Miami’s popular Brickell neighborhood has a lot of desirable features: luxury high-rises, high-end restaurants and offices with bay views. But one thing it doesn’t have is a library — and that may stand to change.
On June 3, the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners will take up a report from staff on the feasibility of creating a new library for the Brickell area. This report was requested last October via a resolution sponsored by County Commissioner Eileen Higgins. (A full PDF of the report is embedded at the end of this article.)
County staff noted that the number of libraries in Miami-Dade hasn't increased for more than a decade, while the county's population has gone up by more than 300,000 residents since 2010 according to U.S. Census data.
"The number of library locations has remained largely the same since 2011, while areas of the County that were previously undeveloped have become major residential areas, especially in the southern and western portions of the County, and areas, such as the Brickell neighborhood and others, have grown into major residential centers," the report states.
The demographics of Brickell have changed as well, according to Brickell Homeowners Association President, Ernesto Cuesta.
“The population in this area has changed enormously through the last three or four decades. You find more families with children residing in the Brickell area,” Cuesta told WLRN.
Cuesta said the association is supportive of bringing a library to their neighborhood, as the community is eager to get more public education services to support families in the area.
"Having a library is a blessing. It will be a blessing. It is our belief strong belief that ... anything to do with education will benefit the community," he said.
According to the report, county staff are looking at various options for creating a Brickell library: building a new structure with a permanent library near the Brickell Metrorail station, leasing or buying a storefront, or partnering with a developer and building a library in a multi-use project.
The report notes that the cheapest option would be to partner with a developer as property costs in Brickell are high, and the estimated cost of building or leasing space is beyond the library system's budget.
County staff also point out that the Miami-Dade should look into expanding beyond Brickell.
"While this report is focused specifically on possibilities for establishing a future Brickell Library, it is recognized there are areas throughout the County that would benefit from a new public library location due to the growth that has occurred since the last major expansion of the Miami-Dade Public Library System," the report states.
