Miami Beach commissioners generally agree with their city manager’s recommendations to dramatically down-scale proposals to redevelop their 52-acre convention center site — but indicated they would support some small-scale residential development to help bring life to the site.
A week ago, City Manager Jimmy Morales had suggested turning the proposed apartment buildings that would surround the convention center into green space. He also called for dramatically reducing the project’s retail space, eliminating a proposed cultural center and for the city to retain ownership of the 17th Street Garage.
In their first chance to weigh in on the manager’s recommendations, commissioners on Monday suggested he rethink his elimination of housing. The commissioners, manager and the two development teams vying for the $1 billion project discussed the project at a special Land Use and Development meeting Monday evening.
“If we don’t do the low-rise residential, I think the problem with leaving a lot of open green space is if you don’t program it,” said Commissioner Ed Tobin.