Friends Of The Underline Inc

OUR VISION IS TO TRANSFORM THE UNDERUTILIZED LAND, IN THE URBAN CORE, BELOW MIAMI'S METRORAIL INTO A 10-MILE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, URBAN TRAIL AND LIVING ART DESTINATION TO CREATE A SAFER, HEALTHIER, MORE CONNECTED, MOBILE, AND ENGAGED COMMUNITY. THE UNDERLINE WILL BE OPEN TO ALL AND SERVE ALL WITH AMENITIES AND ART THAT WILL CONNECT PEOPLE TO PLACE AND EACH OTHER.

DESPITE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, FRIENDS OF THE UNDERLINE (FUL) MET SEVERAL KEY MILESTONES IN 2020. FIRST, WE GREW STAFF FROM THREE TO NINE POSITIONS TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF THE OPENING OF PHASE I. AS CONSTRUCTION ON PHASE I, WHICH RUNS FIVE BLOCKS FROM MIAMI RIVER TO CORAL WAY BENEATH THE MIAMI METRORAIL, NEARED COMPLETION IN 2020, FUL HIRED THREE GRANT FUNDED POSITIONS: CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH MANAGER. ADDITIONALLY, FUL HIRED A MARKETING MANAGER, FACILITIES MANAGER AND OPERATIONS AND FINANCE COORDINATOR TO HELP SUPPORT THE INCREASED DEMAND FOR THE UNDERLINE. TO PREPARE FOR AN EARLY 2021 OPENING OF PHASE I, FUL ALSO ISSUED AND AWARDED TWO REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS FOR MAINTENANCE AND SECURITY SERVICES. USING INDEPENDENT MEMBERS WE DEVELOPED A SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR THE MAINTENANCE SERVICES AND ANOTHER COMMITTEE FOR THE SECURITY PROVIDER. THE FUL STAFF CONTINUED FUNDRAISING TO SUPPORT THE OPERATIONS OF THE LINEAR PARK. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, WE CEASED IN PERSON PROGRAMMING AND SHIFTED TO VIRTUAL PROGRAMS INCLUDING, YOGA, MEDITATION AND A WEEKLY VIRTUAL DIALOGUE CALLED MIAMI VOICES. STAFF AND OUR DESIGN ADVISORY COMMITTEE ALSO CONTINUED TO ADVANCE DESIGN FOR PHASE II OF THE UNDERLINE, WHICH RUNS 2.2 MILES FROM SW 13TH STREET TO SW 19TH AVE, IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION IN FALL 2021. ADDITIONALLY, STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS ALSO CREATED DESIGN CRITERIA FOR THE THIRD AND FINAL PHASE, WHICH RUNS 7 MILES FROM SW 19TH AVE TO THE DADELAND SOUTH STATION, IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION IN 2023. OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND SUB-COMMITTEE MEMBERS INCLUDE ARCHITECTS, DESIGNERS, URBAN PLANNERS, BIKING ADVOCATES, MARKETING EXPERTS, PHILANTHROPISTS, LEGAL AND ACCOUNTING PROFESSIONALS, BUSINESS LEADERS, REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY BUSINESS PERSONS AND PROFESSIONALS, ENTERTAINERS AND MORE. JAMES CORNER FIELD OPERATIONS OF NEW YORK DEVELOPED A MASTER PLAN IN LATE DECEMBER2015. THROUGHOUT CONSTRUCTION, FUL COMPENSATED JAMES CORNER FIELD OPERATIONS TO SERVE AS THE OWNER REPRESENTATIVE TO ENSURE THE UNDERLINE'S VISION IS BEING REALIZED. IN THIS SEGMENT, THERE IS AN OUTDOOR GYM WITH FLEX BASKETBALL AND SOCCER COURTS, PERFORMANCE STAGE, GAMING TABLES, COMMUNAL DINING TABLE, FOOD CONCESSIONS, NATIVE VEGETATION WITH BUTTERFLY GARDENS, LIGHTING, SEATING AND THE UNDERLINE BIKING AND WALKING PATHS. THERE WILL ALSO BE IMPROVED BIKING AND WALKING CONNECTIONS AT 7TH, 8TH AND 13TH STREETS. STAFF WROTE NUMEROUS GRANT PROPOSALS AND HELPED SECURE GRANTS FROM LOCAL PARTNERS TO HELP WITH FUTURE PROGRAMMING OF THE UNDERLINE. FINALLY, STAFF TOOK MANY STEPS TO STREAMLINE FINANCIAL PROCEDURES AND CREATED AN INTERNAL FRAMEWORK FOR HUMAN RESOURCES, PAYROLL AND PROCUREMENT. AS ANY START-UP NON-PROFIT, FRIENDS OF THE UNDERLINE IS FORMALIZING MANY OF ITS PROCEDURES AND THE HIRING OF AN OUTSOURCED ACCOUNTANT AND GRANT WRITER HAS HELPED US APPROACH OUR OPERATIONS MORE COMPREHENSIVELY.

FRIENDS OF THE UNDERLINE - WITH THE MUCH ANTICIPATED GRAND OPENING OF THE UNDERLINE'S FIRST HALF MILE, BRICKELL BACKYARD, IN FEBRUARY OF 2021, FRIENDS OF THE UNDERLINE (FUL) WAS ABLE TO ACTIVATE THE COMMUNITY AND THE PARK WITH MORE THAN 50 FREE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS INCLUDING HEALTH AND WELLNESS, CULTURAL, VOLUNTEER, CHILDREN'S , BASKETBALL SKILLS, EDUCATIONAL AND MORE. ADDITIONALLY, FUL OFFERED NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES TO SELL THEIR GOODS BRINGING COMMERCE AND OPPORTUNITY TO THE UNDERLINE. IN OUR FIRST YEAR OF OPERATIONS WE WELCOMED MORE THAN 1.6 MILLION VISITORS WHO ENJOYED WALKING, BIKING, EATING, RELAXING AND IMMERSING THEMSELVES IN OUR RESTORED NATIVE ECOSYSTEM. THROUGH OUR NATIVE PLANTINGS, WE REINTRODUCED BIRDS AND POLLINATORS WHO HAVE LONG BEEN ABSENT FROM DOWNTOWN. PARTNERING WITH THE CHILDREN'S TRUST AND BANK OF AMERICA, THE UNDERLINE LAUNCHED 18 SMALL BUSINESSES IN PHASE 1. THE UNDERLINE HAS ALSO BECOME A DESTINATION FOR DOGS AND PET LOVERS WITH MONTHLY PET PROGRAMMING, DOG FRIENDLY SPACES AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF APPROXIMATELY 20,000 DOGGIE BAGS OVER THE LAST YEAR. THIS YEAR LAUNCHED PUBLIC ART ON THE UNDERLINE WITH THE ADDITION OF 4 PUBLIC ART INSTALLATIONS INCLUDING, TWO PUBLIC PING PONG TABLES THAT BRING ATTENTION TO SEA LEVEL RISE, A 70 FOOT MURAL PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE BAHAMIAN IMMIGRANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FLAGLER RAILROAD, A PUBLIC PIANO PAINTED TO SHOWCASE THE NEW BUTTERFLY SPECIES THAT NOW CALL THE UNDERLINE HOME AND COLUMN ARTWORK THAT HIGHLIGHTS ENDANGERED SPECIES IN SOUTH FLORIDA. TO HELP GUIDE THE ORGANIZATION THROUGH OPERATIONS AND REQUIRED FUNDRAISING FOR THE OPENING AND MANAGEMENT OF ALL 10 MILES, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ALSO COMPLETED A 5-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN. PHASE 2, RUNNING FROM SW 13TH STREET TO SW 19TH AVE., IS EXPECTED TO OPEN BY FALL OF 2023 AND WILL FEATURE 3 GATHERING SPACES. FINALLY, STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS HELPED SECURE FUNDING FOR AMENITIES IN THE THIRD AND FINAL PHASE, WHICH RUNS 7 MILES FROM SW 19TH AVE TO THE DADELAND SOUTH STATION AND IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION IN 2023. OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH TEAM HOSTED PUBLIC LISTENING MEETINGS TO HELP RESIDENTS STAY UP TO DATE ON THE LATEST CONSTRUCTION INFORMATION AND OUTDOOR GATHERINGS TO HELP REDUCE ISOLATION AND ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS. RECENT RESEARCH INDICATES THAT NEARLY 60% OF GUESTS "MEET SOMEONE NEW" WHEN THEY VISIT.THROUGH FUL'S DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION (DEI) COMMITMENT, THE BOARD HAS CREATED NEW KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS TO HELP ENSURE THAT THE BOARD, STAFF AND OUR SERVICES ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF AND DEEPLY ROOTED IN MIAMI'S DIVERSE COMMUNITY. TO HELP SECURE ADDITIONAL FUNDS, FUL HIRED AN OUTSOURCED GRANT WRITER TO HELP SECURE GRANTS FROM LOCAL PARTNERS TO HELP WITH FUTURE PROGRAMMING OF THE UNDERLINE. FINALLY, STAFF TOOK MANY STEPS TO STREAMLINE FINANCIAL PROCEDURES AND CREATED AN INTERNAL FRAMEWORK FOR HUMAN RESOURCES, PAYROLL AND PROCUREMENT.