Mimicking the success of New York’s High Line, Miami’s latest urban regeneration project targets the 10-mile stretch of land below the city’s Metrorail, which will be transformed into a public park and art venue dubbed the Underline.
The Underline will connect to downtown and the Miami River Greenway on the north and to the proposed Ludlam Trail and the existing South Dade Trail on the south.
Designed by James Corner Field Operations—the same firm that designed the High Line on a disused elevated rail track—the Underline will include biking and pedestrian paths as well as a rotating public arts program encompassing sculpture, performance, and installations.
The urban regeneration project boasts a rotating public art program. Photo: courtesy The Underline.
Declaring the $120 million project as one of his priorities, Miami-Dade County mayor Carlos A. Giminez committed $3 million towards the Underline, which has been forecast to increase economic output along US Route 1 by $170 million in during construction and by $50 million annually after completion, as well as raising local property values by an estimated $650 million.
Commissioned by Miami-Dade Cultural Affairs & Art in Public Places the installations are funded by a $200,000 grant from ArtPlace America. The inaugural art show includes four commissions by Miami-based artists Bhakti Baxter, Naomi Fisher, Nicolas Lobo, and Agustina Woodgate, which will be unveiled at an exclusive flashlight tour on Thursday evening.
Aside from the economic impact, organizers hope that the regeneration project will encourage the local community to explore the city and provide a new green space to exercise, socialize, and gather.
A public-private collaboration, the project was realized in association with the non-profit Friends of the Underline. In a statement, the organization’s president and CEO Meg Daily said “Our community has seen the transformative power of the arts—from our museums and galleries to our schools and artist communities. We’re thrilled to be part of this rich community fabric.”