137-1998 LTCCITY OF MIAMI BEACH
CITY HALL '1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33'139
http :\\ci. miami-beach .fl. us
L.T.C. No. 137-1998
September 29, 1998
LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
Mayor Neisen O. Kasdin and
Members of the City Co mission
Sergio Rodriguez
City Manager~
Cobb Development Agreement-New South Shore Library Location
At the September 9, 1998 Redevelopmerit Agency meeting, during the review of the South Pointe
RDA FY 98 budget, Commissioner Dermer questioned the appropriation of $275,000 for the
purchase of the library located within the Courts of South Beach project.
Pursuant to the Cobb Development Agreement approved by the RDA on March 15, 1988 by
Resolution No. 73-89 and executed on March 31, 1989 by Cobb Parmers Development, Inc. and the
RDA, attached Exhibit J states in Paragraph 4 that the fee at the completion of the library facility
would be $275,000. It is the Administration's understanding that the original negotiations on this
Development Agreement included the concept of a library within this mixed-use project due to
inadequacies in both size and amenities of the existing South Shore Branch Library located in the
two hundred block of Washington Avenue.
Representatives of the Administration, the developer and the Miami-Dade Library have met on
numerous occasions to discuss the concept ofrelocating the library to a new facility and to allow the
library personnel to provide input about the design of the space. The library space was incorporated
within phase one of the Courts of South Beach project, which is currently completed. To date,
approximately 70 (66 residential and 4 commercial) units have been completed.
The development agreement provides that the $275,000 fee will be paid upon completion of the
library facility and "not later than the issuance of a certificate of occupancy on the 100m
condominium unit". The developer has been requesting that the RDA close on the space, but due
to the lack of a funding commitment from the Miami-Dade library system to open in the new facility,
the RDA has not done so. In addition, the RDA becomes responsible upon closing on the space, for
applicable condominium maintenance fees. Therefore, the RDA has not accepted the space and
recognizes that this matter must be resolved in the near future.
The FY98 RDA budget reflects the $275,000 fee. Said budget entry should be carried over to FY99.
SR:CMC:MSD:DDHP:$RDA:MARLA \LIBRARY.SP