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Collins Park Neighborhood Association Meeting Summary

On May 16, 2006, CPNA held a Membership meeting hosted by the Bass Museum of Art with refreshments donated by Talula Restaurant.

The meeting was attended by 28 board and community members. Quorum met.
Dennis Leyva from the City of Miami Beach presented the final selection piece from Art in Public Places (AIPP) that is proposed for Collins Park. It is a dramatic interactive maze designed by Brian Tolle measuring 40 feet in diameter. With any piece of art there are always people who love it and people who hate it and views everywhere in between. CPNA was particularly intrigued by the fact it would have both a day and night presence due to up lighting of the blue waves. There were the usual concerns about vandalism, safety, and of course, skate boarders, but all of this had been previously discussed and was addressed by the artist in this final design. The board voted unanimously to support AIPP’s selection that still must pass the Design Review Board and City Commission.

Collins Park itself has reached 60% design completion and will have a final presentation to CPNA in the July meeting. Currently the $5,000,000 park reconstruction is scheduled to start by yearend following Art Basel. It is estimated to be a 20 month project. The 21st Street restroom project should start construction in June or July and hopefully be completed by Art Basel.

CPNA is very excited about the Mayor’s plan to set up a Blue Ribbon Committee for the proposed Cultural Arts Neighborhood District Overlay (CANDO) and voted unanimously to send a letter to the Mayor’s Office supporting his decision which incorporates most of the Collins Park neighborhood as well as a few adjacent blocks. This is probably the most significant city plan that aligns with the mission statement of CPNA and the city is to be commended for this huge initial step.

Diane Camber, director and head curator of the Bass Museum, took a few minutes to speak about the Bass, the programming at the Bass, and the importance of completing the final addition to the Bass Museum that is crucial, not only for the Bass but the future development of the Overlay District.

Finally all the local developer projects were statused for the neighborhood attendees.

The “W” Hotel Project is scheduled to tear down the Holiday Inn this summer and have it graded and ready for construction by December. The project should then take approximately 22 months. Currently the project is 60% sold. The new sales center is scheduled to go into the Palm Court Building at 23rd and Liberty Ave.

Paradiso and Hotel Gansevoort are progressing along. No sales figures were released but The Hotel is scheduled to be up and running in early 2007. To date one restaurant, Phillip Chow (not to be confused with Mr. Chow), has been signed into part of the 100,000 sq ft of available retail space. David Barton is relocating there from the Delano to 40,000 sq ft. No other contracts have been signed to date but the owners are well aware of the importance of retail within this neighborhood.

The Wolfie’s Project on Collins Avenue at 21st Street now has the owners of Setai partnered into the project and is scheduled to be completed within 28 months.

Walgreens at 23rd and Collins will start construction as soon as all the permits are issued and plans a 1st quarter, 2007 opening.

Club Mokai at 225 23rd Street plans to be open sometime in June after a $2,000,000 renovation of the old Mama Veija property.

The Rivage: No status was available.

Articity has all their building permits and is under full construction. The completion date is not known at this time. Articity is on Park Avenue bordered on both 21st Street and 22nd Street and is an exemplorary blend of historic preservation renovation and new construction.

So as you can see, things are finally starting to take shape in Collins Park. We hope to have an update on the much needed parking garage on 23rd Street by our next meeting.

CPNA’s much anticipated website, www.collinspark.us will be up an available for comments and use by June 20th which is the next scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors. The next membership meeting will be July 18th at the new Club Mokai, so mark your calendar. When the final meeting agenda is set, an email to everyone on CPNA’s list will be sent.

For more information or to be added to our email list, call Ray Breslin, 305 772-5665 or email Bresaro@aol.com