From City Hall

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

At Its Only Meeting in August, the City Commission:

Agreed to Share Phillips Park

Voted 4-0 (Commissioner Ariel Fernandez could not attend) to share Phillips Park, now undergoing $6 million in renovations, with the 700 students of nearby Coral Gables Prep (formerly Coral Gables Elementary). Miami-Dade County School Board Chair Mari Tere Rojas, who was in attendance, remarked ““There is no better investment than investing in our children. They are the future.” The school agreed to let people visiting the park use its parking lot.

Appointed a New City Manager

Voted 3-1 to approve the appointment of Joe L. Gomez as the new city manager when current city manager Peter Iglesias retires in January 2027. Gomez has been the deputy city manager for Coral Gables since February 2025, and before that was assistant city manager for operations and infrastructure. Commissioner Melissa Castro voted against appointing Gomez, insisting that the city first conduct a national search. Mayor Vince Lago, Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson, and City Commissioner Richard Lara voted in favor, citing Gomez’s exemplary qualifications, and his current performance with — and knowledge of — the city. (See story in Talk of the Town).

Renewed the Pop-Up

Voted 4-0 to approve Cabana Chic as the new tenant in the city’s Pop-Up Retail Space Program. The store for women’s resort-wear fashions was one of eight applicants for the space at 290 Miracle Mile, next to the Miracle Theatre.

The city offers the space as a reduced-rent, short-term lease for a new business to test the Gables market. Cabana Chic was chosen for its fit into the retail mix on the street.

Approved the Crystal Residence

Voted 3-1 to approve the necessary zoning changes (from religious to residential) for the Crystal Residence to be built on the site of the St. James Lutheran Church adjacent to the historic Coral Gables Woman’s Club. The church is currently home to the Crystal Academy, a private school for autistic children.

The commissioners who voted in favor were moved by the developer’s agreement to build a new rent-free facility for the school as part of the approval. Opponents of the nine-story Crystal Residence had stalled the project for five years, during which time it underwent significant changes in design. Commissioner Castro voted against approval because several “residents” who spoke in favor of the project were not actually residents. (See story in Talk of the Town)

Cut a 30-Year Deal With UM

Voted 4-0 to enter a 30-year agreement with the University of Miami, in which the University will be allowed to build a new 100-bed hospital on campus, increase the square footage of campus buildings from 6.8 million square feet to 10.5 million square feet, and increase the size of its undergraduate student body from 13,250 to 17,500.

In exchange, the university agrees to transfer ownership of its 5.52-acre Lee Lincoln property on Granada to the city (to become Centennial Park, see story pg. 66), provide 80 hours per year of free architectural and specialized consulting to city staff, and pay the city $1,025,000 each year, growing at 4% annually (so it will exceed $3.25 million in 30 years).

Manuel “Manny” Kadre, Chair of UM’s Board of Trustees, called the deal “a historic moment, a transformational agreement for the university and the city… this will ensure that we will continue to be one of the great medical research universities.” The deal must still be approved by the State of Florida, which is expected, and be voted on again by the City Commission.

Accepted a Pocket Park

Voted 4-0 to formally accept the transfer of a 5,000 square foot “pocket park” from the developers of the new Alexan Roxy apartment complex on Salzedo between Catalonia and Malaga.

The park, donated in exchange for additional height for the 7-story complex, is already home to two large specimen trees (oak and sausage) located on the property and a nearby residence. “This is what defines us as a city,” said the Mayor.

Accepted a Giant Bench

Voted 4-0 to accept the installation of a 29-foot Art-Deco inspired bench by artist Daniel Marosi. Paid for by philanthropist Jessie Wolfson, the “Bernard Wolfson Bench” will be installed in the “Wilds” section of the Underline and can seat 18 people.

Awarded a Contract for Biltmore Way

Voted 4-0 to award the Biltmore Way Streetscape Improvement Project to HG Construction Development & Investment corporation. The $1.1 million project will provide for small shade trees; large trees could not be installed due private underground parking lots beneath the street.

Awarded Other Parks & Parking Funding

Voted 4-0 to invest $933,000 to improve and upgrade Cooper Park and another $786,985 for Rotary Park. The commission also voted 4-0 to invest $789,741 in structural repairs for Parking Garage No. 4, and voted 3-1 to transfer $6,853, 370 from the Parking Fund to the Mobility Hub capital project, so that demolition can begin this month.

Saw Plans for the New Dog Park

Listened to a presentation about the latest designs for an off-leash dog park at 520 University Drive. If built there, the 40,000 s.ft. park would be the fourth permanent off-leash dog park in the city.

Residents adjacent to the proposed park, organized as the University Green Neighborhood Association, are suing the city to block the park. The city has agreed to explore putting the dog-run park in place of a parking lot in the adjacent War Memorial Youth Center.