Master Plans

Description  

The Coconut Grove Waterfront Area and Spoil Islands (most commonly known as Dinner Key) is a coastal area that encompasses Peacock Park, Dinner Key to Kennedy Park, including the islands and anchorages. This coastal area is the waterfront heart of Coconut Grove, Miami.

Updates 

July 28, 2005

The contract was approved for the architecture and planning firm Sasaki Associates, Inc.. The form was selected through a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process to create the Coconut Grove Waterfront Master Plan.

November 2005 

Work for the Coconut Grove Waterfront Master Plan started with a series of meetings targeted at data collection from the different stakeholders in the area including residents, merchants, restaurateurs, and others who have an interest in the Coconut Grove waterfront area.

The City envisions a Coastal Recreational Park that emphasizes human scale, public open spaces, and connectivity for the pedestrian realm through the creation of waterfront promenades, diverse open spaces, an active park with sensitive environmental spoil island connections that will enhance the water component and recreational elements of the Coastal Park’s recreational and environmental elements.

The master plan area is comprised of the upland owned by the City, zoned park and recreation, with some bay bottom including inner and outer mooring fields under both state and city deed designation, and several spoil islands. The existing land side components of the site include the historic Miami City Hall - home of the first Pan American Airways international terminal in the United States; the Coconut Grove Convention Center facility and surrounding large parking area for show goers; the Dinner Key Marina, dock master area and parking lots restricted to boat owners and guests; Seminole Dock with a public boat ramp and trailer parking area administered by Miami Parking Authority; Myers Park; the Coconut Grove Sailing Club site with a building, parking area, boat storage, inner mooring field, and dock area; Peacock Park, a waterfront park including a large multi-use open grassy area, a NET office, and skate park; and Kennedy Park, also an active waterfront City park.

The Coconut Grove waterfront, mooring areas and spoil islands are in need of a Plan that reflects the growth and desires of the community. The Master Plan must also address the requirements of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to complete an overhaul of the inner and outer mooring fields to comply with an agreement between the City and FDEP to clean up the bay bottom, mooring fields, and derelict vessels. The spoil islands included in the area are in need of rehabilitation. They need to be cleaned of exotic plants, replanted with native species and have areas redesigned for public access. The City has been working with the Army Corp of Engineers, DERM and FDEP to formulate this plan.

July 24, 2008

After a comprehensive master planning process enriched with abundant public feed-back, the final Coconut Grove Waterfront Master Plan including cost estimates and a phasing strategy was unanimously approved by the City Commission.

Description 

Bicentennial Park is located in Downtown Miami just south of the I-395 expressway and east of Biscayne Boulevard. The park consists of a total of approximately 30 + acres of City-owned upland. It includes approximately 2,600 feet of Biscayne Baywalk and FEC (Florida East Coast Railway) slip walkway with views of downtown Miami, the Port of Miami and Watson Island.

The effort to redesign Bicentennial Park reflects a growing public movement to preserve and enhance public parks in the City and was initiated by the Urban Environment League (UEL) shortly before the community and City commissioners engaged in public discussion with the Florida Marlins owner to keep the baseball stadium out of Bicentennial Park and reclaim it as South Florida’s premier public park.

Updates 

April 2, 2000

The Miami City Commission committed itself to the underutilized Park’s revival when it passed a resolution to renew Bicentennial Park as a “premier public park.” During that time, the Miami Museum of Science and the Miami Art Museum completed a multi-year site and funding analysis for the development of new, world-class institutions at Bicentennial Park.

July 2000

The trustees of both the Miami Art Museum and the Miami Museum of Science adopted a joint resolution establishing the collaborative goal of creating “Museum Park Miami” in Bicentennial Park.

The Miami City Commission created the advisory Bicentennial Park/Waterfront Renewal Committee and, in conjunction with the City’s Planning Department, hired the urban design firm Dover, Kohl and Partners (Dover Kohl) to propose three options for the Park based on public input: the Bicentennial Park Charrette.

February 10, 2001

More than 350 people showed their support and participated in the day long charrette/public design workshop led by Dover Kohl.

Dover Kohl presented to City Commission the outcome of the charrette; three development options for the park that reflect the citizens' vision for public park land; one of purely open space, a second as a cultural park with two museums and a third of mixed uses including retail.

