The Imperative Outlook for NW 54th Street, Doral

the imperative outlook for nw 54th street

(a latent opportunity for all)

PRESENTED TO: Julian Perez, Planing and Zoning Barbara Hernandez, Parks and Recreation City of Doral April 2, 2015 Jose Daniel Bernal, resident, business owner Collaboration: Iuliia Fomina, resident.

LET'S ACT NOW

THE IMPERATIVE OUTLOOK FOR NW 54th STREET (a latent opportunity for all) PRESENTED TO: Julian Perez, Planing and Zoning Barbara Hernandez, Parks and Recreation City of Doral, FL

As a resident of Doral, I hope to see the city not just expand, but GROW. This is my contribution towards that goal.

As a business owner in Doral, I strongly believe that there is a valuable opportunity for the kind of economic and cultural vitality to which areas with highly similar conditions in Miami and Fort Lauderdale bear witness. These areas have organically blossomed from the seed of integrating existing flexible industrial and semi-industrial spaces, a treasure which we enjoy in Doral. Spending a great deal of time in Fort Lauderdale has allowed me to experience Flagler Village firsthand, and enjoy its feeling of community, inclusion, prosperity and purpose.

This initiative links the pressing issue of protecting the interests of property owners north of 54th street between 87 and 79th avenues with the development of the Doral Design District, driven by the presence of tile and home renovation businesses in the area.

As a member of the South American immigrant community, a major economic and cultural force of change in Doral, I strongly believe that dedicated cultural venues are yearned for by city residents. Without a doubt, a Wynwood-Design District or a Fort Lauderdale Flagler Village -like scenario would be welcome, for the benefit of residents, property owners, the city, and developers.

I vividly and enthusiastically imagine being a resident at the new downtown and, after shopping and having coffee there, hopping over a lively 54th street, where I am a business owner, for a Wallcast-type concert, and a gallery walk followed by a cocktail.

As an architecture practitioner, I dream of owning my office in a lively, bustling Downtown Doral one day. In the meantime, I am currently renting out my property. The developer-owned, still unbuilt areas of downtown Doral facing 54th street will be built soon. However, if this is not done in a way that embraces the warehouses to the north, the usage boundary and virtual wall will remain, the future residents could declare the warehouses an eyesore. An opportunity to bring all kinds of value to the city will be missed.

As the areas in the case studies mentioned here will show, integration and inclusiveness is the key to smart growth, where conditions are right for a feeling of community, culture, belonging and value to all parties.

The initiative detailed in this document seeks to:

1. Encourage the city to work with the developer in ensuring that downtown Doral's development laying on 54th The majority of the street is outward and inclusive, for the benefit of commercial, professional and cultural actors alike. region’s performing and visual arts centers are an 2. Address the city and the developer at this crucial time to show the benefits that can be offered by a average of 25 miles away. The ensuring that any future downtown development on the 54th street edge is designed to face document Feasibility Study for towards the street, as exemplified by part of the Cordoba apartment building between 53rd Performing and/or Cultural Arts Center and 54th streets, fearless and hopeful of the future of the industrial area.

Project (C.H. Johnson Consulting, Inc. Dec, 2013) speaks of an important city initiative which 3. Present the idea that if the parking garages for residential buildings to be built is of influence to the idea presented here. This PCAC in the very near-future are planned to face 54th street, as shown on the can find an ideal location and become a landmark structure developer's site plan, a virtual wall effect will effectively be created. and threshold into the Doral arts corridor in reference in the This would be detrimental to owners of properties north of 54th corner of NW 79 avenue and 54 street. street.

We have in our hands the potential to achieve a success similar to the Design District and neighboring Wynwood, and a similar connection between an arts and culture and a construction and renovation business area, where property values, culture and community engagement skyrocket and where the city, businesses, professionals, artists and investors see their interests rise.

4. Place this initiative in the greater framework of 79th avenue as an extension of the Doral Design District Master Plan put forward by the City, and how both ideas can intersect to create an inviting, thriving, rich environment.

