Comments on: Miami’s Newest Urban Square, Part 2 http://www.transitmiami.com/2008/09/10/miamis-newest-urban-square-part-2/ Moving Together, Faster Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:00:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: nancy alzate giraldo http://www.transitmiami.com/2008/09/10/miamis-newest-urban-square-part-2/#comment-21119 nancy alzate giraldo Sun, 14 Dec 2008 17:20:52 +0000 http://www.transitmiami.com/?p=2714#comment-21119 square urabn examples square urabn examples

]]> By: The Edge http://www.transitmiami.com/2008/09/10/miamis-newest-urban-square-part-2/#comment-17685 The Edge Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:13:38 +0000 http://www.transitmiami.com/?p=2714#comment-17685 Another great international square from a city that embraces the commercial central and outside living is Melbourne, Australia, their mix of corporate offices, shopping, professional sporting centers residential living and a great mass transit system. Their mass transit system has had its issues but it far better than what most US cities can offer. I have a great memory of one of their city squares during the last World Cup at Federation Square (http://www.federationsquare.com.au/) a large screen broadcasted the games and most nights as the tournament progressed the square became completely packed. The crazy thing was the time difference between Australia and Germany caused the games to be on at 3am. Talk about a community centric location. Another great international square from a city that embraces the commercial central and outside living is Melbourne, Australia, their mix of corporate offices, shopping, professional sporting centers residential living and a great mass transit system. Their mass transit system has had its issues but it far better than what most US cities can offer. I have a great memory of one of their city squares during the last World Cup at Federation Square (http://www.federationsquare.com.au/) a large screen broadcasted the games and most nights as the tournament progressed the square became completely packed. The crazy thing was the time difference between Australia and Germany caused the games to be on at 3am. Talk about a community centric location.

]]> By: Emperor Tomato http://www.transitmiami.com/2008/09/10/miamis-newest-urban-square-part-2/#comment-11178 Emperor Tomato Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:13:56 +0000 http://www.transitmiami.com/?p=2714#comment-11178 I agree with a lot of what Walter says. Political leadership to do what is necessary particularly with transit has been lacking. A very important note of much concern to me is the potential placement of a Wal-Mart on prime waterfront space next to the PAC. There are community organizers from every walk of life here in Miami, and there is even some unity amongst them. I know some look down on community organizers but they are the key to bringing these varying parts of Miami together. With community organizers and political leadership this city can make that jump to community development and participation it has yet to develop. I agree with a lot of what Walter says. Political leadership to do what is necessary particularly with transit has been lacking. A very important note of much concern to me is the potential placement of a Wal-Mart on prime waterfront space next to the PAC.
There are community organizers from every walk of life here in Miami, and there is even some unity amongst them. I know some look down on community organizers but they are the key to bringing these varying parts of Miami together. With community organizers and political leadership this city can make that jump to community development and participation it has yet to develop.

]]> By: Walter Carter http://www.transitmiami.com/2008/09/10/miamis-newest-urban-square-part-2/#comment-11166 Walter Carter Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:27:02 +0000 http://www.transitmiami.com/?p=2714#comment-11166 I grew up in a small town in the Midwest that was also the county seat. The large county court house was situated in the town square, a lovely place where the citizens gravitated for banking and government services, comfortable small clothing boutiques, jewelry stores, and restaurants, a bar or two, a small hotel and a solitary department store. The local high school was no more than three blocks away and the students could be found wandering the town square after school. One could walk "downtown" and get whatever one wanted. A big shift occurred in the character of the town with the arrival of the Walmart. The center of the town shifted to the Walmart mall area on the edge of the town--but with none of the amenities and, of course, accompanied by the demise of most of the local stores and corner food markets. The current town center is a sterile place with banks, lawyers and government offices that filled the missing store space. My point is that a public square is a point of gravitation for the public, with convenient location and transportation and accompanying amenities. My small town and Miami have the same problem--they lack an imaginative and creative political leadership class that does not look beyond the personal interests of its family clan. They dedicate themselves to populist programs of constructing overpriced public structures and monuments that benefit their developer friends--let the public be damned. Must we be constantly reminded of the lack of leadership to construct a Miami of half decent system of public transportation and a respectable system of public education. One may only go downtown now and observe the hideous sterility of empty apartment towers, an ugly, overpriced cultural center (soon to be joined by its own Walmart), a soon to be constructed empty ballpark, pathetic zoning enforcement, etc. This city is light years away from achieving a modicum of community development and participation. I grew up in a small town in the Midwest that was also the county seat. The large county court house was situated in the town square, a lovely place where the citizens gravitated for banking and government services, comfortable small clothing boutiques, jewelry stores, and restaurants, a bar or two, a small hotel and a solitary department store. The local high school was no more than three blocks away and the students could be found wandering the town square after school. One could walk “downtown” and get whatever one wanted. A big shift occurred in the character of the town with the arrival of the Walmart. The center of the town shifted to the Walmart mall area on the edge of the town–but with none of the amenities and, of course, accompanied by the demise of most of the local stores and corner food markets. The current town center is a sterile place with banks, lawyers and government offices that filled the missing store space. My point is that a public square is a point of gravitation for the public, with convenient location and transportation and accompanying amenities. My small town and Miami have the same problem–they lack an imaginative and creative political leadership class that does not look beyond the personal interests of its family clan. They dedicate themselves to populist programs of constructing overpriced public structures and monuments that benefit their developer friends–let the public be damned. Must we be constantly reminded of the lack of leadership to construct a Miami of half decent system of public transportation and a respectable system of public education. One may only go downtown now and observe the hideous sterility of empty apartment towers, an ugly, overpriced cultural center (soon to be joined by its own Walmart), a soon to be constructed empty ballpark, pathetic zoning enforcement, etc. This city is light years away from achieving a modicum of community development and participation.

