Massive 4,032-Unit HueHub Workforce Housing Development Moves Toward Construction
Plans are advancing for what could become the largest housing development proposed under Florida’s Live Local Act. The project, known as HueHub, is moving forward as demolition begins on the aging buildings currently occupying the site. Clearing the existing structures marks a key step toward making way for the planned $880 million mixed-use development, which aims to significantly expand the area’s housing supply with an entirely workforce-focused residential community. The development is being led by Pablo Castro through his firm HollandPark EcoreResidences LLC. Once completed, the project is expected to include 4,032 residential units spread across seven 35-story towers, along with retail space, medical offices, and extensive residential amenities. Designed by Arquitectonica, HueHub will encompass roughly 2 million SF of residential space, with a groundbreaking targeted later this year. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The HueHub Living Spaces (@thehuehubliving) The project site, located at 8400 NW 25th Avenue, was acquired by Castro in 2023 for $29.3 million. The roughly 12-acre property currently contains 141 apartments built between 1950 and 1960. According to the development team, demolition is expected to take two to three months, after which the site will be prepared for vertical construction. If financing and permitting timelines hold, the project could begin construction later this year, marking a major step forward for one of the most ambitious housing initiatives currently planned in Miami-Dade. Proposed in early 2024, the HueHub marked a shift in projects under Florida’s Live Local Act, demonstrating the law’s potential for large-scale developments rather than the smaller projects initially associated with it. This development is an early adopter of the act, which has been amended several times since its passage in 2023. Under the Live Local, municipalities must administratively approve (no public hearing required) qualifying multifamily or mixed-use residential developments on land zoned for commercial, industrial, or mixed-use purposes. If at least 40% of the units are designated as workforce housing affordable to households earning up to 120% of the area median income (AMI) for a minimum of 30 years, developers are granted significant regulatory preemptions. These include the ability to build at the highest residential density allowed anywhere in the jurisdiction and at the maximum building height permitted within one mile of the site, along with other incentives such as tax exemptions and certain parking reductions. The Plans According to final plans submitted to the county earlier this year, the development’s 4,032 residential units will consist of studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom layouts. Studio apartments will begin at approximately $1,302 per month and measure around 300 SF. One-bedroom units, averaging about 420 SF, are expected to start at roughly $1,598 per month, while two-bedroom residences of about 640 SF will start near $1,903 per month. These rent limits put the entire development well within workforce housing income limits. Housing will primarily be geared toward essential workers, with 3,000 units reserved for police officers, firefighters, county employees, hospitality workers, teachers, healthcare professionals, and other critical members of the workforce. Future residents will have access to a wide range of amenities designed to support both work and recreation. Planned features include podcasting studios, co-working spaces, coffee bars, outdoor lounges, social gathering areas, a juice bar, pool and sundeck, pickleball court, dog park, fitness center, art gallery, and additional shared spaces throughout the development. The project will feature 36,220 SF of ground-floor retail, including storefronts along NW 27th Ave and on-site amenities such as a juice bar and coffee bar. Two floors of medical office space, each spanning 5,740 SF, will bring the total retail and office space to roughly 47,700 SF. Medical space may be expanded if there’s increased demand. In addition to commercial uses, the project will include a police station and two community centers. The design also emphasizes pedestrian-friendly streetscapes, with widened sidewalks and added greenery surrounding the entire site. To support these uses, the project will include 5,037 parking spaces and 322 bicycle spaces. Design and Cost-Cutting Measures The seven towers will each rise 320 FT, with an additional elevator overrun of roughly 30 FT, bringing the total height of each tower to around 350 FT: well above any existing structures in the surrounding area. The Arquitectonica-led design incorporates metal balconies, floor-to-ceiling windows, and colorful murals adorning each building, drawing inspiration from graffiti art. The towers will not feature podium bases; instead, parking will be accommodated within on-site garages, a significant cost-cutting measure. The buildings will also utilize tunnel-form construction, a cost-efficient method that employs reusable steel molds to rapidly cast concrete walls and slabs. This approach allows for faster construction timelines but often results in repetitive floorplates, contributing to the towers’ monotonous design. Each unit will also include prefabricated modular kitchens and bathrooms to further streamline construction. Hallways between units will be naturally ventilated rather than air-conditioned, an approach commonly used in parts of Europe that the development plans to adopt. Many of these decisions prioritize cost efficiency over architectural variation. Construction and Future Plans Once demolition on the property concludes, a formal groundbreaking is expected to follow within the coming months. Construction of the initial seven towers is planned to begin simultaneously rather than in phases, as staging the buildings piece-by-piece would slow overall delivery and potentially increase construction costs. However, the seven towers will not mark the full extent of HueHub. Plans also call for four additional high-rise buildings in a later phase. Three are expected to rise to 35 floors, matching the height of the initial towers, while a fourth will rise to a shorter height. The expansion phase will also include a school designed to accommodate up to 1,000 students, centered around a courtyard playground. In addition, a shelter is planned for the southern portion of the site.
