By Coral Gables Gazette staff

The Coral Gables Mobility Hub is moving from years of debate toward the practical question now facing downtown: how to build it without choking the businesses around it.

The city has scheduled a town hall meeting for Wednesday, June 24, at 9 a.m. at the Coral Gables Museum, 285 Aragon Ave., for businesses and property owners in the central business district. The session is intended to introduce Kaufman Lynn Construction, the firm selected to lead the project’s preconstruction work, and to brief business owners on construction phasing, expected impacts and strategies for keeping the district functioning during the build.

For merchants along Miracle Mile, Andalusia Avenue, Ponce de Leon Boulevard and the surrounding blocks, those details may matter as much as the design itself. The current Garage 1 site on Andalusia Avenue is expected to be demolished to make way for the project, raising questions about parking supply, traffic flow, construction staging, pedestrian access and how long nearby businesses will be dealing with disruption.

A long-debated project moves toward construction

The Mobility Hub has been under discussion for nearly a decade. The project is intended to replace Garage 1 on Andalusia Avenue and consolidate functions now served by Garage 4, both of which city officials have described as outdated. Garage 1 has had façade problems, while Garage 4 lacks an elevator, making it inaccessible under modern standards.

Together, the two garages account for more than 600 parking spaces. City staff have argued that replacing them with a modern downtown parking and mobility facility is necessary to support the central business district, which generates a substantial share of Coral Gables’ property-tax base.

The project has gone through multiple design concepts, political reversals and cost resets. Earlier versions envisioned a more Mediterranean-style structure with retail and rooftop amenities. As construction prices rose, estimates moved well beyond the original $30 million to $40 million range, helping stall the project.

The current design direction, developed by Gensler, is known as “Carved by Nature.” It features a contemporary façade with patterned screens, green bands and a play of light and shadow intended to soften the scale of the garage and connect it visually to the downtown streetscape. The design has remained controversial, particularly over height, cost and whether the building fits the character of Coral Gables.

In February, the City Commission voted to move forward with Kaufman Lynn Construction under a construction manager at risk structure. That model brings the builder into the project before construction begins, allowing the contractor to work with the city, architects and engineers on cost estimating, scheduling, phasing, constructability and risk control. The final construction price remains subject to a separate negotiation process.

What businesses can expect

Wednesday’s town hall will give businesses and property owners their first opportunity to meet the project’s construction manager, ask questions and hear how the project is expected to be delivered.

The city says attendees will receive updates on construction phasing, anticipated impacts and mitigation strategies intended to support businesses during construction.

Those questions are likely to be central. A major construction project in the heart of downtown could affect access to storefronts, restaurant deliveries, sidewalk circulation, vehicle flow and customer parking. City officials have previously acknowledged that the Andalusia Avenue site is tight and that construction will require careful coordination with nearby businesses.

Parking will be one of the most sensitive issues. The current structure on the Mobility Hub site will have to come down before the new facility is built, temporarily displacing users who now rely on that garage. City officials have discussed a parking mitigation plan involving city-owned sites on Aragon Avenue, including the Davidson site and the La Salle site, along with potential arrangements with private parking operators.

How closely that temporary capacity will match displaced demand remains one of the practical questions for downtown businesses.

A meeting for the construction phase

The June 24 session is a business-focused town hall meant to explain the project timeline and construction approach before work begins.

The meeting is open to community members, businesses and property owners in the central business district. Based on the city’s notice, no prior registration is required.