McBride Fundraiser
Democrats of Key Biscayne held a fundraiser for Florida gubernatorial candidate Bill McBride at The Key Biscayne Yacht Club. The candidate’s wife, Alex McBride, attended the reception. Pictured are Diane Grop, Patricia Villa, Alex McBride and Patricia Romano.
Bear Cut bridge undergoing repairs
The perceptive resident might have noticed a peculiar addition to their driving landscape: large poles adorning Bear Cut Bridge, the link between Virginia Key and Key Biscayne.
“The bridge is being repaired underneath, as part of the typical maintenance program,” explained Miami-Dade Public Works’ Dulce Rodriguez.
While the bridge presents no serious safety issues, the fishing catwalk has been closed.
“The fishing catwalk has been closed because it’s dangerous,” Rodriguez said. “The structure has to be repaired in depth. Citizens shouldn’t be fishing from there. Although we aren’t sure of a reopening date, we’re trying to rush it as much as possible.”
Boogie Woogie Barbecue
The Boogie Woogie Barbecue was hosted by Gustavo Beremblum, Claudia Busch and Bill and Jill Stephens at The Gardens of Key Biscayne. Pictured are Lois Kist, Jill Stephens, Ana Maria Robbin and Mica Parks.
Big plans for KBCS
The spotlight falls on a long-heralded expansion project, the integration of a computer assisted reading program and a new principal joining the staff.
For Key Biscayne Community School, 2002-2003 promises to be busy.
“We have all the ingredients needed for a successful year: a great community, outstanding faculty, excellent staff and supportive parents,” principal Ana Rasco said. “Together we will work to provide a quality education for our children.”
In the next few months, the school should break ground on a $7 million construction project. The centerpiece of the project: a new two-story building with a ground-floor parking lot.
“I think it’s exciting,” said Rasco, who joined the faculty after longtime principal Darlene Mooney retired at the end of the last school year. “We need the additional space.”
The new two-story building is planned for the area encompassing the basketball court and one pre-k portable near the athletic field.
“It’s out to bid right now,” said Rasco. “We hope to award a contractor in October, then shortly after that they will break ground.”
The first floor of the new building is slated to house fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms, while the second floor is set to accommodate classroom space for fifth through eighth grades. In conjunction with the rise of this building is the construction of a one-story building on the school’s current parking lot, said Rasco. This building is set to include a cafeteria, stage and band room.
“The total project will probably cost $10 million, with furniture, fixtures and other types of equipment such as computers,” Rasco said.
School Board candidate
A cocktail reception was held at the Key Biscayne Yacht Club for Miami-Dade County School board member Manty Sabatés Morse, who is running for re-election. Pictured are Manty Sabatés Morse, Roberto Cambó and Marini Walker.
4.5 WTT team 2nd at nationals
A Key Biscayne team competing in the WorldTeam Tennis National Championship, came from the loser’s bracket to reach the finals and finished as the runners-up in the 4.5 division. Although the Key team lost in the championship match to Tuscon, Ariz., Sunday at the West Side Tennis Club in New York City, they recorded one of the biggest upsets in the event to reach the finals. Pictured are, from left, Raul Regis, Maco Becerra, Carol Manso, Terry White, Rose Haney and Craig Hardie.
Night of rejuvenation
Nderie Nuñez and Dr. John Martin hosted a night of rejuvenation, attended by several Key Biscayne residents. Pictured are Mary Tague, Dr. John Martin and Carol Craiglow.
Yacht Club: Curb the Harbor Drive swale
From the Community School to the Village Green, Key Biscayne’s parking troubles are abundant and well documented.
Parking quandaries are often enduring.
While Key Biscayne’s Yacht Club seemingly tackled its problems, ensuring adequate space to accommodate guests both at the Weaver Property and the Presbyterian Church, the swale at 180 Harbor Drive remains an oftentimes-impromptu parking lot.
“The cars on Harbor Drive have been a problem for many years, since the club put a fence along Harbor Drive,” said Club Commodore Hugh Dates. “It’s approximately 20 cars; they drive up on the sidewalk. Sometimes there’s a boat and a trailer up on the sidewalk. Not only has this become quite an eyesore for the neighbors, but it’s become quite dangerous.”
Swale-inhabiting motor vehicles pose an unmistakable safety concern, for pedestrians and drivers alike.
“Cars exiting the Yacht Club have terrible vision,” Dates said. “There are times when you have to creep almost halfway into the street in order to make a proper left-hand turn. This is a public safety issue. Cars are parking parallel to the road in the swale.”
They’re pulling out, and kids are running in and out,” said Councilmember Scott Bass, during a Village Council meeting last week.
Village aesthetics are also a concern: a car-crowded swale is undeniably unattractive.
“That swale there is very hard to keep mowed and nice and neat because of the amount of cars and the amount of water that sits in certain places,” said Armando Nuñez, Village director of public works.
Dates hopes for a marriage of the aesthetic and the practical, a “joint project between the club and the Village to create a beautiful area, to make it a pretty swale that cars will not park on, moving cars off of Harbor Drive to the advantage of the neighbors.”
The Key Biscayne Yacht Club’s proposed solution would be the curbing of the swale.
“This would be a very simple solution. It would solve at least live problems, not the least of which is safety, and would be no harm to the Village whatsoever,” said Dates. The Yacht Club proposes covering the costs of putting in the grass, installing a sprinkler system, and the ongoing maintenance.
Exhibition of contemporary art
Citibank and Marina Alboroz held an exhibition of contemporary art entitled “Passion for Color” and a wine and cheese reception. Pictured are Maria Valdivieso, Adriana Spitale, Marina Albornoz and Marcela Salgado de Jaramillo.
Council considers rezoning 700 block of Fernwood to single-family use
Come November, residents of the 700 block of Fernwood, the road’s only block with multiple family or duplex housing on both sides, might experience some changes.
The Village Council voted to direct staff to begin the process of rezoning the 700 block of Fernwood to single-family use. The proposed rezoning stems largely from resident concerns and complaints about parking, density, and safety issues.
“Under current zoning codes, duplex properties are each now required to provide two parking places per unit, and the reality of families on Key Biscayne who have at a minimum two cars, maybe three, this single block would turn into a parking lot,” said Vice Mayor Bob Oldakowski.
Kathy King, a resident of the 700 block, said it is impossible to have adequate parking under the current zoning.
“This isn’t New York City where people don’t have cars, where you have parking on the street; this isn’t Chicago, where you have alleys and you have garages; this is Key Biscayne,” she said. “Key Biscayne where you have a 20-foot street. It’s clear that you cannot in any way have adequate parking when there’s duplexes on both sides.”
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