The City of Doral has shown itself amicable to creative uses of warehouses on NW 54 street. La Caimanera is an indoor soccer field, and nearby Sky Zone is a trampoline playground for kids and adults. This is a positive precedent of inclusion and connection between the two blocks. Future Land Use maps currently posted on the city website show the block as CMU, “Community Mixed Use (...) to provide a flexible land use palette (...)� where "Governmental and non-profit offices, public parks, public facilities and recreational facilities are allowed" Two kinds of interests move me: Those of a property owner interested in seeing the city grow inclusively and intelligently, and those of an architecture and urbanism professional and enthusiastic fan, a proponent of culture as a proven pillar of valuable development.

Jose Daniel Bernal.

Collaboration: Iuliia Fomina

LET'S AVOID THIS SCENARIO!

WALL EFFECT CREATED ADJACENT PARKING GARAGES

(as currently planned)

(ISOLATION) simulation

LET'S

ENSURE INTEGRATED, ORGANIC, INCLUSIVE DESIGN!

2

1 3

4

3

1 13 12

{INTEGRATION} 11 7 5 2

10 6 8 9

4

3

6

7

5

8

9

10

12

11

13

LET'S BRING CULTURE AND VALUE TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THE STAGE IS SET!

perspective section through 54th street showing garages concealed from street adjacency

IMAGINE DORAL ART WALK...

IMAGINE A VIBRANT, INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY

LET'S LOOK AT PROVEN SUCCESS

CASE STUDY 1 FAT Village, Fort Lauderdale, FL

CASE STUDY 2 Wynwood - Design District.

Miami, FL

South Florida’s apetite for arts and cultural venues is increasing radically, and so is the economy related to the arts. There is a valuable opportunity for the kind of economic and cultural vitality to which areas with highly similar conditions like the Flagler Arts and Technology Village in Fort Lauderdale, the Miami Design District and Wynwood bear witness, and as stakeholders in Doral, we must not miss this opportunity.

The case of Doral is not quite the same as the case of Flagler Village in Fort Lauderdale or Wynwood. Current conditions in Doral are not of urban blight, like it was seen previously in these case studies. There is a clear boundary between the currently-growing Downtown Doral -a project envisioning luxury, mixed usage and vertical growth- to the south and the functioning industrial and semi-commercial warehouses to the north. However, the conditions are given for galleries, community theatres, urban gardens, small foreign movie cinemas, cocktail bars, established university/ college academic studios (architecture, fashion design, arts and crafts, cinematography, graphic design, etc) and other uses of interest to the community to bring culture, cohesion,

organic growth, and sense of place and community to an ongoing impulse to improve the city.

Thanks to these proven precedents, it has become clear that with planning,

industrial and semi-industrial zones are not incompatible with lively neighborhoods and cultural venues friendly to families, businesses and young professionals alike.

INCLUSIVE, SMART DEVELOPMENT

PROGRESSIVE ENGAGEMENT

CURRENT CONDITION

NW 54th STREET

{ISOLATION}

NORTH AS CURRENTLY DESIGNED (GARAGE FACING STREET)

NW 54th STREET

{POSSIBILITIES} NORTH

CURRENTLY DEVELOPER - OWNED LAND

NW 54th STREET

{INCLUSION !} GARAGE *NOT* FACING 54th STREET

NORTH

street

street

LIVE/ WORK RESIDENCES

COMMERCIAL/ SHOWROOMS/ GALLERIES

service alley

street

LIVE/ WORK RESIDENCES parking area service alley parking area

PARKING GARAGE

side street

BUILDING

WE ALREADY HAVE THE GUIDELINES IN PLACE

This initiative takes into account Doral Design District Master plan’s proposed Sub-Districts Plan.

