The Tri-Rail Coastal commuter train in South Florida offers a dynamic opportunity to change and IMPROVE old ways of thinking and living. So why is Tri-Rail doing such a poor job of letting the public know what's REALLY going on? I ask Hollywood's City Manger that very question, since the cities of Hollywood, Hallandale Beach and Aventura are ideally positioned to benefit economically more quickly than any other cities on the commuter line
Below is a slightly-expanded version of an email about the Tri-Rail Coastal commuter train that I sent on September 18th to the Hollywood City Manager, Dr. Wazir Ishmael.
It follows a previous letter that was sent to him and dozens of other people in South Florida about the same subject. I've deleted some email addresses below for obvious reasons.
An open letter from #miamitech leaders to @MayorGimenez on why we need an #opendata policy. http://t.co/dO7VMkgaOu
— Code For Miami (@CodeForMiami) May 12, 2015
An Open Letter to Mayor Carlos Gimenez:
A WorldClass Community Must Have Open Data Governance http://miamiopendata.org/docs/open-data-letter.pdf
Dr. Ishmael:
Just a note to let you know I'll be writing you next week with respect to how/when Hollywood might adopt some of the sort of innovative thinking described above in the tweet from Miami Open Data to Miami-Dade Mayor Gimenez.
Thanks also for your quick response to my recent email re the Tri-Rail Coastal, below.
As a result of my years taking the El train into downtown Chicago everyday from my home across the street from the Bahá'í Temple in suburban Wilmette, three blocks from the end of the EL line at the Linden CTA station, https://goo.gl/maps/84tDQ htt
and years later, from my upscale neighborhood in Arlington into Washington, DC via METRO
everyday from the Ballston station next to the National Science Foundation HQ,
I became over time, without realizing it at the time, a strong advocate of well-planned and sensible
public transit. And have only gotten more personally involved in the subject once I was in DC. and then down here.
But I get VERY frustrated at what I perceive to be the snail-like pace I and other observers see from Tri-Rail these days, and the even slower public engagement approach taken by them to share what's actually happening with respect to tangible milestones with the public and the business community.
Just as is true in parts of Hallandale Beach along the FEC Corridor, it's absurd to imagine that there's an entire army of people chomping at the bit to invest in some business or property development along N. 21 Avenue and Adams BEFORE some definite word comes from Tri-Rail as to when an actual station will be near there, and making sure that everyone knows what's what.
And yet Tri-Rail now pretends that everyone in the community is psyched, and that Tri-Rail can just keep doing what they're doing.
Whatever that actually is...
Dr. Ishmael, based on my conversations with people who keep their eyes open, everyone is, most assuredly, NOT psyched NOR convinced that Tri-Rail is doing everything they can to best effectively communicate the truth/facts to the public, whatever that is.
Seriously, they were so slow to get going on Social Media that they could NOT even get the Twitter name they wanted because other people beat them to the punch.
That damning fact is one I have shared in emails with lots of people as well as on my blog and in a few tweets.
It's indicative of many things about their counter-intuitive approach.
Most people who come to know me at least reasonably well come to appreciate that just because I'm pro-transit, doesn't mean that I will support or make excuses for truly half-assed plans, efforts or results of the sort that the public too frequently sees from transit groups and agencies down here.
I refer you to this pertinent May 6, 2013 blog post of mine:
More Transit Policy Woes in South Florida: With stealthy and self-sabotaging friends like All Aboard Florida and SFRTA/Tri-Rail, pro-transit advocates in South Florida don't need any more enemies; 'All Aboard Florida' fails to schedule a single public scoping meeting in Broward County this Spring despite Fort Lauderdale being a proposed station, while SFRTA chief refuses to answer a simple question -Will Hallandale Beach have a station under the proposed Coastal line plan?; Just because you're pro-transit doesn't mean you have to ignore displays of transit incompetency or mismanagement when you see it!
To me, in short, Tri-Rail's sitting on their hands far too much.
That is, when they aren't prematurely patting themselves on the back for being the proverbial engine bringing dynamic economic changes to the under-developed and under-utilized FEC Corridor area
Something that has YET to actually happen.
Meanwhile, in Miami, as you can see below, looks like some developers are pricing out people whom I suspect would look perfect in Hollywood, Hallandale Beach or Aventura taking the Tri-Rail Coastal to work, whether that's in downtown Miami or downtown Fort lauderdale - or neither.
But who want to avail themselves of opportunities.
New Wynwood could price out hipsters who made it thrive http://t.co/nOPmmL29S1 pic.twitter.com/qznSbd7N2Z
— Brian Bandell (@SFlaBizBandell) September 18, 2015
Opportunities.
Just something to think about.
