WEEK OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014 A Singular Voice in an Evolving City WWW.MIAMITODAYNEWS.COM $4.00 DOWNTOWN & BRICKELL ARTS & CULTURE Brickell Bridge delays lead to Art museum formed after split talk of suit over timing, pg. 13 introduces leader team, pg. 17 NUCLEAR PROJECT ‘FEASIBLE’: Despite skepticism from attorneys for consumer and busi- ness groups, Florida Power & Light’s long-term Income fell plan to build two nuclear reactors in Miami-Dade THE ACHIEVER remains feasible, staff of the state Public Service Commission said in a recommendation this week in area after that will go to the commission Oct. 2 for approval. It’s part of a process to determine how much FPL should be allowed to collect from customers for its recovery nuclear projects. The utility proposes two reactors at its Turkey Point complex at a cost of $12.6 billion to $18.4 billion to start Tri-county median household generating electricity in 2022 and 2023. Some have questioned whether the income fell more than 2.8% from project remains feasible. But the Public Service Commission staff said FPL’s the recession’s end to last year, evidence considered a range of factors that could affect the feasibility. “While a Census Bureau study unveiled continuing uncertainty exists in virtually all these areas, staff believes comple- last week reveals. tion of the project appears feasible at this time,’’ the recommendation said. The median, adjusted for in- AMERIGO COMES TO MIAMI: Container shipping giant CMA CMG flation, fell from $48,275 in 2010 Group will upgrade its Amerigo service between the US and the to $46,946 in 2013, the Ameri- Mediterranean with a weekly call at PortMiami, scheduled to begin Oct. can Community Survey found. 26. According to CMA CHG Group, the world’s third largest container In 2009, the median was shipping company, the new service will include a fleet of six vessels, start $49,836. a new service to Mexico and maintain its service in Houston on the Florida loop. The new service will cover in 42 days the following ports: Malta, The bureau also found that the Livorno, Genoa, Fos-sur-mer, Barcelona, Valencia, New York, Norfolk, median in Miami-Dade alone last Savannah, Miami and Tangiers. year was $41,913 while the mean household income, pulled up by FOREIGN INVESTMENT: The City of Miami EB-5 Regional Center will large earners, was $64,339. present the second of its conferences on the foreign investment program In Miami-Dade, the shrinkage at 9 a.m. Oct. 8 at Miami City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive. Entitled “The New Silk Road: Why the World’s Roads Lead to Miami,” speakers will of the median household income include experts in the EB-5 Regional Center area. This presentation is in inflation-adjusted dollars was geared to professionals, stakeholders and potential project developers. even more pronounced, diving Advance registration is required at [email protected]. more than 7.3% from $44,966 in 2009 to $41,913 in 2013. The ULTRA-FAST SCANS: Following a six-month clinical trial use, West drop from the recession’s end in Kendall Baptist Hospital has purchased a scanner that can enable clinicians to diagnose more patients with erratic and high heartbeats and provide 2010 was over 2%, down from pediatric patients with sedation-free and low-dose scanning. The Revolution Photo by Marlene Quaroni $42,768. CT scanner made by GE Healthcare will allow doctors to scan entire organs The Miami-Dade drop in mean such as the brain, heart and liver in a single rotation of just 28 hundredths of Nino Pernetti household income from 2009 a second, reducing breath-holding time for patients. The speed enables a 25 years of consistent dining for executives, families was less precipitous, under 3.8%, comprehensive stroke assessment of the brain in a single exam. The profile is on Page 4 while the fall from 2010 was only a half percent. As is typical, this report was Downtown expo center work to begin this year devoid of interpretation but long on detail. BY JOHN CHARLES ROBBINS other,” Tony Recio, an attorney for MDM, Looking westward from Miami It showed a Miami-Dade told the review board. Worldcenter’s property, the completed whose lower income population MDM Development Group plans to have Everything is designed around the expo center and hotel will have as its is increasing. While 9.8% had shovels in the ground by year’s end to begin development’s centerpiece: a 100,000- eastern base a 129-foot-tall glass wall, income under $10,000 in 2009, giving new life to the old Miami Arena site at square-foot first-floor open space with a 40- which will allow natural light into the con- by 2013 the figure had hit 10.2%. 