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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem #62 - Discussion ItemI Ll J. Rasgado & Associates AmeriFirst Building, Suite 2640 1 S.E. 3rd Avenue Miami, Florida 33131 358.1111 REPRESENTING - MAJOR INSURANCE COMPANIES May 9, 1983 Mr. Albert H. Howard Director City of Miami Department of Recreation 2600 S. Bayshore Dr. Miami, F1 33133 Dear Mr. Howard: DISABILITY - NEALTN LIFE • ACCIDENT PENSIONS - GROUP MUTUAL FUNDS As per your request, this letter is to formally propose the utilization of some unused or rarely used buildings owned by the City of Miami in downtown area parks as Day Care facilities. There is a tremendous need for Day Care facilities in downtown Miami, and our research indicated the following facts to support this statement. (1) The Catholic Archdiocesis of Miami is in the process of closing down the building where Gesu and the Spanish Catholic Center Schools were located. Approximately 125 children have already been moved to the new Spanish Catholic Center Day Care facility on N.W. 27th. Avenue. (2) The true downtown area, bounded by N.W. & N.E. 13 Street to the north - S.W. & S.E. 13 Street to the south - I 95 to the west - Biscayne Day to east, has been left with only two Day Care facilities. Both are located on Brickell Avenue and serve a total of 120 children. These facilities have extensive waiting lists at the present time. (3) An agreement between the YMCA and Miami Dade Center Community College to set up a Day Care facility has never been consumated. According to the Downtown Development Authority, talks were discontinued when the YMCA proceeded with -their plans of setting up a Health and Fitness Center in downtown Miami. (4) Downtown Miami is growing at its fastest rate ever. Our city is truly becoming the International/Financial Center it has been striving to be. This tremendous growth and subsequently the appreciation of land prices though, has made it impossible for anyone to start a new Day Care center from scratch. When you consider the requirement of 35 sq. ft. of inside space per child and 45 sq. ft. of outside space per child, the land needed to set up a proper Day Care facility downtown would be so costly that the possibility of breaking even would be virtually nil. y- f May 9, 1983 Page 2 (5) The number of employees working in downtown Miami has proportionally in- creased due to this growth. There are presently an estimated 79,000 peo- ple working in the downtown area, and by 1985, this number is expected to jump to almost 100,000. (6) Single parent homes have virtually doubled since the early 1970's, jumping from 12% to almost 23% now. Close to 90% of single parent homes are headed by mothers who are forced to work. The economy has also forced a major in- crease in families with both father and mother working. Statistics project that, from 1970 through 1990, there will be a 441% increase in the number of working mothers with children under the age of 5. After 1990, a total of 70% of these mothers are expected to be working. (7) We are in the middle of another baby boom. Statistics published by the Census Bureau last month show that the segment of ages 0 to 5 years is the fastest growing age group in the United States. The 1980 Dade County cen- sus showed close to 115,000 children under the age of 5 living within its boundaries. (8) Miami Dade Center Community College is rapidly expanding, and there are approximately 17,000 students enrolled in the school at the present time. Upon completion of their third building, within the next 5 years, the number of students is expected to double. According to Dr. C. Siegler, Assistant to the President, 60% of these students are women and the large majority have young children. (9) Upon completion, Metrorail will not only alleviate the parking problem, but it will also facilitate travel to and from downtown Miami. All of the above mentioned facts lead us to believe that the sooner something is done with regards to children's care the better it will be for the downtown Miami area. We are willing to undertake this responsibility in the following manner: (1) The Day Care facilities would be incorporated as Non -Profit Organization. Our application for non-profit status will be sent to the I.R.S. upon approval of this proposal. (2) They would be located in existing unused or rarely used buildings owned by the City of Miami in downtown area parks. These buildings would be comple- tely renovated by us. (3) The entire operation would be subsidized at little or no cost to the City. (4) We would, however, seek a $1 per year lease fee per facility from the City. (5) All City, County and State codes and regulations would be strictly observed, and in addition, we would comply with any reasonable request from the City. (6) All the necessary certifications and insurance coverages would be obtained. (7) The curriculum followed would be the same as the one already being used by the four Day Care facilities run by the City of Miami. • I* May 9, 1933 Page 3 (S) The first Day Care facility.in mind would operate out of Lummus Park. (9) The projected starting date for this facility would depend upon when final approval is given to us by the City of Miami. We feel that this would be a perfect marriage between city and private enterprise for the benefit of the commmity. It will be fulfilling a need that is definetely present and is, as of now, being completely overlooked. As previously mentioned, our only request from the City of Miami is the $1 per year lease fee for each facility. We will be contacting you in the near future in order to successfully complete this proposal to pour satisfaction. We truly appreciate the help provided to us so far by your office. Sincerely, J. Rasgado JR/nr a 33 TO: Howard V. Gary City Manager CITY OF MIAMI. FLORIDA INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM FROM: 6e4ret 4 J� H /Howard, erector Department of Recreation DATE: May 16, 1983 SUBJECT: Downtown Day Care REFERENCES: ENCLOSURES: Mr. J. Rasgado, representing some downtown business groups is proposing to sponsor a day care center for children of people employed in the downtown area. It is his intention to have the day care program self-supporting and all funding to be accomplished through private enterprise. There would be no cost to the city. Mr. Rasgado is recommending the use of exis- ting city facilities that are contiguous to downtown and appro- priate for a quality day care facilityp (Lummus Park). Some of Mr. Rasgado's reasoning is the increase of people working in the downtown area (79,000). Single parents and the increasing number of working mothers are contributing factors that create this need for a centrally located day care. The proposal may afford us the opportunity to have government work closely with private enterprise in planning the growth and development of downtown Miami. FILE: Omni is offering day care services, as does Miami Jackson Hospital, and their employees, as well as others, have taken advantage of this service. The availability of this kind of program will fill a need for single parents and working mothers and could prove ad- vantageous for those traveling into the downtown area. It could be an innovation that may embellish Miami's image. Mr. Rasgado is requesting an appearance at the June Commission meeting. The Department of Recreation recommends he be granted that request. c: ca AHH/mg -C :r a 0 N n Q� Ci