Planned “mobility hub” garage gets a big thumbs down
There was a packed house with standing room only at the highly anticipated first town hall Monday hosted by newly-elected Commissioners Melissa Castro and Ariel Fernandez.
Even Mayor Vince Lago, was there. Lago, who had campaigned hard against the two new electeds — calling Fernandez “unhinged” and “unstable” as he grew increasingly desperate — had to leave early, before a resident could ask him to make one of the new commissioners the vice mayor.
Saved by his daughter’s soccer game.
Both Commissioners Rhonda Anderson, who has reportedly been promised the second chair, and Kirk Menendez were there — Fernandez had invited them — as residents were advised to raise their concerns and ask questions.
Read related: New Coral Gables Commissioners Ariel Fernandez, Melissa Castro are sworn in
“We’re not here to talk. We are here just to listen to you,” Fernandez said, adding that the city manager, police chief and other city employees were there to provide answers. Residents seemed empowered — some went to the mic twice — as they went down a list of issues and grievances,
Potholes and broken sidewalks. Lax code enforcement. Septic to sewer conversion efforts. Extending the Freebie and city Wifi. The budget and staffing levels at the fire and police departments. This is the stuff they worry about.
Claudia Miro, who ran for office two years ago but lost, said she wants to see more safety and traffic enforcement at the high school.
One thing was brought up over and over again: The proposed $63 million “mobility hub” — a fancy shmancy, shiny and see-through (?) parking garage tower with a bunch of bells and whistles to replace the garage behind the historic Actor’s Playhouse. Nobody likes it, except perennial candidate and downtown property owner Jackson “Rip” Holmes, who thinks it will save Miracle Mile. He used to think only a department store would do the trick.
Dentist Gordon Sokoloff, who has chaired the transportation advisory board, parks in the existing garage all the time, he said. On Monday, there were more than 100 free spaces to choose from. Residents said more parking is not needed of the city sticks to the parking requirements for new developments.
“And that design is an eyesore,” Solokoff added. “It’s out of scale, out of design, and it doesn’t belong there.”
Other residents were surprised it was still on the drawing board, though it might not be for long. The “mobility hub” is one of the discussion items on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting. Fernandez wants to scrap it. He may have the votes — if Anderson and Menendez were listening Monday night.
Read related: In Coral Gables, Melissa Castro wins runoff with huge mandate margin
Residents at Monday’s town hall were clear: They don’t want to be Brickell. They don’t want to be Miami. They don’t want to be Hialeah.
And they were also somewhat wary about annexing Little Gables.
Alberto Manreda, whose family used to own Lorraine Bootery on the Mile, called it “horizontal development” and wanted to know how Fernandez and Castro would vote on it. Both said they would want Gables residents to vote on it — which would probably kill it — not just Little Gables residents, who would likely overwhelmingly approve it.
Manreda was also the one who suggested the mayor name Fernandez or Castro vice mayor. “It would be a beginning of making amends and making things right with us,” he said.
Gonzalo Sanabria, another resident who has run for office unsuccessfully, said he hopes the election of the two reformists leads to “a change in conductor many of the employees.”
But he knows there are going to be battles ahead.
“I don’t want to see any infighting in the commission,” Sanabria said. “I want to see results.”
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We’ve been looking at the Little Gables request so long, many people Downtown should know lots about the issues. We think the Downtown Shopping District looks better, slim around the middle.
Today’s email is OLD news. What about reporting about the actual commission hearing that took place yesterday? Not a single word since the motion by Fernandez to terminate the City Manager was defeated. I am disappointed by your biased reporting.
I was at the commission hearing yesterday and the motion and presentation by Fernandez looked like something from the City of Miami. In addition, when specifically asked by commissioner Anderson WHY Fernandez wanted the City Manager fired his main reason was that the City Manager “spoke down to him” Welcome to politics in South Florida. Yet Fernandez could not prove that the City Manager had ever acted illegally or improperly or unethically.
Apparently, he thought that by getting approximately 3,000 votes in a city of over 51,000 residents he had a mandate. That is false just like his assumption that all of the people who voted for him wanted the city manager fired. He also had no proof to support such a bare assertion without evidence. It was a bad start for the new commissioner.
Hope these town hall meetings are more that a Roman Circus where people were allowed to vent and life goes on unchanged.
The fact that the candidates endorsed by the Mayor and the Commissioners lost is very telling and should not be seen as a one off or caused by low voter turnout. It wasn’t as if Mayor Lago won by a landslide of votes first time around. There was low voter turnout then. That he was recently “ reelected” a second term should not be considered a vote of confidence. He ran unopposed. It is a two year job; costly to run; most appealing to career politicians. Ariel and Melissa’s win being hope thst money can’t buy the votes of an informed electorate.
If Melissa Castro and Ariel Fernandez does not live up to the promises of cleaning house by getting rid of the City Manager, Police Chief, and Finance Director, then they will be one term commissioners.
Transparency And LOBBYIST enrolment in The Projects ?
The Police Chief is still around?
Ah, One last thing. The only thing that will save Miracle Mile is more density. In the age of Amazon and E-Commerce, Retail is dead. The only thing that can sustain Retail is Services like Restaurants, Bars, Entertainment, Gyms, Hair Salons, etc. But there is only so much demand, as there are people close by.
I cannot understand the why Coral Gables residents are opposed to the Little Gables annexation. Prices in the area have converged with those of houses across the street. There is a lot of renovation activity. Completing the annexation would give more power to the City to control how development is done in this neighborhood.
The other thing, is that don’t these people realize that if there is no more development and density in the City, no one will be able to afford a place, following the same trends that made Californian cities unlivable, with lots of homeless people living in tents in the streets and overcrowded houses?
Why is the Chief of Police still on the job? Didn’t he say he would resign if Commissioner Fernandez won his seat? Time to walk the talk. Give him the option to resign or fire him. His latest attempts to pressure residents to vote for Uncle Vinny’s cronies were unwarranted, unnecessary, and down right unethical. He needs to go, and the Manager needs to go with him. Time to clean house, once and for all.
Vince Lago’s brother is a lobbyist AKA land use attorney. That lobbyist is paid by private clients to manipulate public officials. Are the Feds investigating?
I hope that Maria Cruz runs in the next election against Menendez. She deserves to be on the Commission and Gables United should support her. Menendez is in the developer’s pocket and goes wherever the wind blows- typical self interested politician.
I’d like to point out the same people saying the old garage is under capacity say there’s no parking downtown.
My understanding is there are structural issues with the existing garage. Not sure why that’s not been brought up (unless that’s not the case).