DOWNTOWN MIAMI HAS BECOME VIBRANT

WHEN I ARRIVED 25 YEARS AGO, MUCH OF THE                                  CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT WAS A GHOST TOWN AFTER 6 P.M.

I am proud to have served under the leadership of Miami City Commissioner Joe Sanchez when was the chair of the Miami Downtown Development Authority.

We shifted the focus from the penthouse boardroom to clean and safe issues on the streets.

Tens of thousands of people endorsed our accomplishments with their pocketbooks – investing, buying, renting, working and playing in a now diverse and vibrant urban core with a blend of historic buildings and new mixed use towers.

In this photo, yours truly, the elder statesman (at least by age), meets young shapers of Miami's built environment.

Fabulous time during CNU Florida Leaders/Inspire Placemaking tour of downtown Miami.

Great to chat about the intrinsic value of Universal Design.

AS DEMAND TO AGE IN PLACE SOARS, SENIOR CITIZENS ARE SEEKING MORE WALKABILITY AND DIVERSE HOUSING TYPES

A TREND THAT ALSO SERVES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OF ALL AGES

AARP strongly advocates for planning and zoning policy that creates more communities that are accessible to people of all ages, abilities and incomes.

 

Rodney Harrell, Vice President, Family, Home and Community at AARP, said in the more than dozen years he has been with AARP, he has seen a trend toward creating housing and urban design options that serve people of all populations and all abilities.

AS DEMAND TO AGE IN PLACE SOARS, SENIOR CITIZENS ARE SEEKING MORE WALKABILITY AND DIVERSE HOUSING TYPES

A TREND THAT ALSO SERVES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OF ALL AGES

“People don’t take into account their future needs,” said Rodney Harrell, Vice President, Family, Home and Community at AARP.

“When home shopping in our 30s, 40s, 50s --   we end up in neighborhoods that are remote,” he said.

Places for worship, places to meet, places for all essential services can only be reached by car.

Children leave, a spouse passes on, income reduces, they are no longer able to drive and they are in isolation.

It didn’t seem to be important to be within walking distance of that grocery store or pharmacy when they bought, but now it is very important.”

AS DEMAND TO AGE IN PLACE SOARS, SENIOR CITIZENS ARE SEEKING MORE WALKABILITY AND DIVERSE HOUSING TYPES

A TREND THAT ALSO SERVES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OF ALL AGES

A 2018 AARP survey that found 76% of Americans age 50 and older prefer to remain in their current residence as long as possible, just 46% feel they will be able to stay in their same home.

The reason for the gap is one of two things – a home too isolated from daily needs, or inadequate to serve their needs.

About one-third surveyed expect their homes to need major modifications to accommodate aging needs.

AS DEMAND TO AGE IN PLACE SOARS, SENIOR CITIZENS ARE SEEKING MORE WALKABILITY AND DIVERSE HOUSING TYPES

A TREND THAT ALSO SERVES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OF ALL AGES

Gil Penalosa, founder and chair of the Toronto-based planning non-profit 8 80 Cities, said the “war on benches” an ill-advised 20+ year trend of removing benches in cities as presumed deterrent to homeless people is “insane”

“Elderly people will not walk if there are no benches. 

They might not even use it, but they want to know it is there if they need it,” he said.

“You put in benches, shade and soon you have sidewalk cafes, people selling flowers, coffee shops, places to meet.”

 

AS DEMAND TO AGE IN PLACE SOARS, SENIOR CITIZENS ARE SEEKING MORE WALKABILITY AND DIVERSE HOUSING TYPES

A TREND THAT ALSO SERVES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OF ALL AGES

“They design streets to let cars make faster turns, but they don’t built an island in the middle of a crosswalk to let people cross safely,” said Gil Penalosa, founder and chair of the Toronto-based planning non-profit 8 80 Cities.

“The engineers say `the elected officials won’t let us build an island because the drivers will be angry.’

I say ‘the children of those drivers are getting killed in the streets.’”

AS DEMAND TO AGE IN PLACE SOARS, SENIOR CITIZENS ARE SEEKING MORE WALKABILITY AND DIVERSE HOUSING TYPES

A TREND THAT ALSO SERVES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OF ALL AGES

“Cities put posts and obstructions in the middle of the sidewalk,” said Gil Penalosa, founder and chair of the Toronto-based planning non-profit 8 80 Cities.

“I say `You wouldn’t think of putting a post in the middle of the car lane, why would you think it is good to do that in the middle of the sidewalk,”

noting the obvious message is speeding cars are more important than the safety of children, people with disabilities and seniors on the sidewalk.