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Front Page » Government » Miami sets goal of opening riverfront park downtown

Miami sets goal of opening riverfront park downtown

Written by on May 23, 2017
  • www.miamitodayepaper.com
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Miami sets goal of opening riverfront park downtown

Miami officials are preparing to immediately restore one of the city’s most historic houses, with a tentative goal of reopening part of a riverfront park downtown.
The Miami River Commission learned May 19 that Fort Dallas Park, with its improved riverwalk, would again be open. Long-term goals for the city site may include a lease with a restaurateur and tie-in educational and historical uses.
For the most part, the 60-64 SE Fourth St. site has been fenced off and forgotten for several years, attracting trash and the homeless.
Several structures occupy the site on the river’s north bank sandwiched between a hotel on private property and the county’s Riverwalk Metromover station. They include a gutted former restaurant and The Flagler Worker’s House, called Palm Cottage, the last known Miami building directly associated with railroad magnate and developer Henry M. Flagler.
For many years, seafood restaurant Bijan’s served there under a lease with the city. But amid litigation and allegations of unpaid rent, it shut down. Legal battles have been settled, yet the park remains in limbo.
More than a year ago, the city requested letters of interest to reactivate the site with a restaurant. At the time, the city was offering only a five-year revocable license and it didn’t secure an operator/tenant.
At the May 19 meeting, Mark Burns, a lease manager with the city’s Department of Real Estate and Asset Management, said a structural assessment of The Flagler Worker’s House is being made and the city intends to shore up the home to get it into “acceptable” condition, “then we’ll consider reopening the area.”
Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway established Fort Dallas Park in 1897. It became a city park in 1983. The river commission has lobbied to reopen the site, with access to the improved riverwalk and city dockage.

4 Responses to Miami sets goal of opening riverfront park downtown

  1. DC Copeland

    May 24, 2017 at 11:08 am

    “Consider”? There is nothing really to consider. Ditch that unsightly fence and open the park. If you’re worried about the roof falling in on somebody’s head visiting the “worker shacks,” keep that fenced in until it’s fixed. Otherwise, open the park to the public.

    • Lisa

      May 28, 2017 at 12:27 am

      Yes!!

  2. G Torres

    May 27, 2017 at 11:26 pm

    This is great. While you at it, can you also tell us what’s been done to address the growing homeless population near by under the I-95 overpass? Looks like is growing day by day. These people are humans and need help asap.

  3. L.A. Shane

    May 30, 2017 at 9:57 am

    Yet another example of the joke that is/are our local politicians. It’s either demolition by neglect or waiting for just the right amount of political contribribery to occur for something to happen. Heaven forbid they should, for once, do something to improve, beautify and or benefit the public without first considering how they can line their own pockets.

    Only in the Banana Republic. Only in Miami.

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