The YMCA has been locked in a back-and-forth with the city of South Miami for more than a year over the terms of a lease. The not-for-profit organization signed the lease to allow them to operate in Downrite Park, a 10-acre green space that residents also refer to as South Miami Park.
The commercial lease dispute began in January 2013 when South Miami sued the YMCA, claiming that they reneged on their lease agreement by failing to build a new community center.
The YMCA argued that the city had promised to raise the funds necessary for the construction, a promise they never lived up to.
Now, the South Miami City Manager and the YMCA have finally agreed to a settlement, an agreement the City Commission approved unanimously April 15.
Under the terms of the settlement, the city will terminate the YMCA’s lease and drop their claims for rent, upkeep and other general expenses. The YMCA will give full control of the park back to the city and both parties have agreed to end any outstanding claims against one another.
The agreement means the dispute could be handled out of court, a best-case scenario, but a rare one.
Often, landlord-tenant and lease cases such as this one are arduous, involving many intricate, problematic moving parts. There are contracts to work out, details to negotiate, and, more often than not, disgruntled parties on both sides of the table, which makes compromise a tall order.
It takes an experienced and detail-oriented attorney to step in and handle the complexities of the law and make sure both sides come to an amicable agreement.
Source:
miamiherald.com, “South Miami settles dispute with YMCA over Downrite Park,” Alex Butler, April 25, 2014
