Downtown Miami Condo Development Faces Opposition

"A developer's plan to build a condo tower on one of the last undeveloped private waterfront lots in downtown Miami -- a Miami Herald parking lot at the foot of the historic Venetian Causeway -- is drawing opposition from residents of nearby condos and the Venetian Islands worried about blocked vistas and increased traffic congestion.

'...Why would you want to put up a high-rise right at the edge of the baywalk that creates a wall or a shadow or an impediment to enjoyment of the waterfront?' said Barbara Bisno, president of the Venetian Causeway Neighborhood Alliance, which has fought to preserve the historic causeway bridges.

Citisquare's David Martin said the tower will not block the causeway or bay views. A plaza and the building's curved facade would ensure clear eastward views, he said. Moreover, he said, the project's residents would help rejuvenate a neighborhood that has been plagued by crime, shuttered buildings such as the Omni mall and a persistent homeless problem.

'We want to improve the quality of life in the area,' Martin said."