Coral Gables mobility hub hits a retail barrier

The Coral Gables Transportation Advisory Board presented Tuesday to the city commission its suggestions for the ground floor of the mobility hub on Andalusia Avenue.

The current configuration, which allows for only minimal substandard and inadequate parking for bicycles on the open ground floor level and parking at scooters with charging stations on the second floor, is not well thought out for micro-mobility, said board member Roberta Neway.

“We recommend safe secure working for bicycles on the ground floor with charging stations for pedal-assist bikes, scooter parking and charging stations,” Ms. Neway said. “We suggest that the entire ground floor be dedicated to micro-mobility options and accommodations versus other retail space.”

The advisory board feels these resolutions will accommodate the foreseen increase in bicycle and scooter usage, she said. This could include storage lockers for cyclists, bike stores, scooter stores, repair stations, bike shares and scooter sharing entities.

“And we also recommend, our final recommendation, is that design and implementation of a truly protected bike lane on the south side of Andalusia (Avenue) to be considered by the city,” Ms. Neway added.

The facility that is being contemplated on the bottom floor is completely adaptable, City Manager Peter J. Iglesias replied to the board. “So, that as micro-mobility increases, we can increase that footprint. In the future, there might be maybe a grab-and-go restaurant or grab-and-go paying facility that would go well with that facility. What we’re looking at is a completely adaptable first floor that has that ability to adapt.”

There has to be a balance due to the costs of the project and having some retail component on the bottom is an important factor in terms of generating revenues that will help subsidize the cost of the project, Vice Mayor Michael Mena said.

“My point is just there’s a lot of moving parts to this and this is a fair recommendation by the transportation advisory whose priority should be transportation and we just have to as a body, I think, balance the entire picture as best as we can and have those options in the facility,” he said. “I think we’re going to have a balance where we do have some retail on the bottom realistically, just because of the economic factors associated with this, which have already become more significant from a cost perspective.”

Coral Gables Mobility Hub’s construction firm, The Weitz Company, already gotten the go-ahead to demolish a parking garage where the hub will rise – costing the city an additional $1.5 million. City officials approved future bond funds to be allocated for unforeseeable costs for services that were not included in the management agreement.

“I will not have the project on Andalusia that does not have some sort of bike lane on either the north or the south side,” Mayor Vince Lago added. “We need to find common ground on that issue, in regards, to the first floor. I can’t vote in favor of something that takes a big part of the financing structure away from the performer, especially with the cost of the construction right now”

The estimated $42 million Coral Gables Mobility Hub at 245 Andalusia Ave. is projected to be completed by the first quarter of 2024. The hub is to have an internal drive-thru lane for ridesharing services, retail and bicycle storage. It will also offer dockless vehicle parking, bike share docking stations, a wi-fi lounge, e-commerce logistics for drone package deliveries and pop-up coffee shops.

The first level is reserved for electric vehicles, with charging stations in all spaces. Intermediate levels will be self-parking that can accommodate self-driving vehicles in the future. The open-air rooftop is to feature landscaped areas, venue space, café restaurant, lounging areas and areas to practice sports.

“Maybe if the project was a $25 million project,” the mayor said, “we could consider that, but at the present moment we need that first-floor square footage to bring in the value to offset the costs.”