On Wednesday the Miami Herald reported that a private developer is planning to build the largest building in South Florida, a 1000-foot observation tower in the heart of Miami.
More specifically, the tower would be located almost literally in the Bay, just off the shores of Bayfront Park, behind Bayside marketplace, a little south of the AAA Arena and the bridge heading towards the Port of Miami. The FAA has signed off on the tower. Tishman Construction, a NYC-based construction company that built the new World Trade Center would be the general contractor. And none of the funds will be public -- the projected $300-400 million dollar cost will come from developer Jeff Berkowitz., who says of the project: "It will forever cement Miami on the list of great world cities."
Besides from being an observation tower, the building promises an almost Epcot kind of experience for thrill seekers. There will be a "a flight-simulation ride that would take visitors gliding amid the towers of downtown, over the Everglades and diving down beneath the sea to offshore reefs." Also, according to the Miami Herald, there will be "an upscale restaurant and ballroom and a pair of attractions for high-altitude thrill-seekers: A bungee jump and a Tower of Terror-like ride that would drop some 50 stories along."
Bungee jumping? A free-fall thrill ride? An Epcot type of simulator? Awesome views of the city? How does this not sound super awesome?
Not sure how your social media streams look, but my friends, and those I follow, whom I consider smart, cutting-edge, and progressive think this is the ugliest eye-sore and that it is doomed to represent Miami as tacky and self-absorbed. They call the rendition phallus-like and the idea corrupt. My friends think it will lead to more Las Vegas -- or Times Square commercialization. What am I missing here? Seriously?
How can this be a bad thing? How can it not only contribute to what's going on?
The Science Museum, the Perez museum, the Herald building is being blown-up to be replaced with a a multi-billion dollar development project, there's a billion dollar convention center coming downtown. How can this not help all the businesses at Bayside Marketplace?
What am I missing? Talk me down?
Is this not further proof that Miami is the best city in America?
Or does this truly sound stupid?
I'm not going to lie, the rendering looks a little weird, calling it the "Eiffel Tower" is going a little too far, and I'm skeptical if the developer will actualize the project, but I hope he does.
This is a good thing.