Miami OK's bayfront high-riseMiami commissioners approved plans for a 63-story tower at the foot of the Venetian Causeway. The vote on the parcel was the last one involving 10 acres of Miami Herald property for sale.
BY MATTHEW HAGGMAN
mhaggman@MiamiHerald.com
Miami city commissioners approved plans for a high-rise condominium and hotel at the foot of the Venetian Causeway, ending months of sometimes heated debate over putting a 63-story tower on the small bayfront property.
Complaints by nearby residents ranged from the building being out of scale with its surroundings to a plea that decisions for big new developments be delayed until next year when commissioners take up Miami 21, the city's much-anticipated new planning and development blueprint.
But Thursday afternoon commissioners voted 4-1 in favor of the project, saying that high-rise development is appropriate for an area that already has tall buildings -- though none as tall as the 649-foot building being proposed. The developers, led by Pedro Martin of Terra Group in Miami, also promised to set the tower back from the water and build a bay-walk permanently open to the public.
REGALADO DISSENTS
Commissioner Tomás Regalado was the lone dissenting vote.
The developers, meanwhile, also withdrew a previous proposal to close Northeast 14th Street to vehicular traffic between North Bayshore Drive and Herald Plaza.
The vote was taken against the political backdrop of Commissioner Linda Haskins facing a runoff election for her District 2 seat against Mark Sarnoff, a Coconut Grove activist who wants to limit high-rise development.
Haskins expressed sympathy for the project's opponents, but said ``I think the developers have done everything they can.''
Sarnoff said he is glad Northeast 14th Street will stay open and there will be public access to the waterfront but objected to the proposed building's height.
$190 MILLION LAND DEAL
The move is the final vote by city leaders on what is proposed to go on the 10 acres located next to the Carnival Center for the Performing Arts and The Miami Herald's headquarters. Commissioners previously approved plans for a large retail center and two high-rise condo towers on separate portions of the land.
The Miami Herald's parent, McClatchy Co., is selling the 10 acres to the Martin-led development group for $190 million.
Martin has subsequently agreed to sell much of the land, though not the parcel by the causeway, to Indianapolis developer Mark Siffin.
When construction will start remains unclear. Last month the Sacramento, Calif.-based McClatchy said it expected to complete the sale by the middle of next year.