Laserfiche WebLink
Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting September 15,2016 City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida <br /> video which shows the violence that occurs at Pier Park, the fighting that goes on, the <br /> dangerous driving conditions that go on, and he is sure your Police staff will tell you that <br /> they are severely burdened by what goes on at Pier Park,and it certainly would be in the best <br /> interest of the community to relocate the 29 parking spaces to the new garage across the <br /> street. He showed a short video on what the problems are at Pier Park. He noted that they <br /> were specifically asked to provide a video that contains no sound, so what you didn't hear is <br /> the screaming and arguments that occur at that property on a daily basis. <br /> Eduardo Castineida, Architect, said they were contacted several months ago by La Perla to <br /> look at this situation from an architectural design point of view and planning at some degree <br /> and see what they could come up with in terms of creating a better situation. He is reminded <br /> that we have been looking at not only Gateway Park but the whole relationship between <br /> Gateway Park and the beach for many years now. It was five (5) years ago when they first <br /> approached the Commission with the concept for the Park that at that time was the aquarium, <br /> and one of the things that they did in that presentation was propose a sky-bridge that would <br /> take people from, and at that moment it was the aquarium project, across over the overpass <br /> and through where the cars are parked now at Pier Park and deliver them at the beach. <br /> Obviously that was a very ambitious design and idea,but the idea was based on a reality that <br /> he put there that again as you all saw, that whole scenario where the driveway and the <br /> parking is extremely dangerous, and the situation is going to get even worse when Gateway <br /> Park opens. You are going to have a lot more people parking at those facilities where the <br /> restaurants and all the excitement that is going to happen there, and the park activities, and <br /> then eventually they make it over to the beach and now they are going to again cross Collins <br /> Avenue and go right through the driveway because that is what makes sense,and make it to <br /> the beach and sand. And so what they saw in that situation was basically that there is no easy <br /> way of solving it other than not to have the cars. We came up with an idea that they thought <br /> was along the lines of that original concept which is to create a linear connection between the <br /> sidewalk on Collins Avenue and the beach, and that is to create a linear bridge that is not <br /> elevated, in this case it would be a couple of feet from the ground. It is a spine that would <br /> run along where the cars are parked now because we don't have any other areas to put it,and <br /> basically create it as an art piece. So again, the idea has a very practicality nature to it but <br /> there is also a very symbolic and artistic aspect to it that is almost like it becomes the end <br /> statement to the whole Gateway Park experience. It becomes kind of like a really interesting <br /> thing because it sort of frames as you enter this spine, this bridge, at the end it frames the <br /> beach which is what Sunny Isles Beach is all about. At that time they did a very quick sketch <br /> and a very quick analysis and this is what they presented to the folks at La Perla. They also <br /> met with several of the Commissioners and they presented the idea, but as you see this <br /> drawing[rendering]shows the area now where people pretty much walk on,the area where <br /> now you have all the cars, they will not be there. We will have several of the handicapped <br /> parking spaces because they believe it is necessary to give the handicapped parking at that <br /> point but it will be limited to four (4) spaces. This element that they render here is that <br /> bridge element that spine that he is describing. The idea is very simple,you give somebody a <br /> nice experience and nine times out of ten they are going to take it, they are going to use it, <br /> they are going to want to go through it, and so it is more than just a boardwalk, it becomes <br /> something architecturally very beautiful, exciting, and at night it can be lit up. It is <br /> something that once you enter it,there is no way to get out other than to go straight and finish <br /> at the beach, and so that will deviate people from wandering back into the driveway. At the <br /> 25 <br />