LTC 003-2008 New World Symphony (NWS) - Parking Initiatives Updatem MIAMIBEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # 003-zoos LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Matti H. Bower and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager ~y (~
DATE: January 7, 2008
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SuB~ECT: New World Symphony (NWS) -Parking Initiatives Update
Parking demand in the City Center area remains a challenge due to competing demands
generated by popular venues; high impact events; and an employee base that supports the
area's business community. In the longerterm development initiatives are underwaythatwill
incorporate parking components to address this demand.
In the near term, parking availability has and will be further stressed by the ongoing
construction of the parking facility behind City Hall and the impending construction of the
New World Symphony Project.
As you may recall, the New World Symphony (NWS) and the City of Miami Beach have a
joint venture project at the surface parking lot located on 17th Street and Washington
Avenue. As part of the project, NWS will build a "Soundspace" structure; a 650 space
parking garage; and a public park (the latter of the two will be owned and operated by the
City). The public park will eventually be developed on the eastern portion of the two existing
parking lots. NWS will be taking possession of the western parcel of the 17th Street surface
lot on Monday, January 7, 2008, equating to a loss of 250 parking spaces initially and 300
when Drexel Avenue and a portion of the eastern parking lot is closed.
On November 21, 2007, the Mayor and Commission approved a series of measures to
mitigate the loss of parking due to the aforementioned closure and construction activity. The
following serves as an update regarding the status of the parking availability initiatives
These initiatives include:
• Renovation of Municipal Parking Lot 5C, located immediately south of Convention
Center Hall C which yielded an increase of 80 parking spaces (completed);
• Expansion of the 17th Street and Washington Avenue East Lot increasing inventory
by 60 parking spaces (to commence after March 1st)
• Relocation of city vehicles and employee POV (personally owned vehicles) to the 4th
and 5th levels of the 17th Street Garage (effective Januury 7, 2008)
• Elimination of reserved spaces for valet and employee parking at the 17th Street
Parking Garage (completed).
In addition, the Preferred Parking Lot was identified as a facility that would be reconfigured
to provide an additional 85 parking spaces by converting the green area that runs north to
south on the east side of the parking lot into paved parking and restriping of the entire
parking lot to gain efficiencies. The project is comprised of two phases.
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Phase I, which has commenced, encompasses the easternmost portion of the Preferred
Parking Lot and includes the parallel parking spaces on Convention Center Drive; green
area/pedestrian access aisles; and the extreme easternmost double parking bay which
encompasses a total of 100 parking spaces that will be out of service between Thursday,
January 3, 2008 until sometime in the second week of February 2008.
In phase 2,The balance of the Preferred Parking Lot will be renovated after the completion
of the 2008 NMMA Boat Show. In addition, the Miami Beach Senior High School parking lot
(350 parking spaces) will also be available during non-school days/hours. Clearly, in spite of
these efforts to mitigate the parking loss there will still be some level of impact to the area
which will be unavoidable.
As you may know, the Administration has already received and responded to inquiries from
businesses and event coordinators/producers regarding the the temporary loss of parking
spaces due to construction and have been advised of the aforementioned initiatives as well
as theirs us.
JMG/ SF
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