Cutler Bay council approves Option 3 for 16‑acre Legacy Park and municipal complex

The Town of Cutler Bay Town Council voted unanimously Wednesday to approve a revised site plan for the town’s 16‑acre Legacy Park and municipal complex, selecting “Option 3,” council members said. The resolution (agenda item 11a) approves a configuration that keeps the community center pool and pool building as a priority, builds a three‑story town hall with the third floor delivered as shell space, and includes a 6,000‑square‑foot police fit‑out on that third floor rather than a separate standalone police building.

The council’s decision follows months of briefings and public meetings and a detailed staff presentation on project costs and potential funding sources. Town Manager Ralph (last name not provided) told the council the town has an authorized $37 million general obligation bond approved in March 2022 and that roughly $33 million remained unspent; staff also said bond issuance premiums could add about $2 million when the bond is sold. “We have not drawn that down. There has not been any type of…geo bond on residents’ tax bills yet,” Ralph said during the presentation.

Why it matters: the vote gives staff direction to finalize design documents, continue negotiations with the selected contractor and the owner’s representative, and return to council with a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) and the permit-ready construction drawings. The approved option is intended to preserve flexibility for future growth while advancing the community center/pool work already in design.

What the council approved Option 3, as described by Emma Jones, the town’s owner’s representative with Stantec, retains the community center pool and pool building (estimated at $14.3 million) as a constant across all options. The town hall is a three‑story building in the approved scheme (listed in staff materials at about $18.2 million) with the…