9-Story Modern Apartment Building Proposed at 14501 W Dixie Highway in Miami-Dade
A largely vacant lot along Harriet Tubman Highway in Biscayne Gardens, an unincorporated area of Miami-Dade County just north of the City of Miami, may soon see redevelopment. On March 4th, a mixed-use proposal designed by the Gado Group and developed by RG Realty Investments was submitted to the county as a pre-application. The project envisions a modern residential building with dozens of units above ground-floor retail, introducing new housing density and activating the busy corridor with additional street-level activity. The project will rise on a 2.66-acre site spanning 14501 W Dixie Highway (Harriet Tubman Highway) and 1595 NE 145th Street, an assemblage acquired for more than $2 million. Much of the property has already been cleared following demolitions that occurred several years ago, though a small corner structure remains slated for removal. The pre-application marks the first formal step in the county’s review process, with additional filings and reviews expected before construction can begin. While plans remain in the early stages, the development is expected to include 110 apartments ranging from one- to three-bedroom layouts. One-bedroom units, measuring approximately 700 SF, will be the most common, followed by two-bedroom units at around 900 SF, and larger three-bedroom residences spanning roughly 1,400 SF. The proposed unit count slightly exceeds the site’s base density allowance of about 95 units under current zoning guidelines, meaning the developer would likely need to seek an exception as part of the approval process. Residents would have access to a variety of amenities, including rooftop lounge/seating areas, a rooftop pool and jacuzzi, and multiple rooftop garden and green space areas offering views of the surrounding cityscape. Residences are planned with 12-FT ceilings, featuring balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows. As part of the mixed-use development, the project would also include approximately 25,250 SF of retail space, primarily located along the ground floor frontage. A total of 282 parking spaces are planned to accommodate both residents and commercial visitors, both in a 9-story garage and surface parking on the south side of the site. Rising 9 stories, the development will consist of unique, interlocking structures connected by sky bridges to form a cohesive whole. The overall building height, including the parking garage, will reach 108 FT, while the residential portion itself will span up to 72 FT. The facade will showcase a palette of light blue, transparent glass, complemented by metal accents and brown vertical screenings, which will be applied to both the building exterior and the parking podium for a contemporary look. Unlike many recent South Florida projects using the Live Local Act, this development will follow the standard zoning process. A recent letter from Miami-Dade’s County Planning Division allows the property’s “Business and Office” land use category to apply across the entire site, clearing the way for the mixed-use project. Under county rules, the site could support up to 36 residential units per acre and a building intensity of up to 2.0 FAR. The developer plans to pursue a zoning change from its current business designations to formally allow retail along the corridor with housing integrated above, while including buffering to protect nearby homes (among other changes). According to Miami-Dade permitting records, no demolition permits have been issued for the remaining on-site parcel, and no permits for site work or tree removal have been filed. As this represents the first iteration of the project, the planned development, spanning over 230,000 SF, is expected to evolve over time.