A Century of Florida's Tallest Skyscrapers

[Jaxson]

I-10east --- Do you think that Miami Vice is to blame for our state's fascination (bordering on obsession) with cute pastel colors for what are supposed to be serious buildings?

LOL.

Lake and Keith, Miami has great architecture, but does everything hafta be in those colors? Look at one of the few bldgs in Miami that isn't blue, or white the Historic Freedom Tower that's in a nice yellow color; IMO I consider that more of a true Miami type architectural style, then a typical glass blue office tower, or a mandatory white condo highrise. Houston, Atlanta and even Charlotte are good examples of a nice color changes in their skylines.  

I am not going to assume what I-10east was trying to say, but I think that he may have been lamenting the lack of variety or imagination when it comes to putting up skyscrapers in South Florida.  When we look to New York or Chicago, there is a variety of architectures and styles that provides a buffet of beautiful buildings.  I still believe, however, that cities like Miami, Tampa and Orlando have stunning downtown vistas that are quite a few years ahead of Jax.

[I-10east]

I think their going with the feel of the region down there. You don't put ATL, Houston, and Charlotte highrises in a semi tropical region just my opinion. There also hues of red, purple, yellow and orange on their buildings. Why should they follow what Atl and Houston are doing? If they did wouldn't every DT in every city look the same? Just MO.

Miami's historical Freedom Tower is yellow (one of the very few that's not blue, or white). I get that a black, red or brown tower would look outta place in Mia, but what's wrong with more yellow, green, peach, or even light purple for highrises; Those are typical Miami Beach style art deco colors. Miami skyline style reminds me of a restricted gated community with strict rules (All buildings hafta be blue or white)  Anyways all I'm saying is I don't won't Jax looking like Miami. Hopefully it's okay to occasionally critque a city outside of Jax. I don't think what I'm saying is extreme at all.

[Keith-N-Jax]

Again why do we want compare Miami's buildings to New York and Chicago two Northern cities. I'm sure when people travel from up north to south Florida they welcome the change in scenery. Miami has its style and New York/Chicago has theres. When I visit Miami I know I'm in Miami, when I visit New York I know I'm in New York and I like it that way.

[Keith-N-Jax]

I-10east--Jax looking like Miami no worries there. It will never happen.

[ChriswUfGator]

Yeah the problem with Miami is when every developer runs around in a boom trying to be innovative at the same time, and they're all using the same set of architects and designers, and at the same time they're all clinging to the same vision of what sells, then you wind up with a very homogenous non-innovative result when 100 buildings pop up at once all looking the same.

Compare the CenTrust building with any of this new aqua-colored glass prefab stuff and tell me you don't see a difference? Miami used to be on the cutting edge or architecture, now it's the leading edge of the cookie cutter.

[Jaxson]

Careful Chris some will tell you on here that tall buildings means nothing. Leadership is needed not de-consolidation just MO.

The problem is you can't have effective leadership when you've incorporated so much territory that really doesn't fit together into a local government in such a way that the interests of the different parts are diametrically opposed to one another. We really need to recognize that local communities need to operate in their own self-interests and that the current setup just isn't working and isn't allowing that to happen.

We need to allow each community to focus on what is appropriate and sustainable for itself. And by sustainable I don't mean Ralph Nader / Greenpeace sustainable, I mean economically sustainable.

In at least one aspect, consolidation harmed pre-1968 Jacksonville.  Sure, it helped to solve the issue of duplication of services and rampant government corruption.  We forget, however, another ill that consolidation was supposed to help cure.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, pre-1968 Jacksonville was losing residents to the surrounding suburbs.  To prevent its tax base from shrinking any further, the city tried the annexation option.  Unfortunately, annexation efforts failed and Jacksonville needed to stem the bleeding.  Consolidation definitely expanded the tax base by 'annexing' most of Duval County into the city of Jacksonville.  In spite of this giant leap forward, people continued their exodus from the pre-consolidation boundaries into the areas that were previously unincorporated.  I agree with ChriswUfGator that political power follows the people, and because of the rise of suburban areas, the core city stands to keep losing clout in city hall.  The Beaches were smart to opt out of the consolidation because they knew that they would also lose out in the long run if they were to lose their identity to a massive monolith of a metropolis.  In the end, reforms might have been achieved without the 1968 city-county merger.  What would have happened?  It is all left to alternate history...

[I-10east]

I am not going to assume what I-10east was trying to say, but I think that he may have been lamenting the lack of variety or imagination when it comes to putting up skyscrapers in South Florida.  When we look to New York or Chicago, there is a variety of architectures and styles that provides a buffet of beautiful buildings.

Bingo! Lack of variety and imagination is exactly what Miami's skyline is.

[Jaxson]

Again why do we want compare Miami's buildings to New York and Chicago two Northern cities. I'm sure when people travel from up north to south Florida they welcome the change in scenery. Miami has its style and New York/Chicago has theres. When I visit Miami I know I'm in Miami, when I visit New York I know I'm in New York and I like it that way.

I don't advocate making us into a southern version of New York or Chicago, but my point is that there has got to be a wider range of designs that represent our state.  I know that Florida can surely attract a diversity of architectures that would embody the Sunshine State at its best.

[tufsu1]

yep....that condo building with the 10+ story square opening in the middle is what I call "lack of variety and imagination".

and the new concert hall...the epitome of boring architecture!

[Jaxson]

yep....that condo building in Brickell with the 10+ story square opening in the middle is what I call "lack of variety and imagination" 

Touche!

[Keith-N-Jax]

I dont know I see it different. How many ways can you build a condo which is primarly the skyline.

[Jaxson]

In the midst of this skyscraper discussion, I am tempted to ask a rhetorical question:

"Will there ever be a time when a city is celebrated for its suburban office parks?"

Just sayin'  ; )

[Keith-N-Jax]

And the one with the arch in the middle,,whats that? Stop the Miami hate. I dont know why so many on here hate Miami. Is it because its not Jax?

[Jaxson]

I, for one, don't hate Miami.  I personally think that South Florida is amazing because it is more Florida than it is South Georgia...

[I-10east]

It's nice to see that some like Jaxson & Chris isn't part of the "Sugarcoating everything that isn't Jax" fan club. That thread pic with the Barnett Bldg on top is REAL architecture; Even you Jax critics can't deny that. Am I saying put the Barnett, or some "Northern looking Bldg" in Miami? No, what's wrong what variety in traditional MIAMI type colors for highrises, like YELLOW (like freedom tower), PEACH, LIGHT PURPLE, GREEN etc, again NOT BROWN, BLACK etc?