19 October 2005|1

date / November 10, 2005
to / Coconut Grove Waterfront Master Plan Project Team
cc / Mark Dawson
from / Lynn Hoffman
project name / Coconut Grove Waterfront Master Plan
project # / 44394.00
subject / Summary of Meeting with City Staff

November 7, 11 am

Dinner Key Marina

Issues

  • Have been developing a managed mooring field for 5 years due to environmental degradation
  • Permitting imminent, then seek grants for construction
  • Relying on customer service since doesn't have tennis courts, pool, etc.
  • Commercial demands for facility: swimming pool, gym, lounge, TV, concessions, ship store
  • Sediments near dingy dock from storm water drainage

Goals

  • Phase 1 outside of the spoil islands, 225 moorings for 20-55 foot vessels
  • Phase 2 Coconut Grove Sailing Club area, 100 moorings
  • Need to update facilities (plan calls for current location) with offices for marina and mooring field, with enough height to oversea all boats in marina
  • Rebuild Seminole dingy dock (currently for free anchorage)
  • Build a fuel dock (current plans near shrimp boats)
  • User survey on topics such as Village use and parking issues
  • New harbormaster building equipped for category 5 hurricane with weather station, could be used as a neighborhood emergency building

Facts

  • Manager for 3 marinas in the city (Miamarina at Bayside, Dinner Key, Marine Stadium Marina at Virginia Key)
  • Overnight, monthly and live aboard dockages
  • Marina at 100% capacity
  • Of 582 boats, 500 annual long term + 20 community use
  • Transients run as a hotel, 1 night to 6 months
  • Slips for boats from 20 – 120 feet, most are for 20 – 35 feet
  • Live-aboards – 40+ feet only
  • No fixed number reserved for city residents, but 70-80% get the city discount
  • Up to a one year waiting list
  • Public boat launch is run by the parks department and off-street parking department
  • Staff of 17 including maintenance
  • Bayside has more transient boaters 50%, Diner Key only 10-12%
  • Boats getting more complex, now requiring two - 50 amp services, desiring wireless internet connections
  • Prepared a preliminary needs analysis and programming for Dinner Key facility ($4 million, structure only)
  • Parking:
  • Have 285 parking spaces for 581 slips
  • 115 parking spaces for live-aboards
  • Code: 1 for every 2 slips + 5 additional
  • Cannot build any new slips, can only reconstruct old ones

Expocenter

Issues

  • Can't attract conferences because does not have break out rooms, no ballroom, carpeting
  • Shows such as boat, gun and antique have a local or regional draw and do not create hotel stays
  • Some shows only use 1 hall
  • Was going to install retractable walls, but each cost $24,000
  • Not enough parking for the events
  • No area for tracker trailers and exhibitors to park

Goals

  • Renovate and reposition to a smaller, up-scale conference center
  • Would like to see case studies on other small conference center like Hynes
  • Trying to work with the Chamber of Commerce to create a "Grove Specials" kiosk at events

Facts

  • 150,000 sf, 5 halls, no breakout rooms
  • 200,000 people per year (decreased from 300,000 due to rumor of closure); 285,000 at consumer shows
  • 50-67 events per year, 200+ days per year
  • Largest show is the home design and remodeling show in February which generates $65,000 for the City, largest attendance is for flea markets
  • 750 parking spaces for the ExpoCenter
  • Has not had any investment since Hurricane Andrew in 1993 and does not receive and of the hotel bed tax dollars

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