For the proposed Miami-Orlando rail line see:
Florida East Coast Railway Miami-Orlando High Speed Rail | Proposed

For the proposed Downtown Ft. Lauderdale & West Palm Beach Stations see:
All Aboard Florida Downtown Ft. Lauderdale & West Palm Beach Stations | Proposed




Summary: All Aboard Florida and Florida East Coast Industries are planning a massive mixed-use rail station on 9 acres it owns in downwtown Miami.

The station is being designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill.

The station will be the southern terminus of the planned Miami-Orlando high speed rail project. It is directly across from Government Center - allowing connections to Metrorail and Metromover.

The station may include hotels, office, and residential space - 'everything is on the table'. Under the 'Miami 21' zoning code, FEC is entitled to apply for a Special Area Plan, allowing them to build 2.5 million square feet.



Article: FECI planning Grand destination on downtown Miami land
http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2012/06/28/feci-planning-grand-destination-on.html

True, but it has been long enough that everyone has forgotten it.

If you read through historical accounts, the original FEC passenger rail line was plagued by striking unions and eventually shut down.

Also, the original downtown Miami station was demolished in 1963 under heavy pressure from the City of Miami and Dade County. They wanted the tracks and station out of downtown to allow for urban renewal.

The original station at the site was built in 1912. As early as 1919 the Miami Chamber of Commerce was clamoring to have the station demolished.

The Miami News described it as a 'rattletrap' station. Dade Rep. Lee Weissenborn had proposed fining FEC $500 for each day that they failed to build a new station


Here is the full 1963 article from the Miami News:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=71XFh8zZwT8C&dat=19630923&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

All Aboard Florida Selects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and Zyscovich Architects as Station Planners

MIAMI -- All Aboard Florida has named Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (“SOM”) as Lead Architect and Planner to develop the initial concepts for its four stations and associated transit-oriented developments (“TODs”) to be located in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Orlando. Florida-based Zyscovich Architects (“Zyscovich”) will serve as Associate Architect and Planner.

All Aboard Florida, the privately owned, operated and maintained intercity passenger rail system that will connect South Florida to Orlando, chose SOM because of the firm’s seven decades of experience planning, designing, and implementing large-scale transportation projects on a global level. In the past twenty years alone, SOM has completed more than $5 billion dollars worth of transportation construction projects including subway and rail stations, ferry terminals, complex intermodal and multi-modal facilities, and designing entire airports and more than a dozen airport terminals. SOM most recently designed Denver Union Station, which will redevelop an urban center with retail, commercial, and office space and serve as one of the most comprehensive intermodal transportation projects in the country.

“SOM is renowned for its inspiring, award-winning design, strong track record of fostering public consensus, and ability to translate infrastructure investment into regional benefits,” said Vincent Signorello, president of Florida East Coast Industries, Inc., All Aboard Florida’s parent company. “The firm repeatedly delivers outstanding designs for premier passenger rail stations with successful mixed-use programs that become among the most innovative and memorable urban places in major cities worldwide, catalyzing urban redevelopment.”

Zyscovich Architects’ long-standing influence on regional architectural design, municipal planning and major urban developments can be seen in large-scale projects including the Midtown Miami redevelopment project located along the FEC Corridor; master plans for downtown West Palm Beach, downtown Fort Lauderdale, and downtown Miami; and a rail corridor strategic redevelopment plan for the City of Miami. The firm also has extensive transportation and transit-oriented design experience, such as the New Eldorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia and the Airport City Intermodal public-private development project at Miami International Airport. Mr. Signorello noted that Zyscovich's deep understanding of Florida’s development environment and extensive familiarity with the existing rail corridor will be a significant asset to the project.

“The engagement of SOM and Zyscovich represents our commitment to delivering world-class transit planning and design for our station system. Both firms have demonstrated extreme competence with projects of similar scope throughout the world,” remarked Mr. Signorello. “Their depth of experience in urban planning and skill in crafting appropriately iconic design sets the stage for All Aboard Florida to transform the transportation landscape throughout Florida. We intend to deliver landmarks that will enrich our neighborhoods for years to come.”

The firms have started work immediately on creating the conceptual development program for the Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Orlando stations.