Yo Miami

Meeting was rescheduled but spotlighting this apparent shadiness going on in Miami Beach:

🛑𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐓!! Tomorrow the Planning Board will consider 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐋 𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐂 𝐍𝐈𝐊𝐊𝐈 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇!! This is NOT acceptable! Please tune in and speak up! (Details below). 𝑈𝑃𝐷𝐴𝑇𝐸: 𝑀𝑒𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 unexpectedly and without an explanation 𝐸𝑉𝐸𝑁 𝑇𝐻𝑂𝑈𝐺𝐻 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑦!
Many of you will remember the termination of Nikki Beach and its transfer to “The Hometown Boys” as one of the shadiest deals in Miami Beach history.
In short, Nikki Beach held a long term lease of a publicly owned parcel known as Pier Park (between South Pointe Dr and 1st street) that the City refused to renew, choosing instead to award a new 10-year lease to well connected loyalists in a obviously manipulated process. (10 year minus a day because a park does not allow for more). Millions of dollars were at stake, and this page documented the process at the time. Links are included in the images.
Now, the new lessee is seeking a frightening change of plans.
Instead of preserving the historic structure as promised, it seeks to demolish it!! And then it seeks to build a 6-story high building!!!!
In addition, according to the reader that sends this alert:
- A commitment to preserve the existing footprint has shifted to a larger building with a relocated main structure.
- A renovation of approximately 23,000 square feet has ballooned into an 84,000 square foot beach club, nearly four times larger.
- A pledge to maintain building height has turned into a proposed structure rising up to 65 feet.
- Sustainability commitments to reduce waste, limit impervious surfaces, and preserve tree canopy are replaced by total demolition, an underground garage, expanded lot coverage, and reduced landscaping.
- Parking that was promised to remain operational during construction would instead be completely shut down due to full demolition.
- A 13 month renovation timeline is now being applied to a total teardown and rebuild that experts say cannot realistically be completed in that window, and will instead take multiple years and cause significant traffic.
- There will be not be tax revenue coming into the City while construction is ongoing for multiple years.
Despite these dramatic changes, the applying party Boucher Brothers is attempting to move forward without a new competitive bidding process or voter approval, relying instead on administrative approvals that bypass the terms of the original RFP, City resolutions, and contract governing this public land.
At tomorrow’s hearing, the Planning Board can reject or defer this bait and switch proposal. The Board may approve the plan while asserting it lacks authority to stop it, in which case the project would still move on to the Design Review Board and ultimately the City Commission.
Residents are being urged to speak at the January 6 hearing and to follow up with written comments to the Commission, calling for any materially different project to be subject to a new, fair, and transparent bidding process, as required by law.
Hearing Details:
Tuesday, January 6
9AM
Zoom Link: https://miamibeachfl-gov.zoom.us/j/86143426327
This is the final chapter in an insider scheme to secure control of one of the City’s most lucrative properties by promising one project and delivering another."

🛑𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐓!! Tomorrow the Planning Board will consider 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐋 𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐂 𝐍𝐈𝐊𝐊𝐈 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇!! Please tune in and speak up! (Details below). 𝑈𝑃𝐷𝐴𝑇𝐸: 𝑀𝑒𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 unexpectedly and without an explanation 𝐸𝑉𝐸𝑁 𝑇𝐻𝑂𝑈𝐺𝐻 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑦!

Many of you will remember the termination of Nikki Beach and its transfer to “The Hometown Boys” as one of the shadiest deals in Miami Beach history.

In short, Nikki Beach held a long term lease of a publicly owned parcel known as Pier Park (between South Pointe Dr and 1st street) that the City refused to renew, choosing instead to award a new 10-year lease to well connected loyalists in a obviously manipulated process. (10 year minus a day because a park does not allow for more). Millions of dollars were at stake, and this page documented the process at the time. Links are included in the images.

Now, the new lessee is seeking a frightening change of plans, according to two readers that have reached out.

Instead of preserving the historic structure as promised, it apparently seeks to demolish it!! And then it may seek to build a 6-story high building!!!! (something that would require a referendum)

Materials may be found here: https://miamibeachfl.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=5792

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In addition, according to one reader that sends this alert (If any of this is incorrect, please address it in comments)

- A commitment to preserve the existing footprint has shifted to a larger building with a relocated main structure.
- A renovation of approximately 23,000 square feet has ballooned into an 84,000 square foot beach club, nearly four times larger.
- A pledge to maintain building height has turned into a proposed structure rising up to 65 feet.
- Sustainability commitments to reduce waste, limit impervious surfaces, and preserve tree canopy are replaced by total demolition, an underground garage, expanded lot coverage, and reduced landscaping.
- Parking that was promised to remain operational during construction would instead be completely shut down due to full demolition.
- A 13 month renovation timeline is now being applied to a total teardown and rebuild that experts say cannot realistically be completed in that window, and will instead take multiple years and cause significant traffic.
- There will be not be tax revenue coming into the City while construction is ongoing for multiple years.

Despite these dramatic changes, the applying party Boucher Brothers is attempting to move forward without a new competitive bidding process or voter approval, relying instead on administrative approvals that bypass the terms of the original RFP, City resolutions, and contract governing this public land.

At tomorrow’s hearing, the Planning Board can reject or defer this bait and switch proposal. The Board may approve the plan while asserting it lacks authority to stop it, in which case the project would still move on to the Design Review Board and ultimately the City Commission.

Residents are being urged to speak at the January 6 hearing and to follow up with written comments to the Commission, calling for any materially different project to be subject to a new, fair, and transparent bidding process, as required by law.

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Hearing Details:
Tuesday, January 6
9AM
Zoom Link: https://miamibeachfl-gov.zoom.us/j/86143426327

This is the final chapter in an insider scheme to secure control of one of the City’s most lucrative properties by promising one project and delivering another."

Cool to see one of the walls we helped place in Little Haiti through Little Haiti Mural Project on this list

34 Murals That Turn Walls Into Wonders: Seth’s Street Art Will Blow Your Mind - STREET ART UTOPIA Discover how Seth Globepainter turns ordinary walls into vibrant masterpieces. From colorful murals to dreamlike creations, explore 32 stunning works that redefine urban spaces and inspire imagination.

Great read on the real history of Miami

Debunking More Miami History Myths - The Jitney We in South Florida have been burdened with no few inane, ridiculous and utterly nonsensical Miami history myths

Weekly open house/mixer at in this (and every) Thursday 🙌🖌📌📸

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