AAF/Brightline December 2016 Update

[spuwho]

Much has happened in the 3 months since the last All Aboard Florida / Brightline legal and construction update.

Most of the "action" is in the changes in legal status of the numerous lawsuits in flight, some were expected.

Here we go.....

Per TCPalm:

http://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/shaping-our-future/all-aboard-florida/2016/12/02/all-aboard-florida-faces-one-less-legal-challenge-treasure-coast/94820482/

On Nov. 21, Indian River County, with agreement from All Aboard Florida and the St. Johns Water Management District, agreed to step back from one of those challenges.

Specifically, it has dropped its opposition to issuance of a permit by the St. Johns Water Management District, which authorizes the construction and operation of a stormwater management system within a portion of the existing Florida East Coast Railway corridor, running from the southern edge of Indian River County up to Cocoa Beach, according to court documents.

The county reserves the right to "challenge any violations of (the permit) or any other permit issued to All Aboard Florida," according to the court documents.

In light of recent news of Fortress putting the FEC up for sale and selling their Hialeah Logistics Center, they came back and reduced their ask from the USDOT

http://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/shaping-our-future/all-aboard-florida/2016/11/29/all-aboard-florida-withdraws-funding-plan-gets-federal-ok-for-another/94626052/

The U.S. Department of Transportation, at All Aboard Florida's request, has rescinded its approval for $1.75 billion of tax-free bonds for the passenger railroad and instead approved $600 million for the Miami-to-West Palm Beach segment, the first phase of the project.

The action could frustrate Martin and Indian River counties' fight in federal court against expansion of the $3.1 billion railroad.

The counties have argued that All Aboard Florida cannot complete its project without the $1.75 billion, and that the money is unlawful because the Department of Transportation approved the financing before a final environmental review was completed.

On Monday, All Aboard Florida asked the court to throw out the case.

Construction continues on the stations.....

http://therealdeal.com/miami/2016/11/27/west-palm-beach-train-station-70-percent-complete/



Construction of the West Palm Beach train station for All Aboard Florida's Brightline passenger rail service in South Florida is 70 percent complete. Construction crews are finishing interior work after completing vertical construction of the train station almost two months ago.
Ali Soule, a spokeswoman for All Aboard Florida, told the Palm Beach Post the Brightline rail service is scheduled to start taking passengers to downtown stations in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami in mid-2017. Soule also told the Post that crews are installing drywall and doing utility work at the site of the Fort Lauderdale station, and at the site of the Miami station, crews have finished the concrete work and 90 percent of the steel work

Meanwhile reports of insider cronyism are in full force as JEA Board Member and FECI Executive Husein Cumber had lunch in Jacksonville.

http://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/shaping-our-future/all-aboard-florida/2016/11/17/florida-east-coast-industries-exec-finance-board-member-meet-privately/94017928/

Two weeks before All Aboard Florida revealed its new financing plans, a high-ranking railroad official met privately with the newest member of the state board that could issue nearly $2 billion in tax-free bonds for the project.

According to emails obtained by Treasure Coast Newspapers, Florida Development Finance Corp. board member J. Nelson Bradshaw  met Oct. 12 over lunch in Jacksonville with Husein Cumber, executive vice president, corporate development, of Florida East Coast Industries, the parent firm of All Aboard Florida.

Cumber asked a mutual friend, Jacksonville attorney Patrick Kilbane, to set up the meeting.

Kilbane, in a Sept. 28 email, congratulated Bradshaw on his recent appointment to the Finance Corp. and introduced him to Cumber.

"On this message, I've copied my close friend Husein Cumber. Husein is the Business Development Manager for Florida East Coast Industries ... and a super guy to know," Kilbane wrote. "He called this morning and asked if I could link you two together. If you're inclined, I'd like to get us together for lunch at your convenience in the near future."

Cumber's invitation came just one day after Bradshaw was appointed to the Finance Corp., the agency that last year approved approved $1.75 billion in tax-free bonds for All Aboard Florida. It's the potential issuer of the railroad's new request for $600 million in tax-free bonds.

The three men met at J. Alexander's restaurant. The emails did not indicate what was to be discussed.

Martin County had an election revolution on their County Board.. such that it appears some of the resistance to AAF is being reduced

Martin County Commission makes 180-degree turn at warp speed

http://www.tcpalm.com/story/opinion/columnists/rich-campbell/2016/12/02/rich-campbell-martin-county-commission-makes-180-degree-turn-warp-speed/94661308/

The new commissioners restored all of the capital improvements that had been deferred by the previous commissioners. How are they paying for it people asked?

At one point, Heard accused the majority of being "fiscally reckless" and asked: "Do you know which projects you're going to eliminate to fund these projects?"

Ciampi responded to the query by dropping a bombshell. While noting he has "complete confidence in (County Administrator) Taryn Kryzda and her staff to find efficiencies" in the budget, Ciampi said he has targeted one department for major funding cuts.

"My intense goal is to take a tremendous amount of money out of the (county's) legal department that's been spent on lawsuits and outside counsel," he said. "My personal goal is that we start to shave out the millions of dollars spent on lawsuits."

Ciampi quickly added he plans "to leave All Aboard Florida out of that overall discussion."

