I had an interesting talk with the neighbors
While I was at Mrs. Brown's house, I got to speak with a few of the neighbors from Florida Avenue. I asked them about the proposed Grand Avenue project, not too far from them.
You would think that being blocks away, they would be for it, but it seems the would rather have more of the Rebuilding Together crew fix up the neighborhood, than have a strange developer come in and knock down their history.
They do like the idea of a Publix or Trader Joe's being built, they feel Milam's is ripping them off and they would appreciate the lower prices that the other two stores could offer. Also, they like the idea of new jobs coming into the area. They don't like the thought of major construction projects, especially blocks and blocks of it. A few resent all the high rises they see in the distance now.
They don't trust anything developers say and they don't understand the point of displacing so many people. This is their home, why uproot them to line the pockets of strangers with no ties to the neighborhood? The people being displaced want to stay in the neighborhood, not end up someplace like Florida City, where the nearest "affordable housing" seems to be. The people being displaced are being displaced for the benefit of whom? The builders and the remaining neighbors?
They feel that the people being displaced are "taking a bullet" for the rest of the neighborhood and especially the developers. Imagine if you were told that you have to move out, vacate and move far away. No more Grove for you, go enjoy another part of the county as your home. Think about it.
One neighbor told me that he could look up and see sky when he was younger, now he sees the green roofs of the Ritz Carlton and other high rises in the distance. He said that he has lived in the Grove his whole life and would prefer that his Village West neighborhood be left alone, other than the refurbishing jobs that Building Together is doing.
I found my talk with them quite interesting. Maybe the people voting on the project, like the zoning and planning board and city commissioners (not the developers), should walk around the neighborhood one day and chat up the neighbors and see what they really think.
Many of the neighborhood people don't come to the city meetings, they are afraid of speaking up, but I do think they need to be heard.
You would think that being blocks away, they would be for it, but it seems the would rather have more of the Rebuilding Together crew fix up the neighborhood, than have a strange developer come in and knock down their history.
They do like the idea of a Publix or Trader Joe's being built, they feel Milam's is ripping them off and they would appreciate the lower prices that the other two stores could offer. Also, they like the idea of new jobs coming into the area. They don't like the thought of major construction projects, especially blocks and blocks of it. A few resent all the high rises they see in the distance now.
They don't trust anything developers say and they don't understand the point of displacing so many people. This is their home, why uproot them to line the pockets of strangers with no ties to the neighborhood? The people being displaced want to stay in the neighborhood, not end up someplace like Florida City, where the nearest "affordable housing" seems to be. The people being displaced are being displaced for the benefit of whom? The builders and the remaining neighbors?
They feel that the people being displaced are "taking a bullet" for the rest of the neighborhood and especially the developers. Imagine if you were told that you have to move out, vacate and move far away. No more Grove for you, go enjoy another part of the county as your home. Think about it.
One neighbor told me that he could look up and see sky when he was younger, now he sees the green roofs of the Ritz Carlton and other high rises in the distance. He said that he has lived in the Grove his whole life and would prefer that his Village West neighborhood be left alone, other than the refurbishing jobs that Building Together is doing.
I found my talk with them quite interesting. Maybe the people voting on the project, like the zoning and planning board and city commissioners (not the developers), should walk around the neighborhood one day and chat up the neighbors and see what they really think.
Many of the neighborhood people don't come to the city meetings, they are afraid of speaking up, but I do think they need to be heard.
posted by Tom Falco at 12:23 PM
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15 Comments:
Good job by Grapevine by expressing the views of the residents..... As native to the Grove, I also miss the village atmosphere.....However, buildings or no buildings, the Grove is still the best spot in Miami.....Unfortunately, our city government is very developer-friendly and that's not changing.
Displacing people is never an easy subject. Time changes though and, unless youre in a rural area, the landscape changes too. It has to adapt in order to accommodate a growing population. In some cases, its unfortunate but necessary. You have to remember that the Grove is part of the CITY of Miami. As the city grows, so will its components.
I dont like the highrise business any more than the next guy. In fact, I was just thinking to myself yesterday how strange it is to ride north on Day Ave and see the Grovenor House in the background now. But these things eventually have to happen I guess so I just deal with it.
Sounds like your conversation uncovered some likes and dislikes with the new project and it seems to be split with both. Sure the people in West Grove might be "taking a bullet" (boy, thats some heavy irony...) but the neighborhood needs improvement and fixing up dilapidated houses is only a band-aid, not a permanent fix. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
High-density high-rises (and the communities that grow around them) are a big part of the answer to our society's energy consumption. When many people live on top of each other, and on top of retail and commercial space, they are less likely to need to drive to work/to shop. Less congestion on the roads = more efficient commuting = more production in the local economy. Also = less carbon emissions.
