Public Spaces Working Group

Public Space Working Group:
  • Chair:  Randy Hollingworth
  • Projects include:  Public Parks, including 36th Street Dog-Friendly Park, Access to Bayshore Park, Derelect Buildings, Sidewalk Utility Markings and Safety and Accessibility, Miami Beach Drive maintenance and upgrades, new Bus Shelters, and Storefront Covers.
  • Members:  Dr. Jack Levenbrown, Dr. Manny Corrales, Clive Pearce
    All MBNA Executive Board Members will be involved as needed.
MIAMI BEACH DRIVE (future MidBeach Promenade):  
We're advocating for the safety and aesthetics of Miami Beach Drive fro 24th thru 29th streets.  (see link to page below)
COVERAGE OF GENERATOR ON ICD and 27th Street 
Pics below show the before and after pics of foliage that existed covering the views of the large generator.  Those shrubs were recently removed to place a white fence.  The MBNA is requesting for plantings to be reinstalled.  
DERELICT BUILDINGS
The MBNA continuously monitors buildings that have been abandoned and that have become not only an eyesore to midbeach, but also serious safety concerns.  
NEW BUS SHELTERS ARE NEEDED THROUGHOUT OUR CITY
The City has been working on a new high tech bus shelter.  The prototype bus shelter will be installed soon on Indian Creek Drive.  MBNA will be looking closely at these prototype shelters to make sure they have sufficient seating and that they provide ample shade and protection against the elements.
MBNA is advocating for a "DOG FRIENDLY" PARK on Collins Ave. and 36th Street
The MBNA supports the creation of a dog-friendly area on Collins Ave. and 36th Street.  Discussions are taking place regarding options for this midbeach green space.
STOREFRONT COVERS​
Click link below for information on the CMB's "Vacant Storefront Cover Program"
CITYWIDE KIOSKS ​
The MBNA is working with the City to address these kiosks that are being proposed for South Beach and also for a few areas of MidBeach.  Concerns have been expressed about the need for these kiosks.  Further details and Information is pending.
YOUR OPINIONS MATTER!
If you could use your wand to transform the public lot on 46th Street that is within walking distance of our community, what would it look like?  
Below is the "Coastal Construction Control Line" for Indian Beach Park (our future MidBeach Park.)  
What is the Coastal Construction Control Line Program (CCCL)?
​The CCCL is an essential element of Florida's coastal management program. It provides protection for Florida's beaches and dunes while assuring reasonable use of private property. Recognizing the value of the state’s beaches, the Florida legislature initiated the Coastal Construction Control Line Program to protect the coastal system from improperly sited and designed structures which can destabilize or destroy the beach and dune system. Once destabilized, the valuable natural resources are lost, as are its important values for recreation, upland property protection and environmental habitat. Adoption of a coastal construction control line establishes an area of jurisdiction in which special siting and design criteria are applied for construction and related activities. These standards may be more stringent than those already applied in the rest of the coastal building zone because of the greater forces expected to occur in the more seaward zone of the beach during a storm event.  Chapter 62B-33, Florida Administrative Code, provides the design and siting requirements that must be met to obtain a coastal construction control line permit. Approval or denial of a permit application is based upon a review of the potential impacts to the beach dune system, adjacent properties, native salt resistant vegetation, and marine turtles.

SIDEWALK UTILITY MARKINGS

MBNA Members have difficulty understanding the need for such an excessive amount of permanent utility markings being spray painted on sidewalks throughout our City, including sidewalks just poured on Indian Creek Drive. Although the MBNA understands that the law permit these markings, a group of members is working closely with City/State Officials to see how this situation can be remedied.  ​


​The red paint being used for underground lights (Stl) is remaining for many months uneccesarily and is not dissolving as required.  This is an issue that needs to be urgently addressed.

