As our waterfront was encroached by high rises and the commission continues to give any variance that any developer with a checkbook requests, it is not just our bay views that are being overlooked. It's our access to the bay. There are clear, built into the code and to every project approval, laws and conditions that North Bay Village be ceded easements to allow public access to the bay.
There's no question. The condos were granted millions of dollars in variances and the price was reasonable and transparent, open the walkways and allow the residents of North Bay Village access to the waterfront.
Almost none have. The worst offender is the 360, a large fortress like structure on Harbor Island that locked down the access last year and refuses to let anyone in who doesn't live there. Not coincidentally, Vice Mayor Jorge Gonzalez is also President of the 360 and as such has a unique interest in blocking out residents who he does not feel are fit to enjoy what the 360 has stolen. Gonzalez has stated publicly that he does not know why people would want to go there as there is nothing. Here's a picture of the nothing he is referring to:
The area is designed beautifully and has benches, walkways, dog stations, shade trees and amazing views. It belongs to us, not the 360.
The 360 is not the only property blocking access. Here is a list of buildings that also do. Let me stress again that this is not a takeover of private property. It is an agreed swap for significant value and it is being unpaid.
Bayview 1625 JFK
Bridgewater 1881 JFK
Eloquence on the Bay 7928 East Drive
Cielo 7935 East Drive
Adagio 7939 East Drive
Space 01 7934 West Drive
In addition, the commission is also going to receive and evaluate the only bay access they have worked on, a $100,000 plan to make a plan to build a walkway under the Miami Beach Grate Bridge, a project that even the engineering firm has said has never been done. Here's the view of that.
Lovely, isn't it? The only place we can go to see our bay is under a noisy, damp, and always gloomy bridge.
If people don't show on Tuesday night and stay, the real bay walk, the one we paid for, will stay shut out and the giveaway to friends of the mayor will be built. We have to let them know. If it's the usual 5 people at the meeting, we'll have nothing.
Kevin Vericker
May 8, 2015
I believe most of the people living in North Bay Village, don't know anything about your statement above. The only way to go into the 360 is if you live there or if you are visiting someone. I don't see how a non resident is going to be given permission by the security guy to go the the bay walk.... The security guy does not let anyone pass the gate and if the resident you are visiting does not answer the phone then you have to turn around and leave.. But they said those are the buildings regulations...
ReplyDeleteI know those are the building regulations but they are superseded by the easement granted for Bay Front access. When the 360 was developed, we lost access to the bay front and as a condition of the plan approval, the 360 is required to provide open bay access.
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