Implementing the citizen-approved waterfront master plan and what it means for Coconut Grove and the City of Miami’s future.

Introduction – The Waterfront

This presentation is an effort to better inform the public about the implementation of the Sasaki Waterfront Master Plan that was put together through a public charrette and approved in 2008 by your elected officials on the City of Miami Commission.

More commonly known as “The Sasaki Plan,” it is the culmination of 40 public meetings and input from hundreds of residents, businesses, civic groups and experts in Coconut Grove and throughout the City.

After years of delays, the final phases of The Sasaki Plan that City of Miami residents approved are on the verge of becoming a reality.

Intro to the Waterfront Master Plan

A Look At The Site: Yesterday & Today

“The Harbour” Plan For the Waterfront

FAQs vs. Fiction

The Sasaki Plan: Bringing the Village to the water

The vision for the Coconut Grove waterfront is a human-scaled coastal recreational park with public open space, strong pedestrian connectivity, inviting waterfront promenades, diverse open spaces, and environmentally sensitive connections to the Spoil Islands.

This approach would also create a catalyst for urban revitalization of the Center Grove by redefining the urban context; to connect distinct places by strengthening the pedestrian experience; to create comfortable experiences along the water’s edge, in part by replacing vehicles with human activity; and to accommodate a multitude of activities by instituting a community vision for the area.

The plan strives to transform the underutilized waterfront into more cohesive and vibrant public spaces and reorganize the Expo Center and Dinner Key Marina areas into a concentrated working waterfront for recreation, education, and live-aboards.

Here are the core objectives:

Green the waterfront

Capitalize waterviews

Enhance pedestrian connections

Extend the baywalk

Strengthen the Center Grove

Many years ago, Coconut Grove was a major maritime center that afforded boaters the opportunity to provision their boats and have dinner on the water, an activity that was gradually lost, but which we have now the chance to bring back.

A waterfront for us all

We know that maintaining the local character of Coconut Grove’s waterfront, while increasing access and water views, and revitalizing this precious, underutilized natural resource, is a priority for us all.

For the benefit of those who have not visited the waterfront, or those who have concerns about why the City of Miami is embarking on this comprehensive revamp of the waterfront, let’s take a brief look at what is exists there today.

Scotty’s restaurant

Chart House restaurant

The Sasaki Plan calls for opening up the water views, but as you can see, the current boatyard blocks views. And …

Working boatyards are by definition messy. But they don’t have to be. And boaters and water enthusiasts can be served by renovating and MOVING the boatyard away from the water so that a cleanup can occur.

Maintaining the boating services necessary for a vibrant waterfront was always contemplated in The Sasaki Plan. But as you can see, the current boatyard blocks views and is old and dilapidated.

Scotty’s and The Chart House – the two restaurants currently operating – haven’t had makeovers in a decade as you can see from their outdated facades and insufficient facilities. Also important: the existing restaurants block water views to a large extent. New options near the water that maintain the mix of low-cost, casual and upscale dining were always part of The Sasaki Plan.

As these photos of the entrance to the Chart House show, the restaurant obstructs the water view so badly that a patron or visitor literally has to walk in and through to the other end to get a look out over the water.

Patrons and visitors who walk around the current site today of both Scotty’s and Chart House restaurants are greeted with either a dingy or dark entrance or open gates to garbage dumpsters.

The hangers on the site are historic treasures protected under law. But sadly they are in need of repair and could be better utilized for public space. Adaptive re-use of historic buildings was successfully done with Fresh Market just north of this site. Future plans call for the restoration of these hangers.

The Harbour

As required by law, a transparent and competitive request for proposal (RFP) process was launched in January 2013, and in May 2013 a plan was chosen to enhance the commercial portion of waterfront. Grove Bay’s “The Harbour” project (The Harbour, for short) will maintain the historic structures and boat services that exist there today while transforming the dilapidated and grubby boat yard and docks into a public space. The proposed project will include restaurants and retail establishments, consolidate parking and reclaim surface lots for green space, and meet the standards approved by citizens through The Sasaki Plan.

The following slides show how The Harbour will help achieve

The Sasaki Plan’s objectives.

A Sasaki Plan rendering showing the new docks, retail stores and restaurants.

The Harbour will replace the current failing asphalt lots and rusted boat

racks. The net effect is 7 times more green space and a new Banyan Park.

This rendering shows the proposed placement of retail and restaurant

space, parking, and the relocation of the boat racks.

A side-by-side

comparison of the

current area vs. the

proposed plan.

Today: 100% Asphalt

Proposed: Green Space

The proposed Harbour project would create tree-line view

corridors and a new public pier.

A Sasaki Plan rendering showing the proposed tree-lined view to the water.

For the first time in decades, people will have clear views to the water from

Bayshore Dr. and be able to enjoy green space leading to the waterfront.

This rendering shows the new green view from Bayshore Dr. to the water that is currently obstructed.

The proposed Hangar 42 restaurant will maintain the open-air, casual dining

there now but will also enhance water views, the baywalk and pier. Hanger 42

will sit slightly higher and will be set back 50 feet to create a new “front yard” to

the water’s edge and allow for better, more dramatic views of the water.

New, safer and scenic pedestrian routes and bicycle paths will

connect the waterfront to Bayshore Drive and the Center Grove.

NOTE: These two renderings are missing the small surface lot on the northwest side, which is shown in other renderings here.

The cones in this rendering indicate the new, expansive water view

corridors that people will enjoy from Bayshore and Pan American Dr.

The pink cone below shows the new, expansive water view corridor that would be

created compared to the orange cone that indicates the current, substantially

blocked view corridor.

