Miami On The Verge Of Major Downtown Makeover

County officials are moving forward with four mega-projects designed to improve downtown Miami. Critics wonder if they will really benefit the taxpayer.

1 minute read

December 21, 2007, 11:00 AM PST

By Mike Lydon


"Miami-Dade commissioners continued a lightning-quick march Tuesday toward a massive face-lift for downtown Miami, voting to help finance four major projects worth billions of dollars.

After eight hours of debate, commissioners voted 9-4 to adopt a pact with Miami to extend the life and boundaries of the city's Community Redevelopment Agencies as a way to spur a wide array of projects.

Among them: building a tunnel from Watson Island to the Port of Miami, creating a museum park, paying off hundreds of millions in construction debt at the Performing Arts Center and generating millions in affordable housing in Overtown.

'Today,' said Commissioner Katy Sorenson, a longtime stadium critic, 'I think we have the opportunity to embark on greatness, and we have to take the leap of faith.'"

Wednesday, December 19, 2007 in The Miami Herald

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

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight