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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSEOPW-CRA-R-02-0166POCKET ITEM 1 RESOLUTION NO. SEOPW/CRA R-=16 6 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST (SEOPW) COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) AUTHORIZING THE CRA TO NEGOTIATE AND ENTER INTO AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF MIAMI PARKS DEPARTMENT (THE "CITY"), WITH RESPECT TO CONSTRUCTION OF A DOMINO PARK WITH AMENITIES AT OVERTOWN'S ATHALIE RANGE #1 MINI -PARK. WHEREAS, on July 29, 2002, the CRA Board adopted motion SEOPW/CRA M-02-141 which authorized the CRA to apply for grant funds from the Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond Initiative for the construction of a Domino Park at Athalie Range #1 Mini -Park; and WHEREAS, on August 22, 2002. the Miami City Commission adopted resolution R-02-932 which appropriated funds in the amount of $300,000 from the Homeland Defense Neighborhood Improvement Bond to be used as matching funds for a grant application to Miami -Dade County Department of Safe Neighborhoods Office for the construction of a Domino Park at Athalie Range #1 Mini -Park; and WHEREAS, on September 19, 2002, the City of Miami was awarded funding in the amount of $300,000 from Miami Dade County Safe Neighborhoods Office for the construction of a Domino Park at Athalie Range #1 Mini -Park. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE SEOPW COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA: Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are incorporated herein as if fully set forth in this Section. Section 2. The CRA Executive Director is hereby authorized to negotiate and enter into an Interlocal Agreement with the City of Miami Parks Department (the "City"), with respect to the construction of a Domino Park with amenities at Overtown's Athalie Range # 1 Mini -Park. Section 3. This resolution shall be effective immediately upon its adoption. SEOPW/CRA_. 62- 166 - PASSED AND ADOPTED this 29 h day of October, 2002. Priscilla A. Thompson Clerk of the Board APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS: Alejandro Vilarello CRA General Counsel Arthur E. Teele, Jr., Chairman E0pW / CRA CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM To: Chairman Arthur E. Teele, Jr. and Members of the CRA Board From: Annette Lewis Acting Executive Director RECOMMENDATION POCKET ITEM 1 Date: October 28, 2002 File: Subject: Interlocal Agreement with respect to Overtown's Athalie Range #1 Mini -Park References: Enclosures: Resolution, support documents It is respectfully recommended that the CRA Board of Directors approve the attached resolution authorizing the CRA to negotiate and enter into an Interlocal Agreement with the City of Miami Parks Department (the "City"), with respect to construction of a Domino Park with amenities at Overtown's Athalie Range #1 Mini -Park. JUSTIFICATION In 1998, the CRA commenced the initiative for the construction of a Domino Park in Overtown and authorized staff to identify sites within Overtown. Since then, the CRA identified Athalie Range #1 Mini -Park, which is located underneath Interstate 95 between NW 10t' Street and NW 11th Street, as a viable site. The site is the home of the existing Good Bread Alley Domino Club and is in dire need of renovation. Athalie Range # 1 Mini -Park is cited just one block west of the historic D.A. Dorsey Way (NW P Avenue) Business Corridor and is situated between Frederick Douglass Elementary School and Booker T. Washington Senior High School. Renovation and construction of a Domino Park at Athalie Range #1 Mini -Park would provide for the removal of slum and blight resulting from the highway pillars; create a safe pedestrian walkway for students traversing to and from school along NW 10 and NW 11" Streets; beautify the immediate area thus enhancing the image of the neighborhood; create a cultural meeting place for all residents of the community and; possibly serve as a tourist attraction to the area. The CRA goal is to create Destination Overtown. General Source: Miami Dade Safe Neighborhood Park Funds, Homeland Defense/Neighborhood Improvement Bond, Account Number: TBD SEOPW/CRA 02- 166 Chairman Arthur E. Teele, Jr. Board Member Tomas Regalado Vice Chairman Johnny Winton Board Member Joe Sanchez Board Member