What would it take (Miami, Fort Lauderdale: real estate, houses, neighborhoods)

[Wild Style]

Short of the city govt giving you a million dollars to remain in Broward. What would it take to make you stay here?

For me its:

Mass transit. Doesn't even have to be all over Broward, I say anything east of University Drive, anything north of 595 and anything South of Commercial should have transit on the scale of NYC.

Affordability would have to become the standard and I mean NOW.

I would have to see a serious effort on the part of city officials to get big corporations here. They have to show me they are going to diversify the economy here. With that I would also need them to show me they are concentrating these corporations in business districts (down town Fort Lauderdale or "midtown").

Green initiatives on the level of PlaNYC

Promotion of community gardens, at least in some of the older areas.

Promotion of local farms down here.

[compelled to reply]

You took the words right out of my mouth...I think leaders are actually trying a lot harder here than most of the state, but yeah, hard to make magic happen when you are shedding your population, tax base and property taxes are already too high in the first place...

I have seen Hollywood do some impressive stuff with pocket parks and what not.

I also think some transit SHOULD go west of University, like an express rail kind of thing along 595 to Ft. Lauderdale or along 75/Palmetto to Miami to ease some of the suburban traffic without making for an even slower alternative.

I do have faith that things could get better. I'm surprised by the efficiency of Broward school board and how they trimmed their budget so much seemingly without effecting the classroom, but only time will tell what really happens. There is definitely a lot of pork that needs to be cut, but I think a lot of these things really could be doable without much (I'm not saying none) taxpayer impact.

[Wild Style]

Compelled

I think only the mass transit would be a huge price. However federal funding is available. I agree with your west bound train. But that to me would be more of a commuter train sort of deal for east to far out west. But I mean a comprehensive, every 10 block or 5 block mass transit solution they would have to restrict that to very densely populated areas which generally are east of university. I mean to be realistic, east of 441 to A1A would be smarter. Build out as they need from there.

[tallrick]

Transit cannot be profitable here if it serves everyone. You have to concentrate on going where most people go. Serve tourists and visitors, and connect high-density areas to suburban points of interest. Increase bicycle and build special roads for personal transport electric vehicles. Open canals for small boat and amphibious cars.

The main issue is to nuke the real estate bubble and lower taxes! That's all I need to stay here.

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by tallrick

Transit cannot be profitable here if it serves everyone. You have to concentrate on going where most people go. Serve tourists and visitors, and connect high-density areas to suburban points of interest. Increase bicycle and build special roads for personal transport electric vehicles. Open canals for small boat and amphibious cars.

That's the problem, which is why I think a commuter train from the western suburbs would be a good idea. The issue is finding a centralized place to build stops. Along 75, it would be pretty simple with that huge median that was planned for such development and maybe no more stops between Miami Lakes and maybe the airport, downtown Miami (there comes the express element) and the beach, but 595 would be a challenge and maybe not practical. You also simply CAN'T have NYC-scale transit down here because it is just about impossible to do that if it isn't underground, and you can't really build below 10 feet MAX down here. Elevated trains might work in theory, but let's face it; who wants to live below train tracks?

I would just like to see some kind of commuter train that actually links key places in both Dade and Broward that allows the two counties to share their human resources. I think that kind of line could service EVERYONE from tourists going to South Beach from the airport to every day commuters from Pembroke Pines who doesn't want to sit on the Palmetto every morning. The two counties may (as of 2008 anyway) be a different world, but like it or not, we are all in it together.

[tallrick]

Oh yes, and if they wanted me to move to Miami-Dade county, the court system needs to be replaced and Team Metro eliminated or reformed. I do not think that a department with a corrupt kangaroo court and code inspectors who arrange for trash to be dumped on properties to issue fines is a proper excercise of authority.

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

That's the problem, which is why I think a commuter train from the western suburbs would be a good idea. The issue is finding a centralized place to build stops. Along 75, it would be pretty simple with that huge median that was planned for such development and maybe no more stops between Miami Lakes and maybe the airport, downtown Miami (there comes the express element) and the beach, but 595 would be a challenge and maybe not practical. You also simply CAN'T have NYC-scale transit down here because it is just about impossible to do that if it isn't underground, and you can't really build below 10 feet MAX down here. Elevated trains might work in theory, but let's face it; who wants to live below train tracks?

I would just like to see some kind of commuter train that actually links key places in both Dade and Broward that allows the two counties to share their human resources. I think that kind of line could service EVERYONE from tourists going to South Beach from the airport to every day commuters from Pembroke Pines.

Elevated trains work in Chicago, NYC, Miami and many other cities. It could definitely work here. The train would not to be able to go into neighborhoods, but it could run on major streets that people would be able to then walk into their location. Say up and down broward blvd right? So lets say you live in Vicky Park, you get dropped off at Broward blvd and us1. From there you can walk to where you need to go. For inter neighborhood travel you can do clean fuel buses.

I agree whole heartedly with tallrick on this one. It would take a lot of work and money though. They would also some how need to get business to move frm their spread out locations and into say, down town fort lauderdale or midtown fort lauderdale.

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by tallrick

Oh yes, and if they wanted me to move to Miami-Dade county, the court system needs to be replaced and Team Metro eliminated or reformed. I do not think that a department with a corrupt kangaroo court and code inspectors who arrange for trash to be dumped on properties to issue fines is a proper excercise of authority.

to be honest, I like miami more that broward. I would even move there if the right opp presented itself (a few of my top five neighborhoods are in Miami). But as you said they need to reform the govt there. I mean they need to kick out all the commisoners and start from scratch. From reading some of the blogs down in Miami it looks like people are fed up and ready for change. Someone needs to lead the way though. That system there is sooooo 3rd world it isnt even funny.

[fauve]

If there were a top liberal arts college (think Swarthmore/Amherst/Dartmouth) and a top art college (think RISD, Pratt, CalArts), along with a more young, liberal, smart-vibe (think Seattle/Portland/Asheville), and some hip downtowns with great bookstores, walking and coffeehouses (see last list), we'd stay.

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

Elevated trains work in Chicago, NYC, Miami and many other cities. It could definitely work here. The train would not to be able to go into neighborhoods, but it could run on major streets that people would be able to then walk into their location. Say up and down broward blvd right? So lets say you live in Vicky Park, you get dropped off at Broward blvd and us1. From there you can walk to where you need to go. For inter neighborhood travel you can do clean fuel buses.

I am from Ozone Park Queens so I know about elevated train tracks along Liberty Ave. It does work great but let's face it, nobody in Florida would want to look at that. I know it could be done more inconspicuously, but that would be very expensive. It's just a totally different place and you know how people are here. Also, to say it "works" in Miami is a stretch.