The Miami Beach City Commission approved the settlement offer during a special meeting Wednesday morning, deputy city attorney Robert Dixon tells GlobeSt.com. In accepting the offer, the city stopped a potentially expensive civil trial. The city sought land belonging to American Riviera and Ronald Bloomberg, the company's president.
"The defendant (also) is voluntary dismissing, with prejudice, two other pending cases--one in front of a special zoning master and one before the circuit court," Dixon says.
"Lastly, the defendants, including Bloomberg personally, are giving the city and Miami Beach Redevelopment Agency complete and general releases and concluding all matters growing out of the construction, use and operation of the property as a regional library, as well as any zoning issues or challenges to the comprehensive development plan or any challenges to design issues."
In response, Bloomberg tells GlobeSt.com he reluctantly agreed to the settlement. He envisioned the development of about 30,000-sf of development rights on the site as possibly a prosperous mixed-used commercial project or even as much needed parking garage.
"I am disappointed that I'm ultimately not going to be able to develop property as I had originally intended," he says. "These legal issues have been ongoing for over three years and just needed to come to an end. Ultimately, the settlement was acceptable. I have other projects I am now working on that need my attention at this time. Finally, it puts closure to this matter."
Besides the $1.5 million price, American Riviera Real Estate and the affiliated Palm Court at 23rd Street Ltd. Agreed to accept $225,000 from the city to cover court costs and $245,000 to cover attorney's fees.
In addition, the city agreed to provide Palm Court, which argued it owns certain lease rights on the disputed parcel, a waiver on fees for 18 tenant-parking decals for up to 28 months and two valet-ramping parking spaces for up to 2,700 days.
Once the city deposits the settlement money, Dixon says it may then proceed with its plans to complete a world-class cultural campus. "This was a very significant and important accomplishment for the Beach," Dixon says. "Now we will see all the advantages of a true world-class, regional library."
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