Baywalk & Riverwalk Waterfront Design Guidelines
Overview
After forty years of incremental development, the Downtown Baywalk is 88% complete and the Miami Riverwalk and on-road Greenway are 65% complete. However, due to poor access, visibility and wayfinding, and due to a lack of standardized design and materials, the Baywalk and Riverwalk have remained incomplete and unrealized assets. There is little consistency in existing materials/furnishings, nor unifying elements that connect and create a Baywalk/Riverwalk identity. Many waterfront sites are not welcoming due to a lack of shade/tree canopy, nor do they feel safe and active due to a lack of lighting. Moreover, many sites were built without taking into account sea-level rise, storm-surge mitigation and resiliency.
In 2017, in partnership with the City of Miami and the Miami River Commission, the Miami DDA took on this challenge. The Miami DDA hired Savino Miller Design Studio and their team of subconsultants to develop a unifying design element (or palette of elements), brand identify and waterfront design guidelines for the Miami Baywalk & Riverwalk. Four years of public outreach and input, design charrettes, revisions and continued progress have led to the new “Waterfront Walkway Design Guidelines.” The guidelines provide a clear and cohesive vison for the design and construction for both the Baywalk and Riverwalk; they will promote interconnectedness and mobility opportunities from surrounding recreation spaces, they will provide residents and visitors of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds with additional access to waterfronts; they will increase wayfinding, visibility and branding opportunities; they will improve safety through lighting standards which will deter crime and create a more welcoming environment; and they will introduce structures which will provide for mitigation of future sea level rise and will decrease loads on the City’s existing stormwater systems.
In July 2021 the City of Miami City Commission adopted Ordinance No. 13114 “Waterfront Walkway Design Guidelines” and “Waterfront Materials Index. Now that these guidelines will shape future development, this will further the Miami DDA’s mission to advance the Baywalk and Riverwalk as a marquee attraction and destination for our residents, businesses and tourists. As these sites are built out and/or renovate in the years to come, they will continue to provide a high quality of life asset that attracts new companies and that our residents have come to expect. No other project on the waterfront has the potential of transforming our Downtown, celebrating Miami’s unique heritage, creating access from our diverse neighborhoods to the waterfront, ensuring resiliency, and generating a legacy for generations to come.
Master Plan Goals
2.0 Leverage our Beautiful and Iconic Tropical Waterfront
2.2 Complete Baywalk & Riverwalk
2.4 Improve Inland Connections to Waterfront
4.5 Connect and Promote Downtown Parks, Open Space and Greenways
Status
On June 24, 2021, the City Commission adopted Miami 21 text amendment modifying Appendix B: Waterfront Walkway Design Guidelines
On July 22, 2021, the City Commission adopted the accompanying Waterfront Materials Index.
1, 2 and 3-Year Outlook: Continue to work with City of Miami Planning staff and Miami River Commission staff to ensure that the proper lighting, signage and materials are included in all future Baywalks and Riverwalks.