I wish it weren't so, but places like the Grove simply can't be left alone as sprawled out residential neighborhoods. There are way too many people in this region to spread them further west or south in single-family house farms. The only option is to build straight up. Especially in places so close to downtown Miami.
There are ways to responsibly develop high-density areas (green space, mixed-income housing), but Village West being "left alone" is not a sustainable option.
If someone really can't stand the direction things are moving, I would suggest they look into relocating to a place like St. Lucie County (of course, they will probably go through the same growing pains eventually).
People don't want to be thrown out of their homes, you want them to move to St. Lucie County?
The neighbors are worried about being priced out of their own neighborhoods, they aren't against redevelopment per se.
There's more to the West Grove than Grand Avenue. There's plenty of opportunities for relocaton within the West Grove. This development can be a catalyst for economic prosperity. Is it a bad thing if people's property values rise in this neighborhood... after they've been stagnated for decades?
where is all this "growth" coming from? last i heard more people were leaving florida everyday than coming. i don't even want to know the dade county figures.
I agree, it is great to see some views from West Grove residents that are often lost in the noise.
I am pretty ignorant to the practicalities of "gentrification." For example, is it really as harsh as being "thrown out of their homes." Do the development agencies at least attempt to reach a mutually beneficial agreement wherein the current inhabitants are "enticed" to relocate through incentive programs?
In court, you sound as if you were leading the witness. I don't know, but it is kind of funny how "they" expressed your points one by one, down to the Trader Joe's, a supermarket that is for all intent and purposes, unknown in this area.
On the one hand it is sad that they are going to be displaced. That's almost a mathematical certainty. Grand Avenue stands in the middle of a great real estate oasis... the fastest connection between Grove and US1; minutes, literally, from the affluent Pinecrest, Gables, Grove, Sunset and South Miami areas.
On the other hand, I really think that a Lincoln-road-type development, with mixed use condos, stores, restaurants and offices would do real good in that area.
Because (at least, I don't think) the area would support luxury luxury restaurants, it seems almost inevitable that many of us, middle and upper middle class, would find a good deal of variety there (as we do along Sunset) and condos in the area won't be way high, the market will surely take care of that.
I am convinced many people react in a knee-jerk reaction to anything that says "development" or even "new" but that is the only way many of us get ahead in the world: effecting change.
George Bernard Shaw, who was a witty son of a bitch, said that "a reasonable man adapts himself to the world. An unreasonable man adapts the wolrd to himself. Therefore, all progress must come from unreasonable men"
Some of you people are unreal. It may look like a ghetto to you, but it is home to some of us. We love the Grove and don't need to be relocated to other parts of the City or county.
And us ghetto-dwellers know Trader Joe's, we do leave the hood every once in awhile. We've been on those shiney flying machines and seen other stores and cities.
Maybe this developer could build smaller apartments that can be rented out for less money - maybe that way some of the present residents might - just might - be able to stay in place. He might consider starting off slow and building gradually so people have a chance to adjust to it rather than come in and scoop up 6 blocks all at once.
maybe the residents of Grand Av will finally make buck for that relocation and go to government run housing, which is not bad idea. Its maybe harsh to say but not to many people on grand have legal jobs 9-5 and I can imagine with this republican induced economy disaster must be even harder for low income people to survive.
For the city, the bottom line is not which store is where or relocation of families. It's all about the taxes that they collect. Tearing down affordable housing and building commercial areas increase the taxes. As that area becomes more "desirable", offers will be made on area homes, and when the deal is made, the taxes that the city collects will increase. It's not only in the west grove, but in the entire grove. I feel ripped off by the amount of taxes I pay in the south grove, but my neighbor in his McMansion pays 2 1/2 times the taxes that I pay. So what motivation does the city have to stop a McMansion from being built on my property? None. In fact, that's what they want. More money, more money, more money. The city knows that there are homeowners in the West Grove with yearly tax bills of less than $1000. That is not enough for them. They want the homesteaders out so that assessed values will go up then they can collect more money.
Until we address the issue of the unfair way we are taxed in this state for our properties, the city will continue to promote development. Please pay attention to what is happening on the state level. This issue is currently under discussion and we all need to pay attention.
One more thing about the tax situation. If we had a state income tax rather than a property tax, our local governments would be more concerned over job creation than land development.
some wealthy people, like many here in Miami, also do not have legal jobs. Ha, how about that?!!
DO PEOPLE REALLY ONLY WANT THINGS TO STAY THE SAME? WHAT IS SO NICE ABOUT GRAND AVE ? IT'S AN EYESORE.IT'S UGLY AND RUN DOWN IT DOES NOT FIT WITH THE REST OF THE GROVE. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THAT STREET DEVELOPED
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