Miami is in dire need of park space. The City was ranked dead last in park and recreation spaces out of 27 medium density cities and we continue to cover our public spaces with buildings and parking lots. For decades, Miamians have cried out for a showcase park, a “Central Park” for Miami. Well, there’s an opportunity right under our noses. The Old Miami Arena site, currently a blighted five acre area of rocks, offers this possibility. The current owner is open to sell, and there are no other sites in Miami that could offer such radical urban transformation.
Imagine transforming the entire downtown area by turning this dilapidated parcel into a green, multi-use neighborhood space including community gardens, a nursery, a football field and a bandshell for outdoor performances and events. With the construction of Museum Park, the City will need to relocate important events such as the Cirque de Soleil, and music events. Moving them to the old arena site will activate a non-utilized area and create economic opportunities for Overtown residents. The purchase of this site could also house the “Grand Central Station” for downtown, a perfect location for the upcoming commuter rail and/or Tri-Rail downtown expansion. Utilizing this site for the public benefit offers the perfect combination of green, public facilities, urban transformation, and quality of life improvement for long suffering residents of the area.
So how do we pay for this? Aren’t the City and County undergoing a budget crisis? Enter the City of Miami Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). Flush with $50 Million in cash, the CRA is planning on issuing $100 million in revenue bonds in upcoming months, primarily to finance large scale development projects debatable benefits. Why not use a portion of these bonds to create Miami’s Central Park, which could have major benefits to everyone in the community?
Miami, its time to grow up. We have the potential to have a world class, pedestrian friendly city if we could efficiently spend public funds for the greater good. Let’s not miss one of the last opportunities for a “Central Park” in downtown Miami.
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