Angel Gonzalez Executive Director, Annette E. Lewis Press Release Southeast Overtown Parkwest CRA For Immediate Release Media Relations Monday, October 21, 2002 Ph: (305) 579-3324 Miami, FL Public Design Workshop - First Class Domino Park Athalie Range #1 Mini -Park Overtown, Miami. The Southeast Overtown Parkwest Community Redevelopment Agency (the CRA) is preparing to launch a new project in Overtown — the renovation of Athalie Range #1 Mini -Park located underneath the I-95 expressway between NW 10'h Street and NW 11 `h Street. The construction project will significantly enhance the surrounding vicinity and will remove the slum -and blight resulting from the construction of I-95 in the 1950's. Historical background for the domino park goes back to 1970 when members of the community met informally on Good Bread Alley Street and played dominoes. As a result of the Gibson Park project, the group was displaced and then moved to underneath I-95 where they continue to play today. The group now known as the Good Bread Alley Club bring their own tables, chairs and game pieces and meet daily to participate in their recreational activity. Under the sponsorship of District 5 Commissioner and CRA Chairman, Arthur E. Teele, Jr., an initiative to construct a First Class Domino Park began in 1998. In September 2002, the CRA successfully applied for Safe Neighborhood Park Bond Discretionary Interest Earnings funds for the creation of a First Class Domino Park at Athalie Range #1 Mini- Park which will be matched with funds from the City of Miami Homeland Defense/Neighborhood Improvement Bond. On Saturday, October 26, 2002 , from 9:30 AM — 2:00 pm, the CRA is holding a public design workshop for the master -planning for the entire park including the Domino Park component. The meeting will be held at Booker T. Washington Senior High School located at 1200 N.W. 6 Avenue, Miami, Florida. All interested members of the public are invited to attend and participate in the planning process. A special invitation is also going out to community youth to participate in this workshop. For more information, please contact Michael Wooten, Community Liaison, at (305) 579-3324 or by email at mwooten@ci.miami.fl.us or visit the CRA website at www.miami-cra.org 02- 166 www.miami-cra.org Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency PUBLIC DESIGN WORKSHOP DOMINO PARK AT ATHALIE RANGE #1 MINI -PARK Booker T. Washington High School (Cafeteria) 1200 NW 61h Avenue, Miami, FL. 33136 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2002 AGENDA Introductions, design process overview, analysis overview, additional 9:30AM — 10:00 AM community input. Groups - Each group will be tasked to design a conceptual master plan r for Athalie Range #1 Mini -Park. City and CRA staff will serve as group facilitators. His/ Her task will be primarily to stimulate 10:00AM - 12:OOPM questions, suggestions, and to empower the community to undertake the design into their own hands. Lunch/Site Tour 12:OOPM - 1:00PM Groups further refine concepts 1:00 PM- 1:30 PM T Group Presentations - Each group will choose a team member who will 1:30PM — 2:OOPM present their designs Final Thoughts and Closing of Workshop 2:OOPM-2:30PM SEOPW/CRA 02- 166 Y Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency ATHALIE RANGE #1 MINI -PARK RENOVATION PROJECT HISTORY OF DOMINOES The game of dominoes has been played by noble kings from the Middle Ages to U.S. presidents, such as President Lyndon Johnson. Today, the game is widely played by people of all ages from all nationalities with sundry domino clubs popping up around the world. The oldest known domino set dates back to the 18th dynasty, 1355 B.C, and was discovered in Pharaoh Tutankhamen's tomb, among the ruins of Thebes in ancient Egypt. Traditionally, dominoes were carved from ivory and inset with circular droplets of ebony. According to historians, dominoes were established in China in the year 1120 A.D. The domino movement then entered Europe in the 18th Century and finally the United States in the early 1900's. Each year, numerous domino tournaments are held worldwide with teams from different countries competing for large cash prizes. Dominoes is an easy- to- learn recreational activity that can also lend itself to strategic game playing. CRA VISION The CRA j'� committed to the removal of slum