No. Not in a million years. But The Miami Herald publishes a puff piece on the question. The High Line in Lower Manhattan is an inspiration of urban planning. It depends on people arriving either by mass transit or walking. By virtue of location, there are many, many options for pedestrians either before or after walking on the High Line. The Marine Stadium is just like the Parrot Jungle at the end of another causeway. Worse, you have to pay a toll to get there. In both cases, it is a single destination unlikely to attract audiences by mass transit. I'm happy for the renovation project of the Marine Stadium because otherwise the entire area would be consumed by a developer's dream of privatizing the remaining waterfront in Miami. That still could happen, Marine Stadium or not. The bottom line is that we don't know how to protect value in Miami. We just know how to exploit it.
9 comments:
Thanks. Couldn't have said it better.
Hi All
On behalf of Friends of Miami Marine Stadium, I' like to respond to Gimletye's legitimate concerns.
When we started our initiative in February of 2008, we were very concerned with feasibility. After all, who wants a building without a function? We decided to address the issue by approaching the potential users of the facility, promoters and event organizations.
We have gotten a great response. You can see a small fraction of it by going to the letters of support section of our website, www.marinestadium.org. For example, we have worked with the three triathlon promoters now using the Marine Stadium area for their events; they are very excited about the renovation of the Stadium because they will be able to expand to hold family friendly events with an entertainment component. Likewise, we have worked with the dragon boat clubs. Dragon Boating is the fastest growing spectator sport in the world and the Marine Stadium has the potential to hold national and international scale events, such as the festival in Toronto which brings in 200 boats. All told, we have catalogued five principal uses for the Marine Stadium-these large scale participatory athletic events are just one. We estimate that we should be able to program at least 100 days per year, but I believe there will be a learning curve and many more events will be developed. Currently, we have about 35 promoters and event organizations who want to use the Stadium.
Nevertheless, Gimletye raises some issues that have not been resolved. We do have room for adequate parking on site, and there are some intriguing public transportation possibilities such as water taxis (not to mention attending an event by boat). Nevertheless, we have not yet developed mass transit plans. Perhaps connector buses for events. As we move forward, this is on the agenda.
The second issue is the use of the Marine Stadium as a passive park. Frankly, when we started work, we thought of the Stadium just as place for events, as it was in the past. Two years ago, visionary developer Tony Goldman (Wynwood, South Beach) was the first one to suggest to us that we should think of the Stadium as an everyday place. You can see a video of Tony Goldman walking into the Marine Stadium for the first time on our Marine Stadium Multimedia section. By the way Tony LOVES the Stadium.
Think about it: Yoga on the floating stage; the Stadium as a giant exercise place (Navy Seals used to run up and down the steps, rowers still do,) or just going to the Stadium with a lunch, watching the rowers at sunset, and hearing different types of mood music piped in. The fact is the Stadium is a spectacular setting which unlike many places, can be a destination park. Even though the Stadium is now shuttered and off limits, there is a constant flow of people going to paint, photograph, or just hang out. We'll be investigating these passive park ideas moving forward.
Of course in terms of a park, we'll never be as successful as the High Line. The High Line is located in a dense city with all forms of public transportation. When it was opened the High Line estimated that it would have 300,000 visitors a year. In 2011, 3.7 million people visited the High Line.
We invited the High Line people down because we think our projects have similarities: two large urban structures that many people thought should be demolished. Like the High Line, we will have to "re-invent" the Miami Marine Stadium. We were very gratified when Robert Hammond, Co-Founder of The High Line, entered the Stadium and became as excited as we have been!
Check out our website, www.marinestadium.org And I would be happy to answer any questions, either through the website or on any other forum.
Yours truly
Don Worth, Co-Founder
Friends of Miami Marine Stadium
Here's another website with information on the Miami Marine Stadium deals: www.crespogram.com
Why would "otherwise" the entire area be consumed by a developer's dream? In fact, the proposal to be considered by the Miami City Commission IS the developer's dream - of parking garages, retail, restaurants, "Marine Exhibition Center" - a DCOTA for Marine Industry - and corporate party spaces. All run by the Miami Heat.
How is this different from another Bayside Shopping Center - which sits on(former) public waterfront parkland?
Friends of Miami Marine Stadium commentator's are remarkable for their insensitivity to the unique environmental qualities of the place. "Piped in mood music?" I'd rather listen to the bird songs from the wildlife sanctuary across the basin or the splash of the water breaking on the shoreline. Please.
Another article with a different perspective on this issue is by Tony Garcia from Transit Miami: Virginia Key Deserves Better." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anthony-garcia/virginia-key-deserves-bet_b_1231886.html
www.youtube.com/watch?v=28sHaUUQkQI
Jimmy Buffett Supports Restoration of Miami Marine Stadium
PSA VIDEO
The key to preserving the stadium is having a real use commensurate with its monetary value and that hopefully provides a sufficient income stream to maintain the property. Although I read Don's entry carefully, and I heard a lot of good will, I did not hear one meaningful use.
Don mentioned that the stadium was being used as a place to hold triathlons. And plans were a foot to use it as a center for dragon boat events. And he referred to three other unnamed uses. These do not appear to be sufficient.
How much revenue will be generated by such uses for the property? Then he turned 180 degrees and suggested it be used as a passive park.
All of which suggests that no one yet has a real idea for a use.
I am glad that people are trying ot think outside the box and considering creative uses like the High Line in Manhattan. The High Line works, however, because it provides park and green space for a city starved for park and green space and it is located in easy walking distance of millions of pedestrians who are residents or visitors.
Can the stadium be used as a venue for parties and weddings? There seems to be a read demand for those events. It is a use that gives people enjoyable access to the outdoors. And it generates some money.
The issue is about a private group getting a 50 year no bid lease to waterfront public land.
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