Little Bahamas of Coconut Grove Revitalization

Vision Statement

To establish Little Bahamas of Coconut Grove as a globally recognized model of Bahamian, American, and Caribbean creativity, sustainability, and innovation — a living cultural district that connects heritage with the future.

By developing a Transit-Oriented Village along Douglas Road as the central corridor to the Afro-Caribbean Cultural Corridor, the initiative expands cultural exchange, trade, and commerce opportunities linking Miami with The Bahamas, the Caribbean, and global markets.

This vision integrates creative enterprise, technology, and cultural heritage tourism to foster sustainable economic growth, celebrate community identity, and position Miami as the Gateway to the Americas — where culture, innovation, and history move together toward a shared future.

Statement of Need

Once a thriving live–work community along Charles Avenue, the first Bahamian-built street in Miami, Black entrepreneurs created boarding houses, markets, and small businesses that later expanded to Grand Avenue — the only corridor available for Black enterprise during the Jim Crow era.

Today, these same streets face the loss of cultural venues, artisan spaces, and family-owned enterprises due to gentrification, displacement, and disinvestment. The Trust Fund reverses these inequities by transforming cultural heritage into pathways for sustainable prosperity through creative industry development, technology innovation, and tourism engagement.

Key Focus Areas for Funding

The Little Bahamas of Coconut Grove Revitalization Trust Fund directs investments that unite history, innovation, and community development — advancing through heritage, culture, and creativity.

1. Restore Historic Sites through Creative Placemaking - Utilize creative placemaking to restore and reimagine the historic assets that define Miami’s oldest Bahamian and Black community — including the ACE Theater, Coconut Grove Playhouse, Mariah Brown House, and Charlotte Jane Cemetery — while strengthening the historic overlay that connects these sites to nationally designated landmarks with contributions by black Bahamians such as Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, The Barnacle, and The Kampong.
2. Technology, Creative Industry Training & Entrepreneurship - Provide education and workforce pathways that merge arts, technology, and innovation, empowering residents, artists, elders, women, youth, and creative entrepreneurs to participate in the Orange and Green Economy through tech/creative enterprise, digital storytelling, and entrepreneurship.
3. Marketing “One Grove” Cultural District - Position Little Bahamas as the cultural hub of the Greater Grove Cultural District, promoting cross-cultural exchange, tourism, and investment by linking Miami’s neighborhoods to Afro-Caribbean cultural corridors throughout The Bahamas, the Caribbean, and global markets.
4. Beautification & Community Pride - Invest in beautification, streetscapes, murals, signage/markers, flags, gardens, and gathering spaces that reflect Bahamian and Caribbean aesthetics, restoring community pride and a sense of place through color, design, and nature.
5. Folklife Village & Marketplace - Activate Douglas Road and Grand Avenue with the Little Bahamas Folklife Village & Marketplace, showcasing Black local artisans, vendors, and culinary entrepreneurs, art, entertainment, and nature-based and horticultural products — creating a vibrant center and gathering place for culture, commerce, and creative exchange.
6. Gateway & Cultural Corridor Development - Establish the Gateway at Douglas Road and U.S. 1 as the ceremonial entrance to the Little Bahamas Cultural District — featuring Caribbean flags along Douglas to Grand Avenue, symbolizing unity across the Afro-Caribbean cultural corridor and expanding the footprint of Little Bahamas within the Greater Grove.
7. Transit-Oriented Village & Cultural Corridor Development - The Transit-Oriented Village along Douglas Road anchors Little Bahamas of Coconut Grove as a gateway between Miami’s urban core and its cultural hub. Designed as a walkable, sustainable corridor, it integrates housing, commerce, transit, public art, cultural and natural heritage, connecting the Douglas Road Metrorail Station, Grand Avenue, and U.S. 1.

The corridor links the Little Bahamas enclave to Afro-Caribbean cultural corridors across Miami and the Americas — promoting cultural exchange, trade, commerce, tourism, and creative collaboration with The Bahamas, the Caribbean, and global markets.

Through creative placemaking, it unites art, culture, innovation, and sustainability to expand opportunity for residents and artists. Marketing will include festivals, televised programs, and streaming media, positioning One Grove and Little Bahamas as leading destinations for cultural tourism and creative enterprise.