Innovation districts are popping up all over the country. But will they work?
Picture a gleaming building wrapped around an expansive tree-filled courtyard. All the walls are glass so you can see what’s happening in the ground-level retail and open-plan offices on the upper floors. In lieu of cramped hallways there are wide-open walkways and a snaking ramp that ascends to a rooftop lawn. Apartments are close by and there’s a constant hum of activity and interaction throughout. This is the image of a forthcoming innovation district in Miami, Florida.