FYI Miami


		Week of January 3, 2002


	Miami supports plan to narrow Biscayne Blvd. near port
	IT group maintains its goals to strengthen regionalismt
	Miami Beach tourism effort moves full steam ahead
	Perfoming arts center to have $690 million impact, study forecasts
	Tech firm ClientSoft consolidates New York operations in Miami
	Developer to offer office condos in northern Gables project
	Fisher Island developer tries again to build 3 more condos

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FYI Miami is a weekly feature of Miami Today, keeping readers ahead of the news. Here are highlights from the most current edition.

   UNWELCOME HOME SITE: Home Depot scored a point when Miami-Dade commissioners last week allowed the chain to continue construction of its 120,000-square-foot store on Northeast 121st Street and Biscayne Boulevard. The city had sought revocation of a building permit the county issued to Home Depot for the project a month ago. City of North Miami officials have also sued the chain for being a public nuisance, saying construction noise and dust hurts the community. In that case, the court asked both sides to try to reach an agreement and return, said City Manager Lee Feldman. He said Home Depot voluntarily halted construction until Jan. 7. Residents also oppose the center because, they say, delivery trucks congest traffic and harm the residential neighborhood.
   MEXICAN CONSULATE: The Consulate General of Mexico has opened in new quarters at 5975 SW 72nd St., South Miami. Consulate officials said they moved to be in a building that had enough room for a larger cultural center. Promoting Mexico's art and culture is a main goal of the consulate here, said Jaime Marquez, center director. The new 13,377-square-foot consulate is now also better located in relation to public transportation, he said. Details: (786) 268-4900.
   NEW OFFICE YEAR: The average asking rental rates for office space are expected to decline in the coming months, according to a recently released Cushman & Wakefield report. Although the average rate increased nearly $1 a square foot to $22.30 in the year 2001, it is poised to go down in 2002 as the market continues to add space and landlords try to lure tenants. About 1.2 million square feet of office space is scheduled to enter the market in 2002. Overall vacancy for offices in the county is 16%, up 5.1% from last year.
   MIAMI VISIONS: City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz is due to address members of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and guests when he speaks on "Miami: A New Vision." at 8 a.m. Jan. 15 in the Renaissance Wyndham Miami Biscayne Bay, 1601 Biscayne Blvd. The session is part of the chamber's "Good Morning Miami Breakfast Series." Cost is $30; $18 for members. Details: (305) 577-5460.
   SOUTH MEET: Chamber South is holding its next general membership meeting at 7:30 a.m. Jan. 23 in the Miami Dadeland Marriott, 9090 S Dadeland Blvd. Details: (305) 661-1621, ext. 10.
   BEACH TOURISM TEAM: Stuart Blumberg, head of the Greater Miami & the Beaches Hotel Association, was appointed by Miami Beach Mayor David Dermer to head a task force on tourism. The group, which first met Dec. 17, will gather weekly to create a master plan for tourism in Miami Beach. Subcommittee topics will include sales and marketing, local residents and parking, Mr. Blumberg said, adding that he hopes to have a plan by the end of February. "We're not looking at short-term business," he said. "When the winter season ends, there has to be something in place that dictates what the future of the industry will be."
   COMPETITION POST: Amos Roundtree has been appointed as competition advocate for Miami-Dade County following a nationwide search. Mr. Roundtree, who has been the buyer manager for Miami-Dade Public Schools since 1996, will at his new post be in charge with helping the Department of Procurement Management and county promote competition in soliciting and awarding county contracts. He will report to the department's director, Theodore Lucas.
   ORANGE KICK-OFF: The City of Miami and Football Confederation announced the sports federation will hold its Gold Cup 2002 championships starting Jan. 18 at the Orange Bowl. The event is for national teams represented in the Confederation of North & Central American & Caribbean Association Football. The sixth edition of the Gold Cup would go from the Orange Bowl to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, although use of that venue still needs to be confirmed, organizers said. It will be the third year the Orange Bowl, awaiting a $16 million boost from a recently public approved bond issue, is being selected as a site for the international soccer event, promoters said. Details: (305) 785-5696.
   OFFICE BUILDING SOLD: Thomas M. Sheats & Associates, a real estate holding firm, sold a 6,400-square-foot, two-story office building in Airport West to Micale Properties Inc., a real estate holding company for SunMed Medical Group. The building, 1987 NW 88th Court, sold for $1.075 million. SunMed Medical, a practice management consultant, is already contracted to lease half the building. The rest of the now-empty structure is being handled by Jeremy Larkin of Larkin Schmidt Commercial Real Estate Services. The property is part of a five-building complex, The Commons at Americas Gateway Park.
   ANTIQUES BONANZA: The Piccadilly New Year's Antique & Collectibles Extravaganza from Jan. 4-6 is expected to bring 800 exhibitors from 35 states to the South Florida Fairgrounds in West Palm Beach, where visitors pay $6 for a day of buying, selling and trading goods. Appraisers and repair specialists will be available. The Fairgrounds are at 9067 Southern Blvd. Details: (727) 345-4421, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
   CHARRETTE TOURS: The City of Coral Gables is offering free trolley tours at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Saturday designed to familiarize participants with the area under consideration in an upcoming urban planning charrette Jan. 10-14. The trolleys depart from the Coral Gables Youth Center, 405 University Drive. Details: (305) 460-5311.
   OCED SEMINARS: The Miami-Dade Office of Community Education & Development, or OCED, is offering seminars on "Franchise Alternative for a Small Business." from 1-2 p.m. Jan. 15 and "Establishing Credit" from noon-1:30 p.m. Jan. 16 in the Enterprise Community Center, Citadel Building, 49 NW Fifth St. The first is being presented by FRANNET and the second by Consumer Credit Counseling. They are among more than a dozen free sessions organized by OCED this month. Call to confirm attendance. Details: (305) 579-2730.
   SEMINAR & LUNCH: Howard B. Lenard, general counsel of the Miami-Dade County League of Cities, is speaking on "City Government Law" at noon Jan. 24 in the Miami Shores Country Club, 10000 Biscayne Blvd., Miami Shores. The talk is being sponsored by the North Dade Bar Association. Cost is $20. Details: Victor Gonzalez, (305) 919-9797.

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