Dave
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Wazir Ishmael
Date: Tue, Aug 25, 2015 at 9:13 AM
Subject: RE: re Redevelopment in Hollywood, tonight's public meeting re proposed RAC, and the role of Tri-Rail Coastal
Sent: Monday, August 24, 2015 4:06 PM
To: Wazir Ishmael
Cc: Patricia Asseff; Jaye Epstein
Subject: re Redevelopment in Hollywood, tonight's public meeting re proposed RAC, and the role of Tri-Rail Coastal
From: Wazir Ishmael
Date: Tue, Aug 25, 2015 at 9:13 AM
Subject: RE: re Redevelopment in Hollywood, tonight's public meeting re proposed RAC, and the role of Tri-Rail Coastal
Hello David!
Thank you for the valuable input. We will certainly reach out to the folks at Tri-Rail to ensure their participation in any future RAC events.
The rail portion could prove to be an integral component to the future success of the RAC and having spent time in Portland, Oregon and the UK I am very familiar with the incorporation of multi-modal opportunities as significant catalysts to development and redevelopment.
Once again, thank you for your insights and suggestion.
Sincerely,
Wazir Ishmael, Ph.D.
City Manager
City of Hollywood
2600 Hollywood Boulevard
P.O. Box 229045
Hollywood, FL 33020
Office: (954) 921-3201
Fax: (954) 921-3314
Sent: Monday, August 24, 2015 4:06 PM
To: Wazir Ishmael
Cc: Patricia Asseff; Jaye Epstein
Subject: re Redevelopment in Hollywood, tonight's public meeting re proposed RAC, and the role of Tri-Rail Coastal
August 24, 2015
Dear Dr. Ishmael:
I'm writing you today to follow up on an email -below- that I sent out last week
to a few hundred concerned residents and Small Business owners in Hollywood
and Hallandale Beach regarding tonight's public meeting re a proposed RAC
for Hollywood, a plan that includes U.S.-1, Pembroke Road and what I believe
continues to be the greatly under-developed and under-utilized area along the
FEC corridor, which could and should be a dynamic that adds much to the city's
future success.
I quite realize that at this point that it's too late for the city to arrange for some
well-informed reps from Tri-Rail to be present at tonight's meeting -so that they
can add some valuable information to the mix so that everyone attending has
THE most-recent and accurate information.
Rather, I'm writing in part today to encourage you to do whatever you have to
do in the future to make sure that subsequent public meetings on this important
subject include them.
That is, so long as they are prepared to state specifics, since my experience
over the past few years as a longtime civic activist and public transit advocate
-borne of experience in Chicago/Evanston/Wilmette and Washington,D.C./
Arlington County, VA- is that Tri-Rail seems to often hedge their bets depending
upon whom their audience is.
Upbeat and somewhat specific to the local news media, but reticent and evasive
when the public wants some specific answers to simple questions that are not
available on their website and which their officials do not respond to.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From:
Date: Thu, Aug 20, 2015 at 4:13 PM
Subject: Thoughts re role of Tri-Rail Coastal on HB/Hollywood development, per City of Hollywood community meeting on Aug. 24 for Regional Activity Center Re-zoning that includes U.S.-1 & Pembroke Road
Date: Thu, Aug 20, 2015 at 4:13 PM
Subject: Thoughts re role of Tri-Rail Coastal on HB/Hollywood development, per City of Hollywood community meeting on Aug. 24 for Regional Activity Center Re-zoning that includes U.S.-1 & Pembroke Road
My comments follow the announcement.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: News and Announcements <listserv@civicplus.com>
Date: Tue, Aug 18, 2015 at 5:38 PM
Subject: Community Meeting for Regional Activity Center Re-zoning - August 24
From: News and Announcements <listserv@civicplus.com>
Date: Tue, Aug 18, 2015 at 5:38 PM
Subject: Community Meeting for Regional Activity Center Re-zoning - August 24
 |
Learn About Proposed Zoning Changes in the Regional Activity Center
The City of Hollywood invites you to a community meeting on Monday, August 24 at 6:00 p.m. at Hollywood City Hall, 2600 Hollywood Boulevard, Room 219 to discuss the planned re-zoning of the Regional Activity Center (RAC).
The RAC encompasses Downtown Hollywood and includes Federal Highway from Sheridan Street to Pembroke Road and Hollywood Boulevard from US-1 to Interstate 95. The Regional Activity Center land use designation is intended to encourage attractive and functional mixed living, working, shopping, education, and recreational activities, in areas of regional importance. To guide sustainable development, the City is undertaking ambitious zoning changes in the RAC to accommodate future growth, while preserving the character of existing neighborhoods.
The Hollywood Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), Department of Community and Economic Development and Department of Planning have hosted a series of community meetings with residents living in and around the RAC to review the proposed zoning changes. This community meeting is open to all residents interested in the RAC re-zoning.
For additional information, contact the Department of Community and Economic Development at 954.921.3271 or go to RAC Re-zoning.
I'm going to make some phone calls and find out who will be speaking
at this meeting next Monday at Hollywood City Hall.
I'm especially interested in finding out if anyone from Tri-Rail will be present
to publicly speak about the latest estimates and deadlines about the Tri-Rail
Coastal service, since from the looks of things, there doesn't seem to be anyone
locally following up on that and holding them to account in turning big words
into some tangible action.
Most of you know from experience that I'm someone who has been a longtime
public advocate for much-better public transit service and facilities in SE Broward
County, and have long lamented publicly at both City Halls how often Hallandale
Beach and Hollywood residents seemed to constantly take it on the chin on
common sense matters that are relatively easy to resolve policy-wise and would
be supported by the public, but, for whatever reason, always seemed to lack an
advocate for the public at City Hall willing to push their own bureaucrats into action.
Perhaps because they are not considered sexy issues.
For instance, to mention but a few things I've written about frequently with
photos to show the sad reality of what SE Broward transit riders are forced
to put up with,
1.) How about making sure there are actually some bus shelters on the east
side of U.S.-1 in Hallandale Beach, instead of just one, located one block south
of Pembroke Road, practically in Hollywood? Really.
2.) How many years has the Buzz #1 Express to downtown Fort Lauderdale
-that begins at Aventura Mall on north-bound trips- used the two small bus
benches opposite the McDonald's on U.S.-1 as their ONLY Hallandale Beach
stop on the northbound trip, instead of the under-utilized SuperStop bus
shelter in front of Gulfstream Park, opposite the Flashback Diner?
Yes, the expensive, under-utilized SuperStop bus shelter that the County
and the City of HB required Forest City and MAGNA/Gulfstream Park to build
as part of the development agreement to create The Village at Gulfstream Park.
You'll recall that the developers said they'd provide shuttle service from that
site to the Tri-Rail station on Hollywood Blvd. -but they never did, did they?
NOPE!!!
Yes, as some of you may recall, that would be the same SuperStop that was
used as a de facto home base by an army of homeless people for at least
six-to-eight months from late 2013 to 2014, despite being located less than
two blocks from Hallandale Beach City Hall and HB Police Dept. HQ.
Both looked the other way at what was happening, which made both bus riders
and bus drivers angry since it was pitch-black at night -on purpose.
How did HB City Hall and HBPD ignore what was right in front of them???
3.) Honestly, how is it that so many years after the Hollywood ArtsPark was
created by Broward County that Hollywood residents have had to tolerate
ZERO bus shelters at Young Circle, near the Publix, to keep them out of the
sun & downpours?
That should have been done at least eight years ago, with advertising revenue
used to defray the costs of several attractive state-of-
at the site that's not only where the largest number of passengers south
of downtown FTL get off and on, but also right near the two corners of the
Circle where Hollywood City Hall and the Hollywood business community
have long claimed that they wanted to see interesting upscale retail and
residential living located, to give the city some dynamic activity.
As I've written many times before on my blog and said aloud at transportation
forums throughout South Florida, one of the most positive things that can help
jolt the Hollywood and Hallandale Beach economies -not just the downtown
areas of Hollywood and HB but especially the under-developed and under-
utilized areas along the FEC tracks that are perfect for Transit Oriented
Corridor related development, i.e. mixed-use building with retail on the
bottom floor and reasonably-priced residential above- is reliable and safe
Tri-Rail Coastal service to Downtown Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
(Yes, as many of you know from past conversations with me, because
I've seen how beautifully it works like a charm in Stockholm (especially
in the fascinating and trendy Södermalm neighborhood that I vacationed
in two years ago, which is everything that Coconut Grove and parts of
Coral Gables near the University of Miami wish they were now but aren't.
We don't need to reinvent the wheel, just make it possible for it to succeed.)
Why? Because giving people the option to be able to relax in the morning and drink
their coffee/smoothies and read a newspaper or zone out on their devices on a train
before they get to work beats the hell out of driving to work thru frustrating gridlock.
And people will pay for that option.
I know because when I lived and worked in the Washington, D.C. area for 15 years,
my housing options always put a premium on access and proximity to the a Metrorail
station. That's why I lived where I did in Arlington County and paid a premium in rent
for the privilege of always being a 15-20 minute walk to a Metro station.
Those last seven years, that meant living in a great residential area of hilly Arlington
less than a mile from the Ballston Metro station, which itself was located below
a Hilton hotel and a block from the National Science Foundation HQ and several
federal govt. agencies.
(And as longtime readers of the blog know, that was the townhouse that President
Ford's daughter Susan used to live in, which still had the Secret Service intercom
system in it when I was there.)
As most of you know, I have long felt that Hollywood and Hallandale Beach could
benefit from that Coastal service faster and in more tangible and positive ways than
any other two cities in Broward.
So why aren't we hearing from our elected officials about what's really going on with it?
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