Click on a County Name to View Projects
Monroe
Key West
The Freeman Justice Center
The Freeman Justice Center, completed in late 2008, features energy conservation with low energy consumption lighting, reduced water volume toilets and high efficiency HVAC systems along with upgraded insulation requirements.
Key Largo
The Murray E. Nelson Government and Cultural Center
This Center uses the same energy and resources saving devices as the Freeman Justice Center and was completed in 2009.
Miami Dade
Kendall
Downtown Kendall is a designated Urban Center, within Miami-Dade County, and was designed and implemented as a compact, mixed-use center for residential, commercial and office uses.
A form-based hybrid zoning code was adopted to allow for mixed-use buildings such as the one above. Restaurants and small shops on the ground floor activate the street and allow for greater visibility and attractive locations, in close proximity to higher density offices and residential on the floors above.
Great emphasis is placed on the pedestrian realm. Elements of good urban design, such as: nicely proportioned streets, street trees for shelter and wide sidewalks all improve the pedestrian experience at the street level.
Both passive and active public spaces are implemented within walking distance to every one within the project boundaries. Public spaces provide areas for entertainment and leisure, all while building a sense of community.
Urban centers within the county are higher density, mixed-use cores situated around transit nodes and planned by charrettes and other design workshops. A network of public transit connectivity aims to connect the designated urban centers with transit corridors and other urban centers throughout the county.
Miami-Dade County operates the 14th largest public transportation system in the United States and largest in the state of Florida. The 4 transit modes: Metrobus, Me-trorail, Metromover and Special Transportation Service (STS) aim to provide more options for rid-ers to connect to the urban centers and other destinations within the county.
Broward
Coconut Creek
Coconut Creek’s MainStreet Area Project
Coconut Creek’s MainStreet Area is a vision for a sustainable, mixed-use downtown that incorporates smart growth principles through adopted design standards. Considered one of the City’s first major green initiatives, MainStreet will be a green and sustainable downtown located just north of Sample Road, west of Lyons Road, south of Wiles Road, and east of US 441/State Road 7. A downtown that achieves a sense of place with compact development, mixed land uses, alternative transit modes, pedestrian-oriented streets, range of housing types, open space, and recreational trails.
Properties in this area are subject to specific standards outlined in the MainStreet Design Standards document (PDF format). Of importance, is the fundamental concept that all buildings be certified by the U.S. Green Building Council for green building construction. This progressive planning approach was developed to showcase architecture that is based on function rather than style.
The first project in MainStreet was completed in 2008 and is called The Promenade (pictured). This mixed-use project contains retail shops, restaurants, office space, and has a later phase for residential construction. The project has wide sidewalks, numerous bike racks, a perimeter greenway trail, and access to the mass transit. Surface parking is minimal with the majority of parking within structures and buildings are placed closer to the street. Residential communities are directly across the project allowing residents to walk to the center. In 2009, The Promenade received LEED® Silver certification making it the City’s first Silver certified project.
With the MainStreet vision firmly in place, the City is looking to the future by identifying city-wide sustainable practices through adoption of a City Green Plan. Smart growth principles are a core element to this plan with specific actions to achieve more green buildings, increase tree canopy, improve energy and water efficiency, provide sustainability transportation, reduce waste and increase recycling, and increase community participation. Coconut Creek’s goal is to improve the overall quality of life and environmental health of City. To read more visit: www.coconutcreek.net/green/plan/
Dania Beach2009
Dania Beach Griffin Road Corridor Project
2009 Dania Beach Griffin Road Corridor Project was funded by the Community Foundation of Broward, and endeavors to explain to the residents of western Dania Beach what smart growth looks like, what terms will be used in creating a master plan, what possibilities exist for the future economic development of the corridor and what that corridor could look like. The residents chose their preferences of uses, and participated over several meetings. Click here for report
Fort Lauderdale
Community Building Through Decentalized Farming
It's finally happening. For the longest time, it seemed there were virtually no options for local food in Broward County -- but those days are finally ending. There are some pretty exciting things going on in the Broward County locavore scene. This is all the more amazing when you consider that Broward is one of two counties in Florida that's technically "built out," meaning there's no more land left to develop. So instead of big farms, we're seeing small urban farms that rely on hydroponics and other advanced growing techniques to get as many vegetables as possible from small patches of substandard soil.
One of the newest of these is Fort Lauderdale Vegetables. Not quite a CSA and not quite a community garden, Fort Lauderdale Vegetables is somewhere in between. It's a "decentralized farm." Basically, this means you pay a fee for a CSA-style weekly supply of fresh vegetables, but you also get to help choose the crop. And instead of working on the farm like a community garden, your weekly fees help fund the hiring of two employees at living wages (although you can work in the garden if you want).
According to architect Michael Madfis, who designed the garden, it offers the best of all worlds: container culture with drip irrigation, all-natural growing methods with natural compost and seaweed fertilizer, increased productivity, and support for the community by providing both jobs and fresh vegetables. The garden also donates 25 percent of the gross production to nonprofit food banks and pantries.
Lauderhill
Lauderhill's NW 56 Avenue Enhancement Project focuses on consistency of the corridor improvement with the following Smart Growth concepts.
Range of Housing Opportunity and Choices
The Circle Hi-rise
and Town Home Condos
Single Family
The Glen Apartments
Preserve and Create Open Space
56 acres undeveloped land is now known as South Gateway Park. This passive park includes walking trails, exercise stations, a pedestrian bridge, water tolerant landscaping, a public transit shelter and a water pumping station.
Promote Mixed Land Uses Serviced By a Variety of Transportation
Bicycle lanes were installed on both sides and Glen Apartments installed signature bicycle racks.
The residents and local organizations representing the corridor were involved the improvements incorporated into the project which enhanced mobility, augmented community appearance and strengthened Central Lauderhill.
West Park
Smart Growth Partnership has received several grants, from the Sun Sentinel Diversity Venture Fund and from the Broward Community Foundation, to assist the City in educating and empowering the residents on using smart growth principles for a more sustainable city. Recently, Smart Growth Partnership received a second grant from the Community Foundation to explore with the community, the use of smart growth principles in examining the economic redevelopment of the Pembroke Road corridor. A charrette was held in conjunction with CURE of FAU and students are now at work to produce an outcome for the City.
Broward County's newest municipality has a population of approximately 13,628 and borders Pembroke Pines on the east, Hollywood on the north, Miramar on the west, and Miami-Dade County on the south. It is currently facing water retention issues, a widening of 441 and a loss of economic development. Through a collaboration of BSGP and its members, who represent partner organizations, we will endeavor to help the citizens achieve a livable and sustainable community. Click here for report
Wilton Manors
Along Wilton Drive, mixed use buildings with residential above and shops below. Smart Growth advocates mixed use when at all possible. It allows for affordable housing conveniently located above shops.
Another look at mixed use along Wilton Drive brings together housing, work, recreation and transit for shorter trips and less vehicle miles traveled.
Funky stores (one story) along Wilton Drive. These stores give a sense of place with their bright colors and simple design.
Palm Beach
Boca Raton
Boca Raton's Bicycle/Pedestrian Program
The City of Boca Raton's Bicycle/Pedestrian Program is designed to improve and enhance access to existing facilities and programs and to increase the public awareness of bicycles and other pedestrian users of pathways and roadways.
Interested in commuting from the Tri Rail Station by bike? The phase of the El Rio Trail south of Yamato Road, connecting to the Boca Raton Tri-Rail Station has been open for over a year. The total length of this section of the El Rio Trail is three miles long. Watch for iguanas!
Delray Beach
Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach
Wide sidewalks, landscaping, narrow lanes on the street, shop windows to look at. All aspects of Smart Growth.
Notice the wide sidewalks, trees & flowers and interesting windows of shops to walk by. Smart Growth advocates Complete Streets with places for parking along the road, flowers, and wide sidewalks.
This is residential along a street perpendicular to Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach. It is compact, multi-family dwellings close to work, shopping and restaurants with front doors close to the street. Dwellings for an urban setting. Smart Growth means compact building design that is affordable and within walking distance of transportation, shopping and recreation.
Residential multi-family off Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach. Smart Growth because it is three-story dwelling, close to work, recreation and transit.
This is a street perpendicular to Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach that show multi-family housing pulled close to the street, and within walking distance to work, play and transit.
West Palm Beach
City Center
Waterfront Project
Martin
Coming soon.
St. Lucie
Coming soon.
Indian River
Coming soon.