Miami's cityscape is poised for a significant transformation with a moola injection from Uncle Sam. A hefty $60 million federal grant was snagged by the City of Miami to sync up the Overtown community with its bustling downtown hub, Mayor Francis Suarez crowed on Thursday.
The jackpot marks the largest wad of cash the city has ever pocketed, according to the top dog himself. Mayor Suarez, in a press briefing, declared, "This is the largest grant the city of Miami has ever received in its history." Suarez's enthusiasm reverberated as he touted the "I-395 Underdeck and Heritage Trail" project, which promises a 33-acre slice of public space and a mile-long trail system, NBC Miami reported.
The project, which carries a price tag of just over $82 million, will be buttressed by state and city coin to fill the gap. It's not just about connecting dots on a map, though. Putting Overtown, a historically black neighborhood, back on the same playing field with its downtown counterpart serves up a heaping dish of righting past wrongs. Overtown was splintered by the brute force of I-395 and I-95 construction back in the '60s.
"Getting it right means everything to our community," Miami Commissioner Christine King emphasized, raising the stakes of the venture. King's commitment to honoring Overtown's residents sparkled as she pledged to create a space "respectful of the people who live in that community who suffered, and who will now reap the benefits of getting this space right," as stated in Local 10's coverage.
