A $30 million pedestrian bridge in South Beach was scrapped. Here’s what to know

A promised $30 million pedestrian bridge at the entrance to Miami Beach has fallen through, and city leaders are pushing back on the developer’s claim it can’t be built. The dispute over the Five Park Miami Beach project has become a broader test of whether developers must deliver public benefits they promise.

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FULL STORY: A $30 million pedestrian bridge in South Beach has been canceled. What happened?

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Here are key takeaways:

• The candy-colored, 158-foot bridge was supposed to span Fifth Street and Alton Road, making the busy intersection safer for pedestrians and bicyclists. Terra, the Coconut Grove-based developer, says underground Florida Power & Light utilities discovered 30 feet below ground in October prevent the bridge foundation from being built as designed.

• Terra CEO David Martin said engineers advised against proceeding because of risks to construction workers and critical power infrastructure. “Protecting the workers who would build this bridge, safeguarding the public, and preventing damage to essential infrastructure must come first,” Martin said.

• Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner isn’t accepting the developer’s conclusion. “If we find that they can do it, we’ve got to force their hand,” Meiner said. The commission voted 7-0 for an independent engineering assessment.

• Five Park residents told commissioners the bridge was a major selling point when they bought units in the 48-story luxury tower, where condos now sell for about $4 million. Resident David Fox called the developer’s shift “sneaky and underhanded.”

• Commissioner Laura Dominguez said the case exposed weaknesses in the city’s development agreements and plans to introduce legislation requiring that public benefits be substantially completed before a certificate of occupancy is issued. Roughly $2 million in public money has already been spent on the bridge.

This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence and using our own originally reported, written and published content. It was reviewed and edited by our journalists.

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