Families of Surfside collapse victims to protest development plans
MIAMI - A protest is planned ahead of a Surfside Commission meeting on Wednesday, where officials are expected to discuss future plans for the site where the Champlain Towers South once stood.
Families of those who died in the collapse are upset about the location of a loading zone.
According to them, a previous commission allocated 88th Street as a memorial for the 98 lives lost and all those deeply affected by the collapse.
They say the current commission is overlooking the legal resolution and attempting to gift the developer, DAMAC International, over 40 percent of 88th Street to place their trash trucks and loading docks right above the memorial.
"DAMAC proposes using 88th St. Memorial Park for their construction entrance, causing significant delays in the memorial's construction forcing us to wait until their building is developed," they said in a statement.
Recently, DAMAC International released renderings for the design of a new 12-story tower. The company, which develops luxury properties around the world, also re-submitted amended plans as required by the Town of Surfside. The new plans for the building at 88th Street and Collins Avenue reportedly address the concerns about trash collection. They also factor in space for a Champlain Towers South memorial park.
The families want the five person commission to vote no on the current proposed plans which they feel disregards the tragedy.