Plans Submitted for 154-Unit Gwen Cherry Residences Redevelopment in Miami-Dade
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.
Gallery at Little Havana Updated With More Affordable Housing Units, Refined Design
Related Urban’s next affordable housing development, Gallery at Little Havana, has been quietly advancing through the approval process, and newly submitted plans reveal several notable changes since the project was first unveiled. While the original proposal was explicitly preliminary, the latest plans refine both the building’s design and interior program as the development moves closer to construction. Located at 1275 SW 1st Street, the 12-story development will replace two three-story affordable housing buildings constructed in 1985, which together contain 21 existing units, according to property records. The redevelopment is part of a long-term partnership between Miami-Dade County and Related Urban Development Group, under which the developer has been selected to redevelop multiple county-owned affordable housing sites through long-term ground leases. The Gallery at Little Havana was first unveiled one year ago. Among the most significant revisions is an increase in residential density. The latest plans now call for 135 affordable housing units, up from 130 units in the original proposal. Apartments will consist of a mix of one- and two-bedroom floor plans in various layouts. Even with the additional units, the project remains below the site’s maximum allowable density of 170 units under the Live Local Act. The updated proposal, like the preliminary proposal, will continue to move forward under Florida’s Live Local Act, allowing the project to proceed through an administrative review process rather than the traditional public hearing process required for many large developments. The revised plans also introduce several architectural refinements. While the overall white-and-gray color palette remains, the facade has been simplified into a cleaner, more contemporary design. The most noticeable change is the treatment of the parking podium. Earlier plans relied primarily on flat perforated metal screening, while the updated proposal incorporates metal canopy elements that better conceal the garage and add greater depth to the building’s exterior. Additional facade materials include stucco finishes, floor-to-ceiling windows, metal balconies, and other contemporary architectural elements. Civica Architecture continues to serve as the project’s architect, with David O. Design leading the landscape architecture. Although the development will not include ground-floor retail space, residents will have access to amenities including a clubroom, fitness center, and leasing office. Parking will be provided through the ground floor and an integrated podium, totaling 109 spaces. While that is a reduction from the 118 spaces proposed previously, it remains well above the 70 spaces required by code despite the increase in residential units. The building will continue to rise 12 stories, reaching approximately 138 feet, representing little change from the original proposal. The additional height is made possible through the Live Local Act, which allows qualifying developments to utilize the maximum height permitted within a one-mile radius, subject to the law’s requirements. Because the project qualifies for administrative review, it is expected to move through the approval process without the lengthy public hearings commonly associated with comparable residential developments. A groundbreaking timeline has not yet been announced. Once construction begins, Gallery at Little Havana will join a growing pipeline of affordable housing projects by Related Urban across Miami-Dade County, including the recently updated Magnus Grove and Stirrup Plaza developments.