Where do we fit in with all the changes?
When I posted that "Overheard" post about SapientNitro, I wasn't putting down Sapient, I just thought it was interesting how the girls thought they were the salvation of Coconut Grove. Wish they were.
I don't think taking retail space and turning it into massive office space is the salvation of the Grove; people are in at 9 and out by 5; I wonder if they actually spend any more time than that in the village. I know some do, I'm sure the majority don't.
That would almost be what downtown Miami used to be. For so many years there was never any life downtown after dark, now it's thriving with all the new neighborhoods from the Design District to Wynwood and Midtown. The trend all over the country is urban living now; you know, getting people to move back to the city, having them work and live there. I'm not sure how our little village fits into that. I suppose we are urban. Or not. What are we?
I don't think taking retail space and turning it into massive office space is the salvation of the Grove; people are in at 9 and out by 5; I wonder if they actually spend any more time than that in the village. I know some do, I'm sure the majority don't.
That would almost be what downtown Miami used to be. For so many years there was never any life downtown after dark, now it's thriving with all the new neighborhoods from the Design District to Wynwood and Midtown. The trend all over the country is urban living now; you know, getting people to move back to the city, having them work and live there. I'm not sure how our little village fits into that. I suppose we are urban. Or not. What are we?
posted by Tom Falco at 5:00 AM
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6 Comments:
I like Midtown, Wynwood, and Downtown a lot. The nice thing that sets the Grove apart is the non hustle-bustle atmosphere.
Fresh companies like SapientNitro or Arquitectonica will certainly infuse tangible adrenaline shots into the Grove.
Interesting websites, lots of lucid new people to talk to. They are hanging around. Gotta find a balance between Nature, History, Art, and benevolent new technologies for this village.
Why does the Grove need a label? Don't we live here because it is different from anywhere else? It's when people want the Grove to be something that its not is when the Grove becomes just like everywhere else. It's like people that enter into marriage hoping that the person they marry will change and become what that person wants them to be instead of just loving them the way they are.
It's like the husband that thinks his wife is perfect, but a boob job will make her look so much better. How do those marriages work out? Same with the waterfront. Everyone loves the waterfront, but the developers think it will be so much better with bigger boobs!
TOM
I sat with 8 guys yesterday, Four @ one location & 4 @ another. We all have lived & worked exclusively in the Grove, we're all over 50, some in their 60 & 70's, and all married, property owners vote. After reading this blog my mind searched for a memory where the subject matter turned to "Isn't it great to live in the Grove". Each of us are boaters and our lives are intricately tied to the water, boats, fishing, diving, transport, and no so much connected to the tourist trade, yet it's always been around us. And not a one would consider going to these so called sand bar events nor go out of our way to get down & party, but enjoy our bar-be-que & boating events. I think if I were to ask each and other seasoned Grovites they would all utter something that sounds like carpetbaggers. Most of my neighbors are professions from everywhere & all races & age groups; a banker next door, a lawyer on the other side, 2 investment brokers across the street, a developer on the corner, 2 school teachers, about 10/15 children, dogs, cats, raccoons, possums, squirrels, peacocks, tree lines streets. We are the Grove as are several thousand other folks. The rest, well they're just passing through - carpetbagger mentalities. And I can't remember anyone speaking begrudgingly about them either. JOBIE STEPPE
Tom, Sapient employs a lot of young, creative people who as a demographic like to live in a live/work/walk environment. So does Architectonica. I know a number of people who live walking or cycling distance from Architectonica and work there, and chose the Grove for that proximity. The same will probably happen with Sapient and when it does, if the Grove's commercial sector "gets it," and works to make the Grove a great place to live/work/walk/shop/eat/entertain, the tide will hopefully turn as we have more close-in residents who actually support our local businesses and value being part of a walking community.
Michelle, you comment "Sapient employs a lot of young, creative people" and "if the Grove's commercial sector "gets it" and works to make the Grove a great place to live/work/walk/ship/eat/entertain" and wrap it all in a nice pink ribbon seen through rose colored glasses by writing "as we have more close-in residents who ACTUALLY support our local businesses and value being part of a walking community".
1st off, we Grove residents aren't responsible to ensure the commercial viability of business owners, they are, and they must act intelligent before starting a business only to see it fail due to poor planning.
2'd, There are plenty of us who already live/work/walk/shop/eat/entertain in the Grove, Architectonica employees less than 100 boots and if everyone of them spent, say $100.00, in the Grove weekly they wouldn't get much for their money; not much of a dent in the Grove economy here!
3'd "And value being part of a walking community". Who's going to be the gate keeper on these so called "VALUES" Big Brother, ISIS, CIA, FBI, The Taliban, Idi Amin? It is absurd to think these extremely large corporations and outsiders are going to reposition the Grove to be something other than a sterile environment that caters to a tourist marketplace mentality. Please, for what I see most of us don't need being saved. JOBIE STEPPE
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