and blight from Overtown and recapturing the spirit of early Overtown (formerly "Colored Town). Athalie Range #1 Mini -Park, located underneath Interstate 95 between NW loth Street and NW 1 lth Street is in dire need of renovation to create an environment that can be utilized by residents, visitors, and for student activities from the neighboring Frederick Douglass Elementary School and Booker T. Washington High School. Renovation of the park would further create a safe pedestrian corridor along NW loth Street and NW llth Street, west of I-95, for students traversing to and from school. The goal is to create one of many tourist destination stops within Overtown, further promoting quality of life enhancements for residents and generating economic prosperity within the community. The renovated Athalie Range #1 Mini- Park will provide a public space and meeting ground for all members of the Overtown community while alleviating the negative impact created by the construction of I-95. SEOPW/CRA 02- 166 PARK COMPONENTS PHASE 1 : CONSTRUCTION OF THE DOMINO PARK The CRA, through the City of Miami Parks Department, successfully submitted an application for funding of a domino park under the Safe Neighborhood Parks Discretionary Bond Interest funds with matching funds allocated from the City of Miami Homeland Defense/Neighborhood Improvement Bond. The construction of First Class Domino Park at the Athalie Range #1 Mini -Park will include amenities such as an arena -type seating, a stand-alone concession stand and storage room, landscaping, and ADA Little Havana residents playing chess and checkers at Maximo Gomez Domino Park. PHASE 2: The CRA will facilitate a design workshop to obtain community input on the design of the entire park and present the community design concepts to the City of Miami for consideration. The City of Miami is in the process of preparing a Comprehensive Parks Master Plan for all parks located within the City limits. The CRA will work closely with the City of Miami to ensure the timely and successful renovation of Athalie Range #1 Mini -Park. FENCING: The CRA Board of Directors adopted legislation which authorized the CRA to remove all chain -linked fencing from governmental facilities within the Redevelopment Areas and replace them with decorative fencing with a Afro -Caribbean theme. The CRA will seek to replace the blighted fence surrounding Athalie Range #1 Mini -Park and create a new fence that will highlight the park and enhance the SEOPW/CRA 62- 166 am HIGHWAY FAI;ADE IMPROVEMENT: The CRA is intent on recreating Overtown as a Tourist Destination. One goal is to create an artist district within the Overtown sub -area. The CRA will seek to implement an I-95 Art Project where local artists would work jointly with the Black Archives Foundation and repaint the highway columns/pillars under I- 95 in vivid colors and artistic forms exemplifying a theme representative of Overtown's history. HISTORIC PRESERVATION It is the CRA's intent to seek historic markers from the Florida Heritage Foundation for Athalie Range #1 Mini -Park._ The CRA will work jointly with the City of Miami Historic Preservation Department and the Black Archives Foundation to research the history of the park and FDOT Right of Way site for all significant events and ensure that such historical events are documented and preserved at the site through commemorative monuments and inscriptions. The CRA further proposes to create a `walkway of fame', where events can take place in the park and historic markers can be added to the park in commemoration and celebration of the history and culture of Overtown . LANDSCAPING: To improve the aesthetics of the area, the CRA proposes that a landscaping installation project be implemented at Athalie Range #1 Mini -Park. Such a project would facilitate the planting of native trees, shrubs and flowering bushes in the area. SEOPW / CRA 62- 166 9- L-5- FYI. J%-" NW 1I-T-H--,-,T J-13ENEZER I ARENA -MEn-locifst ISQUARI VV 10TH STRE > JAW STREIP ON > MASONIJ SOUL F00f) � LODGE + 0 WARD Pr6rit ZION< ROOMINC, -s E Park HOL) > X 0 GREA B z Z PE C I W 0 FNTA' Wi ------ Domino Park SEO-pW/CM Community Gathering Space 02- 166 Date: July 31, 2002 lf. AUT GRIM _-AND DIRECT' EXECUTIVE- DIRECTOR .OF CRA, TO ;REFER TO.. OVERTDWN` ADViSa 2Y Bi�Ai2D FOR -ITS CONSiJLTATiON, ESI`AIaLISH1 EN'I