Archive for the 'Museum Park' Category

Pedestrians and Public Spaces, Part 1: Biscayne Boulevard

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on July 16, 2007
in Bayfront, Bayside, Biscayne Boulevard, Biscayne Wall, Downtown, FDOT, Green Space, Miami, Miller-Legg, Museum Park, Parking, Pedestrians, Realignment, Sarnoff, US-1 and Zyscovich
. 13 Comments
Before I begin, I’d like to thank all of our loyal readers who sent us copies of this article in the herald. Although we too had seen it, we’ve been busy working on investigating the new plan for Biscayne Boulevard and gathering as much information as possible to bring you the most comprehensive coverage. On that note, I’d like to thank everyone for their patience with our delinquent postings lately. Ryan, James, and I have a lot on our plates currently and we’re working hard to keep you well informed. With that said, if you have any comments, suggestions, or would like to apply to become a contributor on Transit Miami, feel free to contact us at movemiami@gmail.com. We will be working on introducing our newest writer over the next few weeks…

A plan is in the works to beautify and significantly enhance Biscayne Boulevard to make it a lusciously landscaped paradise for pedestrians. The initial phase of the plan calls for the re-alignment of Biscayne Boulevard south of the current phases of the Biscayne re-alignment project which has transformed the thoroughfare north of 5th street. The plan would move the Boulevard west, eliminating the current surface median parking, thus narrowing the street and creating approximately five acres of new park space along the western fringes of Bayside and Bayfront Park. This part of the plan is estimated to cost the city around $1 million, considering that FDOT would already be covering the re-alignment costs of the Boulevard.

A plan is already underway to beautify and realign the Boulevard from NE 5th Street to NE 13th Street. The Miller-Legg redesign is intended to better integrate a realigned Boulevard with the upcoming Museum Park project, providing better pedestrian access from the condominiums rising along the Biscayne Wall north to the promenade of the Carnival Center. The redesigned medians and curbs seen below feature an intricate brick design, abundant (we hope) foliage, and bus bays (perhaps streetcars, one day) fronting the new condominium developments:

The new proposed project further south, would mimic the successful design elements incorporated up north. The removal of the surface parking would significantly alter the width of the boulevard, making the menacing 8-lane behemoth a bit more manageable for pedestrians. Eliminating the useless (eyesore too, we might add) median parking will also provide about five extra acres of public space, which, if landscaped with shade trees will prove to be a boon to Bayfront Park and the River Greenway.

”This is as close to a no-brainer as you’ll ever find,” [Commissioner Marc Sarnoff] said. “It’s just wise and prudent for us to pursue this as quickly as possible.”

Other plans apparently appearing on an upcoming study of downtown Miami, includes a promising option of a joint-venture with a European company to construct an underground parking facility. This massive undertaking would reap large benefits for the Bayfront parks and whole downtown area. Allowing a private firm to construct and operate the parking facilities will allow the city to concentrate on other downtown area rehabilitation efforts. We’ll reserve judgment on this part of the project until more details are made public.

Via Homee’s Panoramio…

”Now, people go to cities because they have an interest in seeing what the life of the city is like,” he said. The problem with downtown today, [Bernard Zyscovich] said, is it’s “not the kind of place you’d ever want to come back to, by and large.”

The incorporation of more public green space and pedestrian friendly design elements is only the beginning of a much needed downtown overhaul which should be well in the works. Over the next two weeks, we’ll address how these improvements will spread west throughout the city’s central core, riverfront, and into the design district, creating a city that is navigable for people and more importantly creating abundant public spaces…Stay tuned, Miami’s pedestrian transformation is only one piece of the puzzle, which when combined with streetcar, bike, streetscape, and shading improvements, will make Miami’s urban core one of the most accessible (and desirable) places to live and visit…

Update: Critical Miami presents an excellent Overlay of Museum Park Plans…

Update: Eye on Miami and Bob:Miami discuss plans for parcel B…

GeoTag

Museum Park Discussion

Published
by
James Wilkins
on June 15, 2007
in Green Space, I-395, James Good, MAM, Miami, Miami Beach, Museum Park, Museum of Science, Public Spaces and Traffic
. 27 Comments
This extraordinary image posted at Skyscrapercity by James Good illustrates the need for revitalization for downtown’s premier park space. As well as how appropriate the location is for Museums with the Metromover stop already in place. The museums will be a great buffer for the park from the intrusive traffic of the highway beside the park. I am also interested in hearing thoughts from our readers regarding the somewhat sensitive issue of the need for, specifically, green park space.

