Does DESIGN MATTER in our Downtown?
By: Douglas A. Mummaw
Let’s Communicate…..
Today’s communication platforms of social media, town hall meetings, organized advocacy groups and political positions have changed the way we all communicate. The “topic or discussion of the moment” now can reverberate through our community at light speed. Other than the Wildflower Site, our Downtown and specifically everyone’s vision of the FUTURE of the Downtown is currently the main subject.
There are plenty of platforms to talk about our personal feelings on what Boca Raton was, is and what it should be. I am certain that these discussions will be on-going, as it relates more to one’s personal feelings rather than tangible codes, planning strategies and design. In this article, I intend to discuss specifically the architectural aspects of this turbulent topic and Why Design Matters in our Downtown.
Who remembers the History of our Downtown?
We must look back in time at the history of our community and specifically how the city evolved, then stalled and then declined to understand how we arrived at where we are today.
Our community was created over 85 years ago. That is a long time in community years. Addison Mizner mapped out a vision for a world renown destination. He envisioned a beautiful community designed to locale that both tourists and residents could enjoy.
Perfection was envisioned. Then, we experienced the first of many economic setbacks, world wars, Industrial /technical revolutions and the evolution of the urban environment. Multiple generations now exist here. In fact, some of the original stakeholders of our early settlers are no longer with us. In addition, transplanted families who migrated here from somewhere else add to the mix of stakeholders.
Blighted conditions overtook our downtown. I lived there. The trend down seemed irreversible. We needed to design a new vision to create a positive future. In the mid 19080’s, City leaders, passionate citizens and planning and architectural experts expended enormous energy to outline, draft and then ratify into law a new framework of planning codes, infrastructure, and design opportunities for the “heart”(Downtown) of our community.
Quality Design decisions were made. The DDRI (Downtown Development of Regional Impact)was created, Millions of dollars in infrastructure was built. Mizner Park was created and we began our new “Downtown Development” journey. Ordinance 4035, which outlined how our Downtown could evolve, was ratified in 1992. It should also be noted, that it took over 10 years from the early 1980’s for that to be conceptualized and then enacted. We were on our way.
There is a change in winds.
In terms of successful development, Mizner Park was the solution. Or was it? The winds in South Florida change often with the weather. The same occurs with development.
Could anyone predict IBM would invent the personal computer here? That the technical revolution would spur seven million square feet of industrial research and development space and a completely new district in our community? And within one generation, this district is now empty and untenantable?
The Boca Mall was replaced with a mega mall called Town Center. The city’s vision for a Downtown “Financial Mega Center” was unrealized. Urban sprawl now has communities living five miles west of 441 in our everglades. The number of changes is infinite.
Our “feelings” of these changes will always be emotional. That is reasonable. Today, our community continues to evolve. BOCA RATON is a world-recognizable BRAND. With this fact known, DESIGN really MATTERS in all decisions that continue to shape Boca Raton’s community. The Downtown is demanding places to live to fill a tremendous shortfall in housing. We are the largest employer in the county. Thousands of professionals enter our city to work every day. Residents within the community are downsizing and want to live Downtown. In addition, we want to be entertained. We want gathering places to be with friends, raise our families and enjoy our very special and unique environment. In other words, we want a community to “Live, Work, Play & Raise a family”…….The winds have changed once again.
The new elephant in the room – Our Downtown Vision.
Sky cranes – “They are like ants, they are everywhere”. To that point, I say HOOWA! Development is positive, exciting and although some stakeholders don’t like this, necessary.
We must evolve and reinvent ourselves or the global changes around us are harshly consequential.
Look at Detroit.
Development change in our Northwest District (North of Yamato) is repurposing the struggling real estate. We are replacing the blighted empty tech buildings with new mixed use communities comprised of housing, retail services and commercial space that meets today’s market demand and deploy irrefutable urban planning design strategies. Once again, Design Matters.
This initiative is a model example of successful collaborations with citizens, businesses, property owners and our civic leaders.
Why can’t the same approach occur in our critically important Downtown? We will never be a mega financial district that was forecasted. Our city has evolved into a connected grouping of neighborhoods, East Boca, West Boca, NW District and of course the new vertical neighborhoods in our Downtown, where family relationships are strong. There is only so much horizontal space, so the vertical communities in our Downtown are being born.
A Downtown is an urban environment. It is not suburban. If you desire one over the other, you migrate to it. Our community is fortunate enough to have these choices. We can decide on communities like Boca West or Downtown Boca Raton. Residents should be given the opportunity to decide their lifestyle and we need varying options of lifestyles to choose from.
The conversation will continue in my next article where I will attempt to take aim on “The Mark”, Downtown’s newest edition to our vertical neighborhoods AND the much debated “Interim Design Guidelines”. Until then, let’s continue the productive discourse as we strive for quality design decisions in our Downtown.
DESIGN MATTERS friends.
Douglas A. Mummaw, AIA, NCARB
(Proud Boca Raton Native:)
President – Mummaw and Associates, Inc.
Past President – The Rotary Club of Boca Raton
Past Adjunct Professor of Architecture – Palm Beach State College
