Future of Little Havana under microscope

OUTSTANDING COVERAGE OF PLUSURBIA DESIGN'S WORK
WRITTEN BY SUSAN DANSEYAR OF MIAMI TODAY

Over 100 people gave their opinions last week on what they like about Little Havana and how they want it to develop moving forward.

A number of stakeholders came to Miami Senior High School on Saturday for the first of three community meetings dedicated to Little Havana.

Plusurbia – in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Dade Heritage Trust and Live Healthy Little Havana – invited anyone with interest in the neighborhood to share thoughts on a long-term plan for the community’s healthy future while protecting its history and heritage.

In January, the National Trust for Historic Preservation declared the neighborhood a “national treasure.”

During a ceremony in the Manuel Artime Theatre, where the announcement was made, Plusurbia principal Juan Mullerat said his architectural and urban design firm headquartered in Coconut Grove, along with its partners, would be launching a long-term planning process to work with neighborhood residents, civic leaders and others to steer the community forward with its past intact.

The first meeting was Saturday, March 11. The next two are to be in April and May on dates to be announced.

Seated at tables wearing tags with just their first names, people from all walks of life talked about their concerns, hopes and love for the historic community.
Called “Little Havana, ME IMPORTA,” the meeting began with a welcome from a woman who’s working with a residential group in the community.

She introduced Mr. Mullerat. “We needed a local to lead us,” Mr. Mullerat said.

“Little Havana is a very special place. The National Trust for Historic Preservation is the largest advocacy group within the nation with a focus on advocacy for neighborhoods which like to restore old buildings.”

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CRUCIAL PUBLIC PLANNING WORKSHOP TODAY

Come to the meeting starting at 10 a.m. Saturday March 11.

At Miami Senior High, 2450 SW 1st Street

Free lunch!

http://plusurbia.com/little-havana-me-importa/

PROTECT AND ENHANCE ALL THAT IS AUTHENTIC AND HISTORIC IN LITTLE HAVANA

Visit this Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/Little-Havana-Me-Importa-1441387345872863/

Come to the meeting starting at 10 a.m. Saturday March 11.

At Miami Senior High, 2450 SW 1st Street

WELCOME, LITTLE HAVANA:

MIAMI’S NEWEST NATIONAL TREASURE

By Jeana Wiser / National Trust for Historic Preservation

    

The sensory experience of walking the streets of Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood is unforgettable. 

The layered histories, the rich cultural expression, and the colorful architecture underscore the importance of this unique neighborhood.

I am proud to say that the National Trust added historic Little Havana to our growing portfolio of National Treasures in January 2017. 

Not only is the historic neighborhood a new National Treasure but it is also an excellent example of our recent thinking about ReUrbanism. 

We are very proud to be working alongside strong partners in Little Havana to ensure that it remains thriving, healthy, and livable.

Unveiling a National Treasure

On January 27, we launched the Little Havana National Treasure campaign with a morning press event that included remarks from Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado, City Commissioners Frank Carollo and Francis Suarez, Dade Heritage Trust’s Chris Rupp, PlusUrbia Design’s Juan Mullerat, local developer Bill Fuller, and the National Trust’s President and CEO Stephanie Meeks.

Planning in Little Havana

The National Trust is now beginning a neighborhood master planning process, in partnership with PlusUrbia Design, Dade Heritage Trust and Live Healthy Little Havana. 

We will co-convene public workshops, thematic and targeted focus groups, and continued one-on-one conversations with key stakeholders to gather more public input and information. 

The process of planning a healthy and vibrant future for this historic neighborhood will leverage the expertise and capacities of the National Trust. 

We will continue to use mapping and Preservation Green Lab analysis to inform the planning and outreach processes. 

We also intend to promote a broad range of tools to:

Facilitate the rehabilitation and reuse of older and historic buildings;

Enable the design and construction of contextual new buildings; and

Strike a balance between the reuse of the older building stock and smart, contextual new development.

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LITTLE HAVANA COMMUNITY WORKSHOP -- ALL ARE WELCOME

LITTLE HAVANA ME IMPORTA

PROUD TO BE PART OF THE PLUSURBIA DESIGN TEAM WORKING WITH NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PLACES, LIVE HEALTHY LITTLE HAVANA AND DADE HERITAGE TRUST TO LAUNCH THE LANDMARK EFFORT FOR THE PEOPLE OF LITTLE HAVANA.

PLUS URBIA DESIGN MENTIONED ON CNN

PROUD TO BE PART OF NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PLACES
TEAM PRESERVING AND ENHANCING LITTLE HAVANA

(CNN)Little Havana: It's the Miami neighborhood whose name conjures up so much.

It's where politicians of every stripe have gone for decades to condemn the Cuban government and secure the Cuban-American vote. It's where people danced in the street after former Cuban leader Fidel Castro died on November 25.

When waves of Cubans fled their homeland after the 1959 revolution and in the decades that followed, many headed to the neighborhood that is still the emotional center of Miami's Cuban community. It's also home to a growing number of immigrants from other parts of the Americas.

Even though many Cubans and their descendants spread out across South Florida and beyond, Little Havana has remained the heart of Cuba in exile, where café con leche and cigars still abound.

Now, it's officially a national treasure.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation made the declaration Friday in partnership with Dade Heritage Trust, Live Healthy Little Havana and PlusUrbia Design.

"Little Havana is a symbol of the immigrant experience in America and a thriving, entirely unique place that thousands of people currently call home," said Stephanie Meeks, the nonprofit's president and CEO.

"The National Trust welcomes the urban resurgence that is breathing new life into cities across the country, but we also believe that growth should not come at the expense of the vibrant historic neighborhoods like Little Havana that make cities unique and desirable places.

"As we work to preserve and celebrate Little Havana, we want to make sure it remains a healthy, vital and affordable urban neighborhood." 

With the declaration, the National Trust is launching a long-term planning process that seeks to work with local residents and partners to protect the community of Little Havana while planning for its future. 

"This historic designation enshrines the diverse culture and history of Little Havana," said Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado. "Little Havana has been the destination for hundreds of thousands of Latin American immigrants since the 1960s seeking the promise of a new life in America.

"This national recognition confirms the neighborhood's cultural significance in the immigrant experience."