The FIU College of Architecture + The Arts, the FIU College of Engineering & Computing, and the FIU Metropolitan Center, a team led by Dr. Winifred E Newman, PI and Kevin Greiner, Co-PI, completed the study “West End Strategy: A Vision for the Future.”
“West End Strategy” study fits within and responds to the Miami-Dade County Comprehensive Plan. The population (213,839) of the West End (Miami-Dade District 11) is comparable to San Bernardino, California, Scottsdale, Arizona, and Orlando, Florida; the West End is larger than Tallahassee, Florida and is in close proximity to resources in the Miami metropolitan area. The FIU team worked at the request of Commissioner Juan Zapata’s office to develop a strategic plan to foster success for an area with the potential to be a significant economic force and highly desirable place to live and work.
The scope of the study included an economic analysis of and recommendations for the West End of Miami, based on current available data. After completing a base profile analysis, the project team used the data to complete a benchmark analysis of the West End against a set of comparable communities. (Benchmarking is an efficient means of comparing key issues and establishing performance for community development.)
Secondly, the study involved a general assessment of physical conditions, which referred to the economic analysis. The team developed a detailed analysis of how the economic assets can be leveraged with the physical conditions to create economic and community development within the West End. This section of the study focused on Land Use, the Environment, Traffic and Circulation, and Urban Conditions.
Lastly, the scope of the study included development guidelines, using collective data from the economic analysis and the general assessment of physical conditions. Fifteen action items in six areas phased as five- and ten-year increments allow for strategic planning options. The six areas emphasized, based on previously collected data, were Urban Design, Economic Development, Marketing and Branding, Transportation, Landscape, and “Place-Making.” The goals were to improve livability, generate sustainable development, improve the physical and landscape design, and develop a distinctive identity for the West End within the greater Miami area.
Researchers and staff of the “West End Strategy” are:
Dr. Winifred E. Newman, Primary Investigator, Architecture
Kevin Greiner, Co-Investigator, Research Fellow FIU Metropolitan Center
Prof. Roberto Rivera, Sr. Investigator, Chair of Landscape Architecture + Environmental and Urban Design (LAEUD)
Rashida Taylor, Coordinator Budgeting
Lilia Silverio-Minaya, Director, Finance and Administration
Maria Garcia, Office Asst. for School of Architecture
Priscilla Pagan, Graduate Research Assistant, Architecture
Giovanna Gallardo, Research Assistant, Architecture
Delia Rivera, Graduate Research Assistant, Architecture
Kevin Hutchinson, Graduate Research Assistant, Architecture
Hermann Gonzales, Graduate Research Assistant, Architecture
Silvana Herrera, Graduate Research Assistant, Architecture
Stephania Soltau, Research Assistant, Architecture
Daniela Gonzales, Graduate Research Assistant, LAEUD
Johanna Bahamon, Graduate Research Assistant, LAEUD
Johanna Ibarra, Graduate Research Assistant, LAEUD
Christopher Cabezas, Graduate Research Assistant, LAEUD
Devin Cejas, Graduate Research Assistant, LAEUD
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