Is it unfair to compare Miami to other cities in terms of green park space when across the causeway is the enormous public space, Miami Beach. I assure you I am a strong supporter for park space in Miami proper, but I feel there is an entirely different analysis required based on the unique quality of the beach. Being the single most obvious draw for all of South Florida residents, the beach almost creates a requirement of other city parks to include an attraction, if they are to be fully utilized. While some would propose a stadium or a waterpark, it seems that the museums are the perfect, compatible solution, in keeping with the desired qualities of a public green space.

What Green space?

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on June 8, 2007
in Conservation, Green Miami, MAM, MNU, Museum Park, Museum of Science, Sunpost, UEL and Wakefield
. 13 Comments
It’s an eyesore, one of the greatest wasted public spaces in the city (a dubious achievement in a city already notorious for wasting public space,) and a derelict haven for homeless and illicit activity, yet groups are forming at an alarming rate to “preserve” this swath of land for what it is. It’s Bicentennial Park and the controversy has evolved around the idea of consuming just a fraction of the parks’ acreage to construct new iconic structures for two museums. The fact that MNU and members of the Urban League of Miami have spoken up against the Museum Park plan is appalling if not downright horrendous. I quote from the UEL’s Vision statement:

“We see preserved natural resources, increased density in urban areas with sufficient existing infrastructure and along mass transportation corridors within the urban development boundary. There are more greenways, water access, pedestrian friendly parks, improved historic neighborhoods and landmarks still recognizable and protected.”

The Museum Park plan falls in line with everything UEL “stands” for. The Museum Park plan centralizes the museums, within the urban core. They will be located with easy access of public transit and within the region of the city most likely to continue witnessing densification and a renewal in urban life. Most importantly, the museums will present an actual use for the park, making it safe, actually usable, and a destination within its own right. They claim to be fighting for a preservation of green space, but I can’t help ask myself which park they are talking about, take a look at its current state and decide for yourself:

The Plan:

For High Resolution images and a full detail plan of the park, click here… More on this issue later…

Museum Park Now!

Published
by
James Wilkins
on June 4, 2007
in Biscayne Times, Grimshaw Architects, Herzog and De Meuron, MAM, Museum Park, Museum of Science, SkyscraperCity and Terence Riley
. 10 Comments
A recent article in The Biscayne Times discussed the possibility of Museum Park going back to the drawing boards, at least to a certain extent. I find it hard to believe that the debate over Bicentennial Park/Museum Park still goes on as some of the greatest architects in the world are currently designing museums for the space.
The complaint over rising expenditure will only be exacerbated by this continuous bait and switch over the future of the city’s greatest park, long since a derelict shame for the great city of Miami. There is a constant grousing over the lack of public waterfront access, and yet one of the proposed solutions would be to infill the waterway adjacent to the park, diminishing the waterfront footage by as much as fifty percent. The idea of using landfill from the tunnel project will push the execution of Museum Park back by years.
The park as it is designed now is a stunning example of dynamic urban planning. The structures of the two museums occupy only a small fraction of the green space of Bicentennial Park and will create a vibrant cultural intersection for this valuable piece of publicly held real estate. The current design gives the parkgoer many, many, diverse options to experience the waterfront and green space in a thrilling new downtown of exceptional design quality.