]]> By: mike lydon http://www.transitmiami.com/2008/09/10/miamis-newest-urban-square-part-2/#comment-11162 mike lydon Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:07:04 +0000 http://www.transitmiami.com/?p=2714#comment-11162 All of Gabe's examples are excellent, but notice they are also portions of the respected cities that were set aside a long, long time ago function as the outdoor room for community. Present day cities and sprawl developers have not continued this intelligent tradition. However, the recent addition of Campus Martius square (http://www.campusmartiuspark.org/) in the heart of downtown Detroit, and Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland's Pearl District (http://www.pioneercourthousesquare.org/) are fantastic examples of new, very successful public spaces helping to focus and orient growth in the downtown core. Miami has the opportunity to do the same with at least one of those parcels. All of Gabe’s examples are excellent, but notice they are also portions of the respected cities that were set aside a long, long time ago function as the outdoor room for community. Present day cities and sprawl developers have not continued this intelligent tradition.

However, the recent addition of Campus Martius square (http://www.campusmartiuspark.org/) in the heart of downtown Detroit, and Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland’s Pearl District (http://www.pioneercourthousesquare.org/) are fantastic examples of new, very successful public spaces helping to focus and orient growth in the downtown core. Miami has the opportunity to do the same with at least one of those parcels.

]]> By: Gabriel Lopez-Bernal http://www.transitmiami.com/2008/09/10/miamis-newest-urban-square-part-2/#comment-11156 Gabriel Lopez-Bernal Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:48:33 +0000 http://www.transitmiami.com/?p=2714#comment-11156 Well that is precisely the point. We're advocating preserving this piece of land while we still can (or could). Situated in the heart of our international banking business district would be a great start, but the space would still lack that sense of community. I agree with you wholly, in most parts of the city, Miami is completely devoid of any sense of civic pride or community. This change won't occur over night, but if we don't provide the space today, Miami may never have a great central public square... Well that is precisely the point. We’re advocating preserving this piece of land while we still can (or could). Situated in the heart of our international banking business district would be a great start, but the space would still lack that sense of community. I agree with you wholly, in most parts of the city, Miami is completely devoid of any sense of civic pride or community. This change won’t occur over night, but if we don’t provide the space today, Miami may never have a great central public square…

]]> By: todd http://www.transitmiami.com/2008/09/10/miamis-newest-urban-square-part-2/#comment-11151 todd Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:00:21 +0000 http://www.transitmiami.com/?p=2714#comment-11151 To be fair, having an urban center is more than building it. Many of these places are primarily sites of business or transit but not true sites of community in terms of interaction. I think we need the space, but we should also recognize that the relationship between community and structure isn't as tight as we may think. I lived in the slums in India and there was more community in the 4' wide dirt paths through shanty rows than I've seen in any urban space in the US. To be fair, having an urban center is more than building it. Many of these places are primarily sites of business or transit but not true sites of community in terms of interaction. I think we need the space, but we should also recognize that the relationship between community and structure isn’t as tight as we may think. I lived in the slums in India and there was more community in the 4′ wide dirt paths through shanty rows than I’ve seen in any urban space in the US.

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