BAYSHORE TRAFFIC CALMING PROJECT

The MBNA is advocating for a safe pedestrian crossing on Indian Creek Drive and 28th Street so residents and hotel guests can safely access the new Bayshore Park after crossing the pedestrian bridge that is located on 29th street and Indian Creek Drive.   Ideas will be shared by the City for a Traffic Calming Project on Pine Tree Drive.  
Below are videos taken of the area to demonstrate where it would be possible to mark the pavement and install on-demand pedestrian crossing lights the same as other existing crossings on Pine Tree Drive.
MidBeach's future "BAYSHORE PARK"
What is "Bayshore Park"?
G.O. Bond funds were approved for the complete renovation of the abandoned "Bayshore Municipal Golf Course Par 3."   ​The project will convert the 19.4 acre former golf course, located from 25th to 27th Streets between Pine Tree Drive and Prairie Ave., into a new passive, community park to include environmental remediation and a central lake; open meadows and informal open play field areas; site grading; pavilion; 6 tennis courts with restroom facilities; children’s playground; dog park; boardwalk and pathways; security lighting; vita course and fitness cluster; butterfly garden; linear water feature and parking lot. The park will contain many resilient improvements including a stormwater retention system, pervious pavement and solar panels.  
Construction is anticipated to start in mid-2021 with the approximate duration of 18 months.  

History 
(Courtesy of RE Miami Beach)
It’s been more than 11 years in the making but the nearly 19.5-acre park planned for the former Par 3 municipal golf course on Prairie Avenue is finally in the permitting stage. Now known as Bayshore Park, the project cleared its final hurdle this past week with Design Review Board (DRB) approval. 

Plans call for a natural, passive public park with sustainability and resiliency features including a large central lake which will act as a neighborhood watershed in large storm events designed to improve water quality before being discharged into Indian Creek. Barry Miller of Savino & Miller Design Studio said he hoped the park would serve as a “resiliency model for neighborhood planning on the Beach.”

The park is located in the Central Bayshore neighborhood and is surrounded by single family and multi-family residences, Miami Beach Senior High School and the Hebrew Academy, the City of Miami Beach Public Works Yards, and the Scott Rakow Youth Center.

This is the second DRB approval… the first was in September 2017 but the City did not obtain the necessary permits within 18 months due to the lengthy approval process required by the Miami-Dade County Division of Environmental Resources Management (DERM). Following an environmental assessment in which chemical contaminants from pesticides and fertilizers were found as a result of the site’s historic use as a golf course, DERM made recommendations for containing the area in the short-term. The environmental agency also needed to approve remediation efforts for the long-term which include using the soil excavated from the lake area as a “blanket” to cap contaminated soil.

Also included in the plans for the park: open playing fields, an amphitheater terrace down to the lake, six tennis courts and tennis facility, a dog park, pathways, an ADA children’s playground, vita course, butterfly garden, and parking for approximately 90 cars. 

The park is being funded through the General Obligation Bonds approved by voters in November 2018. According to the GO Bond project dashboard, the park is expected to be completed by the end of 2022. It is slated to cost $15.7 million.

Completion of the park was part of City Manager Jimmy Morales’ employment agreement finalized in March last year. Among his performance goals was finishing the community park within four years. 

Details of the plan and presentation before the DRB can be found here.

SABRINA COHEN FOUNDATION ADAPTIVE OCEANSIDE PARK and BEACH (53rd and Collins Ave.)

The MBNA fully supports the development of a beautiful new universal adaptive playground.  Sabrina Cohen's vision will be shared with our members during an upcoming MBNA meeting.  Efforts are underway to raise the funds needed to complete both phases of Construction.  Fundraisers include naming rights and brick sales.  We want our mid beach Residents to join their all-inclusive movement and build history one brick at a time.   Once completed, this park will be a wonderful amenity to mid beach.  We're all looking forward to its Grand Opening in the near future!

MIDBEACH PARK

City Manager Alina Hudak, Mayor Dan Gelber, Commissioners Gongora, Meiner and Richardson, Miami Beach Parks & Recreation Director John Rebar, other valuable members of the Parks and Recreation Dept. and City Staff, took part of the "Ribbon Cutting" to celebrate the re-opening of MidBeach's newly expanded and renovated playground on Collins Ave. and 46th Street.

The MBNA worked tirelessly for several years to make this vision a reality. We're excited to see so many children enjoying this beautiful iconic park in our community.  Our goal now is to rename the park from Indian Beach Park to "MID BEACH PARK"  in the months ahead so that it can be associated with our wonderful neighborhood within Miami Beach.   Click below to view slideshow:

Email: [email protected]

Midbeach neighborhood association, inc.