Construction resumed on downtown Miami’s oldest street, where road closures lingered for almost two years. Mayor Eileen Higgins, a downtown resident, called the Flagler Street Improvement a “disaster.”
However, crews cut concrete and laid brick pavers near the First Avenue intersection on Friday. Dani Moshe owns Miami Discount Center, which lies half a block south, and struggled to survive with the road closed for almost two years. He was almost ready to celebrate.
“You want vodka,” he said. “Really, we need them to finish the job already. We look like a third-world country. Come on. For the last two years, everything has been closed.”
More than six years ago, City of Miami staff ordered a five-phase makeover of Flagler Street to improve its business district. They expected to finish the first phase months later. However, delays hounded construction. The COVID-19 pandemic stalled work, then problem with the underground utility, and most recently, a money dispute between the contractor and the City of Miami.
“Our city manager and his team have been really reevaluating the disaster of the construction project on downtown Flagler Street,” Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins said in an Instagram post with City Manager James Reyes on Thursday.
What the city of Miami’s new plan is to resume construction
City staff sent a memo breaking down a new strategy and construction plan. It put crews back to work on Monday. They began pouring new asphalt, laying brick pavers, finishing sidewalks, and cleaning the Flagler and First Avenue intersection for traffic to pass. It could reopen next week.
“Finally, they are moving,” Moshe said of the construction.
He and his neighbors said their landlord lowered rents to help them survive construction delays that blocked traffic and kept many customers away.
So, until they see sales soar, construction resuming is little more than a sign of progress.
“We are very happy,” Moshe said. “Just finish the job. Open First Avenue (because) we need the business. [We] need the buses back here. We need the people, the traffic.”
