Advancing Florida Transit-Oriented Development: Insights from Arturo Vasquez

This post summarizes insights from Arturo Vasquez, Design Principal and Senior Architect at Stantec, on how transit-oriented development (TOD) is reshaping Florida’s urban fabric. It explains why TOD is effective in the state and how recent policy changes like the Live Local Act and new public-private partnership authorities are accelerating projects. The post also describes what designers and developers must consider to deliver walkable, mixed-use communities.

Table of Contents

Why transit-oriented development is essential for Florida

Florida faces rapid growth, coastal geography, and a climate that encourages outdoor mobility but limits sprawling development. TOD provides a way to concentrate growth near transit, reduce vehicle miles traveled, and create walkable neighborhoods.

Arturo Vasquez has more than three decades of experience delivering mixed-use, multifamily, student housing, and transit projects. His recent work includes Fort Lauderdale’s Searstown redevelopment, Miami’s 79th and Biscayne multifamily project, and the Homestead Triangle transit district.

Climate, density, and walkability in the Sunshine State

Florida’s climate makes walking, biking, and short transit trips appealing, especially when developments use shading and smart urban design to limit heat exposure. Integrating housing, retail, and public space within a half-mile of transit hubs creates daily-use destinations and reduces car dependence.

Vasquez notes that well-designed TODs protect land from inefficient use. These developments can also improve property values and boost local economies.

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Policy tools accelerating TOD: Live Local Act and P3 opportunities

Recent legislative changes have created stronger incentives for developers and transit agencies to focus on TOD. The Live Local Act supports affordable housing, allows greater densities, and lowers parking requirements in transit-served areas.

A new law lets transit authorities accept unsolicited public-private partnership proposals, shortening procurement timelines. This allows agencies and developers to test new concepts without traditional bidding delays and encourages faster TOD outcomes.

Practical effects for developers and transit agencies

Stantec uses these policy tools through education, zoning expertise, and partnerships with developers. By explaining zoning overlays—such as extra height, mixed-use flexibility, and parking reductions—Vasquez helps communities see how these tools improve project feasibility and support civic goals.

Key design considerations Vasquez and his team emphasize:

Proximity—Integrate housing, retail, and civic uses within a comfortable walking distance of transit stations.

Mix of uses—Combine affordable and market-rate housing with ground-floor retail and community services for vibrant neighborhoods.

Connectivity—Focus on safe pedestrian and bike networks to reduce first and last-mile barriers.

Parking strategy—Reduce minimum parking requirements and use shared or structured parking to lower costs.

Placemaking—Create public spaces and civic amenities that support neighborhoods and transit ridership.

Lessons from other markets and the Stantec approach

Vasquez points to Stantec’s Oceanside, California TOD as a model. It is a unified, transit-first community that combined affordable housing, multimodal transit access, civic facilities, and placemaking into a single project.

The lessons are transferable. Strong partnerships, integrated design, and policy alignment yield scalable results.

After nearly 37 years leading integrated design teams, Vasquez’s guidance is clear. Align zoning incentives, embrace public-private collaboration, and design for people first.

For Florida’s rapidly evolving urban centers, TOD isn’t just a planning preference. It is a practical way to build more livable, sustainable, and economically resilient communities.

Here is the source article for this story: Q&A with Arturo Vasquez, Design Principal and Senior Architect at Stantec: Moving Florida’s Transit-Oriented Developments Forward