Coral Gables sends mobility hub back to drawing board

Coral Gables city officials are taking a step back to reimagine the architecture of the Coral Gables Mobility Hub.

The Coral Gables City Commission last week instructed city staff to work with construction design developers M. Arthur Gensler Jr. & Associates Inc. to redesign a third look of the mobility hub at 245 Andalusia Ave.

Residents desire a more open, green and art deco-style mobility hub, said Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson. “This (mobility hub) would be open enough airflow-wise, likewise, to be able to satisfy those needs.”

If Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre is art deco inspired, then it would make sense to make an art deco structure next to it, Commissioner Kirk R. Menendez added.

“It’s sort of a homage to that style and to that vision of the past,” he said, “but it also provides what we’ve been talking about, like making it welcoming to patrons. I think it’s definitely something to explore and maybe give guidance, but it really addresses almost every single issue or concern that was discussed on many, many, many occasions.”

Construction plans have faced delays due to market conditions, construction costs and high inflation. Groundbreaking for the estimated $40 million hub was originally slated for September 2022.

In April 2022, city commissioners approved updating design plans for the hub that cost an additional $640,000. Gensler was initially paid $2 million to design the first renderings. The city has already signed an agreement with Weitz Co. to manage construction, including the demolition of the existing parking garage on the site.

The Mediterranean style, which was initially proposed, is not really compatible with an open, airy and usable garage, said City Manager Peter J. Iglesias. “The art deco concept was actually discussed, and we have contacted Gensler to provide us some costs for looking at an art deco solution in addition to the modern solution, but I think it was clear through the series (sunshine meetings).

The city commission has been talking about the design of the mobility hub for two years already, Mayor Vince Lago said, talks that came to the conclusion that the hub is needed.

Through a sunshine or town hall meeting, a discussion needs to happen on what are the next steps moving forward, he said. “I think we’re going to also have a discussion about parking fees, … I didn’t say I want to raise rates, but we’re looking for money to do projects. We’ve talked about this a bunch of times that when we embark on this, it’s a facility that everybody wants to use and that it is an asset to the downtown.”

The mobility hub’s design could be massaged towards a building that is not ultra contemporary and not too Mediterranean, but somewhere in the middle, Mayor Lago added, “and it’s something that I think we’ll be very proud of, but now’s the time for Gensler to tells us ‘Listen, we’ll be ready with some renderings.’ I’m in no hurry because I want to do this right.”

Once design renderings are ready to show, a sunshine meeting should be scheduled along with the public and the city should continue to handle this project, as always, in a transparent way, the mayor told the city commission and staff.

The mobility hub, which most recently was projected to be completed by the first quarter of 2024, is to have an internal drive-through lane for ridesharing services, retail and bicycle storage. It is also to offer dockless vehicle parking, bike share docking stations, a wi-fi lounge, e-commerce logistics for drone package deliveries, and pop-up coffee shops.

“If we move forward with a redesign, put together what is the cost,” the mayor said. “I would love to see answers at the sunshine meeting so that we can really take advantage of it and start moving up from there.”