October 2001 

In preparation of Bicentennial Park’s redevelopment as Museum Park, the City Commission proposed a citywide referendum for the $255 million Homeland Defense/Neighborhood Improvement Bond issue. The bond program specifically includes $10 million for Bicentennial Park infrastructure improvements and $3.5 million for each museum as a challenge grant for planning and pre-development costs.

November 13, 2001 

The bond referendum was approved by City voters.

July 25, 2002 

A resolution was adopted which designated the City commission’s choice of the third option, “A Cultural Park” also known as Museum Park Miami as the official design development option for Bicentennial Park.

The design team led by Cooper, Robertson & Partners was chosen to design the park and to site and prepare planning guidelines for the two museums.

January 17, 2008

Public meetings have resulted in a revised, improved, and value engineered park design which was presented at the Miami Science Museum.

March 13, 2008

The new park design was presented to the Miami City Commission and was unanimously approved. At this time, the first phase of the park construction has entered the construction documents and implementation phase, being managed by the Department of Capital Improvements (CIP).

Community Involvement 

The City held a “Bicentennial Park Charrette,” and numerous public meetings regarding the future of Bicentennial Park.

Presentation materials will be added soon.

Description

Virginia Key is a 1000-acre barrier island that is situated midway between the eastern shore of the City of Miami and the Village of Key Biscayne accessible via the Rickenbacker Causeway in Biscayne Bay.

On July 22, 2010, the City of Miami completed a comprehensive master planning process for Virginia Key that will serve as a guiding tool to develop meaningful waterfront and public open space areas on the island. Furthermore, the Virginia Key Master Plan will provide policies for the use, development, and management of land; the protection and enhancement of the island’s natural resources while providing the necessary infrastructure and traffic flow to serve future improvement

Master Plan Project Initiatives

Marine Stadium Restoration

Miami Marine Stadium was built in 1963 and is situated on scenic Virginia Key. It is considered a singular and distinctive example of a civic mid-century modern marine structure. Despite hosting a wide variety of events and performances throughout its history, it currently sits unused. After Hurricane Andrew in 1992, the stadium was declared an unsafe structure and was abandoned. It became a haven for graffiti artists and taggers, creating the unique aesthetic that currently adorns the structure. The land around the stadium hosts regular large-scale events and races.

At this time the City has engaged through an RFP process the architecture firm of RJHA Architects to assess structural integrity and complete the restoration of the Marine Stadium. It is anticipated that the restoration will be completed in 2021.

Marine Stadium Flex Park

Within the Virginia Key Master Plan the area east of the Marine Stadium has been identified as a flexible open space. Contained within the plan is a strategy to turn this flexible open space into a distinctive and memorable place with regional importance. A place suitable for individual recreation, or massive congregation. A place worthy of Miami.
Marine Stadium Flex Park

Maritime Center

The site west of the Stadium will focus on boating and maritime space. A one of the kind Maritime Center is to be designed to accommodate space for a welcome and orientation needs for the island. By the virtue of its location, this installation frames the grand approach to the historic Miami Marine Stadium, making itself or the site opposite of it an ideal site for a welcome center.

At this time the City has engaged through an RFP process the architecture firm of Chisholm Architects to design and build 22,000 square foot Maritime Center. Construction is anticipated to be complete in 2021.

Mangrove Restoration

Replacement of removed mangroves along the west shoreline adjacent to the Marine Stadium is being processed. It is anticipated that this will be completed by 2020.

Basin Trail Restoration

In efforts to improve access along the waterfront edge of the Marine Stadium basin the City through a DEP Recreational Trail Grant will restore the existing basin trail. This will include pervious paving treatment and additional enhancements long the trail. This is anticipated to be completed in 2020.

Boat Ramp and Parking

The Boat Ramp will provide public access to Biscayne Bay.

Marina Development

Project will be developed into a world class, state-of-the-art, mixed-use waterfront marine center including, but not limited to, marina, boatyard, dock master’s office, ship’s store, and restaurant(s)

Virginia Key Advisory Board

Matters concerning the Virginia Key Master Plan will be heard by the Virginia Key Advisory Board. The board's web page contains board information, the meeting calendar, agendas, and meeting minutes.