Miami-Dade County’s effort to modernize its aging public housing portfolio is continuing, with new plans submitted for the redevelopment of Gwen Cherry 7. The project, known as Gwen Cherry Residences, is being developed by Redwood Development Co. and Magasi in partnership with Miami-Dade County. Redwood has become an increasingly active participant in the metro area’s affordable housing development, with other major projects including the large-scale redevelopment of Claude Pepper in North Miami.
Located at 170 NE 67th Street, Gwen Cherry 7 occupies a 1.6-acre site currently developed with several two-story apartment buildings constructed in 1970, totaling 24 public housing units. The property is one of several Miami-Dade housing communities named in honor of Gwen Cherry, the Miami-born educator, civil rights advocate, and the first African American woman elected to the Florida Legislature.
The redevelopment effort dates back to 2023, when Miami-Dade County issued a solicitation seeking development partners for several aging public housing communities. Gwen Cherry 7 was paired with the nearby Lemon City property as a single redevelopment opportunity. Magasi Redwood Urban LC, LLC (a partnership between Redwood Development Co. and Magasi) submitted the sole proposal for the package.
Following negotiations, the Miami-Dade County Commission authorized a 99-year Lease and Development Agreement, subject to approval by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), allowing the team to move forward with the redevelopment of both sites.
Although the broader agreement includes both Gwen Cherry 7 and Lemon City, the latest filing pertains only to Gwen Cherry 7, marking the first detailed development plans submitted under the redevelopment agreement. Plans for Lemon City have not yet been filed and are expected to move through a separate review process at a later date.
What’s Planned?
According to plans submitted to Miami-Dade County earlier this month, Gwen Cherry Residences will deliver 154 homes, representing nearly a sevenfold increase over the site’s existing housing stock. The development will consist of two buildings connected by a shared two-story podium.
The larger of the two buildings will rise 11 stories and contain 54 affordable family-oriented residences, with unit layouts ranging from one-bedroom to five-bedroom apartments. The second building will rise 10 stories and provide 100 units, consisting primarily of studio and one-bedroom apartments.
The shared podium will incorporate approximately 7,700 square feet of ground-floor retail space, while a podium amenity deck will provide recreational and open space for residents. Parking will be accommodated through 214 garage spaces and an additional 19 surface spaces, providing capacity well above what is typically required for a development of this size.
While final architectural elevations have not yet been released publicly, both buildings are expected to exceed 100 feet in height, making them among the taller structures in the surrounding neighborhood. Preliminary renderings depict a contemporary design featuring brown, gray, and white exterior finishes, expansive glazing, generous landscaping, and a mix of facade textures intended to add depth and visual variation.
The filing represents another step in Miami-Dade County’s broader initiative to replace aging public housing communities with higher-density mixed-income developments through long-term public-private partnerships. As Gwen Cherry Residences advances through the approval process, its companion redevelopment at Lemon City is expected to follow with its own development application in the future.