700 N Miami Ave. foot ceiling. It will include a fully integrated vention center, said Mr. Reyes. It will also Incomes from $10,000 to The now-barren parcel would become 1,800-room Marriott hotel. allow light to bathe the 60,000-square-foot $14,999 were 6.3% in 2009, home to a sprawling convention center and The complete expo center plan will go grand ballroom. 7.2% in 2013. Incomes from hotel – Miami World Expo Center – with before the Planning and Zoning Board of On the very top is a pool deck, described $15,000 to $24,999 rose from developers shooting for a December 2017 Appeals in early October and before city by Mr. Reyes as grandiose and tropical, 12.3% to 13.5%. completion. commissioners in mid October, he said. with a restaurant and outdoor seating. Unemployment fell from 7% in The city’s Urban Development Review “We have worked with the planning staff, Hugging the northwest section of the 2009 to 6.1% in 2013. Yet fami- Board granted several waivers last week to and the city, for a long time to deliver this expo center is the hotel – four curved glass lies below the poverty line kept allow the expo center and hotel to move dream,” Mr. Recio said. towers of varying heights, the tallest about increasing, from 14.1% in 2009 forward. On Sept. 11 the city commission The project offers the city a unique oppor- 635 feet. to 16.4% in 2010, 17.3% in 2011 gave preliminary approval to new zoning tunity, said architect Igor Reyes from Nichols “This is unique to Miami… it won’t and 17.5% in both 2012 and 2013. language devoted to large projects of this Brosch Wurst Wolfe & Associates Inc. happen twice,” Mr. Reyes said. “Simply, it Household incomes varied with nature. “It catapults us into the international con- is a once-in-a-lifetime project.” birthplace. Income was at least The developer had requested several ex- vention business,” he said. “And we contrib- Board member Neil Hall said he was $75,000 in 14.1% of all county ceptions including a smaller setback of just ute to Miami Worldcenter.” extremely excited by what the expo center households. Yet 19.8% of house- 10 feet along Northwest First Avenue, lot Mr. Reyes took the review board through proposes. holds of those born in the US hit coverage over the allowed 80% up to 90%, a PowerPoint illustrating how designers “It’s a big deal for Miami,” he said, and that level but only 10.7% of for- and a 25% reduction in required parking worked to create a complex layering of uses, has the potential to transform the neighbor- eign-born households did. spaces. space, amenities and more, and fitting it all ing Overtown area as well. But foreign households showed The land is hugged by two major pro- into an area that’s roughly two city blocks. Approval from the review board was a key division: 14.9% of house- posed developments: All Aboard Florida’s Access is stacked, some services are conditioned on the developer improving holds of naturalized citizens – rail station on the west and Miami stacked, the hotel buildings are stacked, the design and articulation of the rooftop higher than the county average – Worldcenter on the east. parking is stacked, said Mr. Reyes. “We’ve pool, and providing a more detailed land- were above $75,000 but just 5.4% “This building and project are unlike any been very efficient with space.” scaping plan. of those headed by non-citizens. TRANSIT TRUST TAKES A PASS ON METROMOVER FARES ... 2 SCHOOLS LOOK FOR WAYS TO MEET DOWNTOWN NEEDS ... 13 VIEWPOINT: MARLINS STILL CAN’T SELL NAMING RIGHTS ... 6 ELECTRIC CARS TO RACE ALONG BOULEVARD DOWNTOWN ... 16 AGENDA FIU GRAD GOES TO OXFORD WITH FIRST FROST SCHOLARS ... 8 11 BUZZ-WORTHY EVENTS HIGHLIGHT FALL ARTS SEASON ... 17 SPORTS HALL OF CHAMPIONS RUNS THROUGH WARM-UPS ... 12 ARCHITECTURE EXHIBIT’S FOCUS: DENSER DEVELOPMENT ... 19 2 MIAMI TODAY TODAY’S NEWS WEEK OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014 THE INSIDER Transportation trust takes a pass THE ROAD AHEAD: Javier Rodriguez, executive director of the on ending free Metromover use Miami-Dade Expressway Authority, has been elected BY LIDIA DINKOVA Schwiep said during the meeting Instituting a fare, he said, might president of the industry’s International Bridge, Tun- that the proposal is serious enough not bring the county a significant nel and Turnpike Association, effective Jan. 1. He was An appointed residents’ board that the board should let it “sim- amount of revenue. elected at a 1,000-member meeting of the association in Austin, TX. He has headed the authority since has postponed voting on an initia- mer and percolate a little bit.” “In the end of the day, you are 2007.