The city and the Authority intended for


this project to generate a more positive expe- rience for facility users and to create a more attractive destination. It was during this process that the Authority bought the land next to the parking facility to create opportu- nities for further development. The city and the MPA understood the


need to create a “gateway” to the courthouse, and determined that the development’s design intent and aestheticswere critically important to the success of the project. The facility was notmeant to look like a


typical everyday parking garage. All project stakeholders agreed that it should enhance the experience of the courthouse area – and even create a community within and around the building. To reinforce this level of architectural


design and urban planning, the city estab- lished an ordinance requiring that any park- ing facility include mixed-use habitable space, clearly visible within pedestrian sight lines. The design intent, coupled with this newordinance, strengthened the desire of the owner and the project team to craft pedestrian scale for the struc- ture and to incorporatemodern architectural design elements. From inception, the facility’s primary purpose was to pro-


The Courthouse Center complex also offers a passive reflection park, which is intended to serve as an inviting community gathering place.


vide the sufficient parking supply not achieved by the previous facility.Although the opportunities to integratemixed uses and to build a vibrant community created an exciting buzz, the project’s success hinged on its ability to provide enough parking to sup- port the courthouse and adjacent uses. A comprehensive parking study identified the parking sup-


ply required to support the development at the time, andwell into the future. Planners and stakeholders also assessed the feasibility of the site to support a project of such magnitude, exploring the numerous opportunities for the site, including the most valuable utilization of the land, as well as the most successful integration of various uses. However, as plans for the development moved forward, the


project met a huge obstacle in the city’s real estate slowdown. The economy took a significant negative turn, and all of the plans that had once seemed so promising required considerable revi- sion and scaling back, at least for the foreseeable future. The result is the recently opened Courthouse Center, which


sits on the site today. Although not as large as once anticipated, the development has already helped to draw increased activity to the area. It provides significant office and retail space, as well as the parking supply needed to support the courthouse, employees and visitors of the mixed-use facility, and the sur- rounding neighborhood. The 11-story state-of-the-art Courthouse Center includes


850 parking spaces and about 369,000 square feet, which incor- porates 3,766 square feet of ground-level retail. The facility includes more than 36,000 square feet of office space, including the MPA’s administrative offices, as well as the future regional office of Timothy Haahs & Associates. (The firm anticipates LEED certification by theU.S. Green Building Council for Com- mercial Interiors for their new office space.) TimHaahs served as the prime design firm for the


Courthouse Center, providing full architectural and parking design services. Although the development was scaled back as a result of the


recession, significant opportunities for future growth and expan- sion remain. Designed with provisions for a future horizontal expansion to the east, the facility has the potential to grow to accommodate increasing demand. The Courthouse Center’s architectural design is intended to


minimize its appearance as a parking facility, and to mirror the building design elements of the courthouse. Using the “Miami Modernist” architectural style, TimHaahs incorporated design elements that complement the unique architectural context, as well as highlight the prominence of the office and retail space. Its striking architectural features – perforated metal screen-


ing, street “liners” on the second and third floor facades, and perimeter blue glass – fashion a building that values both form and function.These featuresminimize the size of the facility, pro- vide pedestrian-level scale, and generate an attractive aesthetic that enhances the downtown. The Courthouse Center provides a distinctive new public


open space. Actually the site bought by the MPA for further development of the mixed-use project, the passive reflection park offers community gathering space for employees, residents and visitors. Planners decided to convert the area into green space as a result of the recession, a positive outcome in spite of the difficult economy that still affords a valuable bank of land for future development. The Courthouse Center brings parking, shopping and din-


ing options to this rapidly redeveloping area of downtown Mia- mi. Backers believe the facility will serve as an impetus to development to the core district, contributing to the economic vitality of the city. The facility’s mixed uses – all designed with an eye toward “place making” – will attract residents, business- es and employees. As intended, the significant parking capacity will support all


of these efforts, and serve as a key component to the success of this prominent development in the heart of Miami.


Mark Santos, P.E., Vice President of Timothy Haahs & Associates, can be contacted at msantos@timhaahs.com.


NOVEMBER 2010 • PARKING TODAY • www.parkingtoday.com 15 PT


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64