From NW 25th through NW 36th streets, NW 79 avenue is flanked by a multitude of interesting and exciting proposed zones, in tune with recent efforts to revitalize urban zones modeled after recent but proven codes such as Smart Code. These are:

street

side street

side street

CORE SUB-DISTRICT* Calls for residential uses on the upper 2 floors of buildings and commercial uses on the entire ground floor, as well as commercial on the ground floor, offices on the middle floors and residential on the top floors. Also wide sidewalks, ability to extended to allow additional architectural elements and additional landscaping.

VILLAGE SUB-DISTRICT* Allows all uses currently in the City of Doral zoning code, allows residential uses on the upper 2 floors of the building. Will also allow commercial uses on the entire ground floor.

Also wide sidewalks, ability to extended to allow additional architectural elements and additional landscaping.

side street

street

PARKING GARAGE

BUILDING street

TRUCK YARD

truck route

service alley

COMMERCIAL

BUILDING

street

BUILDING side street FLEX SUB-DISTRICT* Calls for “warehouses with an office and/or commercial space. (...) Intended to support the commercial showrooms in the Core Sub-district. Artisan studios may also be housed in this district. Loft style apartments are also be permitted on the upper floor of this district.”

EDGE SUB-DISTRICT* “Located along NW 36th Street and NW 25th Street, represents two arterial corridors that present an opportunity for intense commercial and office uses. The area is also a window into the district.”

*From: Doral Design District Master Plan, City of Doral. August, 2010

note that per these urban revitalization layouts no garage buildings face main or side streets...

CORE SUBDISTRICT

VILLAGE SUB-DISTRICT

FLEX SUBDISTRICT

* EDGE SUB-DISTRICT

NW 54th STREET Downtown Doral (Currently in construction)

NW 79th AVENUE

WE ALREADY HAVE THE GUIDELINES IN PLACE

SUB-DISTRICTS PLAN PER DDD MASTER PLAN and proposed extension

Area of concern (DDD potential extension) Area of Doral Design District Master Plan Doral Design District artery per master plan Doral Design District artery potential extension *From: Doral Design District Master Plan, City of Doral. August, 2010

ANCHOR POINTS PLAN PER DDD MASTER PLAN and proposed extension

Art galleries. Ideal frontage for residen-

tial uses across 54th.

Flex use: Recording

studios Flex use: Cocktail bar Flex use: Entertainment Flex use: Art school studio, professional offices Flex use: Indoor sports (currently in place Point of intersection of arteries. Ideal location for the PCAC (See the city’s Feasibility Study for Performing and/or Cultural Arts Center Project) Would serve as

gateway and threshold between arts district along north side of 54th street and the DDD along 79th

NW 54th STREET Downtown Doral (Currently in construction)

Flex use: Art

avenue.

open mural plaza Flex use: Art school studio, professional offices

Home renovation boutiques Commercial use: Showrooms Commercial use: Furniture store

Commercial use:

Anchor points: Proposed extension of the DDD scope Anchor points from the city’s DDD Master Plan:

"(...)could become a visitor’s welcome center and trolley hub. Visitors would begin here by obtaining information and directions to the district’s attractions and amenities. They could then use the public trolley to travel throughout the District."*

“This anchor represents the district

center located at the intersection of NW

OPEN SPACE LANDSCAPE SPACES BLVDS, PRESERVES, ETC. * EXISTING LAKE*

Area of concern (DDD potential extension) Area of Doral Design District Master Plan Doral Design District artery per master plan Doral Design District artery potential extension

NW 79th AVENUE

33rd Street and NW 79th Avenue. The intersection of vehicular and pedestrian traffic would make this one of the most intensely used areas within the District.”*

"(...)an opportunity for an open-air market. This area of the plan is ideal because it would have lakefront views, as well as NW 79 Avenue frontage. The intended use would be an open-air bazaar for area businesses and artists to show and sell their products. It would also provide much needed open space, especially with the introduction of residential uses into the District.”*

This initiative takes into account Doral Design District Master plan’s proposed anchor points.

