It's what the Grove should be
I was at a little shopping village with a bunch of "micro boutiques" in Upper Buena Vista yesterday. It reminded me so much of what Coconut Grove could and should be. It's called a "retail sanctuary."
What's great about it is that they kept the foliage and worked around it. It's shady and cool and a tropical oasis amid the cement that makes up a big part of the rest of that neighborhood.
The little shops surround a 90-year-old banyan tree (very Grove-like) and the small boutiques all flow around a small market area at 50th Street and 2nd Avenue. It was originally little bungalows on one plot of land.
The inter-connected micro boutiques are 500 square feet and smaller and art, fashion and food and drinks co-mingle at the space. Cory Finot's second Café Crème faces the main street, the original Café Crème is in North Miami Beach, I've been to both now, it's a bakery/coffee shop. There is also Kraken Lab, a sushi place; Amazonica, a tropical food and drink place and Vista, an Italian restaurant and rooftop bar.
Wooden walkways tie it all together. There are over-sized pieces of public art strewn around like Mickey Mouse and Pinocchio. Many boutiques fill the space from clothing, art, handmade sandals, sneakers, cabinets, sunglasses and so much more.
Their manifesto says, "This is the place where curious discovery meets thoughtful craftsmanship. An escape from the fast-paced bustle of a growing city reminding you to relax at every turn and breathe." Sort of like all of Coconut Grove used to be. Huh?
So many people are trying to make the Grove into something it isn't. This is what the Grove should be. This is what Florentine Plaza could be, CocoWalk, too, and so many other places in the village. This is what the Grove is.
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18 Comments:
Buena Vista is a nice organically grown neighborhood. There is nothing organic about the Grove anymore. Everyone wants moms and pops but that is not possible when properties are bought and held by institutional money and family trust funds that are not the least bit concerned with the community. Contrarily, I think some of these trust fund families would like to see coffees get even more expensive to skim out the middle class.
Grape, we don't agree on a lot of things. But I totally agree with this post. Developments like this aren't right for every parcel, but they are right for some parcels and it just doesn't seem like developers are thinking creatively--or respectfully to its unique vibe--in the Grove. That said, you know that if someone proposed this in the Grove, someone would be whining about lack of parking and over-development and "they paved over the Cheesecake Factory to put that in!"
Spilled the beans, in no time Michael Comras will drive by and rents will triple.
I love this place !! The rent there is already Outrageous. I hope many people come and make it work.
I love cocountgrove I was a child when my family move away I have always wanted to come back and stay and live it is the most wonderful place to live
It is much needed in the grove. They should take it back to it's charming roots. Miami is getting more and more hectic and less charming. They are losing their locals and I hope they can recreate a calmer environment somewhere.
What I'm talking about here is plain simple normal, not evil harmful nasty human nature, just normal & natural. The Grove has transformed because the forces/mentalities that were, were not a force to be reckoned with. What was necessary to slow progress was a collective genetic coding(s) that allows humans to have a sense of FUTURE. This is not a crime or even the result of stupidity. History has cleanly recorded in books, TV documentaries & word of mouth what takes place when you don't do what is necessary to stop progress, which isn't very easy to do. It may have been impossible to stop the change. BUT, really, we are the Grove, gateway to a most wonderful, beautiful natural creation known as Biscayne Bay - - - - which has a large free anchorage, FREE. Imagine a dozen or so large vessels/houseboats maned by individuals and couples with the correct character to symbolize a community of like minded individuals together with a half dozen or so oarsmen with small dinghies to run back and forth towns people and tourist selling whatever has charm, Grove made charm. A hamburger, a hot dog, a beer, a straw hat, Grove T-Shirts, sunglasses, lobster, fish, crab, beach chairs on their decks, watch the sun rise or watch the sun set. This would not be expensive, this would not be hard and this certainly does not have to be made complicated. Word of such a community would spread like a California wild fire. Imagine 100 Jamaican Paul's!? Hell, smoke some pot. It's just about legal now, right? Dare to imagine. Hell, I have two great small boats I'd throw into the pop for FREE. In other words, do look back, look forward, use what we have, think out of the box. Jobie Steppe
P.S. This place in Upper Buena Vista is a most pleasant environment, which I have visited. Hold that thought. If you go to the center of Wynwood you will find a ton of people, mostly bused in from I don't know where, perhaps tourist from S. Beach. You'll see graffiti art all the way from down town Miami to about 54th street coming off every single building for blocks and blocks East & West. The graffiti is very, very good, super, almost exciting. NO ONE IS SPENDING A DIME. All this stuff, although wonderful, and beautiful worldwide leaves many people longing for something different. We must think out of the box. Jobie Steppe
Take a chill pill Jobie.you sound crazier than ever.The Grove was destroyed in the name of greed and is about to get worse :(
Nay-sayer Anon 1:01 The Grove is not destroyed. No bomb has gone off, aliens have not landed, earth is not standing still, there's no virus going around. Your one of the few exposing delusional dismal cataclysmic destruction. Jobie sees new blood, new families, growth, potential, possibilities, opportunity, and your a nameless, fearful lifeless anon. Don't be afraid, seize the moment, stand up, straighten your back, get out here and do somethin, there's a whole world out here!?
