Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency - Regular Meeting

Thank you.

Welcome to the Southeast Overtown Park West CRA meeting for September 25th, 2025. I am your chair, Christine King. I am joined with my executive director, Mr. James D. McQueen, and our Deputy Director, Mr. Vincent T. Brown, along with my colleagues, Commissioner Carollo, Commissioner Rosado, Commissioner Gabela, and Commissioner Pardo. At this time, I'm going to ask our Deputy Director to read the items that are before us today.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The first item for consideration is a resolution appointing James E. McQueen as the Executive Director for the Southeast Overtown Park West CRA. The second resolution is a resolution with attachments authorizing the Executive Director to donate equipment described in Exhibit A to Urchin Inc. as surplus property no longer suitable for CRA use. Item number three is a resolution authorizing the Executive Director to accept a donation in the amount of $30,000 from the Coffin Lin Construction Company, a Florida for-profit corporation to be used for non-tax increment financing purposes. Article 3 is a resolution with attachments authorizing the executive director to negotiate and execute the development agreement in substantially the same form as attached in Exhibit A, Coral Rock Developers, and the disposition of CRE property at a below market rate, the furthest of the development on 12th Avenue Affordable Housing Development Project, located at 1141 Northwest 3rd Avenue, 242 Northwest 12th Street, 234 Northwest 12th Street, and 224 Northwest 12th Street, all in Miami, Florida, further allocating and appropriating proceeds from the series 2025 bond issuance in an amount not to exceed $15 million. Item number five is a resolution with attachments by forfeit to vote, ratifying, approving, and confirming executive recommendation and findings that competitive negotiations and methods and procedures are not practical or advantageous, waiving the requirements for competitive bidding, approving a grant request in the amount of $325,000 to Ben Dixon and Amadi International, a Florida for-profit corporation, to underwrite critical costs associated with the expansion of Howard University to the CRA development area. Item number six is a resolution authorizing the executive director to engage William Bloom as special counsel to the Community Redevelopment Agency to handle complex real estate and development transactions.

At this time, I'm going to open the floor for public comment. Is there anyone here that would like to speak on any items that are on this agenda? Seeing none, public comment period is closed. Gentlemen, are there any items on this agenda that you would like to pull for discussion?

Yeah, I'm thinking about number one.

I'm just kidding. We have ribs today, Mr. McQueen?

Commissioner, at 6 o'clock today, I'll be providing ribs and fixings during your meeting this evening, okay?

Okay, Mr. McQueen. We can move forward. I do have a... A question. Let's see, which is the one here? Okay, and item five, I think it is. This is for Bendix and Amandi, not Bendix and Amandi, Little Billy Corbin too, right?

No, no Little Billy Corbin is involved in this at all.

Okay, do you know?

Well, if I found out little Billy was involved, then it wouldn't be on the agenda.

Right. My only other question is, look, I don't think anybody here would not be in agreement that we could certainly use Howard University to come down to the CRA area. and that the economic impact and visibility will be there. I'm just wondering on the amount that we're paying for this study, if it could be less. It's a lot of money for something that we all know how it's going to come back.

Let me explain the item just a little bit. What we are going to try to do is not going to be limited to Howard University. Once we started talking about this study, we found that there are state universities, Florida A&M University in Tallahassee that are also interested, and local universities, FIU, Florida Memorial. So this will not be limited. We're really looking toward having for lack of a better term, a campus of universities. And I will go back and talk with the people at the consulting firm and see if we can get them to adjust the amount. And I'll bring it back at the next meeting.

Okay.

All right?

That's fine.

May I have a motion? Move. RE-1... Two, three, four, five, and six. I have a motion and a second. My apologies.

We're going to pass item number five today. Or do you want to defer that?

No. Pass. He'll bring it back if he could get a better deal. Understood.

So I have a motion and a second. All in favor? Aye. Motion carries unanimous. Thank you all for your advocacy. This concludes the Southeast Overtown Park West CRA meeting for September 25th. For September 25, 2025.

And I'll see you at 6 o'clock. Congratulations, Mr. McQueen. Thank you so much.

And at this time, the clerk's going to turn the tape so we can begin the Omni-CR