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South Miami moves forward on SoMi district branding and Sunset Drive streetscape updates
Summary
Commission heard a branding update from consultants and design options for Sunset Drive streetscape and a parking‑garage mural proposal; commissioners OK'd staff to finalize design development and given direction to begin implementation and return art concepts for a public preview.
City consultants and staff on Nov. 4 briefed the commission on two related place‑making efforts aimed at energizing South Miami’s downtown: a place branding package prepared by Plus Serbia and streetscape and median improvements along Sunset Drive.
Branding: Plus Serbia presented a multi‑phase place‑making study, public outreach results and three logo/identity directions. The consultant said residents favored a ‘luxury/heritage’ concept that functions well in signage, wayfinding and social media, and recommended staff proceed to produce brand guidelines and application standards (fonts, colors, pole banners, gateway signs and a public art strategy). Commissioner Corey and others asked for fonts and final brand guidelines to return for formal consideration before broad deployment.
Sunset Drive landscaping: a city consultant reported a redesign of proposed medians between SW 62nd Ave and SW 69th Ave that reduces tree removals and lowers the construction estimate to about $1,020,000 by removing extensive groundcover and retaining healthy canopy where possible. The plan calls for removing eight dead trees, planting 29 new trees and roughly 9,600 shrubs/groundcover, and rehabilitating irrigation. Annual maintenance from BrightView was estimated at about $29,000.
Public art and activation: the commission also heard a proposal to install a large mural/wrap on the South Union parking garage (entrance columns and a partial wall) by local artist Alexander Mijares, who offered to involve local students in parts of the installation. After detailed discussion of scope and cost estimates (the original concept up to $45,000; an extended wrap quote discussed in the meeting was higher for additional columns), the commission delegated authority to the city manager to negotiate a contract, subject to city‑attorney review, and asked the artist to provide three concept styles for public review at the next commission meeting.
Why this matters: commissioners emphasized the role of brand and placemaking in supporting downtown businesses and protecting two‑thirds of the city’s tax base that comes from the commercial area. The commission directed staff to proceed with further design development, return brand guidelines and provide public‑preview options for the mural concepts.
What’s next: staff will finalize brand guidelines and bring the three mural concepts to a future commission meeting for approval; the Sunset Drive median improvements will proceed toward procurement after final design revisions and budgeting.
