So, it was extremely close, but no cigar for the Miami Beach Mayoral race, but on topics related to South Florida development (not that a Mayoral Race isn't) yesterday's elections were much more decisive. First off, the Miami Beach Convention Center redevelopment, which would have radically remade the "concrete wasteland" center of urban Miami Beach with an expanded convention center, a new hotel, new parkland, and possibly new residential, now requires a super majority of voters to approve it before the thing gets built.
Over on the mainland, the Grove Bay development next to Miami City Hall, which promises new restaurants, retail, new parkland (yes, seriously), and various other upgrades to the slice of waterfront where the Scotty's Landing restaurant now stands was handily approved by voters. Historic Pan Am seaplane hangars on the site will be preserved, but the architecturally interesting Chart House restaurant won't. Scotty's will remain, if in name only. More renderings of the new project are here.
Jackson Hospital is also getting a $830 million bond issue for some major, major upgrades to its medical facilities. More than half of almost billion dollars will go to new construction, so expect to see some major additions to Miami's Health District in the near future.
Finally, it was kind of an awesome (but possibly impractical) idea, but Steve Berke's Miami Beach Skylink isn't happening because, ya know, he lost the Mayoral Race. He lost by a lot. But hey, maybe he'll keep promoting the idea to have a line of aerial gondolas crossing the bay, even if he doesn't get the Mayoral crown to go with it? It was a cool idea.
· Miami Beach mayoral race heads to runoff. Convention Center needs supermajority [Miami Herald]
· Coconut Grove waterfront plan coasts to victory [Miami Herald]
· This is what could replace Grove Landmark Scotty's Landing [Curbed Miami]
· Voters approve major facelift for Jackson Health Systems [SFBJ]
· Miami Beach Skylink coverage [Curbed Miami]