Rio Vista Apartments Proposed Near the Miami River
Bricka CB Development, a collaboration between Bricka Real Estate and CB Development, has proposed a multi-story residential building near the border between Overtown and Downtown Miami. Located at 413 NW 3rd Street, the development will sit in front of Lummus Park, a waterfront park nestled in the Lummus Park Historic District. Plans include the construction of a 10-story tower, designed by Studio Mc+G Architecture, set to include 140 units. Units will range from studios, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and townhome units. While plans are not finalized, the building will include abundant amenity space for residents including lounge space, a gym, a pool, and other amenities. The ground floor has been designed to meet historic preservation standards by integrating the existing 1920-built home at 453 NW 3rd Street into the project’s layout. The historic building, offering nearly 3,000 SF of interior space, will be preserved as part of the overall development. Surrounding the preserved home, the project will feature street-level townhomes, a lobby, and a parking podium discreetly hidden from public view. The garage will accommodate approximately 160 vehicles, with an additional 10 parking spaces provided along the street. To improve walkability and the overall streetscape, the development will also include wider sidewalks and added landscaping throughout the property. According to elevation plans, the building will rise 130 FT to its tallest point, aligning with the scale of other recent developments in the neighborhood. The design also pays homage to the area’s historic character through a careful mix of materials and finishes, including coral walls, terracotta finishes, bronze detailing, and traditional stucco. Before the project can move forward, it has to gain approval by Miami’s Urban Development Review Board. The meeting will be held on July 16th, 2025.
7501 NE 2nd Avenue Joins Miami’s Growing List of Live Local Projects in Little River
Miami’s Little River neighborhood is facing yet another ‘Live Local Act’ high-rise. The development, which will rise on the corner of NE 2nd Avenue and NE 75th Street, is joining a growing cluster of planned and already completed high-density projects in an area once conceived as an industrial corridor. Backed by Midtown Capital Partners and designed by Corwil Architects, the development will bring a U-shaped 22-story building to the area, containing ground floor retail, amenity space, and a blend of workforce and market-rate units. The building is proposed to include approximately 350 residential units, offering a mix of studios, one-, two-, and three-bedroom configurations. Under traditional zoning regulations, this level of density would be considered highly uncharacteristic. The site lies within a T6-8-O zone, which typically limits density to 150 homes per acre. However, the Live Local Act significantly expands that threshold, allowing up to 1,000 homes per acre for qualifying projects. This dramatic increase in allowable density comes with a condition: developers must reserve at least 40% of the units for workforce housing, defined as housing to those earning up to 120% of the Area Median Income (AMI). For this development, that requirement translates to a minimum of 140 workforce units, with the most common workforce unit being a 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom unit. On the ground floor of the project, there will 5,912 SF of retail, a lobby, and a leasing office facing NE 2nd Avenue. To handle an increase of pedestrian traffic from retail patrons and residents, the existing sidewalk will be expanded to 28 FT. The project will also include 406 parking spaces: significantly fewer than what the Miami’s zoning code would typically require. While standard code would call for 575 spaces for a development of this scale, the project qualified for a 30% reduction due to its location within a designated transit corridor, where walkability and public transportation access justify lower parking counts. According to elevations, the 22-story tower will rise to a maximum height of 235 FT. While the site’s zoning traditionally caps buildings at 8 floors, the project is leveraging height from 1 mile away. In this case, the Magic City Special Area Plan (SAP), located within one mile of the site, permits buildings up to 25 stories. Located at 7501 NE 2nd Avenue, the existing property will require extensive demolition before site work can begin. While the UDRB will approve or deny the project based on compliance with code and design standards on July 16th, the project lies in a contested area that may bring challenges to the project’s approval down the line. For instance, The Magic City Innovation District, which is located blocks away, has been facing years of community concerns regarding displacement from gentrification.