Here Are the Plans for Green City, "Eco-Friendly" Development That Would Move UDB

Green City is an ambitious plan to create 860-acres of much needed state-of-the-art but affordable eco-friendly development. The catch? It would be built outside of the county's Urban Development Boundary and creeps up into the Everglades. A genuine plan or a green-washed Trojan Horse meant to spur development past the UDB? 

Take a look for yourself. The Next Miami has dug up the proposal.

It would be built upon an area of land near West Kendall that sits west of Southwest 167th Avenue and north of 88th Street. It's currently used mostly to grow tomatoes, and the UDB forbids it be developed further without a supermajority vote from the county commission. The major land owners are the Cardoba family of Key Biscayne, but the Miami Herald points out that the Miccosukee time-owns some of the land as well. 

The proposal calls for a densely packed development that hopes to absorb 25,000 people, many of them with jobs on the premises. That plan includes 11,401 residential homes (some of which would be set aside for affordable housing), 1.36 million square feet of retail, 925,000 square feet of office space, 350,000 square feet of industrial space as well as areas for government and education. The plan also includes 660 hotel rooms. 

Economically, the city would be centered around a "sports and wellness" district that would be a destination for the training and rehabilitation of athletes. That plan calls for a small "training stadium" and practice field, a sports museum, a convention center, a farmer's market, and a sports medicine center.   The plan also calls for all the amenities needed for modern living on site: shopping, a grocery store, department store, coffeehouses, a movie theater, restaurant boutique, etc. 

The idea is that residents wouldn't need to commute into Miami's urban core very often, thus alleviating highway congestion. Green City also hopes to have its own streetcar system, and a transport hub where residents could catch buses into the city. Parking garages would be hidden behind buildings. 

Renewable energy sources, water harvesting and even some food cultivation would take place on site as well. 

It's an ambitious plan for sure, but one environmental activists are already trying to beat back because it rests beyond the UDB. Though, the area is earmarked for potential growth after 2020, as of earlier this year Mayor Carlos Gimenez is said not to be too hot on the project. Regardless, the proposal will come up before the commission later this year. 

greencity by None None None