What Might Have Been?
By Christina Veiga
cveiga@MiamiHerald.com
Homestead’s City Hall will temporarily move to Portofino Plaza, council members decided Monday.
Council members decided to move the seat of government after an environmental review found the current city hall to be contaminated with radon, a radioactive, cancer-causing gas, as well as mold and asbestos.
Employees will move to the plaza, at 650 NE Eighth Street, while a new City Hall is built in downtown Homestead.
The city will pay about $20,000 a month to rent the office space. The first five months of the 60-month lease — with an option to terminate the agreement with notice — will be rent free. The city is liable to pay taxes on the units its renting, and the landlord will build out the space at no cost to the city. The build out is expected to be done within 90 days of permits being issued, and the city is expected to move in sometime in
December or January, according to a city spokeswoman.
All departments currently in city hall will be moved to the new location. Business hours will be the same.
Councilman Jimmie L. Williams III was absent for the vote to approve the lease agreement.
Mayor Steve Bateman was the only member to vote against moving to Portofino, saying the city could move into temporary trailers at a fraction of the cost.
City manager George Gretsas said that, in hurricane-prone South Florida, trailers may not be practical. Plus, putting them on the current city hall grounds may just lead to more radon contamination because the gas seeps out of the ground, he said.
“You can’t put a price on people’s health. It’s time we move,” said Councilwoman Judy Waldman.
Follow @Cveiga on Twitter
Council members decided to move the seat of government after an environmental review found the current city hall to be contaminated with radon, a radioactive, cancer-causing gas, as well as mold and asbestos.
Employees will move to the plaza, at 650 NE Eighth Street, while a new City Hall is built in downtown Homestead.
The city will pay about $20,000 a month to rent the office space. The first five months of the 60-month lease — with an option to terminate the agreement with notice — will be rent free. The city is liable to pay taxes on the units its renting, and the landlord will build out the space at no cost to the city. The build out is expected to be done within 90 days of permits being issued, and the city is expected to move in sometime in
December or January, according to a city spokeswoman.
All departments currently in city hall will be moved to the new location. Business hours will be the same.
Councilman Jimmie L. Williams III was absent for the vote to approve the lease agreement.
Mayor Steve Bateman was the only member to vote against moving to Portofino, saying the city could move into temporary trailers at a fraction of the cost.
City manager George Gretsas said that, in hurricane-prone South Florida, trailers may not be practical. Plus, putting them on the current city hall grounds may just lead to more radon contamination because the gas seeps out of the ground, he said.
“You can’t put a price on people’s health. It’s time we move,” said Councilwoman Judy Waldman.
Follow @Cveiga on Twitter
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