What makes a neighborhood walkable? According to
Walk Score, a walkable neighborhood is one that has a center such as a main street or plenty of public space to gather or play; where there are enough people for businesses to flourish; or where streets are designed for bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit. South Florida is famous for its suburbia mentality where people spend hours and hours driving to run their errands, go to work, school, or even have fun. However, there are some spots here and there in our metropolitan region that are radically changing (and fast!) leaving this suburban lifestyle behind.
A couple of weeks ago, I was reading the article "
Have the suburbs hit a dead end? in the
Washington Post and it made me realize that this inverse population shift (from the suburbs to the city centers) was happening right around me. In the mid 2000s, Flagler Village, a little neighborhood between US 1 and the FEC RR tracks and Broward and Sunrise Boulevard, was a depressed neighborhood with not many attractions or anything interesting to put it on the map; and the further you drove away from Broward Boulevard, the more depressed it got.
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| Flagler Village towards Fort Lauderdale's CBD |
Then, the first real estate boom came. The neighborhood started to make way for all the developments lined up. Lots were cleared, cranes popped up everywhere, and mid-rise buildings started to go up. Developers and planners finally understood the slogan "Live, Work, Play" often used by the Downtown Development Authority to promote growth in Downtown Fort Lauderdale's urban core. Many saw this as an opportunity to promote the walkable community desired by many, with buildings close to the street and parking lots relegated to the back; and with school and workplaces close enough that residents could walk from their homes. Just an opportunity to have a neighborhood with streets safe enough for all including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities; a concept called complete streets as defined by
Smart Growth America, an organization advocated to make great neighborhoods across the country.
Solé, Strada 315, Flagler Village, Bamboo Flats, the Foundry, Avenue Lofts, Alexan Solmar, the Mills, the Exchange, among others projects added units that increased the population of the neighborhood and provided a density that could have been the catalyst of the redevelopment long wanted by the City. Even housing projects materialized such as Eclipse Apartments and people started to move back to Downtown, something that did not happen in a very long time. The idea that a downtown is just for business was about to be put to rest. But then the recession happened and everything stopped. Developers left the area hoping to come back once the financial crisis was over. The area was left with empty lots fenced out and nothing else, looking once again run-down and abandoned.
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| Henry Sq (Flagler Village) and The Pearl |
No construction happened for a while until things starting to change, and this time things were very different. Proposals started popping in last year in a way that surprised the dormant neighborhood once again. Blocks of construction changing the landscape started to get ready for construction, bringing with it a lot of amenities needed to achieve this walkabality so desired by the community. As of right now, 913 units are currently being built between NE 4th St and NE 6th St, and NE 5th Ave and US 1, including 25,000 SF of retail space. Not much if we compared this with other urban areas in South Florida but this will definitely provide the density required for businesses to flourish in a walkable distance that could push residents nearby to leave their cars at home. Within a 3-block radius, 896 more units and 4,300 SF of retail are proposed; 2 stops of the Wave Streetcar, the Downtown circulator, are proposed to be built connecting riders to the proposed inter-city train to Orlando and Tri-Rail's coastal line; and hopefully, a new bike sharing station for residents to do short trips around town without worrying about parking, gas, or traffic.
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| The Pearl by US 1 and NW 5th St |
In addition, residents are starting to realize the potential of what a walkable community could offer. Besides all the health and economical benefits listed by
America Walks, community organizers are getting together to experiment what could happen when neighbors recover their streets. Twice a year,
Revel on the Block, a biannual event that aims to a bring stronger sense of connection among local residents, converts a block on NW 1st Ave between NW 5th St and NW 6th St into a walkable, bikeable neighborhood destination for people of all ages to enjoy café sitting, trees, music, food, and pop-up businesses. This project was developed to show residents how a block could be revived improving safety, health, and economics just if city ordinances promote better planned neighborhoods.
Finally, this wave of redevelopment also brought changes to Flagler Village public spaces. Peter Feldman Park, a pocket park, was created on NW 6th St between NW 3rd Ave and NW 4th Ave bringing a much needed public green area and finally a gathering place to the community that could be used for outdoor events such as a farmers market or yoga classes bringing residents even closer. With population growing fast, a new park will be needed to create more green open space. Residents are already proposing
Flagler Garden, a community garden to be transformed into a habitat of urban agriculture in the heart of Downtown Fort Lauderdale, designed to accommodate 79 4'x4' raised gardening plots, communal tables, a play area, rain barrels, and compost bins for all to enjoy.
It is disappointing that some people believe walking to a place, riding a bike to the beach, or taking mass transit is a waste of time. Some even use South Florida's tropical weather as an excuse to avoid doing outdoor activities that could help them improve their health and make their lives more livable by burning calories and reducing their carbon footprints (and a few bucks too!). To them I say: wake up and get out of your car bubbles! It is time you embrace the trend and be part of the movement. Flagler Village is waiting.
