Opinion: Two Developments Right for Voter Approval
By JEFF BERKOWITZ for Miami Children's Museum
As the cultural anchor of Miami’s Watson Island for more than 20 years, the leadership of Miami Children’s Museum is excited to endorse two neighboring development projects which are subject to voter approval this fall.
Since our museum building opened in 2003, we have been eagerly awaiting the development of the City-owned property located directly adjacent to our site. Activation of that parcel was first approved by a majority of Miami voters in 2001, but the vision remains unfulfilled to this day. Instead, the land has sat largely dormant as one of the world’s most dynamic cities has come to life all around us.
The plan for Watson Harbour proposed by BH3 Management and Merrimac Ventures includes condominiums, hotels, shops, restaurants, and a public promenade along Biscayne Bay. Once completed, Watson Harbour will create a true destination on Watson Island, significantly enhancing the experience for families who visit our museum.
Across the MacArthur Causeway, ESJ Capital and Terra have put forward a plan to transform Jungle Island into a beautiful public park with two residential buildings. The addition of a privately funded 13-acre park that stretches along the waterfront and connects to the Watson Harbour promenade will be transformational for our community.
Taken together, these two projects have the potential to convert Watson Island from one of Miami’s most underutilized pieces of land into one of the city’s most desirable destinations. The arrival of hotel guests and full-time residents will bring new patrons to Miami Children’s Museum and create around-the-clock activity on our island.
The teams behind both proposals have local roots and are committed to executing their projects with private funding. For these reasons and more, our museum’s Board and leadership is enthusiastically supporting the referendums on the upcoming ballot.
If voters approve these important projects, families from across South Florida and around the world will soon be able to spend an entire day on Watson Island – enjoying cultural activities, shopping and dining, and exploring the outdoors.
This is a vision that our museum team has held for two decades, and now we encourage our community to help bring it to life by ushering in a new chapter for Watson Island this fall.
