Pondering on the Corner of Pisano and Campo Sano

Living in the shadow of obscure Spanish-inspired names, these road signs signal the demarcation from everyone’s Miami to the “ideal” Miami. To fully adopt a new ideology, a name has to coincide with it. Enter Coral Gables or as the true “locals” (which of course means mobiles and exiles) call it “The City Beautiful.” I admit that it does offer a pleasant change of scenery from downtown’s deterioration and the political incorrectness of Homestead’s migrant work force. While its history suggests otherwise, Gables has since left those days and now houses much of Miami’s elite. The names “Pisano” and “Campo Sano” do not lend itself to European authenticity but symbols of the rise of “new money” residents who live away from the issues that face the city. And no, one does not need Ponce de Leon to get to that conclusion. And yes, I mean the explorer not the boulevard.

Founded by George Merrick, Coral Gables was a planned community that would contain a variety of incomes. The Mediterranean at everyone’s door caught the eye of ambitious architects and city planners. Behind the terracotta roofs, coral rock homes, and selection of golf courses, Gables did not learn from Miami and sank into the same problem. The city transformed less and less into a community and more into a fantastical world, rivaling that of Flagler’s and Fisher’s Miami Beach. Gables relied on similar gimmicks that Merrick had hoped would entice Northerners. The road signs are a perfect example of this aspect. Were Spanish names that necessary? Why did all of Gables have to pull from other architectural styles? Thus, while Gables seems unique, it only emphasizes Miami’s reality versus spectacle.

Though my cynicism can get the best of me, I would not call Gables a full-fledged city but an experiment. It had its trial, planned its variables, but could not stand against the hypothesis. Like the black-and-white signs that nestle every street corner, Gables tried to combine Miami’s reality and spectacle in a functional and innovative way. A mixed income community would go against economic boundaries. Spanish conquistadors would then act as the catalysts. I cannot help but feel inclined to consider the effort noble but uncoordinated. Did Merrick expect that Gables would expand? Did he think that The City Beautiful would replace Miami?

What I cannot begin to reason is why those signs were made so low to the ground. How is any driver supposed to see them? I guess when Merrick meant “ideal” he did not include automobiles into the equation.