The selection of Swiss architects Herzog and De Meuron to design the new Miami Art Museum is a coup of historical scale. One only has to look at the success of the new DeYoung Museum, in the middle of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, to leave themselves craving the realization of such a park for Miami, now.The cultural campus being created by the trifecta of the Carnival Center and the two new museums will be absolutely world class. The fulfillment of which defines true great urban environments. I have walked by this park hundreds of times, mourning its potential and wondering if we will all live to see it come to its fruition.

Furthermore, as pointed out in a recent SSC posting by Rx727sfl2002, the park is to0 deep (distance from waterfront to Biscayne Boulevard) to ensure the security of parkgoers. The museums would provide lighting and security that would render the park much more user friendly even into the evening hours.As several of the exciting elements of the new downtown near completion it is unfortunate that Museum Park is still a distant reality. There will soon be a decisive moment in the growth of Miami and it’s perception by people around the globe. It would be a disservice not to have the greatness of this Museum Park as part of that moment, particularly when the process has very carefully come this far, under the watchful eye of those most qualified.

Terence Riley being named the director of the Miami Art Museum was yet another coup, whose enormous benefits cannot be understood at this early date. His time as the architecture and design director of MoMA in NYC and his overseeing the complete redesign and construction of that institution clearly show we are in for greatness in Miami.

As a member of the community who treasures the unique natural wonders of Miami, I can only hope that we honor and highlight those qualities with Museum Park and its museums as a scintillating backdrop.

Photo Credits: JamesGood, Marshall Astor/Life of the Edge, Kevotravel, The Tables Have Turned

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on May 3, 2007
in Miami, Museum Park and Museum of Science
. 2 Comments

Grimshaw Architects, the British architectural firm has been officially chosen to design the new Miami Museum of Science at Museum Park…

Marlins’ Stadium Madness!

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on April 11, 2007
in Bayfront, Commission, Courthouse, Jose "Pepe" Diaz, MLB, Marlins, Melreese, Miami, Miami Intermodal Center, Museum Park, Natacha Seijas and Urban Planning
. 1 Comment
As if the Marlins’ Stadium conundrum couldn’t get any more ludicrous, a few articles appeared in the Miami Today adding multiple new dimensions to the problems at hand. Where should I begin? As you may recall, the Marlins last week asserted their position that a downtown facility would be ideal; it would give the team the greatest chance of success in Miami and would make sense from an urban planning perspective given that it would be easily connected to metrorail, tri-rail, I-95, and the downtown businesses. It appears that our most asinine commissioner, Natacha Seijas, known for such wonderful remarks as: “I don’t see why we need to be creating an environment so they can continue…” when speaking about protecting manatees or “Today is the day that you might just leave here in a body bag if you keep it up…” which she remarked at a county Commission meeting, is once again the forerunner to speak out against the Marlins’ latest statements (Click here for a video of Seijas.) Here is what the Miami Today reported:
SELF-INFLICTED BEANBALL: Miami-Dade County Commissioner Natacha Seijas says the Florida Marlins hardly helped themselves over the weekend with their insistence that the team’s stadium be built downtown on a site designated for the county’s new juvenile-justice center. The team’s comments were a “completely and absolutely offensive” brushback of the county’s children, Ms. Seijas said Tuesday during a meeting of the commission’s Governmental Affairs and Operations committee. “The Marlins need to be more respectful when interviewed on TV. They need to be more respectful of the children’s courthouse.”

Ok, so Natacha Seijas has no clue what she’s talking about, right? Big Deal? Well, yes it is a big deal because she’s one of our Fab 13 who will be deciding where we will one day place the stadium in question. Given her take on the manatee, I’m sure she’d have no qualms with paving over everglades to accommodate anything…

In any case, like I mentioned above the stadium issue has gotten more complex. Now Michael Cannon, a “real-estate researcher” whatever that is, is declaring that the new Marlins’ stadium should be constructed on the Melreese Golf Course property. Sure, it would be next to the Miami Intermodal center, but, why complicate that project any further, FDOT has been constructing it since the late 90’s and we’ve yet to see any considerable progress. The Marlins’ stadium belongs in the city center which a new MLB drawing will soon depict, according to Miami Today:

COMING SOON: Major League Baseball is preparing a schematic of a stadium as it would appear in the proposed downtown location. “As soon as they have something formalized, they’ll bring it to us,” Miami-Dade Commission Chairman Joe Martinez said in a committee meeting Tuesday. The Florida Marlins want a retractable-roof ballpark with 37,000 seats and 60 suites to be built on nine acres of county- and city-owned land just north of the county government center north of Northwest Second Street, east of Interstate 95 and west of Metrorail. Commissioners have been reluctant to give full backing of the downtown location. “I know there are not seven votes here for this site,” Mr. Martinez said at a Tuesday meeting of the Government Affairs and Operations Committee. The favored plan is to replace the Orange Bowl with a ballpark.

Things can’t possibly get any worse, right? Try again. Plans also resurfaced at a recent commission meeting by Jose “Pepe” Diaz to analyze a “Bayfront” park idea. That’s Bayfront as in Bicentennial Park, the same park slated to for the new home of the MAM and Museum of Science, apparently chop liver and easily moved to sites elsewhere…Apparently it doesn’t matter if MAM has already contracted Herzog and DeMuron to design their new complex. The Millions spent thus far on plans to recreate Bicentennial into Museum Park also seem to be dispensable, after all, its only taxpayer money and there seems to be a never ending supply of it, why not keep wasting it? The Bayfront idea will never fly. We voted to create bonds to establish a cultural icon on the site, not another waterfront sports venue.

BACK TO THE BAY: Some formerly favored sites for a stadium haven’t been discarded, county commissioners say. Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz said he has asked County Manager George Burgess to give further study to putting the ballpark on the Biscayne Bay front. “I’ve asked him to look at it,” Mr. Diaz said, though he said he doubts a bayfront site is viable. The 29-acre Bicentennial Park, designated for a pair of museums, got a passing mention Tuesday. “If the city somehow has a change of mind, then that location would be back on the table,” Mr. Diaz said. Also back on the table, he said, would be the problem of parking. That’s been a major challenge for the bayfront Carnival Center for the Performing Arts, he said, and would be an even bigger one for planners of a ballpark on the bay.

Parking not the issue, not building any parking to along with the Carnival Center is the problem, which was under development since the 80’s…That’s the problem. Museum Park should feature underground parking, beneath the museum structure, with enough parking for some, but not all of the Museum Park visitors. The point is to provide some parking and some public transit, but just little enough to price people into not driving…

What is so incredibly difficult about agreeing on a single location for the Marlins’ stadium? Why can’t the Commission show some solidarity? One is discussing the orange bowl site while another asks for research on the Bayfront site and I’m sure someone else is still fixated on the Hialeah plan. There may very well be 13 different plans on 13 different sites floating around the Commission chambers. Heck, they’re not even sure of why it shouldn’t go in downtown. It’s amazing how hypocritical they are, somehow the Children’s courthouse poses as an insurmountable obstacle to placing the stadium downtown, but yet the two iconic museums and parks can be easily relocated elsewhere…Go figure!

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Travels Through Europe, The Conclusion

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on April 5, 2007
in Art, Carnival Center, Miami, Museum Park, Opera, Parking, Parks, Urban Planning and Vienna
. 4 Comments
Vienna is a grand city, far more grandiose than most European Capitals due to its’ rich history with the Babenburg and then the Hapsburg family dynasties. Just walking around, the city exudes wealth, through its opulent architecture, gold-leafed trimming, and excessive sculpture. The Hapsburgs were rather generous with the citizens they presided over, as far as royalty goes, anyhow. Toward the end of their reign, they opened several parks for public use, constructed two massive museums, and dotted the city with various other cultural institutions. Seeing that Miami has recently concluded the construction of our opera house and is set to begin construction on two bayside museums, I believe we can and should look for the guidance of cities such as Vienna when establishing our new cultural havens. Noting that Miami completely lacks the history and wealth of the Austrian Capital, I think there are some interesting aspects which will broaden our horizons before we plan and design…

