The move caps a public planning process led by the Allen Morris Company, the Coral Gables firm that is building the upscale Ziggurat mixed-use development on the former site of the Coconut Grove Laundry & Cleaners.
The Miami City Commission approved final design plans this week for Kirk Munroe Park and Fuller Street, capping a planning effort led by the Allen Morris Company, the developer of the upscale Ziggurat mixed-use project on Grand Avenue.
The commission also allocated $3 million to fund the proposed improvements, which include a new pavilion, a children’s playground and a great lawn at Kirk Munroe Park, and new pavers, a level streetscape and more trees for pedestrian-friendly Fuller Street.
Allen Morris had agreed earlier this year to lead a public-facing design process for the two public spaces that will flank its new Ziggurat development.
Under a development agreement struck with the city, the company will contribute $2 million toward the cost of the $5 million project, manage the construction phase of the job, and cover any cost overruns.
The design plans approved Thursday by the commission without discussion were shared with the public on May 21 at a fourth and final design meeting.
Read more: A New Look for Two Public Spaces in Center Grove
The company’s design team had solicited feedback on the proposed improvements at three earlier meetings this year, and met with a select group of stakeholders to vet the plan, including members of the Coconut Grove Business Improvement District (BID).
The commission’s approval on Thursday is contingent on final approval of the improvements by the BID.
The city’s agreement with Allen Morris also puts the company in charge of the construction phase of the project. The timeline is tentative, but the company has said previously that it expects to break ground on the improvements next summer.
In the meantime, the company has demolished the former home of the Coconut Grove Laundry & Cleaners at the corner of Grand Avenue and Matilda Street to make way for the five-story office building and luxury condos it plans to build as part of Ziggurat.
See more: View a complete set of the company’s design drawings here.
