(Photo by Scott McIntyre)
Van Alen Institute and the City of Miami recently announced the release of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the climate-adaptive redesign of Jose Marti Park, a popular 13-acre public facility on the Miami River in the East Little Havana neighborhood.
Van Alen’s introduction of climate adaptation to the project scope solidified the city’s commitment of $940,000 to the budget for the early phases of the redesign. The Jose Marti Park project is part of Keeping Current: A Sea Level Rise Challenge for Greater Miami, Van Alen’s multi-year inquiry into how cities and communities can use design as a catalyst for adapting to climate change.
“This is the kind of project that highlights Miami’s strengths,” Mayor Francis Suarez said.
“We have a strong and engaged community with new ideas that bring people together to face our challenges as a city,”Suarez added.
“By involving the people who live here in the design process and incorporating resilience, this project will both protect and engage people as it showcases creative design strategies,” said Jessica Lax, Van Alen Institute’s director of Strategic Initiatives.
“The City of Miami is in the unique position to lead by example as many communities around the world prepare to tackle environmental issues,” said city manager Emilio Gonzalez.
“As a global city, we are opening up this competition to the international design community to be sure to attract the best expertise to the opportunity before us,” Gonzalez added.
“At sea level, alongside a river, and subject to flooding on a regular basis, Jose Marti Park can become the model for the adaptive waterfront park of the future,” said Jane Gilbert, the city’s chief resilience officer.
Gilbert is playing a crucial role in working closely with the community and Van Alen to ensure that the solution strategies will help the city serve the present and future needs of its diverse residents while making the city more sustainable, resilient, and attractive.
“We’re delighted to have Van Alen Institute and the city working with us to bring the local people into the process,” said Madelyn R. Llanes, director of Centro Mater Childcare Center in Little Havana. “Together we can make sure this is our park for our people and reflects our creativity and diversity.”
Jose Marti Park is a hub of activity for Little Havana, the Miami River waterfront area, and other adjacent communities, many of which are low income. With a host of amenities, including a riverwalk, community center, baseball field, playground, swimming pool, outdoor fitness equipment, and basketball complex, the park is often bustling with activity. Yet the park experiences flooding from both the Miami River during high tides and from rainstorms due to its topography and lack of drainage features.
For these reasons, the park is emblematic of the challenges that river conditions present to communities throughout the South Florida region and other low-lying coastal areas.
A portion of the park also lies in the shadow of an I-95 overpass and presents an opportunity to demonstrate how public spaces in underpass areas can be better utilized to serve the community.
