Packed house at Coral Gables town hall shows residents' new hope for City Hall

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.

“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.

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.”

Packed house at Coral Gables town hall shows residents’ new hope for City Hall added by Ladra on May 9, 2023
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