Almost four years after the tragic collapse of Surfside’s Champlain Towers South in 2021, the town commission has approved a final conceptual design plan for a memorial to honor the victims and their families.
The memorial will be located at the end of 88th Street and Collins Avenue and across from the site of the collapse.
After three conceptual designs that were previously presented to the memorial committee and commission, developers Keith & Associates redesigned a final plan that incorporates their feedback on modifications. However, final changes can still be made at the request of the committee and council.
(Paloma Pimentel)
Surfside established a sign to announce the construction of the Champlain Towers South memorial.
The developers envisioned a memorial that stands out and makes an immediate impact — captivating visitors from the moment they arrive and inviting them to connect with the tragic events through a garden and fountain display incorporating artifacts and debris from the tragedy.
Entering the memorial from Collins and A1A, visitors will follow a winding path that unfolds into distinct sections for reflection on the tower’s collapse. One of the initial spaces will feature storylines etched into concrete salvaged from the fallen building, including the stories of the 35 residents who were rescued.
Along the path, a water feature will showcase an image of the Champlain Towers before the collapse, emblazoned into the backdrop of a 40-foot-long, 20-foot-high fountain. This leads to the memorial’s final element — a billowing sail overlooking the ocean, pierced with 98 openings to honor each life lost. Beside it, a memorial wall will display the names and ages of the victims, preserving their legacy for generations to come.
DEVELOPERS IN THE WAY
(Paloma Pimentel)
Demac developers are constructing an ultra-luxury condo building at the site of the Champlain Towers South collapse, where 98 lives were lost. The project is expected to be completed by 2029.
The memorial project comes after years of controversy over the tower site being auctioned off and sold to Demac developers, who are building an ultra-luxury condo building featuring 37 “mansions in the sky” before a memorial plan was approved.
At a Feb. 11 commission meeting, Martin Langesfeld, who lost his sister and brother-in-law in the collapse, expressed gratitude for the memorial project but urged the commission to remove all intrusions from Demac on the site, including their electrical vaults.
In an interview with Biscayne Times, Langesfeld explained his concerns.
(Courtesy Martin Langesfeld)
Martin Langesfeld (right) and his sister Nicole, who died in the Champlain Towers South collapse on June 24, 2021.
“Demac has planned to place their FPL electrical vaults through the 88th Street memorial — this must be reconsidered and relocated,” he said. “Luxury infrastructure has no place on the small sacred ground meant to honor the 98 lives lost.”
During the meeting, the council addressed how they had previously passed a resolution asking the developers to move their electrical vaults, which they have not done yet.
“It’s on their lap. At the end, it’s their call,” said Mark Blumstein, Surfside town manager, emphasizing that the primary concern revolves around access to the vaults.
A Miami Herald report revealed that Demac developers want to complete their project before the memorial is built, aiming to avoid construction-related disruptions. Their project is estimated to be completed in 2029.
Surfside resident Jeffrey Platt emphasized this during the meeting and asked for a timeline for the memorial plan, to which the council urged the developers to describe.
Paul Weinberg, executive vice president of Keith & Associates, explained that after their conceptual design plan is approved by commission, they would then go into a detailed design that has three to four stages.
“Based on the process we’ve had now, we estimate having the project ready for bid and construction by fall of this year, if not the first quarter of next year,” Weinberg said. “We expect the memorial to be finished by next year.”
Surfside Commissioner Nelly Velasquez emphasized how the last commission was responsible for postponing the memorial and she will fight for the memorial to be built before or alongside Demac’s condo building.
“I will support the memorial first,” she said. “Under my watch, this developer will not build this building before the memorial gets done, or they will get done simultaneously. I don’t want to wait until 2029 because that will be a disservice to the community and the families that have been waiting for this beautiful memorial.”
Commissioner Gerardo Vildostegui also stated his stance to move forward.
“This commission is devoted to the idea of getting this memorial built and started in our terms,” he said. “Tonight’s discussion will be a key step in this process and cast that vote to move forward.”
TOWN BENEFITS FOR SURVIVORS
(Courtesy of Surfside Town)
A rendering of part of the memorial honoring the Champlain victims
Also at the Feb. 11 meeting, the commission passed a resolution to maintain access to town benefits and programs for Champlain Towers South survivors and their families who are still residing in Miami-Dade County.
The commission acknowledged how many families and survivors were forced to relocate outside Surfside to nearby municipalities and accommodated by the Parks and Recreations Department to use the Surfside’s facilities and participate in programs.
This new policy would consider them lifetime members of the Surfside community with access to community benefits such as community center pools, beach furniture service (chairs and umbrellas), tennis courts, and kayak launches.
They are also given access to resident rates for all fee-based Parks and Recreation programs.
Eligibility requires individuals to have a household account in the Parks and Recreation system managed through the RecTrac software and an annual Surfside ID renewal. Though eligibility is limited to members in existing household records, families can add minors to their household that were not previously listed by presenting a birth certificate to prove a parent/guardian relationship.
Other requests for individuals to be included in these benefits will be reviewed case-by-case by the Parks and Recreation Director, Maria Nardi, or one of the assistant directors.