New high-rises and vanishing roots in West Grove
Published November 7, 2024 at 1:39 PM EST
Growing up in West Coconut Grove, lifelong residents Paula and Paulette Culmer shared a childhood steeped in the warmth of a tight-knit community, rich with Caribbean culture and the legacy of their Bahamian immigrant family.
“We didn’t have electricity until we were about eight,” Paula recalled, reflecting on the days when streetlights were installed and running water finally came to the historically Black neighborhood.
“We knew everybody when we were kids,” Paulette said, remembering families from various Caribbean and American backgrounds.
She also remembered Black families who migrated from Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi, creating a vibrant tapestry of cultures.
However, their beloved neighborhood, now designated as “Little Bahamas,” faces profound changes as gentrification takes hold. Also known as “Black Grove,” the population was once roughly 90% African American, but by 2020, according to data from the University of Miami’s Center for Ethics and Public Service, that number had dropped by nearly half.
New developments
Currently, a proposed project at Douglas Road and Day Avenue aims to replace Stirrup Plaza — which houses 65 Section 8 apartments for seniors — with a 20-story mixed-income complex called Gallery in the Grove by Related Urban. It would be taller than Platform 3750 across the street.
The new building would include 345 units: a one-for-one replacement of the existing senior units, 46 additional subsidized apartments for seniors, and 62 workforce units for low- and moderate-income families, with the rest priced at market rates. While the project promises replacements of existing affordable units, skepticism runs high among long-time residents.
“It feels like the heart of the Grove is fading,” Paula lamented. “We’ve watched so many families move away. We’ve lost that unity we once had.”
Reynold Martin, chairman of Grove Rights and Community Equity (GRACE), voiced concerns that developments tend to prioritize profit over community needs. Martin is particularly worried about the proposed lottery system for the subsidized units, believing it will not benefit the Black residents.
“The only thing they’re guaranteeing is that a few people can return to their previous units. But what about the families that are already displaced or will be displaced as development continues?” Martin said.
The Miami Times reached out to Related Urban regarding the proposed Gallery in the Grove and resident concerns, but the team declined to comment.
Miami-Dade County recently selected another developer, Integral Florida, which is negotiating to redevelop eight public housing properties on two adjacent blocks containing 24 two-story units. These properties share the same Rapid Transit Zone (RTZ) zoning as Related Urban’s site.
Commissioner Raquel Regalado, who represents Coconut Grove, told the Coconut Grove Spotlight that she’d keep residents informed about the project details and consider their concerns before finalizing plans.
The Miami Times contacted Regalado’s office for the latest on these two developments but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
Priced out
West Coconut Grove has been undergoing redevelopment for the past decade. In September, three development partners announced plans for two mixed-use residential projects on Grand Avenue — the Atala project, with 175 apartments and retail space, and the smaller Elemi Phase 2 project, with 27 apartments. Additionally, Elemi Phase 1, featuring 46 apartments, is nearing completion behind the Coconut Grove Farmer’s Market. Coconut Grove developers Grant Savage, Silver Bluff Development and Abbhi Capital have added a fourth project coined 3443 Grand. This new development is aimed at prospective commercial tenants and is located on the north side of Grand Avenue.
Some areas of Coconut Grove, as well as other Black and Hispanic neighborhoods like Allapattah, Liberty City, Little Haiti and Overtown, are situated along the Miami Rock Ridge. This elevated limestone ridge averages nine feet above sea level, about three feet above Miami’s average, making it an attractive location for developers looking to avoid the risks associated with rising seas and coastal flooding.
However, for West Grove residents, those developments often mean displacement.
“People can’t afford the rent,” Paulette emphasized. “Even with the supposed affordable units, they don’t really help those already living here. You can’t find a home in the Grove under a million dollars.”