IN THE NEWS, JULY 2023

JULY 31, 2021

CITY OF HOMESTEAD

INTRODUCING A NEW PLAN TO BRING BALANCE AND DIVERSITY TO THE CITY OF HOMESTEAD

homestead, Florida

OUR FIRM IS TAKING ON AN EXCITING PROJECT TO INTRODUCE new development standards for THE CIVIC CENTER OF downtown Homestead and adjacent STUDY AREAS THAT INCLUDE DOWNTOWN KROME AVENUE, THE HOMESTEAD MALL WITH THE OLD CITY HALL ON CAMPBELL DRIVE AND THE TECHNOLOGY MIXED-USE DISTRICT (tmd). AFTER SEVERAL MEETINGS OVER THESE PAST FEW MONTHS WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, COMMISSIONERS, STAFF, AND THE PUBLIC WE AIM TO INTRODUCE A DIVERSITY OF MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING, FUNCTIONAL, AND UNIQUELY DISTINCTIVE. OUR MAIN GOAL IN THIS HOMESTEAD visioning PROJECT IS TO BRING BACK BALANCE AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS AND IN THE PROCESS Entice folks heading to the Everglades, Biscayne Bay, or the Florida Keys to CONSIDER HOMESTEAD AS NOT JUST ANOTHER NEW TOURIST DESTINATION BUT POSSIBLY THEIR NEW HOME IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

THE CITY OF HOMESTEAD FOLLOWED THE AMERICAN DREAM OF A GRID-PLANNED CITY, MAINLY RECTANGULAR BLOCKS WITH A DIVERSE SCALE OF CITY PARKS INTERSECTED BY MAJOR ROADWAYS US 1, AND THE TURNPIKE.  THIS GRID-PLANNED CITY CONTAINED AREAS FOR PEOPLE TO WORK, PLAY, LIVE, ATTEND SCHOOL, AND PRAY. HOWEVER, EVEN THOUGH THE CITY HAS SEEN AN AVERAGE GROWTH OF 33% EVERY TEN YEARS SINCE 1970, MOST OF THE INCREASE IN HOUSEHOLDS OCCURRED MAINLY ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE TURNPIKE. THIS INCREASE IN THE CITY’S EAST-SIDE POPULATION WAS IMMINENT BUT FACED A SIGNIFICANT IMBALANCE IN ITS NEED TO CREATE COMPLETE NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS IS BECAUSE IT PRIMARILY CONSISTED OF LIVING ONLY, RESULTING IN THE NEED FOR PLACES FOR ENTERTAINMENT AND EVENTUALLY FOR BETTER SCHOOLS. wHAT THE CITY HAS BEEN ABLE TO OFFER, SUCCESSFULLY, ARE PARKS THAT RESIDE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THESE WALLED-IN COMMUNITIES.

CITY OF HOMESTEAD population 1994 - 28,387

CITY OF HOMESTEAD population 2023 - 81,562

RECOGNIZING THIS DISCREPANCY AND THE NEED FOR CHANGE, WE PLAN TO IMPLEMENT A NEW TYPE OF PLANNING BY INCORPORATING MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENTS THAT CATER TO VARIOUS NEEDS AND FOSTER A VIBRANT SENSE OF COMMUNITY.


OUR KEY OBJECTIVE IS TO CREATE A BALANCED ENVIRONMENT WHERE RESIDENTS CAN LIVE, WORK, PLAY, LEARN, AND GATHER IN ONE COHESIVE SPACE. OUR APPROACH INVOLVES INTEGRATING DIFFERENT ELEMENTS SEAMLESSLY TO FORM AN INCLUSIVE AND DIVERSE COMMUNITY. AESTHETIC APPEAL IS A CRUCIAL ASPECT OF THE REDESIGN. WE AIM TO DEVELOP NEW URBAN STANDARDS THAT ORGANIZE BUILDINGS AND PUBLIC SPACES SO THEY CAN BE VISUALLY CAPTIVATING AND BLEND HARMONIOUSLY WITHIN THE CITY. THIS CONSIDERATION WILL ENSURE THAT THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS ENHANCE THE OVERALL BEAUTY OF THE CITY OF HOMESTEAD AND BECOME LANDMARK DESTINATIONS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.


ANOTHER EXCITING ASPECT OF THIS PROJECT IS THE EMPHASIS ON CREATING UNIQUELY DISTINCTIVE DEVELOPMENTS. WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF CREATING A SENSE OF PLACE DISTINCT WITHIN THE CITY OF HOMESTEAD. BY INCORPORATING ELEMENTS THAT DRAW INSPIRATION FROM THE CITY'S HISTORY, CULTURE, AND NATURAL SURROUNDINGS, THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS WILL REFLECT THE IDENTITY OF HOMESTEAD AND REINFORCE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY.

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