Michaeljohn Green on Miami DDA’s Vision for Growth and Innovation

Michaeljohn Green serves as the Chief of Economic Development and Strategy at the Miami Downtown Development Authority (DDA). With a deep background in public-private partnerships, urban revitalization, and mixed-use development, Green is dedicated to positioning Downtown Miami as a global hub for innovation, culture, and investment. His work bridges visionary planning with actionable strategies, driving transformative projects that shape Miami’s skyline and enhance community spaces.

In this interview with Property News International, Green discusses Miami DDA’s participation in the America Property Expo, outlining how the organization fosters economic growth, attracts investors, and improves quality of life in Downtown Miami.

What motivated Miami DDA to become a partner/attendee at the America Property Expo, and how does this align with your current strategic goals?

The Miami Downtown Development Authority’s (Miami DDA) mission is to grow, strengthen, and elevate the quality of life and economic development in Downtown Miami. Partnering with the America Property Expo provides a platform to showcase our district’s transformation into a global hub for commerce, culture, and community, aligning with our goals of attracting new investment opportunities for the city, advancing mobility and infrastructure projects, improving the quality of life of our residents and positioning Downtown Miami as one of the most dynamic urban centers in the world.

How do you see Miami DDA’s involvement in the Expo benefiting stakeholders in downtown Miami, for example, investors, property developers, local businesses, and civic leaders?

The Miami DDA’s involvement in the America Property Expo gives investors and developers an opportunity to see firsthand the countless major projects underway in Miami’s urban core, ranging from mixed-use residential towers, business support, and global corporate relocations to our district. They will also have a chance to learn more about our initiatives to support businesses in downtown including our Business Incentive Program and Permit Clinic, as well as the numerous infrastructure projects underway to enhance mobility in Downtown

Could you share what Miami DDA is planning to showcase at the Expo (projects, investment opportunities, urban development initiatives)? What message do you most want to communicate to attendees?

The Miami DDA plans to showcase its extensive work in supporting infrastructure projects that strengthen the local economy by attracting visitors, improving mobility, and fostering a business-friendly environment. One of the highlights is the 3D Development Pipeline Map, a free, real-time digital tool that allows anyone to virtually explore Downtown Miami, view completed developments, track projects under construction, and preview what’s next.

Another key project is The Underline, a world-class, 120-acre linear park and urban trail being developed beneath Miami’s Metrorail. The full 10-mile stretch will transform regional mobility while celebrating diversity, culture, and lifelong learning. Five miles have already been completed, with the entire project expected to be finished by late 2026.

The $800 million Signature Bridge, along with The Underdeck and Heritage Trail, will completely revitalize a 33-acre area, turning what was once an underutilized corridor into a vibrant public space. The Underdeck connects multiple neighborhoods, including Overtown, Omni, Downtown, and the Innovation District. With $60 million in funding already secured from the U.S. Department of Transportation, construction is expected to begin in 2027/28.

The I-395 Baywalk Pedestrian & Bikeway Bridge will enhance accessibility by linking the Miami Baywalk north to south while also providing east-west connections to the Underdeck and Miami Heritage Trail. It will extend to both the Museum Park and Adrienne Arsht Center Metromover Stations, offer potential links to the SMART Plan Baylink service, and provide waterfront access to waterborne transportation and transient dockage.

Beyond infrastructure, the Miami DDA is actively focused on attracting new businesses and investors to position Downtown Miami as a leading global hub. In 2024, its Business Incentive Program awarded grants to 44 companies across sectors such as fintech, hospitality, health and wellness, creative services, and workforce training. Through its Downtown Creative Collaborator Grants, the organization provides up to $50,000 for projects that activate the district, including free family events, art exhibitions, concerts, and festivals.

The Property Improvement Grants program offers up to $50,000 to help businesses and property owners enhance their storefronts, while the Downtown Lighting Grant Program provides up to $2,500 for lighting upgrades to improve safety and security. Additionally, the Permit Clinic offers free guidance to entrepreneurs navigating the process of opening and maintaining businesses in Downtown, helping projects move forward efficiently and with fewer delays.

In your view, what are the biggest opportunities and challenges for property development in Miami at present, and how does attending this expo help address them?

Downtown Miami is full of opportunities for property development. We’ve experienced strong population growth and numerous global corporate relocations to our district, including FC Barcelona’s headquarters.

The current challenges we face and work to address are mobility and infrastructure issues and enhancing safety initiatives. Work is already underway on these priorities and we are finding solutions through the funding of numerous programs such as a $150,000 drone for the City of Miami, providing additional hours per month of police patrolling the Central Business District and Brickell, expanding our security camera network and license plate readers, and investments in infrastructure/transportation.

At the same time, we know that permitting has historically been a barrier for developers and small businesses. To address this, we launched our Permit Clinic, which has already assisted more than 832+ businesses and residents in navigating the process, helping ensure that projects can move forward more efficiently and with fewer delays.

By engaging at the Expo, we can attract the right partners and investors who understand our district’s unique needs and are prepared to invest in additional solutions that address the opportunities we have as well as the challenges we face.

How does Miami DDA measure success from events like America Property Expo? What metrics or outcomes would make this partnership a win for your organization?

Success comes from turning conversations into tangible outcomes. We hope to secure follow-up meetings with developers, civic and business leaders, and decision makers who can strategically invest in our city and help capitalize on Downtown’s existing growth. The Expo provides opportunities that we can leverage to bring in business owners and entrepreneurs who will further activate our district.

Internally, we set goals around the number of meetings, new relationships formed, and prospects added to our pipeline. We also have strategic marketing plans in place to keep those connections engaged and move them toward real investments

How does Miami DDA plan to engage with potential partners and international investors at the Expo, and what follow-up actions do you envision post-event?

As mentioned, our success comes from meaningful connections. The Expo is the first step, and we plan to build on it by inviting partners to future Miami DDA networking events and encouraging ongoing engagement through our channels, including our newsletter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook.