Miami's New Face

The city's downtown and its art community are blossoming, but is luxury coming before the basics?

1 minute read

January 4, 2004, 1:00 PM PST

By David Gest


Miami's downtown is on the upswing. While today only about 400 people call the city's Central Business District home, soon over 12,000 people may dwell in new downtown apartments. In addition to new lofts "within walking distance of movie theaters, museums, concerts, Miami Heat games and waterfront parks," a $255 million performing-arts center is under construction, and the city is the new host for Art Basel, "the world's most prestigious commercial art fair." Miami's burgeoning city population is diverse, including "Latin Americans, Europeans and snowbirds looking for second homes or sound investments." In addition, "growing confidence in city government, the lowest interest rates in 40 years and greater Miami's escalating stature in the art world" have contributed to renewed interest in the city. In the meantime though, "some analysts warn that Miami may have a glut of luxury dwellings and insufficient affordable housing..."

Thanks to David Gest

Friday, January 2, 2004 in The Orlando Sentinel

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Downtown Los Angeles skyline at sunset with new 6th Street Viaduct arches in foreground.

Downtown Los Angeles on the Rise: A Promising 2025

Fueled by new developments, cultural investments, and a growing dining scene, downtown Los Angeles is poised for significant growth in 2025, despite challenges from recent wildfires and economic uncertainties.

February 21, 2025 - Los Angeles Downtown News

Informational plaque in front of paved walkway next to tall green trees in Black Hawk State Historic Site, Illinois.

Supporting Indigenous Land Reclamation Through Design

Harvard students collaborated with the Sac and Fox Nation to develop strategies for reclaiming and co-managing ancestral lands in Illinois, supporting Indigenous sovereignty through design, cultural storytelling, and economic planning.

32 minutes ago - Harvard GSD

Lush Five Rivers Metropark in Dayton, Ohio with flowers and green trees on a sunny day.

A Plan to Expand Tree Canopy Across Dayton

Dayton is developing an urban forest master plan, using a $2 million grant to expand its tree canopy, address decades of tree loss, and enhance environmental equity across the city.

1 hour ago - Dayton Daily News

Close-up of worker installing white electric heat pump outdoors.

Decarbonizing Homes: The Case for Electrifying Residential Heating

A new MIT study finds that transitioning residential heating from natural gas to electric heat pumps can significantly reduce carbon emissions and operational costs.

2 hours ago - MIT News

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.