Council asks staff to review legal options to reopen NE 120th Street closed under license agreement

The City Council on July 8 directed city staff and the city attorney to research legal, contractual and traffic implications of reopening Northeast 120th Street, a right‑of‑way closed decades ago under a license agreement with Greenwich Studios.

Owners and local businesses represented in the meeting said reopening the street would provide a direct connection to Biscayne Boulevard and alleviate growing congestion on nearby corridors. John Sasso, a property owner and local developer, told council the street “would be our main connection to Biscayne Boulevard” and argued reopening would support local redevelopment and business access.

Former representatives for Greenwich Studios objected on the record and said the city vacated the right of way in 1989 and that production activity on the site has continued; they asked the city to coordinate with the studio prior to any action. City Attorney and staff noted there is an existing license/franchise agreement and that prior administrations had settled disputes; the attorney said staff can review the agreement’s termination provisions and return with options.

The item was a discussion; the council gave staff direction to examine legal grounds to end or modify the agreement if lawful, and to report back with analyses of traffic, legal and development implications. No final action or vote to reopen the street was taken at the meeting.