Reclaiming the Village of Coconut Grove
Lets reclaim the Grove back.
1) More art on the streets
2) Art literally painted on the sidewalks
3) Musicians on the streets (yes a guy with a money bucket)
4) Flower carts in central Grove
5) Peacocks stay, whiners move
6) Bikes allowed to lock up anywhere, any light pole, encourage people
going green, don't discourage it
7) The black booths removed (they serve no purpose)
8) The security guys at CocoWalk removed, they are bullies
9) Spread some of the kiosks from Mayfair around the Grove
10) Not let the "malls" in the area call the shots
11) Not let the politicians call the shots -- let the residents decide
12) Put up the M*A*S*H signs immediately
13) Let people be if they are not harming anyone else
14) Free parking, no meters. They do that southwest Florida (Coral
Gables does it on Sundays)
15) Get the City out of our business
16) Secede from the City of Miami, be our own Village
Can you think of more things we need to make the Grove Grove-y again?
1) More art on the streets
2) Art literally painted on the sidewalks
3) Musicians on the streets (yes a guy with a money bucket)
4) Flower carts in central Grove
5) Peacocks stay, whiners move
6) Bikes allowed to lock up anywhere, any light pole, encourage people
going green, don't discourage it
7) The black booths removed (they serve no purpose)
8) The security guys at CocoWalk removed, they are bullies
9) Spread some of the kiosks from Mayfair around the Grove
10) Not let the "malls" in the area call the shots
11) Not let the politicians call the shots -- let the residents decide
12) Put up the M*A*S*H signs immediately
13) Let people be if they are not harming anyone else
14) Free parking, no meters. They do that southwest Florida (Coral
Gables does it on Sundays)
15) Get the City out of our business
16) Secede from the City of Miami, be our own Village
Can you think of more things we need to make the Grove Grove-y again?
posted by Tom Falco at 11:15 AM
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21 Comments:
Bring back the 5am closing!
I Agree. Bring back the 5am closings!!!
All good ideas,,,, a few more:
- Improve the lighting in certain areas for runners and bikers (down main St, Douglass, 72nd, Old Cutler,next to Kennedy Park, etc, etc.
- Fix many holes and pavement irregularities on side walks and right side of streets for pedestrians, bikes, runners, sames areas anyone who lives here, walks bikes or runs knows.
- Complete decent bike paths all over the Grove, where at all possible without hampering car traffic.
- More drinking fountains (Only one accross Plymouth Church, then the park down at Sunrise Av, Peacock only 1, then nothing until Alicia Wainwright park, nothing much in Old Cutler (for pedestrians and runners, can't stand those little bottles around the waist..)
- All bars open until daylight.
- The security guards at Cocowalk should be relocated to Kennedy park just to ensure strict laws on Dog poopie pick-up are enforced.
Can anyone explain to me what is the PURPOSE of that red light on Mc Farlaine by the bogus parking lot, before the curve?? Close that parking lot (or others which are overpriced and usually empty, put bike racks instead, bike rental place or anything else)
- More public events at the parks, Kennedy/Peacock/Barnacle (free admission or cheap) concerts, plays, orchid shows, kite tournaments, kayak races, whatever
- A fishing Pier, small boat rentals, fishing facilities, little pier outbound to the bay? in one of the little islands out in front of the Fresh market, Dinner Key or elsewhere
Carlos I.
I'm very interested in helping and turning your manifesto into a reality. I propose that we set an open meeting to Take Back the Grove.
I was very involved in a similar group in my old neighborhood, which after 30 years has gained significant political strength and has done excellent things for the neighborhood.
If you're interested an organizing, shoot me an email.
You didn't leave your email address Matthew.
Move City Hall to Downtown Miami where there are plenty of problems that require attention.
Turn the old Pan Am Airport buildings into something more useful to Coconut Grove residence and visitors.
A. Coconut Grove Museum
B. Art Galleries
C. Community Recreational Center
D. Wonderful Restaurant with live music
E. Farmers Market, fruit, vegetables, flowers
Harry Emilio Gottlieb
@meghan mheitzenroder [at] gmail [dot] com
Did you know there is a direct correlation between how many people you know within 15 minutes walk of your house – and the crime level. The more people you know – the lower the crime rate.
