Government ANALYSIS

Commission Orders Independent Review of 5th Street Bridge, Eyes Over-Water Baywalk Fallback

Miami Beach commissioners unanimously directed city staff to independently evaluate engineering claims that the long-promised 5th Street pedestrian bridge cannot be built, and to begin negotiating an over-water baywalk alternative if the finding holds.

Journal Staff Sep 11, 2026

Government ANALYSIS

Miami Beach Becomes First Local Government in Miami-Dade to Approve a GTA VI Marketing Deal — Barely

The Miami Beach City Commission voted 4-3 to let the City Manager negotiate a beachfront advertising agreement with Amplify Marketing Inc. tied to Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto VI launch, overriding objections about brand image, procedural gaps, and a missing lobbyist disclosure.

Journal Staff Sep 11, 2026

Development ANALYSIS

Commission Greenlights Alton City Center Overlay in 6-1 Vote, Unlocking Taller Mixed-Use Development on Epicure Block

Miami Beach commissioners approved the Alton City Center Overlay District 6-1 on second reading, paving the way for a 150-foot mixed-use rental tower on a long-dormant South Beach parcel at Alton Road and Lincoln Road.

Journal Staff Sep 11, 2026

Government ANALYSIS

Commission Tentatively Cuts Millage Rate for Second Straight Year, but Debate Over Who Benefits Sharpens

Miami Beach commissioners unanimously approved a tentative FY2027 millage rate of 6.0753 mills — down from last year — but a pointed exchange over tax-cut math complicated a smooth path to September 23's final vote.

Journal Staff Sep 11, 2026

Arts & Culture ANALYSIS

Commission Turns Miami City Ballet's $1 Lease Into Negotiation Over Free Dance Classes for Underserved Kids

Miami Beach commissioners approved a month-to-month market-rate sublease for Miami City Ballet at The Anamar, scrapping the original $1 deal after a debate over executive pay, an OIG report, and a discontinued youth outreach program.

Journal Staff Sep 11, 2026

Budget

Culture & Events NEWS

Weekend Plans: September 11–13, 2026

Six ways to spend September 11–13 in Miami Beach — from an Afrolove Friday night and a Brazilian Saturday headliner to a Sunday of free concerts, a living-history memorial, and the weekly Lincoln Road farmers market.

Journal Staff Sep 11, 2026

Business ANALYSIS

Landlord Fires Back at Superhuman Museum, Personally Names Berke Brothers in Counterclaim

The California company that owns the former Regal Cinema at 1100 Lincoln Road has denied wrongdoing, raised nine affirmative defenses, and sued the museum's founders personally under a lease guaranty.

Journal Staff Sep 11, 2026

Litigation

Condos & HOAs ANALYSIS

West Ave Condo Owners Sue to Block Facial Recognition System

More than two dozen unit owners at Bentley Bay Condominium on West Avenue have filed an emergency lawsuit to stop their condo association from requiring facial scans to enter the building, pool, and gym.

Journal Staff Sep 11, 2026

Litigation

Real Estate ANALYSIS

$30K-a-Month Penthouse Renter on Collins Avenue Sues Landlord Over Months of Jackhammering, Lost Terrace Access

A Miami Beach penthouse tenant is suing his landlord, alleging months of heavy construction made his luxury unit unlivable — with early-morning jackhammering, workers on his private terrace, and repeated broken promises about when it would end.

Journal Staff Sep 11, 2026

Litigation

Condos & HOAs ANALYSIS

Condo Owner Wins Court Order Forcing Association to Address Roof Leak

A Miami-Dade judge has ordered the Meridian Court Condominium Association to hire a licensed contractor and investigate a roof leak that a unit owner says has been flooding and damaging his home since mid-2025.

Journal Staff Sep 11, 2026

Condos & HOAs ANALYSIS

Judge Partially Dismisses Condo Defamation Suit — But Case Moves Forward Against Association

A Miami Beach condo owner's defamation lawsuit over a board letter accusing him of illegal construction survived a partial dismissal, with claims against the Condominium Association refiled the next day after a judge's split ruling.

Journal Staff Sep 11, 2026

Litigation

Tourism NEWS

Guest Sues Collins Avenue Hotel After Elevator Plunge Causes Serious Injuries

A hotel guest is suing the operators of a high-end Collins Avenue hotel after an elevator allegedly dropped suddenly and stopped abruptly, causing serious and permanent injuries.

Journal Staff Sep 11, 2026

Litigation