Miami Beach city commissioners have unanimously agreed to abandon the $1 billion redevelopment of its 52-acre convention center district, which aimed to radically reinvent the area. This decision comes just six months after the city awarded developer South Beach ACE and OMA the bid after an international, highly-publicized competition that pitted OMA against BIG.
“For the purposes of getting this project done fast, on time, on budget, it’s unfortunate that we’ll have to make a very tough, challenging decision,” said Miami Beach Mayer Philip Levine, “To some people, it’s a little disheartening. To other people, it’s a very fresh start.”
As reported by the Miami Herald, the city plans to reinstate a bid for the renovation of the city-owned convention center as well as another for the development of a nearby hotel. Under the new bid, the city will no longer be required to attain 60 percent of voter approval to build. By doing this, Levine believes the renovation will be expedited.
South Beach ACE has responded by sending letters to both constituents and city leaders, stating: "South Beach ACE was induced to spend millions of dollars to produce a grand, iconic master plan for the Convention Center site with the expectation that the city would proceed in good faith.”
Some, including the development team SBACE, are challenging the decision to abandon the project by stating the city is “contractually obligated to proceed.”
OMA has not yet commented on the decision.
Watch Shohei Shigematsu explain OMA's proposal in the exclusive ArchDaily video below.
Reference: Miami Herald, NBC Miami
