Currently viewing the tag: "Green Miami"

Miami Aerials

By On August 7, 2007 · Leave a Comment
Alesh Profiles his recent flight back into Miami from Bogota…I couldn’t see this photo and help thinking………

With all that space at the port of Miami we still can’t figure out a way to allot a few acres to some dedicated rail transportation…Ridiculous…

Share
Tagged with: • • •
 

What Green space?

By On June 8, 2007 · 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…

Share
Tagged with: • • • • • • • •
 

Blog/News Updates

By On June 7, 2007 · 1 Comment
Blog Updates
  • For those of you who haven’t visited the site in a while due to the convenience of the automatic daily e-mails, you may not have noticed the addition of James Wilkins to the Transit Miami staff (more to come soon, too.) James will be primarily writing about architecture and Urban Design here on a weekly basis. His first post appeared on Monday and discussed what could/should be Miami’s most prominent waterfront structures at Museum Park. As always, if you have any news, stories, or general feedback for any of us three, please drop us an e-mail: movemiami@gmail.com…
  • The site will be temporarily out of commission for part of the weekend, sorry for any inconvenience which this may cause…
  • New Sidebar Miami Blogs: Hallandale Beach Blog, South Beach Hoosier
News
  • Broward Commissioners approved a new 8,000 ft. south runway for Ft. Lauderdale on Tuesday night before a crowd of over 1,000 (mostly opponents) at the Convention Center. The new runway will allow FLL to meet expected demand over the next few decades and will provide the airport with another runway capable of handling most domestic aircraft. The $600 Million runway will likely require the purchase or soundproofing of 2,500 nearby residences and will be elevated over US-1, similar to Atlanta’s runway, pictured below…
  • Meanwhile, the state denied FPL’s most recent bid to build a “clean” coal power plant in Glades County. “…the company lost its bid to build the coal plant, in part, due to risks the facility would contribute to Everglades and other environmental pollution…” (Via CM)
  • If you build it, they will come…Now, can we just start doing it properly?
Miami Blog Updates
  • I’ve accidentally neglected TM’s Friend Rebbecca Carter of GreenerMiami for too long. Back in May she covered the Commuter Challenge, which this year featured two Mercy Hospital employees “racing” from SW 152 ST. The commuter who used the busway and metrorail won by 19 minutes! Here is her take on the I-95 HOT lanes too…
  • The 836 West extension opens next month and with that, more tolls! Rick says its best: “One More Reason Not To Live In Kendall…” but I find that hard to swallow coming from a Pembroke Pines Suburbanite… In any case, the West extension from the Turnpike to 137th Avenue will be available to SunPass users only…
Headlines From Around the World

Share
Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • • •
 

Quick News Links

By On May 9, 2007 · 1 Comment

Share
Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • • • •
 

Ten Museum Park Profile

By On April 29, 2007 · 8 Comments
At the forefront of Miami’s residential development boom, stand the designs of the local, ambitious architect Chad Oppenheim. The young Cornell Graduate, only 34, has made a splash in the architecture scene with his innovative modern designs and latest plans for energy efficient buildings. The soon to be completed Ten Museum Park is his first major contribution to the Miami skyline. Of all the buildings rising along the “Miami wall” (Biscayne Boulevard Condos,) Ten Museum Park will have the greatest effect on the skyline despite being the shortest of the five towers rising. I found the following pictures on an online forum I frequently visit, they were originally posted by Edrag Tnava and provide us with some exclusive first looks at the inside of one of our most innovative condominium towers thus far:

Bathroom:

View of Biscayne Boulevard beautification project:

Interesting Windows minimize the impact of the neighboring towers currently rising:

The Loft:

Share
Tagged with: • • • • • •
 

A New Era for Miami’s Urban Development?

By On March 21, 2007 · 4 Comments

Miami could soon become a national leader in green building. Mayor Diaz is pushing an initiative that would require all new buildings of 50,000 sq ft or more to be LEED certified. According to the US Green Building Council,
“LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health:
  1. Sustainable site development
  2. Water savings
  3. Energy efficiency
  4. Materials selection
  5. Indoor environmental quality”

If approved by the city commission in May, it would be a progressive policy move that would serve as big step forward in sustainable growth in Miami. The new “green building” requirements would include some of the strictest policies of the sort to be implemented in any major American city thus far.

Now if only the city and county would overhaul its ridiculous, suburban-oriented parking codes, our new green buildings such as “Green Miami” (under construction adjacent to Douglas Metrorail Station) would truly be sustainable, pedestrian-oriented, and transit oriented, thereby not inducing travel demand by cars and exacerbating the main contributor to global warming.

Share
Tagged with: • • • •
 

Transit Challenge Updates

By On July 12, 2006 · Leave a Comment
  • The Transit Miami Summer Transit Challenge is still going on, get out and ride some Public Transit people, even if its for fun. I have received some more stories via digital telegram that I will be sharing soon. Plus, be on the look out for some articles by a new contributor to Transit Miami. Here are the latest Transit stories from some excellent blogs:
  • Rebecca Carter of GreenerMiami has provided us with her latest installment of her progress with the Transit Miami Summer Transit Challenge. It’s nice to see so many people using public transportation to get to downtown events.
  • Rick, spoke recently of his experience driving home daily to Pembroke Pines. I can’t fathom having to make that drive daily; my 10 minute commute seems ridiculous enough for me. And what is up with everyone in Miami-Dade driving with their hazard lights on in the rain? Aren’t we all in the same hazardous conditions? Yeah, I’ll make sure to avoid your car buddy when I plan on having an accident, it’s kind of like those useless “baby on board” signs parents put on their cars…


“Once drivers could no longer see the wreck, they drove as if they had been shot out of a cannon…”

Excellent Metaphor…

I’ll be back later with another article…

Share
Tagged with: •