Redevelopment of the Little Havana Neighborhood

Mauricio Villasuso and Jose Fernandez

Mauricio Villsuso and Jose Fernandez gave a great over view and tour of the Little Havana neighborhood.  Originally the neighborhood was Jewish American and called “Riverside.”  Later, the neighborhood’s primary residents were of Cuban descent.  Hence the name “Little Havana.”  Today, the dominant ethnic groups are Central and South American immigrants.  To look at the Little Havana, you will see a neighborhood with a unique history and culture.

Location--Little Havana is located next to Miami’s Central Business District and downtown area.  It has accessibility to Brickell and the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial health district. Because of its prime location, the area is starting to feel pressure to develop from higher end developers. Little Havana currently has a very low vacancy rate of  just 3%.  Housing in the area caters to lower wage workers.  You might find families or multiple individuals living in smaller 1 and 2 bedroom units due to the lack of affordable housing.

 

The architecture of the neighborhood includes some Art Deco buildings, typical MiMo designs from the 1940’s and 1950’s.  Buildings built with slate have remained  intact.  However, buildings made with the porous sand from Miami Beach have become structurally unsound. 

Some of the challenges Little Havana faces were discussed during our tour. Here are a few challenges:

The neighborhood is starting to feel the pressure to redevelop from the downtown area.  However, zoning regulations does not make redevelopment economically feasible. The smaller lot sizes, requirements for parking and requirements for impact windows are just some of the requirements that put developers at a disadvantage. 

There is a need for family housing.  But, the square footage  required for a family unit is not economically feasible.  The current residents of Little Havana currently pay 50% of their income towards  housing.  The county average is 30%.

How does Little Havana maintain its unique cultural identity with the pressure of gentrification?  Mixed-income housing would be the solution. But, would mixed-income housing fly with potential upper income buyers?