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Delivering his first State of the City Address on Sept. 23, Coral Gables Mayor Vincent Lago recounted the city’s recent accomplishments and laid out plans to move the city in new directions as part of a “Reimaged Coral Gables” initiative.
“Reimagining entails exploring and celebrating change to put in place strategies that will enable our city to stay ahead of the curve in meeting the demands of the 21st Century,” said Lago, who marked his fifth month in office following his April election.
“One way we are reimagining our city is through technology, a place where we really shine,” he said citing numerous city initiatives driven by technological advances.
These include installing the first integrated, artificial intelligence-powered Smart City Pole project in the U.S. Located on Alhambra Circle, this innovative device is equipped with safety cameras, public WiFi, traffic and environmental sensors designed to provide cutting-edge data analysis that will improve city planning, public safety, traffic management and emergency service.
Technology also is driving customer service improvements including online applications to file and check the status of permit applications. Now in the design phase, a new Mobility Hub will utilize technologies to improve the city’s traffic flow, operate the popular free and shared ride services and provide smart parking options to eliminate motorists’ hunt for parking spaces. Envisioning a future with more electric vehicles, 20 percent of new parking spaces are being outfitted with charging stations.
Speaking to a group of civic and business leaders, Lago explained how numerous projects, already in the works, align with “Reimagining Coral Gables.” These include:
• A greener city. Coral Gables is known worldwide for its Mediterranean design, iconic architecture, and tree canopy, but a reimagined city calls for more greenery with more trees, open spaces and parks. Lago said that during the past two years the city opened five new neighborhood parks and in the coming year will begin construction of two others. Plans are underway for the city’s first dog park as part of the Underline at the Gables Metrorail station. A reimagined future, Lago said, means residents and visitors can enjoy a park or open space within a 10-minute walk of any place in the city.
• Coral Gables Central Business District. Lago said Downtown Gables continues to evolve as a dynamic sector of the city, home to lively establishments with outdoor seating and entertainment including a craft beer brewery and its first rooftop restaurant. He said reimagining Downtown means more cultural events — music, art, theater venues. Lago has proposed creating Farmers and Crafts market in the North Ponce de Leon neighborhood.
• Sustainability and climate resiliency. The impacts of climate change are underscored by recent extreme weather across the globe. Coral Gables coastal neighborhoods must be protected from sea level rise, Lago said. He noted that geographical assessments of vulnerable areas are now underway. The city has allocated more than $6 million to a sea level rise mitigation fund and expects to set aside $100 million by 2040.
Other actions to protect the environment include: the new state-of-the-art public safety building constructed to environmentally friendly LEED Silver Green Construction standards; the city now requires that future buildings (larger than 20,000 square feet) be built to LEED standards to ensure energy and water efficiency along with additional resiliency and sustainability measures; Green Business Certification has certified seven businesses including the city’s largest employer, the University of Miami.
To incentivize residents to adopt environmentally friendly measures, under a program sponsored by the mayor, all permit fees for solar installations and other energy and water efficiency projects are waived. The city now has 11 solar-powered charging benches in local parks. Residents and visitors can charge their electronic devices in these public spaces year-round, an asset during hurricane emergencies when electrical power is down.
The Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce hosted this year’s annual State of the City Address at the Biltmore Hotel.
Concluding his remarks, Lago complimented the chamber leaders and said he hopes the city will continue to work in close collaboration with them for an even brighter more prosperous future.
“As has been often said, the best way to predict the future is to create it,” Lago said. “So, let’s create it together.”
