I am a resident of Brickell, Miami, Florida and like many others in our community, I value the extremely limited green spaces we have. One such space is Allen Morris Park - a small oasis amidst our urban jungle around the Mary Brickell Village area. This park was generously given to our city by its namesake, Allen Morris. However, due to an unfortunate mistake made by the city administration that went against the terms of this gift, this precious green space is now under threat.

The park was closed for some time as the city was involved in a dispute around the terms of this gift. The park appeared to be “reopened” with a huge banner included in front of the park to announce the reopening.  However, it appears upon closer examination, the “deal” made was that the park would be temporarily opened for 18 months and then rezoned for commercial usage, to be torn up and developed as a restaurant or even yet another high-rise condo in an incredibly dense area. 

The park has now been fenced off by the Allen Morris Company and it’s been clear the community has been misled about the plans for its future. On July 7 during a Zoom call between the District 5 County Commissioner and the lawyer for the Allen Morris Company, a shocking (and not shocking development) insight came to light: the restaurant plans the developer has been pitching to our our community (allegedly to be built around the trees and preserve them) is actually a front - it’s just a stepping stone to becoming transformed into a sales gallery for their the "phase 2 Brickell Park Residences" supertall development. It's clear the developer has been misleading the community. 

This was revealed because the developer via the county office accidentally sent a PDF showing the plans for their “Phase 2”, in which the restaurant rendering they originally showed to the community is transformed into a sales center for their supertall project, which (no joke), they plan to call “Brickell Park Residences.” So their plan is use the trees to advertise and market a green residence, and then tear them down and the park to build their luxury condo. But then call the condo “Brickell Park,” even though there is no longer any park there. 

Allen Morris Park serves as a vital recreational and relaxation spot for residents of all ages in Brickell. It provides us with much-needed respite from the hustle and bustle of city life - a place for tired workers to take a rest, a place for a mom to enjoy a picnic with her child, and really just a place to reconnect with nature in this tiny park. According to studies conducted by The Trust for Public Land (2019), parks contribute significantly to public health and well-being in urban areas.

However, due to an error made by our city's administration when accepting this generous gift from Mr. Morris years ago, we are now at risk of losing this beloved park forever. Why should we be punished as residents for the negligence of our local government? Why are there not other routes of resolution less extreme than redeveloping the park, such as implementing a financial penalty? And how does it make sense that the developer sued the city for using the land for commercial purposes when their plan is to do the same? The answer seems clear: the Allen Morris Company wants to cash in on this tiny park. The Allen Morris Company is no longer operating with the original vision of their founder.

It would be extremely short-sighted to be rid of such an asset to this community. It’s well-known that our neighborhood lacks such resources for the community and this reputation is damaging the appeal of this neighborhood for both current and future residents. The city would be shooting itself in the foot by dismantling this park.

This petition seeks your support in preserving Allen Morris Park and its beautiful tree canopy as a public space for current and future generations to ensure we keep Brickell a sustainable place to live.