Coconut Grove Business Area Initiatives Stress Its Natural Environment

The Coconut Grove Business Improvement District has set forth initiatives to get the community back out and once again enjoy one of the best attractions the neighborhood has to offer – its enriched natural environment.

“The Coconut Grove BID has been hosting micro-events intended to site moments throughout the neighborhood,” said Cynthia Seymour, the BID’s executive director. “Instead of aggregating people in one place, we site moments and events throughout Coconut Grove that cause people to walk through the space and enjoy life outside in a walkable neighborhood. These fine events are attracting all generations of people who are ready to get out and get back to our natural, beautiful environment. We’re seeing a real renaissance right now.”

During the micro-events, the BID hires local artists, musicians and performers, she added. These social events are helping to support not only businesses but the creative essence of Miami.

“We’re actually giving them a stage in Coconut Grove,” Ms. Seymour said. “Who says there’s no Coconut Grove playhouse? It’s just not in a building, it’s everywhere. Along with the fully occupied CocoWalk lifestyle center, the neighborhood is offering even more entertainment experiences and restaurants that have emerged in the past six months.”

The Miami Symphony Orchestra has been commissioned to perform quarterly outdoor concerts in Coconut Grove. The first performance is set for Feb. 12 at Peacock Park, 2820 McFarlane Road, which will be an unofficial kick-off of the Coconut Grove Arts Festival that starts the following week.

Just in time for outdoor festivities, the BID installed decorative tree lighting and is also in the process of installing electrical conduits.

“We are going through an infrastructural upgrade with our electrical conduits and installing them throughout all the tree wells so that we can increase lighting installations, and that should be done by the fall,” Ms. Seymour said. “It will position us to do some magnificent things, like music and arts throughout the Coconut Grove Business Improvement District.”

With special events like the arts festival and an Asian food crawl, coming in February, the Coconut Grove BID is working toward bringing a more global presence through food, shopping and entertainment.

“I can say by October, we’re going to be doing a real global push to let the world know what a fantastic place Coconut Grove is to come and visit,” Ms. Seymour said.

 

Source: MiamiToday