Florida Firms and Projects

Michael Design Associates

What Sets Them Apart

MDA assimilates the needs of the project, agency or community and prepares long range programming documents and often detailed design. Most of the firm?EUR??,,????'???s team-based projects have full public interaction, including charrettes resulting in consensus-based recommendations. The firm often involves the Rollins College Department of Environmental Studies in collaborative designs, providing undergraduate students with public project experience.

Michael Design Associates (MDA) was founded in 1983 and focuses on the master planning and design of community, greenway and trail oriented projects.

Genius Reserve

Genius Reserve

Michael Design Associates is the Landscape Architect to the Elizabeth Morse Genius Foundation (Genius Foundation) for the Genius Reserve. The Master Plan and design work has facilitated the removal of invasive exotic vegetation and the re-planting of native species for re-vegetation of the newly established ?EUR??,,????'??Reserve.?EUR??,,????'??

The Foundation’s initial work included the removal of exotic vines from the old live oaks, hickory and other native trees throughout the Reserve, a significant number of ancient trees. Rollins College Environmental Studies students inventoried Genius Drive species and other areas around the Reserve, including the long abandoned Dinky Line Railroad along the shore of Lake Mizell. The most deteriorated areas overrun by invasive exotic tree and vine species are being restored to the native landscape of the early 1800s, prior to the Settler period. The Foundation is also establishing the Reserve’s new boundaries with naturalistic hedgerows conducive to wildlife and scenic vistas.

Rose Garden

Central Park Master Plan & Rose Garden

The Central Park Master Plan recommends the preservation and enhancement of Central Park and promotes the education of the community to become stewards of Central Park, as an irreplaceable greenspace.

The accepted 2002 Central Park Master Plan includes sensitive improvements to the existing park, Meadow expansion, ?EUR??,,????'??next generation?EUR??,,????'?? tree canopy, Canton Avenue Parking Garage, Concert Stage upgrade, Central Park Train Station replacement, and the Civic Site.

Cross Florida Greenway

Landbridge Over I-75 on the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway

Michael Design Associates provided the greenway and trail master planning and construction documents for the first landbridge in the US incorporating wildlife and shared trail passage over an interstate. The Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway is a mile wide at Interstate 75, and spans the width of Florida providing wildlife habitat and a pedestrian, bicycle and equestrian shared use trail system throughout the length. Noted bridge designer John Corven of DMJM incorporated Blue Ridge Parkway viaduct design principles in the structural design and collaborated with the landscape architect throughout the process.

Overseas Heritage Trail

Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail

Michael Design Associates was the consultant to Monroe County for the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail. The county?EUR??,,????'???s overall planning process involved the Historic Bridge Inventory, Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, Conceptual Trail Plan, Trail Action Plan, Trail Master Plan and the Scenic Highway Corridor Management Plan. Comprehensive planning by the county was achieved and the trail was designated as an official Florida State Park and Greenway by the Department of Environmental Protection and later the US 1 Scenic Highway by the Florida Department of Transportation. The 106.5-mile multiuse bicycle and pedestrian trail is being built in phases and has many substantially completed segments, increasing safety, commuting and recreational opportunities throughout the Florida Keys.

Principal: Forest Michael, landscape architect and fifth generation Floridian, dedicates additional hours to each public endeavor to enhance the civic and environmental quality of the communities in which the projects occur.

Specialties: The firm specializes in detailed landscape architectural plans for public parks and greenways including full hardscape design, planting, irrigation design and specifications.