There isn’t much I can say about the Carnival Center, seeing that it is already built. I’ve walked through the area a couple of times and although the plaza and structure are pleasant, the surroundings are rather inhospitable; hopefully with some time the area might mature a little. The Vienna Opera House is situated at the end of the premier pedestrian thoroughfare in Vienna, which links it and the ring, with the center of Vienna and the Hofburg Imperial Palace. When walking by the Vienna State Opera House for the final time on our last night, I noticed an interesting element which caught my eye:

See it? I hope you do. Someone had the sense to retrofit the structure (built in the 1860’s) with parking. Genius. This brought about a small bout of laughter, as you would imagine, when I conjured images of the Carnival Center debacle I would be returning to the very next day. The interesting thing I later noted is that this was perhaps the only parking garage I saw anywhere near the city center. We seem to have done the opposite…

When approaching the Museums Quarter (Museumsquartier) I couldn’t help but think of endless possibilities for Bicentennial Park. Now, I know I am not an architecture critic, nor do I try to be, but the idea of a classical structure dotting our shoreline as either of the two Museum Park buildings bodes very well for me. I said it once to an art student, whose look should have silenced my architecture thoughts for eternity, but I actually think a modern Art structure juxtapositioned with a classical Museum of Science would add a great deal of depth to Miami’s architecture.

Back to my point. Standing between these hulking museums was impressive. I mean, here I was standing in awe of a couple of landlocked museums, just hoping that our new museums with the beautiful bay and beach backdrop could be just even one fifth as stimulating. Is it too much to ask for? We have the opportunity to showcase our architectural cultural talent to the world, quite literally, seeing that these museums will serve as the focal point of nearly every cruise passenger which departs from our harbor. And think, Miami, not Miami Beach, could perhaps for once be hailed for its beautiful waterfront architecture, luring boarding cruise passengers to extend their stay. We severely dropped the ball with the MCM, opting instead for a geometric display of retardation on Watson Island. Between the two museums stood a massive statue dedicated to Maria Theresia, it’s a rarity in Miami to find any recollection of our local history, let alone national history. Perhaps a statue of FDR would be fitting, considering he was nearly assassinated in nearby Bayfront Park…Just a thought…

Throughout all of my travels, I have always taken the time to compare the city I am visiting with my home town. I often think that Miami would be a much better city if we would just stop, think, and look around before coming up with decisions which will forever alter our urban landscape. We’ve had plenty of opportunities pass us by with failed or improperly managed projects: Metrorail, Miami Arena, Miami Marine Stadium, Miami Seaquarium, Orange Bowl, MIA, CCPA, etc. Plenty of chances to make our city just as marvelous to visit as say Paris, Chicago, or even Vienna… We’re number one right now in hotel occupancy and hotel rates nationally, but imagine how much more we can do to attract visitors to sites other than our shore…

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Miami: Water Commuting Capital of the World?

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on February 28, 2007
in Commuting, Ferry, Metromover, Miami, Museum Park, Parking, Streetcar, Transit, Transit Oriented Development and Waterfront
. 7 Comments
The Miami-Dade MPO is considering an initiative which would bring waterborne commuter transportation soon to our shores. The 99 passenger catamarans would run every 30 minutes between the city of Miami and Haulover Marina in North Miami-Dade and Matheson Hammock in South Miami-Dade. A Miami terminal is planned for the dead end street just north of the Hotel Intercontinental, just one block away from the Bayfront Park Metromover Station. Catamaran acquisition as well as improvements to both Marinas is estimated to cost $18 Million.

