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Committee backs 2410M geobond 22quick wins22 for Washington Avenue, moves monument letters and historic markers to full commission
Summary
Officials accepted the BID—s design package and staff recommendation to advance select 24250K-range 'quick wins' — 13-foot monument letters and sidewalk historic medallions — while commissioning a long-term urban design plan for the corridor funded from the 2018 Geobond allocation.
Miami Beach—s Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee approved staff—s recommendation on June 10 to advance a set of smaller "quick win" projects for Washington Avenue toward final approval by the full City Commission, and to commission a longer-term urban design plan for the corridor.
Troy Wright, president of the Washington Avenue Business Improvement District, presented a multi-phase proposal that includes sculptures down the median, gateway welcome signs, historic sidewalk medallions honoring figures connected to the avenue, 13-foot artistic monument letters for Feinberg Fisher School, and LED pavement pedestrian enhancements. "As Washington Avenue goes, so does Miami Beach," Wright told the committee, framing the corridor as a driver of local economic and cultural activity.
The administration recommended advancing two lower-cost items now: the 13-foot monument letters to create a place-making photo opportunity and historic markers installed in the sidewalk. Staff said the 2018 Geobond included a $10 million allocation for Washington Avenue improvements; about $200,000 has been spent to date on earlier design work.
Committee members generally supported the monument letters and historic medallions as tangible, near-term projects ahead of larger sidewalk infrastructure work. Commissioner Fernandez called the monuments "quick wins" and favored moving them forward before the FIFA World Cup visit season. Staff noted that the bid—s cost estimates still needed vetting and that Historic Preservation Board (HPB) approvals would be required for sidewalk medallions and other storefront-facing interventions.
The committee recommended sending the monument-letters and historic-markers package to the full commission for approval and directed staff to: (1) verify the BID—s cost estimates, (2) coordinate HPB review and design presentations, and (3) engage an urban-design consultant to create a cohesive long-term plan for Washington Avenue using Geobond funds. No expenditures were authorized at this meeting; staff said sidewalk replacement on two blocks is a separate capital item under review and estimated at about 241 million based on public-works estimates.
Members emphasized cost-effectiveness and avoiding short-term treatments that would be removed by future infrastructure work. Commissioner Dominguez and others pressed for strategic placement of any medallions if the city moves forward with sidewalk replacement in the same corridor.
