The Trump presidential library is another step closer to being built in downtown Miami, next door to the landmark Freedom Tower.
Miami-Dade College owns the land, which is currently used as a parking lot. Tuesday, for the second time, the college’s Board of Trustees voted to gift the land to the state of Florida, which in turn would hand it over to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation.
Unlike the first meeting, which flew under the radar since the college did not publicize the purpose of the land transfer, Tuesday’s meeting featured robust public comment. There was support for hosting a presidential library, but also anger about what some see as glorifying a president who they say is anti-immigrant in a location adjacent to the Freedom Tower, a symbol of immigration.
“The proposal is a profound insult to our shared history as a majority foreign-born community built by immigrants,” one speaker said during the hearing.
The nearly 3-acre plot of land in question sits on Biscayne Boulevard next to the Freedom Tower. Currently, it functions as a Miami Dade College parking lot. NBC6’s Briana Nespral reports.
“A presidential library is an asset to any academic institution,” said another speaker.
After hours of hearing public comments, the Board voted unanimously to give the valuable downtown parcel to the state.
“I think in the long term, the benefits to the community will be for a long time, economic benefits, educational benefits, especially for our students to be able to do internships and have opportunities,” said Madeline Pumariega, the president of Miami-Dade College.
“Yeah, having the library here is an amazing opportunity,” said Miguel Granda, an alumnus of MDC and leader of the Miami-Dade Young Republicans.
An opportunity, or, as opponents argued, a fiscally irresponsible giveaway of a public asset?
“We are giving away precious real estate land in downtown Miami and receiving nothing in return,” said Maribel Balbin, a community activist.
Retired Florida International University professor Marvin Dunn filed a lawsuit against the Board of Trustees, alleging they violated the Sunshine Law with their first meeting, at which they approved the library plan. That lawsuit is still awaiting a ruling, but it prompted the Board to hold Tuesday’s public hearing and vote on the proposal a second time.
“This is not a library, this is an economic development project for the Trump family,” Dunn said. “The Trump Presidential Library Foundation is three people: Eric Trump, his wife, and some lawyer, that’s who’s getting this property, $67 million worth of public property being given to Eric Trump and his wife, and I have a problem with that.”
Board of Trustees member Roberto Alonso, who is also a Miami-Dade School Board member, said giving away the land will pay dividends in the future.
“To me, it’s something important that adds to what the college offers, and it’s something that we’ve seen throughout universities throughout our country where the majority of these libraries sit,” Alonso said.
However, as some speakers pointed out during Tuesday’s hearing, there’s no requirement in the agreement that an actual presidential library be built on the site. Dunn fears it will end up being a condo or hotel tower with some component of a library included in the project.