Town of Cutler Bay Completes Land Swap for the Site of a New 16-Acre Municipal Complex and Park
January 9, 2020
CUTLER BAY, FL—In an exciting milestone for the Town of Cutler Bay, the Town has completed a land swap with a private property owner acquiring the 16-acre future site of a new municipal complex and park on Old Cutler Road. Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman Partners Chad Friedman and Maria Currais represented the Town in the complex transaction.
For over a year, the Town's attorneys worked closely with Town officials and the private property owner, GCF Investments Inc., to finalize the land swap. The Town took ownership of the 16 acres, valued at $17 million, located north of SW 212 Street and east of Old Cutler Road (a parcel of land commonly referred to by locals as the “Potato Field”), in exchange for the six-story office building and adjacent property at 10720 Caribbean Boulevard (valued at $14 million) plus $3 Million in cash. Cutler Bay's Town Hall is currently located on the property and the Town will lease the site from GCF until a new facility is designed and built.
By acquiring the vacant land, the Town is creating much-needed open gathering space for the community as well as mitigating potential traffic impacts along Old Cutler Road. This exchange also stopped the repetitive losses that the Town Hall building posed on the Town’s operating budget—which was approximately $750,000 in losses per fiscal year, due to a low number of building tenants coupled with frequent maintenance costs for the building.
“It is very exciting to be involved in a transaction that will positively change the landscape of the Town,” Friedman said. “It is rare to find such a significant piece of land for the public to enjoy. Completing this transaction would not have been possible if not for the leadership and vision of the current and previous Town Council and Town Manager, as well as the cooperation and patience of GCF.”
The approval process for the land swap spanned two Town Council administrations as an election occurred in November 2018.
“This successful outcome is a testament to the vision of previous Town Council and the guidance of the current Town Council working together to ensure this important legacy for the Town. Everyone involved recognized the unprecedented opportunity to secure this land for the benefit of all current Cutler Bay residents and for future generations to come,” Mayor Tim Meerbott expressed.
Residents are encouraged to sign up for the Town’s e-notifications and follow the Town’s official social media pages to be notified of upcoming Public Involvement Meetings to discuss the vision and planning of this newly acquired public space. To sign up visit www.cutlerbay-fl.gov and for further information contact Town Hall at (305) 234-4262.
