MiamiLedgerest. 2026
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ConceptInfrastructuretarget · 2030·City-wide

305 Vertical Farms Network

Forty rooftop farms that grow 18% of Miami's leafy greens locally.

By Speculative · Ledger Desk
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The pitch

A network of 40 rooftop greenhouses on city-owned buildings — schools, libraries, recreation centers, transit yards. Hydroponic, solar-shaded, run by a public-benefit corporation. Produce sold at cost to corner stores and farmer's markets in food deserts.

Why now

Miami imports 91% of its fresh produce by truck or air. The 95-mile freeway corridor accounts for ~40% of carbon emissions in food supply. Rooftop space on city facilities sits unused. LED + hydroponic costs have dropped 60% since 2018.

Where it fits

Sites already identified across 7 city districts: Liberty City, Overtown, Little Haiti, Allapattah, Coconut Grove, West Flagler, Edgewater.

Specs · back of the envelope

  • Sites: 40 rooftops on city-owned buildings
  • Output: ~6.2M lbs leafy greens / yr (~18% of metro consumption)
  • Power: 100% rooftop solar + battery
  • Workforce: 220 jobs, union, year-round
  • Estimated cost: $84M capex · $11M/yr opex · break-even year 6

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Caveat

This brief is a conceptual provocation from the Ledger desk, not an architectural commitment. Numbers are back-of-the-envelope. Built to start a better conversation.

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