Today’s Floridian Rundown highlights two projects at different stages of the development process. The first focuses on the release of a new design for a long-anticipated redevelopment site in Miami’s Omni District. The second turns to Fort Lauderdale, where plans for the city’s proposed tallest building have returned to the agenda and are now awaiting review by the City Commission. The renewed activity signals renewed momentum for a project that has remained largely quiet since last year.
Floridian Rundown is an experimental article format aimed at surfacing development activity that may not always warrant full-length coverage. Published as a periodic publication, the series highlights early-stage proposals, design updates, and lesser-reported projects that are quietly moving through the pipeline, offering readers more insight beyond traditional weekday coverage.
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1501 Northeast First Avenue
A property in Miami’s Omni District, also known as the Arts & Entertainment District, is being pursued for redevelopment by SF QOZ Fund I, an investment group led by David Cohen and Liam Krahe. The fund specializes in projects located within federally designated Qualified Opportunity Zones, areas identified as economically distressed and eligible for certain tax advantages.
Those incentives form a key part of the project’s capital strategy, which relies on outside investor participation. Promotional materials indicate that the offering is entering its final phase of fundraising limited to accredited investors. However, a review of city records shows that the proposal has not yet been formally submitted to the City of Miami.
The development team is targeting a six-parcel assemblage at 1501 Northeast First Avenue, a roughly 0.8-acre site acquired from Genting for approximately $20.9 million in early 2025 by A&E District Holding Company, LLC ( an entity affiliated with SF QOZ Fund I).
The project would become the neighborhood’s first true skyscraper, defined as a building rising above 492 FT, with the tower planned at 47 stories. The development will include around 10,000 SF of coworking space, 4,000 SF of retail, and 576 residential units. The project is designed by Kobi Karp, with artistic collaboration from Ron Agam. Architecturally, the tower features a colorful, multi-story podium paired with a modern facade characterized by floor-to-ceiling glazing and glass balconies.
Permitting for the site, including demolition or site work permits, are not in the works right now. However, the development team has indicated that permitting is targeted for May 2026, with groundbreaking anticipated to follow in June 2026.
315 Northeast 3rd Street
Plans for what is proposed to become Fort Lauderdale’s tallest tower at 315 NE 3rd Street are advancing to an upcoming City Commission meeting, following revisions to both the project’s height and density. After review by the city’s Development Review Committee and subsequent staff comments, the development team has updated several features of the design as well. Led by Arosa Developers and designed by FSMY, the project is scheduled to appear before the Fort Lauderdale City Commission on January 20th.
The revised plans call for a total of 602 residential units, including 135 studios ranging from 400 to 404 SF, 207 one-bedroom units ranging from 462 to 737 SF, 201 two-bedroom units ranging from 637 to 949 SF, 43 three-bedroom units ranging from 953 to 1,032 SF, and 16 four-bedroom units measuring 1,422 SF. The updated unit count represents a slight reduction from the 607 units proposed in the first iteration.
The project includes 3,653 SF of ground-floor commercial space (down from and a total of 654 parking spaces, exceeding the 602 spaces otherwise required under the city’s one-space-per-unit code. The additional parking is intended to replace spaces currently serving the neighboring NOLA Lofts, which will forfeit its existing surface parking as part of the development.
Due to the tower’s uniquely slender lot, the parking garage will also utilize an automated parking system, incorporating double and triple-stack mechanical lifts to maximize capacity within the garage.
Changes to the building’s exterior design in response to Development Review Committee (DRC) comments have also resulted in alterations to the tower’s overall height. The DRC called for greater ‘skyline drama’ above the top habitable floor, resulting in the integration of the elevator overruns and mechanical spaces into the architectural form of the tower. As a result, the roof has been redesigned with a more sloped profile, bringing the final height to 608 FT rather than 603 FT.
In addition, DRC comments called for a taller and more prominent ground-floor entrance, especially due to the podium’s massing. The development team responded by increasing floor-to-ceiling heights along the 3rd Street frontage, improving the street-level presence.
