Pause, Belle Isle, and enjoy the view

It’s a beautiful Belle Isle morning. Right now, no noise, no traffic, just a beautiful sunrise.

Mayor Levine to recuse himself from Sunset Harbour height vote

The Miami Herald reports tonight that Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine has decided he won’t vote Wednesday on a proposal to allow a luxury retail residential complex on Purdy Avenue to rise 90 feet instead of 50.

Levine is part-owner of properties next to the proposed complex, Sunset Harbor Residences.

If you think Venetian traffic is frustrating today, wait until the west bridge closes after June 1

The eastern drawbridge on Venetian Way is stuck in the up position for the second time today, and getting back to the mainland is a giant pain.

It’s a taste of what we’ll experience daily starting in about six weeks.

The reconstruction of the westernmost Venetian Causeway bridge, between mainland Miami and Biscayne Island, looks likely to start after June 1.

City commissioners were briefed about the timetable on Wednesday, and residents attended a community meeting Thursday night at the Miami Beach Police station.

The Coast Guard, according to the city, has agreed that during construction, the drawbridge on the eastern side of the causeway will remain locked down and only raised for Coast Guard emergency vehicles in emergency situations.

If only that span were locked down today…..

Belle Isle residents meeting to focus on upcoming projects — from Watson Island to West Avenue

If you feel like that the construction projects around our island paradise never end, that’s because….they never end.

The Belle Isle Residents Association meets on Tuesday. The agenda is packed with presentations that affect Belle Isle, Sunset Harbour and the other Venetian Islands.  A sampling:

— A report from the city of Miami Beach on the construction timeline and design for the West Avenue bridge, which will extend West Avenue over the Collins Canal to connect Sunset Harbour with the area south of 17th Street.

— An overview of the upcoming reconstruction of West Avenue south to Fifth Street, including the plan to raise the roadway as much as three feet to combat flooding.

–An update on the closure and rebuilding of the westernmost span of the Venetian Causeway, which will disrupt traffic throughout the Venetian Islands

— A presentation from the organization that is fighting the proposed mega-marina project on Watson Island, which is expected to affect traffic on the MacArthur, Tuttle and Venetian causeways.

And that’s just a start. The meeting begins with a social hour at 6 p.m., and important information at 7 p.m. It happens in the card room at Belle Plaza, 20 Island Avenue.

 

Sunset from Belle Isle

A Belle Isle sunset over Miami, no filter.

Could there be a more beautiful end to a beautiful day? Perfect weather, perfect place.

Sunset Harbour Farmer’s Market returns Wednesday

The green market in the breezeway of the Sunset Harbour shops returns from its summer hiatus on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with many of the vendors from last year.

Vendors include Paradise Farms, Armando’s Tropical Fruits, Tio Gazpacho, Nisha’s Indian Cuisine, Della Nona Pasta, Dogtailz and Sydney’s Fresh Flowers.

Be prepared — Friday’s Critical Mass bike ride will cross Dade Boulevard, Venetian Way

Critical Mass, the massive monthly bike ride, happens Friday night and is sure to shutdown traffic around our islands.

The ride starts at 7:15 p.m. on the mainland, and is expected to reach North Beach (over the 79th Street Causeway) at about 7:45 p.m.

From there, riders will head east to Collins Avenue, south to 23rd Street, and then west on Dade Boulevard to Venetian Way and across the islands to mainland Miami.

Plan on being home before the bike traffic, or travel on foot — or get caught in gridlock.

Sunrise over Sunset Harbour

Dawn’s early light…

A beautiful Friday dawns over Sunset Harbour, from the bridge between Belle Isle and West Avenue.

And looking the other way….

Belle Isle, from Maurice Gibb Memorial Park

 

Traffic alert: Critical Mass monthly bike ride to cross Venetian Causeway Friday night

Traffic’s been tough lately in our part of paradise, with roadwork on the causeways, Alton Road, West Avenue, Collins Avenue.

Friday night will be even tougher. So be prepared.

Critical Mass is a 20-mile bike event that happens the last Friday of each month.

It’s wildly popular.  In past rides, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have been among the hundreds of riders.

But it also creates some major traffic issues. It can be frustrating to commuters who don’t plan for it.

So….Friday night’s ride starts at 7:15 p.m. at Government Center in downtown Miami. The route takes riders through East Little Havana, Overtown, Allapattah, Liberty City, Little Haiti, Upper East Side, North Bay Village, North Beach, Miami Beach, Venetian Islands, and Downtown.

The prediction is that the group will be heading west on the Venetian between 8:15  and 9 p.m., after coming south on Collins Avenue and then in from Dade Boulevard.

Given all our other road closures and the general nature of Friday night traffic, expect some very slow going. And be careful. And patient.

Happy Monday, Belle Isle!

Another Belle Isle sunrise — from Sunset Harbour

As the sun rises, let’s hope for a great week. Despite the traffic, the construction, the this and that.

Remember, we do live in paradise.