I’ve heard this idea floating (pun intended) around for quite sometime now. Similar systems are already integral parts of other transportation networks including: New York, Boston, San Diego, Houston, San Francisco, Sydney, and even London. There are also plans to bring commuter ferries to Chicago along Lake Michigan and Washington D.C. along the Potomac River. Despite commuter ferry success elsewhere, I have many reservations about this project. The decentralization of our city makes such a project fairly difficult to attract sufficient riders. The given route also seems to be a bit redundant to existing public transportation (Tri-Rail and South-Dade Busway/Metrorail) which have thus far failed to successfully attract riders (likely due to the decentralization and inability to properly integrate transit with the surroundings.)

Now, I don’t want to completely discredit the idea either. The ferries would transport commuters from two fairly affluent neighborhoods, a concept which was recently proven to be successful with Metrorail station boarding statistics. The park and ride idea could also work well given that it doesn’t completely remove vehicular use from the commuter. I think the fare should be split between rides and parking however, to further encourage the reduced costs of carpooling or seeking alternative forms of arriving at the departure marinas. The commuter ferry should be a driving force for the city to vastly improve all of our waterfront space. Rather than creating a terminal by Bayfront Park as proposed, I believe the catamarans should berth in the cut just north of the American Airlines Arena alongside the upcoming museum park cultural center. The city should then work to bring the Miami-Key West Ferry from Key Biscayne to this same terminal essentially creating a local water transportation intermodal center which would be only one block from the Parkwest Metromover Station and easier to one day link with Baylink or a Miami Streetcar.

There are serious hurdles which need to be overcome, none of which can be solved by just the MPO or any other single branch of local government. In order to make our transit options successful we need to work to centralize our city while making commuting options as comfortable, seamless, and attractive as possible. Miami’s waterfront park space needs to become an integral part of our city, bustling with pedestrians and activity in order for this concept to succeed. Ferry service, if centralized, could one day offer locals and tourists alike easy affordable transit to our coastal cities, Key West, or even further abroad; after all we are the cruise capital of the world…

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Biscayne Boulevard Realignment

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on February 26, 2007
in Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, Miami 21, Museum Park, Pedestrian and Traffic
. 17 Comments
The above photograph came from the airplane mounted camera of local photographer James Good. Although certainly not one of his most creative pictures, this picture gives us an excellent aerial view of the realignment of Biscayne Boulevard along Bicentennial (Museum) Park. The beautiful design in the median with new wider sidewalks on either side, will allow the new residents of the condos emerging behind to easily access the Carnival Center and all destinations along the Boulevard easily by foot. The initial conceptual drawings included images of sidewalk cafes, tree canopies, and streetcars running along the new more pedestrian friendly corridor. Of particular interest is the small building in the bottom center; a water treatment pumping facility which emits a foul odor and isn’t planned to move elsewhere anytime soon…

LCDs, Billboards, and Lights! Oh My!

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on July 27, 2006
in Carnival Center, Miami, Museum Park, Omni and Parking
. 0 Comments
There has been a recent big stink made over the plans of a developer to build a new mega-mall on the site of the abandoned Omni plaza and former Herald parking lots. It appears that the new mall will include “Times Square-like” elements such as massive LCD billboards, bright lights, and plenty of advertising space. Nice upgrade. Well that is unless you ask certain activists who are saying that the new lighting next door will visually detract from the Performing Arts Center (and bring traffic too! Oh no what will we do???) Well, good point, it will, but, isn’t that somewhat of a good thing, considering that the PAC isn’t all that visually stimulating to begin with (Excellent points by Verticus)? I find it pretty backwards to worry about the view to and from the PAC and the bay after the damned thing was built 3 blocks away from the shoreline. If we had wanted a new PAC, with unobstructed views of the water and a radical design that would forever impact our skyline, then why did we build it 3 blocks away from the shore where any 4 story run-of-the-mill parking garage could cover it up easily? On that note, nobody is complaining about how hideous a parking garage will look behind the PAC, assuming that one gets built sometime this century.

