Building up and out and every which way

I found this article in the Miami Herald about new office space at the Oak Street garage interesting in that I always assumed that it would be built up even though I was told that would not be the case. I don't know why it bothers me, I really don't. I guess it's because every time more and more is built, and more and more cement is added, it makes Coconut Grove less and less of a village.

What they are doing at the garage is called "adaptive reuse," in which they turn the garage or part of the garage into office space. While it could be said if they build up and leave parking below, then there is parking for all of us, but then where would the office workers park? So basically, the Grove is losing parking. 

With the news of CocoWalk adding office space and this news about the Oak Street garage, it makes you wonder how the new condo dwellers in all the new residences are going to see Coconut Grove. Other than new restaurants, there aren't many places to shop and rather than improve shopping and adding to the mix, it seems that offices are the way to go. No shopping, no art galleries, nothing really for tourists or visitors to do. It's not the Coconut Grove that I know anymore.

Each day, the Grove loses something, it's turning into something, but I don't know what. Brickell South? Maybe. It seems like the future is all high rise and not much street level activity. We have lost so many of our events, too, which were a monthly activity at one time, I honestly don't know where we are anymore. Snow Days, the Coconut Hunt, the Bed Race, the beer festivals and so much more are a thing of the past.

In my own quiet neighborhood, a bully is moving in called The Fairchild. It's a small condo on the water but they have bullied the neighborhood. They had valet parking set up recently with a podium, umbrella and employees. There wasn't much to see, just an empty lot, but they felt the need to valet cars  and disrupt a quite cul de sac. Because of that, the city stepped in and ticketed all the residents' cars on the street, starting an uproar in the neighborhood.

Now The Fairchild has signage up. They put up a big permanent cement sign on South Bayshore Drive surrounded by flowers and plants, to announce their condo back on the waterfront. Maybe the other three condos in the neighborhood should do the same and we can add neon lights and make it look like Las Vegas. Imagine if on the corner of the entrance to your block there was a sign announcing something. That's what it is. I'm looking into the legality of it. I was at a condo meeting last night and all of my neighbors are fuming over the sign, so I see I am not the only one who finds it offensive.

The waterfront project at the Scotty's Landing is said to be starting construction soon, so the quaint waterfront will be a thing of the past, soon, too.

I can't figure out what the Grove is becoming, but I don't like it.