanent basis, the Bass's position is that the museum does not have the ability to responsibly protect the art during off hours.

Finally, a request has been submitted to the Finance Department to include the restrooms for the Rotunda as part of the Government Obligation Bond program.

Ideally, a solution for the restroom facilities should be identified prior to the submittal of the artists’ design to Historic Preservation Board.

CONCLUSION:

Administration seeks direction from the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee regarding funding for the restroom facilities for the Collins Park Rotunda.