From NW 29th through NW 37th streets, NW 79 avenue the city pinpointed sites which could serve as link for points of interest, or “anchor points”. *From: Doral Design District Master Plan, City of Doral. August, 2010

SUB-DISTRICTS PLAN PER DDD MASTER PLAN and proposed extension

This initiative also takes into account Doral Design District Master plan’s proposed Quarters, which are subdivisions which help each area attain a particular identity. The proposed DDD extension adds: QUARTER H: Art and Design Quarter QUARTER F: Young business Quarter

Quarter H

Downtown Doral (Currently in construction)

Quarter F

Quarter F

Area of concern (DDD potential extension) Area of Doral Design District Master Plan Doral Design District artery per master plan Doral Design District artery potential extension *From: Doral Design District Master Plan, City of Doral. August, 2010

LET'S LEARN FROM PROVEN SUCCESS

DESIGN DISTRICT main area

{BARRIER}

STATE ROAD 112

The indisputable success of Wynwood and the Design district grew organically and synchronically, mostly due to their proximity. However, they still face the challenge of straddling two sides of highway 112.

WYNWOOD main area

NW 36th STREET

ART DISTRICT and DORAL DESIGN DISTRICT extension

1

2

a

NW 79th AVENUE

NW 54th STREET

NW 87th AVENUE

LET'S STRENGTHEN EXISTING CONNECTIONS!

Potential DORAL

b

c

DORAL DESIGN

DISTRICT per Master Plan

NW 25th STREET 1 Potential location of Performance Arts Center to serve as venue and architectural gateway and landmark between both districts 2 Potential location of pedestrian bridge to serve as pedestrian

vehicular gateway and landmark between both districts

and

In Doral, the art corridor envisioned in this document may span NW 79 avenue past 36th street, leading to 54 street, 41st street being then a major intersection, but without the walling effects of a major highway.

This traffic corridor could be straddled gracefully with a pedestrian bridge, the likes of those widely utilized in South America or Europe, creating a physical landmark and gateway for the district. The DDD corridor could continue north 79th avenue, as related uses are already there, and connect with the cultural corridor described here. a. Williamsburg bike path bridge b. Hovenring bicycle/motorcycle/pedestrian bridge c. bike path in Oakland, CA

LET'S TAKE THIS LATENT OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL!

STAKEHOLDERS

Downtown Doral Developers - As more interest is generated in the area, more development will be required and positive precedents will be set.

Residents - Plenty of precedents show that a diversified urban experience which is strongly based in quality art is safer, more sustainable and attractive to all segments of the population. This proposal would fulfill the need for art and performance venues within the city.

City of Doral - Increase in tax base and general interest in the city with relatively small invest-

ment, as most of the infrastructure is in place.

Visitors - Number of visitors to Miami art venues increases yearly, and local interest grows exponentially. This makes the intersection of both districts an ideal location for our city’s Performance Arts Center.

Established Business Owners, Young Entrepreneurs - Currently multiple design and

construction related established businesses located on the axis of 79th avenue and 54th street would see their business strengthened.

Industry Owners - Owners of industrial warehouses on the axis of 79th avenue and 54th street may see more interest in their properties as they rent out to artists and galleries. Those wishing to continue their current businesses may do so, as similar areas where usage and zoning combination is encouraged have shown that most industrial, light industrial and residential and mixed use zones can coexist.

Artists - Artists may be encouraged to occupy the area, via various art funds and trusts and offering of currently established low cost space, and the establishment of university or college-linked art and craft studios, (i.e. FAU could have space linked to its programs of art, cinematography, architecture, urban design, fashion, etc.) will encourage graduating students to stay in the city and establish new business. For extra flexibility, the code can be evaluated to allow current warehouses which comply with required codes to allow tenants and owners to reside in their place of business, organically generating a work-live environment which diminishes living costs, overhead costs and commute costs, a valuable incentive for artists.

