Indeed, there is more to the plan for an aquarium in Sunny Isles Beach (see below). My colleague Doug Hanks reports a condo developer is backing a plan for the aquarium across from a new luxury residential complex. You may well ask, given the events of the past two years, what, is he crazy?
An observation: Pedestrian bridges over busy roads=Bad. They never work. They are anti-urban. Sunny Isles and the developer would far better serve their community and their project by focusing on turning AIA from a sewer for cars into a pedestrian-friendly boulevard.
From Saturday’s print edition.
Aquarium plan excites Sunny Isles commissioners
A new Sunny Isles Beach aquarium would give the city a needed tourist attraction and a nearby condo tower a major new amenity. It was the developer's idea, and the city is happy for the help.
BY DOUGLAS HANKS
Condo developer J. Milton & Associates is backing plans for a city-owned aquarium and park across from its new luxury residential complex in Sunny Isles Beach, creating a tourist attraction that city leaders see as a milestone for the resort destination.
The plan commissioned by the Coral Gables developer would transform a strip mall near Collins Avenue and Sunny Isles Boulevard into an elevated park with shops, restaurants and an aquarium run by the owner of the Miami Seaquarium. Sunny Isles spent about $20 million acquiring the land over the last two years, including a $1.5 million parcel owned by J. Milton.
Sunny Isles expects to spend an additional $15 million building the park and a 350-car underground parking garage. The complex could open as early as 2013.
Wometco, the Seaquarium owner, would finance construction of a $25 million aquarium and entertainment complex, which it would lease from Sunny Isles Beach.
J. Milton, which wants the contract to build the project, would donate a $1.5 million elevated walkway over Collins Avenue that would connect the park to the beach.
Read all about it here.
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