One reality about Coconut Grove is that it has become only a brand. The Grove being sold today with residential high rises, offices and white boxy houses would be unrecognizable and impossible to sell a generation ago.
I also agree with anon 1:01
R.i.p Coconut Grove
Developers must possess CONCEPT OF FUTURE. They are educated professionals who have spent their time and money to grasp the future, to get it right so as not to lose their wealth and power. This isn't close to greed and evil. The new Grove will involve politicians, money & wealth. All communities everywhere, from the North Pole to the South Pole need and want prosperity and many work timeously to achieve prosperity for their citizens. Not every developers or politician, but the majority try to create prosperity for themselves and their constituents & fellow citizens. If the citizens lose the developers loses. The old days of downtown Grove, of cocaine cowboys, booze and marijuana are gone forever. I remember in late 1998 to early 2000 going downtown on weekends seeing cars backed up to 37th Avenue, U.S #1, down Tiger tail and Bayshore. Cars and trucks full of youthful and middle aged hooligans, everyone yelling and screaming. Loud music spreading out across the entire Grove rattling windows making sleep impossible. Change is afoot and I'm wagering my home and my art that they are going to get this right. Many Groveites are going to rise with this rising tide. Jobie Steppe
Jobie, have you heard of the idea of over educated? How about the well connected, privileged, entitled and inherited money? Almost everyone you believe was anointed to design our future is also destroying egalitarianism, democracy, the market and the planet.
How did you get from development and renovations in Coconut Grove to egalitarianism?
I learned about 35/40 years ago about 50,000,000 million children died annually in sub-Sahara Africa due to a 10 cent packet of salt & sugar and a pint of water, to avoid diarrhea, and that realization shook me to the core, so I became a lobbyist child advocate. After a year in college I came face to face with the history of human nature, war and civilizations, and the Rise & Fall of Civilizations. Now, back to gentrification (Development & Construction) in Coconut Grove and our future. I believe, over-all, the powers that be, government & developers overseeing Grove development, will, to protect their own interest will do everything possible to make the Grove a better place for its residents & business, otherwise it's just self-destructive and that will make them stupid. Mean while just take care of yourself to the best of your capacity. Don't just complain, do something useful. Jobie Steppe
How are you able not to connect the idea of destroying egalitarianism to gentrification when you used the two words in your very comment?????? Don't tell others not to voice their opinions please, complaining is the most peaceful form of opposition and I don't know what you mean by "do something useful"!!!!
Well, there's complaining and then there's complaining. Plus, you quoted me incorrectly, I did not say "not to voice their opinions". I said "Don't just complaint, do something useful". And, you were able to voice your "egalitarianism" in the Grape, were you not? I sure as hell didn't stop U, right? Nazi's complained about Jews and Communism, presto 50 to 100,000,000 dead in a heart beat. Stalin complained about something, I'm not sure, something relating to his delusional paranoid schizophrenia, presto somewhere between 20 to 50,000,000 dead. Genghis Khan complained about Europe and millions dead, and the Jews complained about Jesus. Google: "How to protect yourself against constant complainers" So, when I comment "Don't just complain, do something about it" I'm actually attempting to motivate you to try and figure out how to help everyone; the politicians, the developers, Groveites and more importantly yourself. Please THINK. Can you imagine a world history that did not include the NAZI's complaining about Jews!? What insight can you bring to bear against politicians, so called greedy developers, gentrification or even save the Coconut Grove Playhouse. Don't just complain, do something, THINK. And then possibly practice egalitarianism. Sincerely, good luck and THINK. Jobie Steppe
Some of the individuals and groups you mention were not exactly complaining they were doing something infinitely evil. Glad you are free to complain here about compliners.
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