Hailing from Miami, I loved the Coconut Grove area for a long time, especially when my father and I decided to move there in 2014. We both loved the artsy, homelike, and free feeling the Grove had to offer.

Since the 1970s, Coconut Grove is what locals would call an art hippie heaven, with events such as the Coconut Grove Arts festival and Mango Strut Parade, which are historic annual events in the Miami area.

The Grove has always been the center of attention in Miami, with the area being in the middle of downtown and South Miami. It always seemed to be the heart of Miami, a golden safe haven of art.

However, since returning over break, I discovered that Cocowalk, the main spot of the Grove, was getting refurbished into a five-story office building with retail stores on the first floor.

This $33 million project isn’t the first, or last, million-dollar investment in the Grove. In the last three years, more than five million-dollar projects began development in the Coconut Grove area, according to an NV5 employee who agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity. NV5 is a Florida-based construction company that is helping to develop Cocowalk.

Gentrification is a word that everyone has grown more familiar with, and Iowa City is no stranger to it. In early 2016, Mankato, Minnesota, developers College Fund Properties took over the Rose Oaks rental complex, forcing its occupants out. While they did offer compensation, many people felt this was unfair and tried to fight the change, to no avail.

The estimated $70 million Coralville arena is another prime example of gentrification, forcing out local business and residents in order to make room for the 7,000-seat arena.

However, not all development is gentrification. The University of Iowa will soon complete the construction of Catlett Hall, which will only create more jobs and revenue for the town, allowing it to prosper. This doesn’t ring true with Coconut Grove, with many of its lower-rent buildings purposely being bought out and turned into million-dollar skyrises.

The West Grove is all too familiar with this, with many of its occupants being foreclosed in recent months. Some efforts were made against this. In mid-February, a discussion of anti-gentrification efforts took place in Coconut Grove. However, nothing came of it.