Spotlight 168-251226

Good morning. What we’re covering in today’s Spotlight:

The Future of Kirk Munroe Park
The Cost of Keeping the Grove Clean
The Fight for Grove Sidewalk Space
Where We’ll Be: A Calendar of Grove Events

A Proposed Facelift for Kirk Munroe Park

The City of Miami has partnered with a private developer to redesign Kirk Munroe Park, a popular after-school gathering spot in Center Grove for students. Parents hope the new design doesn’t result in a “stay-off-the-grass” vibe.

By Jenny Jacoby

At 3:05 p.m. the final bell rings at Coconut Grove Elementary. The school day is over, and play time is just beginning across the street at Kirk Munroe Park.

For the kids who play here, the small City of Miami park – with five tennis courts, two hitting walls, a playground, and open stretches of patchy grass – is a welcome retreat.

Neon green tennis balls sail through the air – smacked over the hitting wall by mistake – and scooters roll through the center lawn while the toddler crowd races up and down the small playground’s slide.

Sidewalk Café Fees Surge as Parking Revenue Falls for Grove BID

Outdoor dining fees outpaced projections during the last fiscal year, helping offset a steep drop in parking waivers — even as crowded sidewalks fuel public frustration in the Grove’s commercial core.

By Jenny Jacoby

Fees charged for sidewalk café seating in the Grove’s downtown commercial district — a growing source of frustration for some residents and pedestrians — generated almost twice the projected revenue for the Coconut Grove Business Improvement District in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30.

The additional revenue — $$118,664 or nearly twice the projected $60,000 — helped offset a sharp shortfall in parking waiver fees, another major BID revenue source that underperformed during the same period.

Christmas Wish List: A Sidewalk on South Bayshore

Residents say sidewalks near the Four Seasons Private Residences construction site have been closed for nearly two years, forcing pedestrians into traffic along South Bayshore Drive and raising questions about safety and the appropriation of public rights-of-way.

By Izzy Kapnick

Construction of the Four Seasons Private Residences in Coconut Grove is chugging along, with developers breaking ground last month.

The planned 20-story building at Southwest 27th Avenue and South Bayshore Drive will include 70 luxury residences with ample perks including a yoga room, massage suites, and a sauna inspired by ancient Roman bath chambers.

But as the construction progresses, some local residents are asking for a more basic amenity to be restored around the building: a sidewalk to protect pedestrians.

Where We’ll Be – A Grovite’s Calendar

Turns Out the Best Gift Wasn’t Under the Tree

By the morning after Christmas, the wrapping paper is everywhere. Torn. Crumpled. Already on its way out. Somewhere in that mess, it’s easy to miss the one good thing that didn’t come with a bow — the small, overlooked gift hiding in plain sight once the noise dies down.

Be honest. Most New Year’s resolutions are designed to fail by February. Too ambitious. Too lonely. Too much kale. Here’s one that’s easier and far more pleasant. It looks like a habit you can share. A concert that turns into a drink after. A play where you text someone, “come with me.” A gallery night where you recognize the room and the people in it. Art is the excuse. Connection is the payoff. You keep this resolution because it’s actually fun.

There’s one last gift still wrapped, and unlike the socks, this one’s actually fun to open.