Faded paint, cracked tiles, dried vegetation and lack of pedestrian access.
Those are just a sampling of the aesthetic shortcomings of Key Biscayne’s Civic Center Plaza area and the Monaco Fountains, the central gathering site in the Village for events large and small.
Now, with the assistance of a nine-member task force, a re-imagined plaza was described to Village Council members Tuesday night by Building, Zoning and Planning Director Jeremy Calleros Gauger, although he was cautioned by a couple of Art in Public Places Board members, and Council member Nancy Stoner, about infringing on Sarah Morris’ original artwork.
The Monaco Reflecting Pools.
One of the bonuses for allowing Terra Group developer David Martin to construct a luxury condo on the site where the Silver Sands Beach Resort once stood for nearly 70 years was that the Village would receive $300,000 toward repairs and renovations to the central plaza.
The concept of a new plan not only covers the park and plaza, Gauger said, but it’s the entire area, including McIntyre Street and Village Green Way, or about 1.6 acres.
Among the Tier 1 priorities: repairing artwork; leveling the street to the plaza; placing removable bollards as barriers from vehicles; and to use bollards with built-in electrical outlets for food trucks, for example, to avoid the mess of cables while also avoiding noisy generators.
Food trucks and vendors set up in line.
Among the Tier 2 priorities: adding more shade (assuming trees); improve the lighting; making it pedestrian friendly (which likely will mean more pavers for easy access); and opening up the direct access from Paradise Park to Monaco Fountain.
Among the Tier 3 priorities: providing a possible storage area closer to the site for chairs, etc.; and installing a few multi-functional posts that can connect overhead lights or decorations and even stage lighting.
“The next step is to formalize the scope,” said Gauger, who would reach out to Morris and the Art in Public Places Board, and then work with designers.
The hope is that some of the events tied to the 35th anniversary of the Village’s incorporation (June 18, 2026) could be held there as the plaza is getting a fresher look.
Doral’s City Place, with an umbrella roof similar to some of the modern design elements the Village plans on implementing.
Councilman Ed London suggested holding a contest so designers could submit ideas not already discussed, a proposal agreed to by former Mayor Mike Davey. Gauger said that initial work already has been done by the task force, it’s just the scope that needs completing.
Special events, such as WinterFest, concerts, and an annual classic car show, for example, draw quite a crowd in that area.
Islander News contributing columnist Bill Durham said he’s been a member of the Art in Public Places Board since 2019, while Lourdes Jofre-Collett (who spoke to Council earlier) has been a member since 2004.
Durham pointed out that the entire artwork Morris created in 2006 was not just about the day-night fountains or the marble pavers that create a unique effect, but also that the 28 palms planted even had a connection.
“Her vision included the whole oval, the pavers that represent the beach, the two contemplation benches, and the 28 royal palms,” Durham explained. “I don’t think we should mess with that.”
If the artwork is altered, Morris’ contract may allow her to remove her name from the project.
“We need to protect the integrity of the artist’s work,” Stoner said.