A: Your vote to approve the referendum on November 5 is important for many reasons:

If not approved, the marina, boatyard and restaurants will at least temporarily remain in their dilapidated

state of disrepair.

Tax payers would have to foot the bill for the $2 million - $8 million investment needed to in order to

maintain the operation of the marina.

The restaurants would likely close because without the ability to offer a long-term lease, most restaurant

owners would be reluctant to operate the spaces occupied by Scotty’s and Chart House.

More important is that Regatta Park would be significantly delayed because without the enhancements to

the northern part of the waterfront – especially the parking garage – the City will be unable to reclaim the

asphalt surface lots and turn them into green space.

Ballot Language for the November 5, 2013 election:

A: To put things in perspective, the historic hangers already on the site are protected by law and tower at

between 41 and 52 feet. The new parking garage adjacent to Bayshore Dr. will be 31 feet high to the

roofline plus another 8 feet of green trellis for a total height of 39 feet.

Historic S. Hanger 41- 42 ft. Parking Garage with Green Trellis 39 ft.

Historic N. Hanger 52 ft.

A: The citizen-approved Sasaki Plan specifies the need for a modern, efficient parking garage that

consolidates surface parking and allows us to reclaim what are now asphalt or dirt lots and replace them

with green or public space. The final specifications for the proposed garage call for it to be a total of 39 feet

high – 31 feet to its roof line plus another 8 feet of green trellis – which is significantly lower than the 51-foot

historic hanger north of the site.

The historic hangers now on the site are protected by law and each already towers between 41 and 52 feet.

The new parking garage near Bayshore Dr. will be 39 feet high in total and its orientation will allow for the creation

of a central promenade and enhanced water views.

Historic North Hanger

52 ft.

A: The citizen-approved Sasaki Plan does call for a 14-acre park to the southwest of the area where The

Harbour will be built. Known as Regatta Park, it will begin with the reclaiming of the area where the Expo

Center currently stands as well as much of the surrounding asphalt surface lots. The Expo Center, once

demolished and remediated, will yield acres of green parkland. Below is a concept rendering of the park,

which will be completed once the commercial part of the waterfront is redone.

A: The Harbour Plan calls for two new restaurants on roughly the same size footprint as the existing

restaurants: Scotty’s and Chart House. Patrons of both restaurants will also access a brand new public pier.

(left) The low-cost concept known as Hanger 42

will sit slightly higher and will be set back 50 feet

to create a new “front yard” to the water’s edge

and allow for better, more dramatic views of the

water.

(below) The higher-end diner will be able to

choose between steak and seafood all under one

roof: Shula’s Steak House and Oceano will

occupy the same footprint as the Chart House

does now. Additional roof-top seating will give

patrons water views not currently accessible.

Sasaki Plan with The Harbour & Regatta Park

Regatta Park: An aerial view of the site currently

Regatta Park: The areas that will be greened first

Regatta Park: Concept rendering of the park

Regatta Park: Features & Amenities

Regatta Park: Placement of existing trees to be saved

Regatta Park: New Dockmaster Facility & Existing Pump Station

Letter from Mark Dawson, Managing Principal - Sasaki Associates

To the Office of Marc D. Sarnoff

It has been brought to my attention by our friends in the Grove there appears to be new opposition for the 2008 Coconut Grove Waterfront Master Plan the community of Coconut Grove and our team developed together over a period 3 years. I am reminded of the three years of countless community meetings, work sessions and simply meetings with all concerned parties and competing interests over that period. All that effort led to an understanding and need for balance within the plan, balance between the competing interests while making the Grove a stronger and more vibrant community and neighborhood. The evidence of that hard work was recognized by and included approvals and adoption of the Waterfront Master Plan from the Planning Advisory Board, Waterfront Advisory Board and City Commission.

'The Harbor' plan the for the former Grove Key Marina site was identified as one of the critical economic opportunities withi n the master plan. In 2008 the economy was in depressed state and its great to see a renewed interest in the waterfront. In my initial review I am encouraged by the proposal, it seems to have evolved the thinking and detail beyond the master plan. It appears to have improved some of the adjacent property relationships, access for both the public and private interests and tried to optimize the restaurant experience on the water balancing public access. The 2008 Master Plan did not have the benefit of real program, nor did we have the time to focus in great detail on anyone site as this proposal has done. We all know the devil is in the detail, and I am in the process of preparing a formal response which I have not had the time to prepare and intend to do so very soon.

On the surface this proposal appears to improve upon 2008 Master Plan as we would expect. We look forward to taking the time to review more thoroughly the plan and details for 'The Harbor'. We are encouraged by the wining proposal and believe overall it respects the 2008 Coconut Grove Waterfront Master Plan's intent and captures the spirit of the waterfront and the Grove and could be an amazing contributor to the community and the City of Miami as a whole.

Congratulations !!!!!

Mark O. Dawson, FASLA Managing Principal Sasaki Associates +1.617.923.7225 (D)

+1.617.620.7831 (C)

+1.617.926.3300 (O) www.sasaki.com

Stakeholders: •Coconut Grove Village Council •Coconut Grove Sailing Club •US Olympic Sailing Center •DERM •Marine Council •Village Council’s Waterfront Working Committee •Coconut Grove Business Improvement Committee •Shakespeare in the Park •Coconut Grove Hoteliers •Dinner Key Marina and its Tenants •Department of Public Works •Department of Public Facilities •Department of Parks & Recreation •City Staff •The residents of Coconut Grove

END OF PRESENTATION