On Tuesday, March 9, 2004, Mayor Manny Diaz,
along with University of Miami President Donna
E. Shalala announced an initiative - The
Miami Partnership - to revitalize the area
known as Civic Center.
The Miami Partnership aims to transform the
neighborhood into a place where people come not
only to work, receive world-class medical care,
and seek help from government agencies, but
where they can also live, raise families and
enjoy a wide range of new amenities and
services. The area, strategically located just
two miles northwest of downtown Miami, has about
30,000 employees working at Jackson Memorial
Hospital and the University of Miami School of
Medicine, the Veterans Administration Medical
Center, Cedars Medical Center, the Metro Justice
Building, the State Attorney's Office and
several other agencies. The Civic Center enjoys
the benefit of an efficient mass transportation
with three rapid transit stations, eight bus
routes and a railroad system. The neighborhood
is adjacent to the Miami River and easily
accessible from I-95, SR 836, SR 112, as well as
from city streets.
Mayor Manny Diaz and UM President Donna E.
Shalala have volunteered to lead the Miami
Partnership to bring together all stakeholders
to start a discussion about the future of the
Civic Center, and together to create a
comprehensive plan to revitalize the area.
The City of Miami is offering the political
leadership and its resources to provide
assistance with planning, zoning, and permitting
issues. In addition, the City will coordinate
necessary studies to make the that the final
plan is comprehensive and realistic.
The University is offering its academic
resources to improve the quality of life in many
different ways. Besides the obvious support of
the Dean of the School of Medicine, John G.
Clarkson, other schools of the University are
also ready to participate in this effort. in
addition, the Dean of the School of
Architecture, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, and her
students are ready to work on design solutions
to many of the problems that plague this area.
The Deans of the Schools of Nursing, Business,
Law, and Education also stand ready to assist
the community in addressing educational and
other opportunities regarding business, legal
and other services that could improve the area.
Stakeholders and the community are invited to
join Mayor Diaz and President Shalala in working
together to assess future needs, develop
comprehensive solutions, and create an entity to
implement a master plan. Without the commitment
of each stakeholder to work collaboratively on a
plan, the Civic Center will continue to be
plagued by perceptions that it is unsafe,
inaccessible, and tough to navigate. However, by
working together, the enormous potential of this
area will be realized.
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