Is this a push to privatize our public beaches?
A secret and unsolicited pitch for a redo of Rickenbacker Causeway has driven Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava to ask the commission this week to issue a request for proposals for the redevelopment of both the Rickenbacker and the Venetian causeways.
This means she probably likes the secret idea proposed in March by architect Bernard Zyscovich — who has been trying to push his self-titled “Plan Z” for Rickenbacker for almost a decade — and wants to open it up to the competitive bidding process so it doesn’t look like the giveaway it already is. Get ready for the theater.
An item on Thursday’s commission meeting agenda to seek proposals for the redevelopment of the Rickenbacker and Venetian causeways includes a replacement of the Bear Cut Bridge, improvements to transportation, recreation and sea level resiliency, an increase bicycle and pedestrian safety, a “viewing platform,” a number of courtyards or plazas and expansion of parkland and beachfront.
But it also sounds very much like an effort to privatize certain uses at these public and open spaces. There’s no talk about what it might cost, other than the first $500,000 from toll revenues to advertise and rate the bids. Not even an estimate. There is, however, an indication that there would be some privatized uses for “P3” partners to get a return on their investment.
It all feels so, oh, Carlos Gimenez.
“The proposed project is anticipated to generate future revenues for [the Parks and Recreation Department] and the department anticipates that all expenses related to the development and issuance of the competitive solicitation, including review of submitted proposals, shall be reimbursed from the revenues generated by this contract,” reads the memo from La Alcaldesa.
This “secret” proposal could be the same thing that Zyscovich pitched in 2014, which was to turn Rickenbacker — which is infamous for the number of fatal cycling accidents — into a cycling-friendly linear park with a road through it. The plan then was to remove a traffic lane in each direction — narrowing it from three to two lanes — and provide bicycle lanes buffered by vegetation.
Nobody — outside the panel of professionals, ahem, who reviewed the unsolicited proposal — knows for sure that’s what he’s pitching this time. But Ladra will take bets from anyone who disagrees.
Know more: Key Biscayne, activists watch closely as boat show begins
This is not cool with everyone in Key Biscayne. They already have to deal with massive traffic normally and dead stopped parking lots during typical fender benders, hurricane evacuations, tennis matches or music festivals.
Key Biscayne resident: “They want to do what?”
The island’s elected leaders have been in discussions with Zyskovich about improvements to the causeway, but they said the item on Thursday’s county commission agenda caught them by surprise. Mayor Mike Davey said he planned to go to County Hall to ask that the Key Biscayne — where the council voted against supporting the project in May — be consulted.
In the past, other ideas for the reboot of the causeway was to increase tolls. But there has been pushback on that because it would make access to the Key Biscayne and Virginia Key beaches too expensive for poorer residents.
La Alcaldesa’s memo — signed and obviously written by the real mayor, Chief Operaitons Officer Jimmy Morales — describes the Zyscovich consortium’s idea as being “a compelling financial solution that would allow the County to move forward with the project under a public-private partnership.” These “P3 projects” bring in private investors who fund infrastructure projects in return for leases and concession or operation contracts.
In other words, Zyscovich, who is said to have done all this pro-bono, sees the ka-ching coming.
It also could represent a “compelling financial solution” to the county commissioners who need campaign contributions for their re-election or next political office gig. Ka-ching, ka-ching.
After all, why should Miami city commissioners have all the fun and get all the graft in backroom deals for the long-stalled request for proposals on city marinas? (More on that later.)
‘Secret’ plan for Rickenbacker reboot makes Miami-Dade mayor seek bids added by Ladra on
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