M IAMI BEACH

OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER

NO. LTC#
510-2018
LETTER TO COMMISSION

TO : Mayor Dan Gelber and Members oft e City Co ission

FROM : Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager

DATE : September 19, 2018

SUBJECT : Collins Park Parking Garage Architec ral Fa~ade Design

The purpose of this Letter to Commission is to provide information to the Mayor and City
Commission regarding the words selected to be incorporated into the architectural fa~ade
design of the new Collins Park Parking Garage .

On July 10, 2018, the design of the Collins Park Parking Garage Project was presented to
and approved by the Historic Preservation Board ( HPB). The approval included a perforated
architectural metal " skin" that will wrap the building on the north, east and west elevations.
This perforated metal cladding design features words arranged in the form of a crossword
puzzle, meant to celebrate the history and influence of the Collins Park neighborhood and of
Miami Beach (Attachment A).

The architectural metal skin will be composed of 3'- 6" panels with various perforation sizes
typically ranging from %" to 2", and each character will be approximately 2' x 2'.
Approximately two hundred-seventy ( 271) panels which form 28 words will be illuminated
with custom lighting. The remainder of the architectural skin will be comprised of panels with
arbitrary" or no characters that will not be highlighted with custom lighting ( Attachment B).
The panels are permanent features and will not be interchangeable once they are installed .

During the design process, the team developed a list of words that would speak to the
history of the neighborhood and of Miami Beach . The longlist included names of founders ,
preservationists, artists and architects, architectural styles, landmarks , native flora and
fauna, and words or terms that spoke to the general culture of the neighborhood. Excluded
from consideration were names of living people, existing buildings or sites, and words that
could be construed as advertising.

Prior to the Word selection process, the City s

' Attorney's Office, Planning Department, and
Office of Capital Improvement Projects ( CIP) staff held a number of discussions regarding
the categorization of the fac;ade words and whether Commission approval was required.
Staff has determined that the perforated metal " skin" is neither a monument nor a memorial
and that it does not fall into the category of a super graphic sign or Art in Public Places
AIPP), therefore not requiring City Commission action.

Subsequently, staff held a meeting with representatives of the Collins Park Neighborhood
Association and the Planning Department to discuss the word selection. As a result, a list of
twenty-eight (28) words (Attachment C), with a total of 271 characters, was approved.

The design team will be working with City staff on the organization of the words on the
building elevations in a vertical and horizontal layout. No word will appear in a diagonal or
backwards pattern. The word " Garden" or " Parrot" may be eliminated from this list if there
are any unforeseen issues with the layout of the words on the building fac;ade.
Should you have any questions, please contact David Martinez at 305-673-7071.

Attachments :
Attachment A - Rendering of the Facade
Attachment B - Metallic Perforated Skin Details
Attachment C- Word List

JLM/~ DM
 ATTACHMENT C

WORDS SELECTED Characters

ARCH! TECTS/ Al~TISTSI

SIGNIFICANT FIGUF?ES)

NO LIVING PEOPLE

JOHN COLLINS 11
RUSSELL PANCOAST 15

ALVRANA 7

BARBARA BAER CAPITMAN 19

CONNIGORDON 11
CARL FISHER 10
ART DECO 7

MEDITERRANEAN REVIVAL 20
POSTWAR MODERN 13

FAUNA & FLORA)

PARROT 6
MANATEE 7

DOLPHIN 7

AVOCADO 7

MANGROVE 8

BAOBAB 6
SEAGRAPE 8

SEA OATS 7

SEA TURTLE 9

TERRiTORY! NE/Gl-IBORl-1000/

STRUCTUF~ ES}

COLLINS CANAL 12
LAKE PANCOAST 12
INDIAN CREEK 11
CULTURAL DISTRICT 16

BEACHWALK 9

GARDEN 6
MUSEUM 6
MEMORIAL 8

BALLET 6
LIBRARY 7

TOTAL No. of Characters 271