The medical campus is downtown and Marine Campus is on Key Biscayne; we don't need a football stadium in coral gables. Buy up about 50 houses in little Havana (if that isn't already underway) and build next to the OB (Marlins Park).
I have put forth this idea previously.
1. Marlins Park currently sits on 33 acres. Roughly half is the "stadium" portion and roughly half is the "4 parking garages" portion.
2. There are about 32 acres due east of the Marlins Stadium (over 8 city blocks) that could be redeveloped for the football stadium and SURFACE parking.
3. There are over 11 acres due west of the Marlins Stadium that could be redeveloped for SURFACE parking.
4. The 4 parking garages are CITY-OWNED, not Marlins-owned.
5. There is EXISTING proximity to 836, I-95, and MetroRail.
Now, you simply work towards the connection of the EXISTING Med School campus and the NEW stadium complex, which has four (mostly unusued) citiy-owned parking garages.
Why?
Because the Medical campus is growing, and it is a HIGH-VALUE-JOB-CREATOR.
People will try to tell you UM is "selling land". True, in some locations. NOT TRUE at the Med Campus, which has doubled in size since I was at UM.
And as UHealth grows, and as medical research grows, and as the money pours in, WE NEED MORE SPACE.
An obvious solution is to acquire land south of 836, as the campus is boxed in by I-95 to the east and Jackson to the north.
Immediately south of 836 is a Winn Dixie. Seriously? And the Miami River is easily bridged by a pedestian bridge that could link the two areas north and south of the river. Some of the space could be housing for Med students and staff.
Does NOT have to be fully funded by the City of Miami. Will need their cooperation for some land acquisition, zoning, roadway improvements, perhaps a municipal bond underwriting.
Jobs. HIGH PAYING JOBS. People living downtown, instead of in the suburbs. Redevelopment.
