Photo: Joe Raedle / Getty Images News / Getty Images
(Miami, FL) - Miami City commissioners hearing public comment on the long-planned move of City Hall from the old Pan American Airways building on Dinner Key to Miami Freedom Park near the airport.
District 2 Commissioner Damian Pardo, who represents Coconut Grove, sponsored a resolution directing City Manager James Reyes to keep City Hall in the Pan Am terminal and regular for the purpose of holding regular commission meetings.
Pan Am is interested in returning to the terminal building as the airline relaunches its brand if the plan to relocate City Hall to Miami Freedom Park goes through.
Mayor Eileen Higgins and city administrators continue to push for a move to Miami Freedom Park in the next two years.
Pardo's measure would affect construction of the new eight-story administration building next to the Inter Miami stadium complex in Allapattah.
Commissioners voted 4-to-1 to keep meeting in the old City Hall building for the foreseeable future. Commissioner Miguel Angel Gabela objected and continued to push for City Hall to move to Miami Freedom Park saying, "why are we spending money to build the new facility if we're not going to use it?"
The five-member commission has final say over where Miami City commission meetings will be held moving forward and if they will actually vacate the historic waterfront building.