Open meeting sounds good
I strongly agree with #3, 4 (replace black shacks w/ this), 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 (which is same as 11 kinda), and 16. These are all great ideas.
I dont see the need for more art because there seems like there are tons of art galleries already but maybe thats just me. Putting the security guards from Cocowalk on "poo patrol" was a good suggestion and funny. But Cocowalk needs security even if a hot summers day in the Grove sometimes tends to smell like a giant dog turd. You also cant tell Cocowalk what businesses to put in there but whether you go or not will certainly effect their decision making.
Can you think of more things we need to make the Grove Grove-y again?
I think taking the focus away from Cocowalk and putting it more on areas like Commodore Plaza would be a wise start. Corporate America doesnt run Commodore Plaza.
That or weed. Lots and lots of weed.
Fabulous ideas! I am willing to help! How about a Take the Grove Back Picnic? or Open Market what ever you want to name it but the idea is all together in one spot showing what we do best. The shops come out and show their stuff the residents come out and buy from these shops. In this Picnic we can have an Open Mic Day/Night....Music and laughter.
The most attractive and best pedestrian friendly street on South Beach is Espanola Way.
It is located on 14th ST and Washington.
It also happens to be the street with the most European flavor, outdoor cafés, artsy, charm and entertainment.
It attracts the most well traveled and eclectic of the community and visitors.
They even offer valet parking at the end of the street, if you cant find a meter near by.
Perhaps Commodore Plaza could emulate Espanola by closing off the street to cars.
If that works well, then we may also wish to consider doing the same with Fuller ST.
Harry Emilio Gottlieb
Free parking would never work since no one would ever park in a garage if the street parking was free. In other words all the street spots would be permanently full. For it to be free you would have to institute some kind of time limit. Free for first 30 minutes might work.
1- Bring back 5am liquor
2- Allow marijuana cafes like Amsterdam
3- Allow artists to sell work on street
We need a Coconut Grove Community/Youth/Senior Center especially where City hall is or better where the Coconut Grove Expo Center is!!!!! Including a gym. Like every other community has Coral Gables, Pinecrest, Key Biscayne etc...Maybe Burn Notice can stay then?
Here's one you missed but it upset me when I first saw it, The Giant FootLocker type light up store signs you can see from too far away. They really take away that
"Village" feel.
A Ticket Blitz on Morons with those ground shaking carstereos would be nice too.
This can be done.
Ignore the naysayers who claim "It already has been tried".
There was no Grapevine way back then!
For those of you interested in organizing per the post and having an open meeting, I've started a free and open network for all to join.
Please join here:
http://grovetakeback.ning.com/
Tell your friends, tell your neighbors. Let's get this together.
Save the Expo Center for filming, put a community center in part of it for kids and seniors, get the homeless out of Myers Pk, get residential parking in the business district, get Fresh Market to put in a small outdoor cafe, remove the mangroves in Peacock Park so we can see the bay, put real police officers in the kiosks, get Code Enforcement back into the Net office and out there driving around and finding violations so residents don't have to report them, and make sure every tree trimmer that comes into the Grove is licensed and insured and knows the law about cutting and removing trees.
Make the Grove pedestrian friendly. That will help make town feel more accessible.
here's a thought - let's paint the grove green. make it the most eco-friendly community in florida. it's an easy & understandable way to package a lot of the changes everybody here is suggesting. and it will provide a mission statement by which decisions can be made, effectively, and without unnecessary qualitative judgments. (which idea is better for the planet, x or y? x? ok, we'll go with x then.) and i bet the process of making the grove green, i.e, sustainable and with a minimal footprint (carbon or otherwise), will return to it much of its essential and former grove-ness.
and man o man, the media will eat it up.
All good ideas especially removing the view blocking mangroves in the park. What a waste. no other city would deprive itself of that view. I for one want a general return to the roots of the grove that hippie/beatnik vibe, and freedom to ride bikes and skateboards, and such. Enough of this selling the grove out, we already have a gables, sunset and Miami Beach, the grove needs to be it's own thing. open air lounges and bars, open container laws in the street, and police that are directed by and for the residents. These city cops could care less about what we want and what we need done.
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