Cutler Bay broke ground Oct. 23 on a $49.9 million Legacy Park and Municipal Complex that will bring a Town Hall, police station, community center and public park to 16 acres near Southwest 212th Street and Southwest 97th Avenue.

Mayor Tim Meerbott and the Town Council hosted the 2 p.m. ceremony, according to the town's groundbreaking announcement. Miami-Dade County Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins, who represents District 8, also attended.

Cohen Higgins posted on Instagram after the event, calling the project "no easy feat" and writing that "with resident buy in and great leadership, the transformative Legacy Park is on its way." The town's official notice called the event a groundbreaking ceremony; Cohen Higgins described cutting a ribbon.

The town selected Kaufman Lynn Construction as the general contractor for the project. The firm said the Town Council approved its Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for vertical construction at a commission meeting. The specific GMP amount has not been disclosed.

The 16-acre complex will feature a community park, Town Hall, police station and community center, according to the town's planning page. The town says the project incorporated resident input and was designed with sustainability in mind. The community center is also planned to include a new aquatics facility, according to a town press release from January.

Exterior renderings for the Town Hall and community center were presented to the council at a Jan. 27 workshop. In that release, Mayor Meerbott said the renderings "represent an important milestone in a process that began in 2019."

The Oct. 21 Town Council meeting included approval of the project's next construction phase, according to a town recap posted on Nextdoor. That meeting was also Mayor Meerbott's final regular Town Council meeting, the recap stated.

A projected completion date for Legacy Park has not been announced. Residents seeking more information can contact the Town Clerk's Office at 305-234-4262, ext. 5540.