Remarks by Gia Zapattini
37 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 1 of 2
- Play at 32:42
“Yeah, I want to echo my colleagues. I think it's very elegant and sophisticated. I particularly like the treatment of the entrance at the bay and lowering that wall that is usually 10 feet high. I think it's a very elegant solution. I do want to understand a little bit about the core wall. In the 3Ds, it looks like it has a fluted design, but in plan, it looks fairly flat. How are you intending to build that? So it's precast, right?”
Urban Development Review Board · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 33:13
“It's just you're not showing that in plan, and that's exactly what we were expecting. Perfect. Okay, great.”
Urban Development Review Board · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 33:24
“Okay, so it will be precast, and then you have the horizontal lines on top, the marking, the slabbage. And what's a slabbage? Treatment. It looks like it's a bronze or has a different color.”
Urban Development Review Board · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 33:40
“Is it painted or is a metallic element attached to it?”
Urban Development Review Board · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 33:45
“Okay, painted finish. Okay. That's it. I just wanted to clarify. Thank you and congratulations.”
Urban Development Review Board · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 38:29
“I don't agree with a lot of his comments, but maybe just me.”
Urban Development Review Board · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 39:48
“I want to make sure that when we say approved as presented, like you keep the curved walls of the balcony, you keep the balconies with no railing, you keep the sludge edge condition. Everything that you're showing right now as conceptual, it's basically what we're approving.”
Urban Development Review Board · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 58:31
“I agree. I think I want to congratulate the team. You guys did a fantastic job. It's a very challenging site, especially because you're working with a historic structure. And I think it's a very, very clever, sophisticated, and very respectful solution. I love the scale. that still from Brickell, the church is still very important, and the volume that you did behind it is restrained, and kind of plays a language that is still beautiful and very modern, and at the end you have a very beautiful, sophisticated, sculptural, you know, glass modern tower at the bay. It's very, very challenging, so…”
Urban Development Review Board · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 1:10:52
“Since we have a motion. I can make a motion to approve with conditions. I guess the condition would be, in my opinion, the glass, looking at the glass behind the church, just so it could feel a little bit like a church. And the program element in the sculptural piece, if you could just rethink the interior program, like my colleague mentioned, I think it would be nicer if it's not a fitness equipment, perhaps a yoga can move there so you can use it as a more flexible space. Since you're gonna see it, it's nicer if it's flexible rather than gym equipment from the bay. Other than that, I think…”
Urban Development Review Board · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 1:15:16
“Is there any way that we could postpone it? To be honest with you, if you really want an engagement for all of us, is there any way that we can move it to our next session? Would that be possible?”
Urban Development Review Board · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 1:15:36
“Yeah, we're just all going to be interested in watching the quarterfinals.”
Urban Development Review Board · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 1:30:43
“I have a couple comments. I would say that when you're dealing with multiple codes, it's always helpful to understand the comparison, because if you're developing there, you have to still look at Miami 21 and your guideline, right? It's always helpful to understand, are they anything where they differentiate, or is there areas where they have a common interest or incentives? And developers are driven by incentives everywhere, so you have to figure out What do they gain by doing shaded tree or whatever you want them to do? And how can you clearly show that in your document? For example, in…”
Urban Development Review Board · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 1:35:52
“The artwork that goes in the buildings is something that also, I don't know how it's controlled. When it comes here, it's a beautiful in-design presentation image that we have no idea what's going to end up in the building. There should be some way of a board that reviews it or some set of experts that really, if you really want to build something very thoughtful, there should be some discussion about what ends up happening there because we can't really control it and neither can you, actually.”
Urban Development Review Board · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 43:29
“I think in general, you guys did a really great job on the party, in my opinion, surrounding the existing building. I really like the building on 42nd Street, the fact that you were able to break the length and you created a center section that brings natural light to the corridor. To me, that was done very successfully. On that particular design and elevation, my only suggestion would be to change those palm trees to actual trees. You did it very successfully. I think it feels very residential and the scale is great. It's just the palm trees don't really help you create that neighborhood…”
Urban Development Review Board · Feb 18, 2026
- Play at 45:28
“Yeah, the parking garage. Maybe you can do the same artwork, or it just looks very fake and doesn't really last a very long time.”
Urban Development Review Board · Feb 18, 2026
- Play at 45:40
“Okay. It was still shown in your elevation, in your A202.”
Urban Development Review Board · Feb 18, 2026
- Play at 45:57
“So can you go to A202 and just confirm that the section that has artificial green grass, that would now be artwork?”
Urban Development Review Board · Feb 18, 2026
- Play at 46:27
“And then in the 43rd Street where you have the parking garage, if... Right now, the parking garage is a little bit forward from the residential tower by maybe five feet. It would be great if you can continue that green buffer zone that you had all along the perimeter. So you have it in 42nd Street. If you could turn the corner on 43rd, that would be great. Just to add another layer of buffer to the parking garage with landscape, just planting trees. It seems to me that there's just a sidewalk there with no vegetation.”
Urban Development Review Board · Feb 18, 2026
- Play at 47:22
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
Urban Development Review Board · Feb 18, 2026
- Play at 50:45
“Why would they not have trees on the June?”
Urban Development Review Board · Feb 18, 2026
- Play at 56:25
“I just want to add trees instead of palms.”
Urban Development Review Board · Feb 18, 2026
- Play at 59:21
“I also want to add that your presentation was excellent. Thank you for clearly documenting the whole project very clearly for us to review super quickly and for bringing the material board. It's excellent. Thank you so much.”
Urban Development Review Board · Feb 18, 2026
- Play at 1:19:26
“I think this sets a really high bar for rental properties. So if I put myself into the budget that you're working for and the business model that you're trying to attract, I think it's a very successful project, especially in the areas where you have the stoops and the walk-up units in the back. I think you were able to achieve exactly what you are mentioning, which is breaking up the facade and creating a neighborhood feeling and designing for the pedestrian. I would agree that on the main elevation, you weren't as successful. It feels still a little bit flat and massive. But in general, I…”
Urban Development Review Board · Feb 18, 2026
- Play at 1:32:02
“I can make a motion to approve as presented with one condition to look into breaking the length or the articulation of the east building elevation on 32nd.”
Urban Development Review Board · Feb 18, 2026
- Play at 10:51
“I'll make a motion to close our public comments.”
Urban Development Review Board · Jan 21, 2026