In other words, he supports the county's ongoing efforts to block the Miami-to-Orlando passenger rail project. But the county's other legal pursuits may be on the chopping block.

As I noted in a previous column, "outside counsel" has been a great gig in Martin County. During the past four years, the county spent more than $6 million on outside counsel. During the previous fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, the county retained 18 law firms.

[spuwho]

New Brightline commercial playing Miami/FtLaud TV market.

https://www.youtube.com/v/BgOjoEx4pV0

[spuwho]

Here is an amateur video showing the first completed Brightline trainset sitting in Siemens factory yards in Sacramento a few weeks ago.

https://www.youtube.com/v/KEilVknoYlI

[acme54321]

I wonder when those trainsets will ship this way.  It would be cool to are them crossing the St Johns

[spuwho]

I wonder when those trainsets will ship this way.  It would be cool to are them crossing the St Johns

I already emailed Brightline Media Relations and asked if they could have a media day for their arrival in Jacksonville.

I am thinking they will sit in Bowden Yard for a day waiting to be lashed up to the next run to Miami.

No answer yet.

[acme54321]

Nice.  I wonder where they will store them all while they wait for the infrastructure to be built.  Wasn't/Isn't the maintenance yard planned for OIC?

[spuwho]

The first Brightline trainset left Siemens yesterday on Union Pacific, and is probably on its way to the TTC in Pueblo Colorado where it can be certified.

Then it will come out to Florida.

I am guessing Ock's spidey senses are already detecting its impending arrival.

https://www.youtube.com/v/ELkw306DaCo

[spuwho]

Nice.  I wonder where they will store them all while they wait for the infrastructure to be built.  Wasn't/Isn't the maintenance yard planned for OIC?

Bowden Yard
Cocoa Yard
Port St Lucie
Hialeah

Hialeah is the most logical because that is where the training will occur, and knowing the executive mindset, they like to keep their new toys close by to show off to politicos, employees, possible bond holders, Fortress execs, you name it.

[acme54321]

Yeah, you're probably right that they'll take it straight south.  Do you know where they are at with the track upgrades and track into MiamiCentral?  I tried looking for recent updates the other day up didn't see much.  Did FEC ever respond to you about your media request?

[finehoe]

All Aboard Florida has unveiled two new websites for MiamiCentral (http://miamicentral.com/)and CentralFare (http://centralfare.com/) with new information and renderings of the project.

New details include:

The twin, 800+ unit residential towers will be called Park Line Living.
Central Fare, which is being called Miami's first food hall experience, has been expanded to both the first and second level and will now include 50,000 square feet. Opening is scheduled for late summer 2017
New tenants announced this week at Central Fare are Della Bowls and Parliament Espresso. Also announced last month was a 10,000 square foot restaurant called Monger by the Voltaggio Brothers.
Events planned for Central Fare include Cheese and Wine of the New World, Bourbon Tasting, and Yoga in the Hall.

[spuwho]

Yeah, you're probably right that they'll take it straight south.  Do you know where they are at with the track upgrades and track into MiamiCentral?  I tried looking for recent updates the other day up didn't see much.  Did FEC ever respond to you about your media request?

No acme, they did not respond to my request. I didn't have a lot of expectation they would either. They are keeping their PR very close to the vest. With so much scrutiny on them from the legal side, they are being very prescriptive on their public relations.

The best place to go to get updates is the Brightline You Tube channel. They post new reports periodically on construction with interviews with either a operations or construction manager.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClz20qfH2_SoZABKVAcqduA

There is a highlight reel of Miami Central progress from the channel here:

https://www.youtube.com/v/wBLxhOuKtow

As you can see the business towers are well on the way up and the surrounding pylons to hold the tracks are being poured.  I was curious how far past the Dolphin Expressway they were going to start elevating the tracks and the footings start at NW11th Street south of the Dolphin.  Some of these streets will end up being closed when it is done.

The track to the Port of Miami will stay at ground level and run along side the elevation and then pass under between NW8th and NW6th. In fact that FEC draw bridge to Port of Miami was recently rehabilitated.  AAF had proposed extending the track back out to a planned soccer stadium on port property, but that plan fell through and the track ends at Australia Way, just short of the container yard.

Ft. Lauderdale is much farther along than all of the stations and is looking very impressive.

[ProjectMaximus]

spuwho i sent you a PM

[chrsjrcj]

Nice.  I wonder where they will store them all while they wait for the infrastructure to be built.  Wasn't/Isn't the maintenance yard planned for OIC?

Bowden Yard
Cocoa Yard
Port St Lucie
Hialeah

Hialeah is the most logical because that is where the training will occur, and knowing the executive mindset, they like to keep their new toys close by to show off to politicos, employees, possible bond holders, Fortress execs, you name it.

It will be stored at West Palm Beach where the Running Repair Facility has been built. Unfortunately, I wouldn't expect any media events along the way.

[thelakelander]

The first trainset is already in South Florida:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=198371&page=53

[spuwho]

The first trainset is already in South Florida:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=198371&page=53

Thanks Lake!

No PR for this arrival I guess. I was worried that some of the anti crowd would do something silly, so coming in quietly in the middle of the night may have been intentional.