260-Unit Ohio Allapattah Submitted to Miami’s Urban Development Review Board
Miami’s Urban Development Review Board is set to weigh in on Ohio Allapattah, a mixed-income high-rise proposed for the city’s Allapattah neighborhood. Submitted by High-Waves Properties, an Aurora, Ohio-based developer, the project would be the first high-rise of its scale in the surrounding area, a feat made possible entirely by the Live Local Act. The Live Local Act has dominated headlines across South Florida in recent months, and for good reason. Its flexible zoning rules favor increased housing production, often clearing the way for high-rises in neighborhoods where they’ve never existed before, and Ohio Allapattah fits that pattern exactly. The site sits at 1368 NW 29th Street, on a parcel just over an acre zoned D1, or light industrial, a classification that would never permit a high-rise under normal circumstances, let alone one at this height and density. According to a development submission prepared by the project’s architect, Caymares Martin Architects, Ohio Allapattah will include 260 units, well below the 1,055 dwelling units the Live Local Act would technically allow on this site. Units will range from studios to one- and two-bedroom layouts, and 40 percent of them will be designated as workforce housing for at least 30 years. These units will be priced below 120 percent of the Area Median Income rather than simply at that threshold, a distinction the developer has pointed to as a meaningful commitment to affordability. Residents will also have access to coworking space, a spacious lobby with mail and package rooms, a pool deck, and additional indoor amenity space still being finalized. At street level, the project will add 3,135 square feet of ground-floor retail along with expanded sidewalks and new greenery aimed at improving the pedestrian experience along the block. The building’s multi-level podium will hold 258 parking spaces, a number that falls below the standard minimum requirement. That’s allowed under the Live Local Act, which permits developers to reduce on-site parking for projects located within a Transit Oriented Development district, and this parcel qualifies, sitting just a few blocks from a Metrorail station. Height is where the Live Local Act’s flexibility really shows up. The law allows developers to borrow the maximum height permitted on any parcel within a mile of the site, and because a nearby parcel allows for a 12-story building, Ohio Allapattah is entitled to the same. That translates to a 125-foot tower, or roughly 135 to 140 feet once the rooftop bulkhead is factored in. Caymares Martin Architects has drawn up a contemporary facade in black, gray, and white tones, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, metal balconies, perforated artistic screening over the parking garage, faux stone accents, and other detailed finishes. While the project is currently before the Urban Development Review Board, the public has little say in the outcome. The board functions purely in an advisory capacity, reviewing design, and its recommendation doesn’t determine whether the project ultimately gets built. In practice, that makes approval and a green light for construction highly likely. As land costs continue climbing in neighborhoods like Brickell, Wynwood, Edgewater, and Downtown Miami, high-rises are increasingly spilling into the areas surrounding them. With construction costs also on the rise amid strong demand, projects like Ohio Allapattah may become less the exception and more the norm.
Crescent Heights Proposes One of Miami Beach’s Tallest Buildings at 1575 Alton Road
Miami Beach’s skyline could get its tallest addition in nearly three decades, after a developer submitted plans for a 43-story tower in the Flamingo/Lummus neighborhood, just east of West Avenue. The developer behind the proposal is Crescent Heights, the Miami-based firm led by Russel Galbut, which has become one of the most active players in Miami Beach’s emerging high-rise pipeline. The company has proposed nearly 10 high-rise developments across the city as it continues to pursue a significant vertical transformation of Miami Beach. The 163-unit tower would replace a Firestone tire repair center at 1575 Alton Road dating to 1935, which has since been converted into dining space. While the building is among the older structures in the surrounding neighborhood, it’s not protected by historic designation. The property sits just outside the boundaries of the area’s historic districts and is classified as non-contributing, meaning the existing structure does not contribute to the historic character of the district. How is it possible? Well, the proposal is being pursued under Florida’s Live Local Act, the state’s major pro-housing law intended to encourage new housing production. The legislation provides qualifying developments with significant zoning advantages, including the highest density permitted within the municipality and the ability to reach the highest height allowed within one mile of the property, alongside tax incentives and other benefits. In exchange, at least 40% of the project’s units must be designated as workforce housing. For this development, that translates to 62 workforce units, which will occupy the lower floors of the tower and be priced at 120% of Area Median Income; that corresponds to maximum rents range from $2,862 for studios to $3,066 for one-bedroom units, $3,678 for two-bedroom units, and $4,249 for three-bedroom units. It’s unclear if Crescent Heights will go this high, but it’s possible. The remaining residences will occupy the upper portion of the tower. A total of 91 larger units, likely intended as for-sale condominiums, are planned between levels 15 and 43. Across the building, residents will have access to a pool, private club spaces, outdoor seating and open areas, as well as approximately 4,107 square feet of indoor amenity space. The project will also include a parking deck with 149 vehicle spaces and 170 bicycle spaces. Beneath the parking structure, approximately 1,739 square feet of commercial space will front Alton Road, adding a small retail component to the development. At approximately 557 feet, the tower would come remarkably close to the height of Miami Beach’s two tallest buildings, the Blue and Green Diamond towers at 559 feet, which were completed in 2000. If built as proposed, the Crescent Heights project would become the city’s third-tallest structure and the tallest building constructed in Miami Beach in nearly three decades. Designed by RSP Architects, the tower will feature a palette of white and brown tones, floor-to-ceiling windows, and selectively placed balconies. A perforated decorative mesh screen will wrap portions of the parking garage, helping conceal the structure while adding another architectural element to the base of the tower. Unlike many major developments in Miami Beach, the project will not advance through the city’s traditional public board process because of its submission through the Live Local Act. Instead, its approval will largely depend on whether the proposal complies with applicable zoning, building, and safety requirements rather than proceeding through a series of public hearings and community reviews. That process has also kept much of the project’s evolution out of public view. Floridian Development first reported on the proposal when it called for an 18-story tower. Over the following months, the project continued to change, eventually growing into the 43-story, 557-foot tower now being submitted to the city. If approved and ultimately built as proposed, the project would not only add 163 residences to Miami Beach’s housing supply, but also introduce one of the city’s most significant new additions to its skyline in decades.