Why are we so concerned with these issues now and why weren’t they raised earlier? If we desired to have a new cutting edge building that would forever change our skyline (Like this, or this, or this, or this) then why wasn’t it thought of before someone proposed to build a large mall next door? I’m all for the Times Square-Like development (minus the thousands of parking spaces that comes with it) but seriously hope that they find better tenants than Target and Best Buy to fill the space. Otherwise, this will turn out to be another misguided attempt to re-urbanize Miami, just like the PAC…

I find it interesting pathetic that we built this on our prime waterfront land…and this on the landlocked real-estate which is destined to be surrounded by a concrete jungle…Must have been on account of the “traffic” problems it would have caused…This is the poor planning I always tend to speak of…

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Flying High

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on July 25, 2006
in Biscayne Boulevard, James Good, Miami, Model Aircraft, Museum Park and Pictures
. 0 Comments
  • The people have spoken and I have listened. ManolaBBB has come to me with the interesting idea of expanding the Transit Challenge past the summer to include our cooler months. Apparently she’s been speaking to others who supported the idea and stated that they would be more inclined to ride when the temperatures were bearable. I agree. It’s a wonderful idea and I hope it will encourage more Miami Natives to eventually give public transportation a legitimate try. Keep the ideas flowing…
  • I came across an interesting site with some interesting ideas and graphics for possible projects in Miami as well as a blog. Some of the ideas have some logic to them, while others appear to be nothing more than outright hilarious fantasies. Enjoy…

  • Above is one of the latest photos by James Good. He regularly flies his model aircraft over Bicentennial Park in downtown Miami to photograph the city’s construction progress. Here his plane is flying higher than the 500+ foot Ten Museum Park Condominium and provides an unusual view of how the wall of condominiums on Biscayne Boulevard is shaping up. Oh by the way, the building with white balls is the Miami NAP of the Americas, one of the most technologically advanced buildings in the world for ISP technology and logistics. I believe it is owned and operated by Terremark… Many people seem to ask me that…

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Museum Krap or parK

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on July 12, 2006
in Miami and Museum Park
. 0 Comments
Running late seems to be my new norm, but, I was busy changing a flat tire (not mine.)
Alesh seems to have beat me to my own story, presenting the latest plans to revamp the currently hideous and very much abandoned Bicentennial Park (What it originally looked like.) Miami planners have come up with a set of beautiful renderings of a park that will look nothing like what will actually be built. They also apparently have been looking at other successful parks around the world, to try to incorporate some of their elements (Like Grass, trees, and People.) I like the fact that the USS Tin Can won’t be docked there any more, however, I fear that Arriola may be seeking to acquire a monstrosity like NYC’s Intrepid. Lets shoot for something in between.

The Museum renderings themselves have yet to be developed (or funded, Whoops!) Call me crazy, but I would love to see a Neo-Classical Museum of Science Building. With big, beautiful columns and a design that is totally unlike Miami. Something like the Prado. The MAM, I fear will be ultra modern (Hopefully not Gehry, though I appreciate his style) but should do something to enhance the view of the PAC from the waterfront.

I like the renderings all in all. It appears to maximize the most of the area without over or under developing the site. The Museum placement is ideal, it should have easy access to the metromover stop and the buildings themselves will serve as barriers to the unsightly I-395. Open space abounds as well as recreational space in front of the AAA. Now, the real question is, Can we make it happen???

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There She Blows

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on May 27, 2006
in Museum Park and USS Mohawk
. 0 Comments

Well, it may not be the world’s largest ship, but, the USS Mohawk is currently sitting in the Miami River, awaiting (an invitation?) before it is moved to its new home in Bicentennial Park. An article dated 2004, speaks of the ships’ recent arrival in Miami. The USS Mohawk and the USS Barney together will sit in Bicentennial Park (One day, when the museums in the bond referendum are actually built) next to the Miami Art Museum and Museum of Science (It will be Miami’s version of the USS Intrepid in NYC.) The Maritime Museum’s webpage: http://www.ussmohawk.com/, is currently down, however, we’ll keep updating you with the ship’s restoration progress.

The USS Barney (has yet to arrive) is a much more impressive ship and has some more ties to South Florida History. It served as part of the blockade of Cuba during the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis…