Skating Hotspot Opens In Downtown

Franco Gonzalez stands at the top of a half-pipe. He wipes the sweat from his face and takes a sip from his water bottle. Then he takes the plunge and quickly ollies and grinds onto the other side.   

His younger brother, Diego, fetches a skateboard that rolls away from him after attempting a trick.

The Gonzalez brothers have skated at the MPA Lot 11 Skate Plaza, located at N.W. Third Ave. and First Street, since its opening on April 23.

“It’s a safer place to skate than out in the streets,” Franco said, “We have kids out here as young as 12 or 13 skating, and it keeps them out of trouble.”

The brothers are among the hundreds of skaters who call this section of downtown Miami (which happens to be under an overpass section of I-95) home.

The MPA Lot 11 Skate Park provides a growing population of skaters a venue to perfect their skills.

Despite the images of Bayside and the American Airlines Arena that usually come to mind at the mention of downtown Miami, it’s hard to imagine Lot 11 being anything other than a cultural hotspot.

Sure, it may not have the artistic walls of Wynwood, or even the sand and surf of South Beach, however, it’s regarded as an important part of Miami culture, and consistently brings in new demographics.

Nick Katz, founder of the park and the non-profit organization Free Skate, set out to unify a growing demographic of skaters.

“I wanted an outlet to show that skateboarding is in Miami,” he said.

Katz was responsible for the now-defunct Grand Central Park, a recreational space for skaters that was located at 700 North Miami Ave. His latest project involved turning the space under I-95 into the full blown skate park that it is today.

The turnout has proved successful.

“It’s a cool place to hang out and it keeps me off the street,” Rezza Honarvar, 13, said as he sat on his board after a wipeout.

With plans since 2014 and a $10,000 grant from the Miami Foundation’s Public Space Challenge, Free Skate was able to bring this skate park to the masses, reviving a culture that was once negatively stereotyped.

“I’ve actually gotten no negative [feedback on] this park,” Katz said. “We try to keep it aesthetically pleasing for the public to show them how nice of a place it is.”

The park has become the place for skaters in the downtown area to kickflip, ollie and tailslide to their hearts’ desire.      

“I’ve seen kids who come here every day of the week,” Katz said. “Everyone knows each other, and we even have our own regulars.”

Skating culture has come a long way since the late ‘90s and early 2000s. Once seen as a group of stoners and troublemakers, Katz hopes he can shed that negative image and give skaters a more positive one.

“It shows people that we’re more than kids destroying public property,” Franco Gonzalez said.       

With Lot 11’s success, there’s no denying that skaters in Miami have found a new home.     

“Ninety percent of the best pro skaters come from southern California and only one from Miami,” Katz said. “I hope this park brings out the best in the kids and creates some real talent.”