These Four Factors Could Save You 15 Minutes or More in Travel.
How much gas, time, and money would you save if you had access to every place you needed within just 15 minutes? That’s exactly what the 15-minute city concept is all about. Developed by Carlos Moreno, a scientist and professor at the University of Paris 1, the 15-minute city — 20-minute neighborhood, complete community, city of proximities, etc. — originated as a concept to lower carbon emissions by providing neighborhoods walkable access to everything they need, such as stores, workplaces, and restaurants. After being presented in 2020, the 15-minute city became about more than just environmentalism; as the world experienced a pandemic, political disarray, and a human rights uproar, suddenly, proximity was on everyone’s mind. How close we stood to others, how we could experience a vacation without traveling, and how far away we were from true equality for all.
So what does it take to be a 15-minute city?
- Proximity: 15–20 minutes
- Diversity: effective mixed-use properties
- Density: not crowding.
- Ubiquity: availability and affordability
And it’s no surprise that here at Metro 1, proximity is everything. Proximity shapes neighborhoods. Elevates property value. Defines communities. From finding clients’ commercial spaces in relevant areas to sustainably developing innovative mixed-use buildings, we have always focused on decentralizing neighborhoods and making them self-sufficient. That’s why we’re thrilled to share some of the reasons we think Miami might be the next 15-minute city.
1. Innovation Through Repurpose
If the pandemic taught us one thing, it’s that Miamians refuse to give up their cafecitos, restaurant meals, and social lives. During a portion of the pandemic, customers were unable to dine indoors, leading restaurant owners to get creative. Dining al fresco took on a whole new meaning when restaurants began utilizing streets, sidewalks, and parking spaces for outdoor dining. This allowed many residents to enjoy their favorite restaurants without having to travel outside of their neighborhoods to dine at restaurants with formal patios. In other areas, plans to repurpose spaces had been years in the making, such as the Underline, an in-progress project transforming the unused space underneath the Metrorail into gardens, walking paths, exercise courts, and more. The Wynwood Business Improvement District (BID) Board of Directors is also planning to upgrade Wynwood’s walkability with “pedestrian-friendly streets and sidewalks, including crosswalks, tree canopy/shade, way-finding, and living streets (known as ‘Woonerfs’) that will be the first of its kind in Florida.”
2. Mixed-Use Magic
Mixed-use properties are key in the development of 15-minute cities because they allow for various types of businesses to coexist within one building, reducing the need for people to travel to multiple locations. Some of Miami’s newest upcoming mixed-use projects are Wynwood 29, a 248-apartment building with 26,651 square feet of retail space; Eighteen Sunset in Miami Beach, offering 15,500 square feet of commercial space and 32,000 square feet of Class A offices; and CentroCity in Little Havana, featuring “1,200 market-rate residential apartments, green space for residents, an office building, and a renovated L-shaped shopping center with 300,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space anchored by a 77,000-square-foot Target store.” Not to mention all of the already-built mixed-use properties, such as CityPlace Doral, TownCenter One at Dadeland, and Brickell City Centre, where residents can live, shop, entertain, and dine without ever having to leave the complex.
3. Need Recognition
A critical aspect of the 15-minute city is listening to not just developers, but also residents, and that’s something we’re seeing Miami do a lot of. One of the most recent examples is the new M Park by The Shops at Midtown Miami. With this area being full of retail, residences, and restaurants, the community was in need of open, green space, so that’s exactly what the Community Development District did. Additionally, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida legislature just allocated $6.2M to three different projects in efforts to make Miami more walkable: a Badia Senior Center, Golden Pines neighborhood improvement, and a Little Havana pedestrian priority zone. By listening to our communities, we can provide access to what they need, further strengthening the neighborhood’s capability to be its own complete hub.
And this is just the start! We can’t wait to see all the strides Miami will continue to take towards becoming a complete 15-minute city. If you’re looking to fill a need in a Miami neighborhood, but need a commercial space to do so, visit www.Metro1.com to get in contact with someone who can help get you started.
