Cutler Bay Legacy Park and Resilient Community Design
Thu Dec 18 2025
We’ve officially reached 100 episodes of American Building, and to mark the milestone, I’m joined by Austin Crowley, Senior Associate, and Robert Blaser, Principal, of Michael Graves Architecture.
We center the conversation on one of Austin and Robert’s current projects: Cutler Bay Legacy Park, a civic project that addresses how a Florida community can engage with its government and waterfront. The project brings together municipal facilities, public programming, and coastal resilience in a site that had been degraded by years of industrial use and contamination.
We explore the technical challenges of building in South Florida's climate, material choices inspired by the historic Old Cutler Trail, and maintenance strategies for long-term durability. Through extensive community input and environmental remediation, the design team created a destination that will serve both daily civic functions and large community gatherings.
Beyond the project, we take a step back to look at the current architectural landscape. With the recent passing of industry titans Frank Gehry and Robert A.M. Stern, the architectural world is reflecting on the mark they left. Robert offers his perspective on where Michael Graves fits into that era of design and discusses his own role in carrying Graves’ humanist philosophy forward. Austin, speaking from his decade of experience with the team, highlights how Michael Graves Architecture draws inspiration from Gehry’s approach to technology, emphasizing that the future of the firm lies in thoughtful integration and strategic acquisitions.
Episode Outline
(01:52) Austin and Robert's paths into architecture and Michael Graves Architecture
(09:28) Winning the Cutler Bay Legacy Park RFP through narrative-driven design strategy
(13:37) Managing community input without compromising the project vision
(18:10) Navigating environmental remediation constraints and budget implications
(21:48) Building with flood zones, hurricane codes, and material costs in mind
(27:29) The vision for the visitor experience: moving through community and civic spaces
(39:06) Evolving Michael Graves’ design legacy beyond stylistic replication
(49:03) Geographic expansion and entering new markets through acquisition
(58:15) AI integration in design and business operations
Additional Resources
This episode of American Building is brought to you by New Blueprint Partners — making industrial real estate accessible to the everyday investor. They provide a simple, hassle-free, and transparent path to owning industrial properties, backed by experienced operators. You may remember founders Ron Schinik and Marc Esrig from our episode on the Vancouver Innovation Center, where they shared how collaboration and communication shape successful projects. Learn how you can build your industrial real estate portfolio at newblueprintpartners.com.
Episode 43: Austin Crowley of Michael Graves Architecture & Design | Next Gen Interview
Episode 2: Samer Hanini of Hanini Group | Peoples Bank Building in Passaic, NJ | Preserving History
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We’ve officially reached 100 episodes of American Building, and to mark the milestone, I’m joined by Austin Crowley, Senior Associate, and Robert Blaser, Principal, of Michael Graves Architecture. We center the conversation on one of Austin and Robert’s current projects: Cutler Bay Legacy Park, a civic project that addresses how a Florida community can engage with its government and waterfront. The project brings together municipal facilities, public programming, and coastal resilience in a site that had been degraded by years of industrial use and contamination. We explore the technical challenges of building in South Florida's climate, material choices inspired by the historic Old Cutler Trail, and maintenance strategies for long-term durability. Through extensive community input and environmental remediation, the design team created a destination that will serve both daily civic functions and large community gatherings. Beyond the project, we take a step back to look at the current architectural landscape. With the recent passing of industry titans Frank Gehry and Robert A.M. Stern, the architectural world is reflecting on the mark they left. Robert offers his perspective on where Michael Graves fits into that era of design and discusses his own role in carrying Graves’ humanist philosophy forward. Austin, speaking from his decade of experience with the team, highlights how Michael Graves Architecture draws inspiration from Gehry’s approach to technology, emphasizing that the future of the firm lies in thoughtful integration and strategic acquisitions. Episode Outline (01:52) Austin and Robert's paths into architecture and Michael Graves Architecture (09:28) Winning the Cutler Bay Legacy Park RFP through narrative-driven design strategy (13:37) Managing community input without compromising the project vision (18:10) Navigating environmental remediation constraints and budget implications (21:48) Building with flood zones, hurricane codes, and material costs in mind (27:29) The vision for the visitor experience: moving through community and civic spaces (39:06) Evolving Michael Graves’ design legacy beyond stylistic replication (49:03) Geographic expansion and entering new markets through acquisition (58:15) AI integration in design and business operations Additional Resources This episode of American Building is brought to you by New Blueprint Partners — making industrial real estate accessible to the everyday investor. They provide a simple, hassle-free, and transparent path to owning industrial properties, backed by experienced operators. You may remember founders Ron Schinik and Marc Esrig from our episode on the Vancouver Innovation Center, where they shared how collaboration and communication shape successful projects. Learn how you can build your industrial real estate portfolio at newblueprintpartners.com. Episode 43: Austin Crowley of Michael Graves Architecture & Design | Next Gen Interview Episode 2: Samer Hanini of Hanini Group | Peoples Bank Building in Passaic, NJ | Preserving History a...