Coral Gables has replaced Kaufman Lynn Construction with Suffolk Construction on its controversial Mobility Hub project, a change that could push demolition of Parking Garage 1 on Andalusia Avenue to April. City officials say demolition has been postponed until next year, with no new start date confirmed.
Monica Beltran, the city’s director of Parking and Mobility Services, told members of the Parking Advisory Board at its Oct. 21 meeting that demolition had originally been expected in October, then January, but that the schedule could be pushed back further following the contractor change.
“Now we might be pushed further, closer to April, because they changed the contractor,” Beltran said.
City Communications Director Martha Pantin said no new demolition date has been established and that April should not be considered a confirmed start date. The city decided to defer demolition until after the holidays once it became clear work could not begin in October, she said, to minimize disruption to downtown businesses during the holiday shopping and dining season.
The revised timetable marks a significant departure from the schedule described in the Gazette’s Aug. 10 report, when city officials said demolition was tentatively set for October and construction was expected to take approximately 18 months.
Underground issues and contractor change
Pantin said the schedule had been affected by unexpected underground utility issues encountered during work in the alley and vault behind the existing garage, as well as the transition to a new contractor.
The city ended its agreement with Kaufman Lynn because, according to Pantin, the firm was not meeting expectations related to contractual and project requirements.
The city then proceeded with Suffolk Construction, the second-ranked firm in the competitive solicitation. Suffolk is developing detailed cost estimates and a construction schedule, Pantin said.
The switch follows the City Commission’s February decision to proceed with Kaufman Lynn for preconstruction services. At the time, the city had explicitly reserved the option of negotiating with the next-ranked firm if an agreement with its first choice could not be reached.
Suffolk placed second among five bidders in the city’s official procurement evaluation, behind Kaufman Lynn. The Gazette reported the original commission award in February, when the contract’s final construction price had yet to be negotiated.
Beltran said workers had encountered unexpected conditions during preparation for demolition, although work in the alley and vault was continuing.
Board members questioned whether the delays and contractor change could increase the project’s cost. Pantin said the project’s approved budget had not increased, but she did not provide a date for completion of Suffolk’s detailed estimates or schedule.
With those figures still being developed, the effect of the contractor change on the eventual construction cost remains unclear.
Garage’s condition raises questions about parking demand
The delay also gives the city more time to prepare for the eventual loss of Garage 1, which Beltran said she was confident could be accommodated through the remaining municipal parking facilities.
But board members questioned whether the garage’s deteriorating condition was already discouraging motorists from using it, and whether the city had data showing how much parking demand had declined.
Beltran said she had observed ample available parking when visiting the facility. She pointed to its nonfunctioning elevators and unfinished exterior repairs as possible reasons motorists might avoid it.
The city had begun repairs to the garage but stopped much of the work because the structure was scheduled for demolition. Beltran said safety-related work had been completed, but the city did not consider it worthwhile to invest heavily in improving a building slated to be torn down.
Board members Lisa De Tournay and Blanca Famadas raised concerns about the facility’s appearance and accessibility. With the elevators out of service, motorists who park on upper levels must use the stairs, while unfinished facade repairs could make the garage appear neglected or unsafe.
De Tournay questioned whether the city should reconsider leaving the exterior in its present condition as demolition continues to slip. Famadas expressed concern about the perception that the structure might be unsafe, even though it remains open.
Beltran acknowledged that the garage’s appearance could discourage some users, although she also noted that Garage 1 appeared more heavily occupied during business hours than some other municipal garages.
The concerns echo questions the Parking Advisory Board raised in March about the Mobility Hub’s design, scale and impact on downtown parking.
Parking inventory remains a key question
The discussion produced no specific figures showing Garage 1’s current occupancy, how much usage has declined or how many available spaces elsewhere could absorb motorists displaced by its demolition.
Beltran cited the availability of spaces within Garage 1 as evidence that the city could accommodate existing demand. But board members’ questions highlighted a distinction between observing empty parking spaces and documenting how many motorists might be avoiding the facility because of its condition.
That distinction matters as the city prepares to close a downtown garage while relying on other facilities to accommodate its users.
The city has not provided a revised demolition schedule, and the timing of Suffolk’s updated cost estimates and construction plan remains unclear.
Until those details are finalized, downtown businesses and motorists face continued uncertainty over when Garage 1 will close, how long construction will last and how the city will manage the resulting loss of parking.
Author: Coral Gables Gazette News Staff
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