Doral, our growing city. What to expect by 2021?
Residential and commercial buildings aligned with our modern lifestyle, new jobs, health centers, green areas, bike paths, these are some of the projects we will see at the City of Doral in the upcoming years.
Edda Pujadas
In recent years, the word that has defined our City is growth. Back in 2003, when Doral was born, it was the home of 26,438 residents, today we are 64,167 residents living in this city, and it is estimated that for the year 2020 this figure will reach 76,668 residents.
Logically, this population growth has been accompanied by the growth in infrastructure and services in general, statistics from the Planning and Zoning Department of the City of Doral show that between 2016 and 2017, we had 134.1 acres of parks, 206 miles of streets, 17.5 miles of bike paths, 56.2 miles of public transportation and 121 sworn in police officers.
Julian Perez, director of the City of Doral Planning and Zoning Department, explains that the goal is for these figures to keep on growing in order to be able to offer a better service to the residential and workforce population of our city. “If we want to keep up and improve our quality of life we must keep up with the resident’s growth.”
“We are estimating that for the year 2020 we will have around 76,668 residents, therefore, we are already working in being able to provide for that year: 344.5 acres of parks, 225 miles of streets, 20 miles of bike paths, between 60 and 70 miles of public transportation and 140 sworn in police officers,” states Perez.
At the same time, in response to the population growth and with the goal to reduce the traffic problems, Doral has developed the central area of the city according to the Mixed-Use Planning (residential-commercial). “In fact, for the year 2030, we expect that some of the non-residential areas of the city can be turned in to mix-use zones that allow to live, work, learn and have fun in adjacent areas. This together with the urban transportation development plan of the city in support of the public mobility system.”
In the commercial, educational and labor related aspects, Perez referred to the figures that the WCCD, institution that houses a network of innovative cities that are committed to the improvement of its services and the quality of life of its inhabitants, and that last year granted the City of Doral with the Platinum ISO 37120 Certification for considering it an intelligent, sustainable and prosper region.
According to the WCCD, Doral has an estimated of 14,746 businesses per each 100,000 inhabitants, which places it above cities like Los Angeles, Amsterdam and London, whose estimate fluctuates between 10,944 and 12,316 businesses per each 100,000 inhabitants. “This has allowed our unemployment rate to stay at the low level of 4.5%,” comments Perez.
To the previous information we have to add that Doral is home office for 775 companies in the industrial sector, that offer jobs to 11% of our workforce, 96.8% of our residents have high school diploma or higher education, 55.8% have completed graduate studies and that 20% have a postgraduate diploma. This has contributed to the fact that the family income of our city is higher than $88,000 dollars annually.
ON TRACK
When we speak about the future and growth of our city, one of the main aspects to mention is the General Obligation Parks Bond that will go to a referendum on the ballot on November 6th. “The voters will have the opportunity to decide if they approve this bond of $150 million dollars that would be use for future park projects in Doral. This will change our park system in the next years,” explains Maggie Santos, Speaker for the City of Doral.
A bond referendum is a voting process that gives the voters the power to decide if a municipality should be authorized to increase its funds through the emission of General Obligation Bonds. A General Obligation Bond is a way to borrow funds that the city commits to reimburse with interest in a specific term.
The estimate for a 30 years Bond for $150 million dollars, can cost the residents of the City of Doral (per household) between $120 and $165 dollars per year. Among the projects to finance with this bond we can highlight the increase in green and natural spaces, the development of Doral Central Park, the construction of cultural facilities and improvements to the bike paths.
Santos explains that the percentage breakdown of these $150 million dollars would be: green areas, natural areas, sport camps and play areas (24%), park infrastructure: landscape, rainfall drainage, security, lighting and parking (22%), pool project (21%), community center and restroom facilities (17%), cultural services: cultural pavilion (10%), walking and biking paths, approximate 5 miles (3%), specialized recreational areas (2%) and general improvements and security in the current parks (1%).
Among the real estate projects that are currently in development, Julian Perez referred to Downtown Doral, a residential, commercial and educational combined project, located between Northwest 79th and 87th avenues on both sides of 53rd Street, and whose first stages are already finalized, inhabited and operating, while the other stages are still in progress.
We also have Midtown Doral, a mix-use development (commercial and residential) composed of four phases along NW 107thAvenue and 78th Street, for this, the first stage is 100% inhabited.
Also, on NW 107thAvenue, Landmark at Doral, with 1,518 units between condos, townhomes and single family homes is also ready, together with Landmark Commercial(between NW 105th Ct and NW 58th Street) with an important business and restaurant offer, and City Place located at the corner of NW 36th Street and NW 84th Avenue combining commercial, residential and office spaces.
According to the projections from the Planning and Zoning Department of the City of Doral, between 2018 and 2021, the following projects should already be in operation:
Downtown Doral South, at NW 41st between NW 80th Avenue and NW 87th Avenue with 2,207 residential units, 150,000 square feet of office, 30,000 square feet of retail spaces, 7.6 acres of Public Recreational/Amphitheatre and 7 acres for schools.
Atriumis another of the big projects that are in progress in Doral. Located at northwest corner of Doral Boulevard and Northwest 79th Avenue, it comprises 350 multi-family residential units; 80,465 square feet of retail and office spaces, pool, green areas and walking paths.
We can also mention “Sanctuary at Doral” along Northwest 41st Street and 94th Avenue, with 29,400 square feet of retail and restaurant space and 226 multi-family residential units.
Doral Squareat the corner of NW 87thAvenue and Doral Boulevard with 145,000 estimated square feet of commercial space and 150 of office space.
Doral 4200is projecting 250 multifamily units at 4200 NW 107th Ave. with 7,500 square feet for a Clubhouse that includes a Fitness Center.
Another commercial option will be located at the corner of NW 58thStreet and NW 97thAvenue with 37,845 square feet of commercial and service spaces and restaurants under the name “The Shoppes.”
In the hospitality sector, we can highlight the Holiday Inn Express with five floors and 75 rooms around the International Mall, Baywood on NW 80th Avenue and NW 36th Street with its AC Hotel with 6 floors and 113 rooms and Fairfield Inn Hotel that will also include 6,500 square feet of restaurants.
In the health area, we can talk about the Jackson Health System on 7800 NW 29thStreet, this will include hospital, ER and medical offices. Doral Medical Plaza on NW 41stStreet and NW 109thAvenue, that will have 24hrs ER services and will operate 365 days of the year, but without a hospital, also the Baptist Health South Florida on NW 58thStreet and NW 97thAvenue with medical offices and ER services.
Julian Perez also referred to the projects that have recently opened, such as the Doral Police Department Substation, on NW 97thAvenue and Doral Legacy Park on NW 114 Avenue and NW 82th Street, while the Doral Glades Park, on NW 97th Avenue and NW 74th Street, has started its construction.
Together with other cities in Miami Dade County, Doral has signed an agreement to join efforts to protect our natural resources, preserve the green spaces in our municipalities, improve the quality of life of the residents and leave a sustainable legacy for all future residents.