Keeping Current: North Miami – The "Good Neighbor" Stormwater Park

North Miami faces frequent flooding due to its location in the low-lying Arch Creek Basin. To address repetitive flood losses, the City purchases flood-prone properties and converts them into community assets. In 2019, the City of North Miami and Van Alen Institute launched an international competition to transform one such property at 901 NE 144th Street. The winning team, Department Design Office, developed the "Good Neighbor" stormwater park — a space that combines flood management with public use. The park features a large stormwater basin, native South Florida plants, walking paths, limestone seating areas, and educational public art. This innovative design not only reduces neighborhood flooding and insurance rates, but also creates a model for how small-scale public spaces can make flood resilience visible while celebrating the region’s native ecology. Howard Tonkin of Urban Habitat was invited to serve on the project outreach team for this important project.