FYI Miami: February 10, 2022

Below are some of the FYIs in this week’s edition. The entire content of this week’s FYIs and Insider sections is available by subscription only. To subscribe click here.

CONVENTION HOTEL NEARER: The long-anticipated Miami Beach Convention Center headquarters hotel, which would rise at 17th Street and Convention Center Drive, offering a direct connection to the convention center and helping bring more conventions and meetings, is anticipated to break ground “probably in the second quarter of the year,” according to Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau COO Rolando Aedo. Developers Terra Group and Turnberry are looking into some subtle alterations to its original design and finishing plans before they will present it to the city, said a project spokesperson outside of the bureau. The hotel, delayed due to the pandemic, is still estimated to be ready by 2025.

FEWER CRIMES IN COUNTY: Serious crime in areas patrolled by the Miami-Dade Police Department fell more than 16% last year, a pattern of mostly double-digit increases broken only by an increase of more than 25% in forcible sex offenses. The total of 98 homicides was down 15% from 116 in 2020. The 766 robberies were down nearly 20% from 954 in 2020. The 3,654 aggravated assaults were 20% below the 4,576 total in 2020. The 1,911 burglaries were 20% below 2,389 in 2020. The 17,555 larcenies were nearly 18% below the 21,312 in 2020. Motor vehicle theft fell nearly 4% to 2,902. But rape reports rose more than 28% from 436 to 560 and fondling complaints rose 14% from 196 in 2020 to 224 in 2021. The data, released in January, do not include crimes committed in areas where municipal police forces function.

HOMESTEAD AIRPORT: County commissioners just approved a $500,000 lease for 25 years for Homestead Executive Jet Center, which is already doing business at the Homestead General Aviation Airport. The lease of 1.77 acres requires the company to design and construct a 12,000-square-foot hangar and aircraft apron from its facility for use as aircraft taxi and pavement parking on the leased land. All improvements must be done within 2.5 years. About 20 temporary jobs are to be created during the design and construction and four permanent jobs with an average salary of $35,000 to manage, maintain and operate the aircraft hangar and related facilities. The company would pay $7,555 in annual land and pavement rent, which is estimated to generate a minimum of $188,878 during the lease.

MEDICAL EXAMINER: Mayor Daniella Levine Cava named Kenneth D. Hutchins M.D. director of the Medical Examiner Department at the Feb. 2 commission meeting. He had been interim chief medical examiner since September 2021. “His work throughout the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the Surfside building collapse honored the department’s mission to provide accurate, timely, dignified, and compassionate professional death investigative services for the citizens of Miami-Dade County,” the mayor wrote.