Students - If college, university or specialized high schools are given studio space in the future

Doral Design and Arts District, they will receive direct benefit from a hands-on urban experience.

Startup Companies, Digital Enterprises - An established extremely important and

ever-growing economy which needs to be given economic priority in Florida. South Florida has plenty of qualities which make young professionals of the digital economy interested, and we must exploit this advantage to diversify our economy. We can be pioneers in this hub of the economy, offering entrepreneurs of the virtual economy a vibrant living and working urban space.

This, added to our geographic location and proximity to major highways, transportation hubs, the beach and other South Florida qualities makes the Doral Design and Arts District a vision to materialize.

it all begins with ensuring downtown doral's integration of properties north of 54th street

THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION !

Jose Daniel Bernal, resident, business owner. jd_bernal@yahoo.com Collaboration: Iuliia Fomina, resident. fomifomifomina@gmail.com

Photo Credits Sheet 1: Google. Image: Landsat. Derivative Sheet 2: Google. Image: Landsat. Derivative Sheet 3: Google. 2015. Derivative Google. Image: Landsat. Derivative Sheet 4: Google. Image: Landsat. Derivative http://www.miami.com/new-world-symphony-wallcasts-article TripAdvisor http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34438-d2219751-Reviews-The_Design_District_Experience-Miami_Florida.html http://www.wynwoodsoccer.com/ http://wynwoodmiami.com/listing_details.php?id=82 http://davidheatwole.weebly.com/blog/selection-of-dj-priest-work-now-at-warehouse-art-gallery-in-luray-va TripaAdvisor <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g34438-d267232-i79997889-Miami_Design_District-Miami_Florida.html#63712181"><img alt="" src="http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/03/cc/2b/b5/design-district.jpg"/></a><br/> http://www.miamiandbeaches.com/places-to-see/design-district http://northtexaskids.com/ntkblog/index.php/cottonwood-arts-festival-may-5-6/ http://www.miamiurbanist.com/page/24/. Derivative http://thewynwoodwalls.com/Restaurants/Wynwood-Kitchen-and-Bar.asp http://www.artplaceamerica.org/articles/wynwood-arts-bid-7/ http://www.andamare.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Miami-Wynwood_-USA_DSC_4002_00239_01_2013.jpg http://www.tropicfl.com/features/apr2_2013-2.html www.lovesfoodandart.com/tag/kashink/feed/ Imagery Google Map data. Google Imagery Google Map data. Google Imagery Google Map data. Google Sheet 5: http://www.wbrcouncil.org/Files/Press/PlanWest_low_res_2011-9-22.pdf Tipton Associates. Derivative Sheet 6: http://www.miamidesigndistrict.net/listing/399/2x4-vortex-2014/ howtofundraise.com.au/fundraiser/outdoor-movie-night/ http://galleryhip.com/wynwood-walls.html http://www.globalgalleryguide.com/b21-gallery-4592. Derivative http://www.miamiandbeaches.com/places-to-see/design-district http://www.artinthecity.com/en/artmap/details/196/?cct=110&ccid=196 Sheet 7: Imagery Google Map data. Google Imagery Google Map data. Google Imagery Google Map data. Google http://cdn.archinect.net/images/1200x/f4/f4epnqrjfip31vof.jpg derivative Sheet 8 Doral Design District Master Plan. City of Doral, Florida. 2010. Derivative Sheet 9 Doral Design District Master Plan. City of Doral, Florida. 2010. Derivative Sheet 10 Doral Design District Master Plan. City of Doral, Florida. 2010. Derivative Sheet 11 Doral Design District Master Plan. City of Doral, Florida. 2010. Derivative Sheet 12 Google. Image: Landsat. Derivative Sheet 13 Google. Image: Landsat. Derivative https://www.facebook.com/oaktribunebuilding http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/10/28/the-hovenring-netherlands_n_4170857.html http://bikeablecommunities.org/2011/08/30/nyc-data-williamsburg-bridge-2600-riders-daily/

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