OF DOMINO PARK ON 3rd AVENUE CORRIDOR WITH RECOMMENDED SITES AT ATHALIE 12ANGE PARK P=3 . Ai�D -OTI3ER SUGGESTED LOCATIONS; °EXECI3'TJVE DIRECTOR TO COME BACK WITH RECOMNiEl\fiDATION. Chairman Teele: Next item is the Domino Park update. Mr. Parekh, who's going to do that for us? Dipak Parekh (Executive Director): Ralph Rosas. Chairman Teele: Ralph, come on up, sir. We're holding up now. We've got to move on. Domino Park. Welcome. Ralph Rosas: Well, I find it really interesting Chairman Teele: Your name, please. Mr. Rosas: Ralph Rosas, CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency). And I really find it so interesting that Commissioner Gort thought about putting Domino Parks in different areas because when I looked into Dominos, it's originally a Chinese game that went around the world through the Portuguese and Spanish sailors and, so, it really joined people, and I find that this is happening here also. The area that we understand is the best area to put the Domino Park in the CRA is -- I'm going to bring this to you in a moment. It's the area where P3 — where parking Lot P3 has its space, and we could dovetail in that space the lighting, maybe (inaudible) what we've just (inaudible) spoke about on the previous item, and the measurements are just about the same as the measurements of the Domino Park on 15th Avenue and Southwest 8th Street. So, our recommendation is that we look into putting the Domino Park there across the street from Jackson Soul Food. And behind it is what's called Athalie Range Park Number 1, and I just found out this afternoon that people -- folk from that area seem to play Dominos there already. So, it's sort of a -- well ... Chairman Teele: Well, if they already play -- but this is the question. If they already play Dominos there now, why wouldn't we put it in the Athalie Range Park? I mean, why would we move people from where they're naturally doing things? I mean, that's just a question. Mr. Rosas: Yeah. Chairman Teele: This is what I would recommend: That Commissioner Gort, if you would, move that there will be a Domino Park established along the 3rd Avenue corridor, and we will refer the matter to the Overtown Advisory Board for their opinions and recommendations, to come back to the staff and then let the staff come back in 60 days, but we'll put it in the budget for the coming year. And that way, we can confirm with the Overtown community before we try to make any decisions. 70 July 30, 2001 s JPW/CRA 62- 166 Board Member Gort: Last year, we created two Domino Parks, one in Little Havana and one in Coconut Grove. I'll be more than happy to make the motion to do so. Chairman Teele: OK. It's moved by Commissioner Gort, that a Domino Park be established somewhere along the 3rd Avenue Business Corridor, and that recommendations of P3 Athalie Range Park and other locations will be referred to the Overtown Advisory Board for their consultation, and then it will come back to the Board, with staffs recommendation, in October. Is that ... Vice Chairman Winton: Need a second. Chairman Teele: It's second by Commissioner -- Vice Chairman Winton: Second. Chairman Teele: -- Winton. All those in favor signify by the sign of "aye." The Board Members (Collectively): Aye. Chairman Teele: Those opposed have the same right. The following resolution was introduced by Board Member Gort, who moved for its adoption: RESOLUTION NO. SEOPW/CRA 01-100 A MOTION AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (THE "CRA") TO REFER TO THE OVERTOWN ADVISORY BOARD FOR ITS CONSULTATION AND RECOMMENDATION, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A DOMINO PARK ON THE 3RD AVENUE CORRIDOR WITH RECOMMENDED SITES AT ATHALIE RANGE PARK, P-3 AND OTHER SUGGESTED LOCATIONS; FURTHER DIRECTING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION AT THE OCTOBER CRA MEETING. Upon being seconded by Vice Chairman Winton, the motion was passed and adopted by the following vote: AYES: Board Member Wifredo Gort Vice Chairman Johnny L. Winton Chairman Arthur E. Teele, Jr. NAYS: None ABSENT: Board Member Joe Sanchez Board Member Tomas Regalado 71 SEOPW/C 30, 2001 02- 166 cm Chairman Teele: Thank you very much, Ralph. I really wish you'd bring up that history, because I find it very interesting. Mr. Rosas: Thank you. Chairman Teele: And logical. 72 July 30, 200102- 1 s SEOPW / CRR