LTC 430-2024 Letter from the Collins Park Neighborhood Association Relating to the Barclay Plaza.MIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK
LTC#
LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
Mayor Steven Meiner and Members of the City Commission
Eric Carpenter,City Manager
Ricardo J.Dopico,City Attorney
Joseph M.Centorino, Inspector General
Rafael E.Granado,City Clerk 7~
September 27,2024
Letter from the Collins Park Neighborhood Association Relating to the
Barclay Plaza.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Collins Park Neighborhood Association,please find a letter
relating to the Barclay Plaza.
430-2024
Collins\nun
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
RECEIVED
SEP 27 2024
CITY OF MIAMI BECH
OFFICE OF #CITY 6LEjk
September 25th,2024
To:The Miami Beach Mayor and Commission
Subject:The Barclay Plaza
Dear Mayor Meiner and Commissioners:Rosen Gonzales,Dominguez,Bhatt,Fernandez,Magazine and
Suarez
CPNA has been very worried about the vulnerability of the Barclay Plaza that the City has owned for 15
years and left vacant for 9 years.This was part of 3 adjacent buildings all purchased together.The other two
buildings,the Allen and London House were restored and are inhabited as affordable housing units.This is
the only boarded up and vacant building in our Collins Park Neighborhood with no plan.When purchased it
was promised to be workforce housing but the City ran out of funds to do this and did not prioritize the
project.Even the County offered to take over the property and do what was originally promised but a
previous commission declined.The last commission finally issued an RFP to restore the Barclay Plaza.
Legacy Development was the only company to respond to the RFP.
The site can be completely restored and a new building added with no increase in FAR or a variance on
height which means quicker approvals and shovels in the ground to save this landmark with reduced up
front cash paid to CMB from Legacy.To be able to pay the requested upfront $6,000,000 that the City is
asking,a much larger building must be built to accommodate that investment.This will add approximately 3
years to the project because of the variances needed.We ask why the City needs $6,000,000 and what do
they plan with that money?Legacy will build whatever the commission wants but the changes in height and
FAR require 5/7 and 6/7 votes from you creating additional risks of this project to be completed in a timely
manner if at all.
Legacy presented their plan that requires the variance to the CPNA and we were very supportive of this
plan.While the planned project is as tall as the Convention Center,it remains 8 stories shorter than the
Octagon 1/2 block away.The Mansfield Condominium next door is also supportive of this plan.The only
other buildings on either Washington or Park Avenues are dedicated to subsidized housing or hotels.
We encourage the commission to commit to a plan and prioritize rehabilitating this prominent building that is
a current eyesore and public safety risk in our Historic Neighborhood.
e«rs B
Executive Board
President:Ray Breslin (resident and business owner)
Vice President:Harvey J Burstein (Miami Beach Arts Trust &resident)
Secretary:Pam Mayer (resident)
Treasurer:Debi Quade (resident)
Board members:
Ron Bloomberg (owner of Palm Court),Bryant Capley (Miami Beach Regional Library),Juan Jose
Escalante(Miami City Ballet),John Courie!(resident),Laurie Kaufman (resident),Dr.Orlando Garcia
(resident),Steven Mandell (Marseilles Hotel),Christine Meland (resident),Sabrina Anico (Bass Museum of
Art),Susan Askew (Miami Beach Botanical Garden).
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