‘The Helm’ Planned in Miami’s Design District With Mixed-Income Units & Office
Helm Equities is planning a 36-story mixed use building in Miami’s Design District according to CityBiz. The development will replace the previously proposed Parterre 42 project, which recently started leasing class A office space at 4201 Northeast Second Avenue. The new building will consist of 278 residential units, 83,338 square feet of office space, 620 parking spots, and approximately 45,000 square feet of retail space. The project will cost 500 million and encompass about 500,000 SF of usable SF. CityBiz also cited a recent Kimley-Horn traffic study, which found a reduction of about 29% to 37% of traffic compared to the previous office space planned. Since the development is taking advantage of the Live Local Act, regulations require that 40% of the units be priced at 120% of the Area Median Income. As a result, the project will have 116 rental units on the lower floors, with condominiums on the upper levels. If the development utilized existing code, the max height would be 5 floors. While official elevations or site plans are not available, the project will add wraparound retail and 35,000 square feet of open space at the ground level to enhance the building’s base. In addition, the tower is split into two sections, with an office portion and a residential portion linked by a courtyard. The building will join a plethora of other developments in Miami by achieving LEED Gold and WELL gold certifications. The Real Deal noted that construction will likely begin in the fourth quarter of 2025, but the date isn’t set in stone. Cube 3 is the official architect. The site is located at 4201 Northeast Second Avenue.
Construction and Tree Permit Filed For 2900 Terrace in Miami
Permitting is progressing for 401 NE 29th St (formally known as 2900 Terrace) in Miami’s growing Edgewater neighborhood. The project filed for a site work permit on October 7th and a tree permit on October 4th. Both permits will prepare the site for vertical construction, likely to commence next year if plans progress smoothly. As per a previous UDRB filing, the tree permit will remove 15 trees of the existing 18 on site. Replacement trees include 38 palms and trees varying from large to medium sizes. Shrubs will be planted as decorative landscape, encapsulating 710 native to imported flora. The project is especially unique in Edgewater due to its emphasis on landscaped open space. While code requires only 6,091 SF of open space, developers intent to build 13,185 SF of landscaped open space. The filed site plan permit will handle excavation, foundation piles, and soil improvements. The general contractor for the project is Coastal Construction. In addition, all permits filed are in the approval process, incorporating both the tree and site plan permit and an additional construction and phased permit. Progress for the tree and site work permit last had activity around Dec 12, 2024. The project was approved by UDRB staff on November 15, 2023, set to feature 324 units, 504 parking spaces, 52 bicycle spaces, and ample retail space in a 32 floor tower. The developer for the site is LNDMRK Development & Oak Row Equities, while the main architect is Arquitectonica.
‘One W12’ Moves Forward With Submission to Miami’s UDRB
Property Markets Group is progressing with plans for One W12, a residential tower set to redevelop an entire block of vacant land in Overtown, previously used to house construction equipment for nearby infrastructure projects. The property was originally granted a City Center MUSP for a 25 floor tower containing 412 residential units and 23,000 SF of retail space. Presently, developers will amend the MUSP to instead feature a 22 floor tower with 372 dwelling units, 208 micro units, 816 parking spaces, and 380 bicycle parking spaces. The development will additionally include an immense array of ground floor uses including town home-style units, bike storage, amenity space, a lobby, and 4,892 SF of commercial space. The original MUSP included three waivers that will be continued onto this project. Of the waivers, most notably is a waiver for a 30% reduction in parking. However, the developer is using none of the benefits because a 30% reduction in parking would mean 196 parking spaces required: the developer is adding more than 800. Elevations feature a 246 FT highrise, shorter than previously approved. The tower’s podium will measure 8 floors of the 22 existing floors. Likewise, the design of the podium is attempting to break up its immense mass by adding a diverse selection of materials, colors, and visual breaks pictured below. Large sidewalks along the project will adorn native greenery and reduce the imposing effect of the podium. Miami planners originally called for balconies, but the architects politely declined, citing balconies reducing the overall feel of the project. The site is located at 1129 NW 1st Court with proximity to the metrobus, the metrorail, the metromover, and the brightline station all within walking distance. Cube 3 is the main architect on record.
36 Floor Highrise Proposed in Edegwater With an X-Bracing Design at 422 NE 29th St
Black Salmon is proposing a 36 floor residential building in Edgewater, all atop a decently sized 44,491 SF lot adorning abandoned parcels, homes, and a church. The church, constructed in 1997 and coined Mission San Francisco and Santa Clara, will be preserved for future use according to site plans. The developer will also purchase a Bonus Floor Area to build the 552,326 SF project that exceeds applicable FLR. When developers purchase Bonus Floor Area, they must contribute to Miami’s Public Benefit Trust fund, which aims to improve infrastructure, transit, affordable housing, or parks. Likewise, the developer is planning density above permitted use. The applicant will pursue excess density via the Attainable Mixed-Income Housing Transfer of Development Density Program. The project will feature 229 residential units, 4,416 SF of retail space, and 397 structured parking spaces. Units range from 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom, 3 bedroom, and 4 bedroom configurations. According to site plan drawings, the church will maintain surface parking while lobby and retail space will front NE 29th St. Although the tower is a generous 36 floors, heights will rise even taller with the highest measurable point reaching 406 FT. The tower’s design is unique with its cross-bracing design extending across the entire facade. Unfortunately, the project proposes a hefty podium with little architectural or artistic flare. Black Salmon is proposing 4 waivers, including a waiver to reduce frontage, side, and rear setbacks above the tower’s 8th story; a waiver to allow parking within the 2nd layer on the principal frontage; and a waiver reducing spacing of vehicular entires, specifically lowering it from 60 feet to 23 feet. The project’s main architect is Arquitectonica. The address is 422 N.E. 29TH ST Miami.
Eight Floor Apartment Building Proposed in Princeton, Miami-Dade
Aconcagua Developers, LLC is proposing a new apartment building in Princeton under a recent pre-application request. The development, designed by Caymares Martin, will measure 8 floors and include 162 units and 307 parking spaces, although only around 209 are required without reductions. The development is proposing no waivers or conditional use permits to increase density, instead solely utilizing the zoning already on the site. After the pre-application is completed, an administrative site plan review will take place. The 2.7 acre lot is located under Miami Dade’s “Princeton Community Urban Center District (PCUC)”, formed to promote density in the growing South Miami-Dade region. Lawmakers adopted the PCUC in 2006 following calls for increased walkability, sustainable development, and residential growth to meet the expanding population. The PCUC and this development itself is safely in the County’s Urban Development Boundary (UDB), which conserves agricultural land to create a buffer between urban areas and the Everglades for environmental conservation and smart development. Because the lot is zoned into two portions, R (lower-density up to 2 floors) and RM (higher density of up to 12 floors), a 2 floor parking garage will be on the R portion and an 8 floor building will be on the RM portion. According to site plan drawings and elevations, the tower will rise 78 floors and include a fairly uniform facade with glass balconies extending about 6 FT. Large sidewalks will also be included, generously extending 28 FT from the lobby to the street. Native greenery will line the sidewalks and street parking. Units range from 2 bedroom or 1 bedroom configurations shown below. The property is located at 12867 Southwest 248th Street, Miami-Dade.
Miami Beach’s “First Street & South Pointe Stormwater Improvements Project” Progresses to Bring Much Needed Flooding Relief
Miami Beach is continuing their progress on a comprehensive stormwater improvements project in the South of Fifth Neighborhood. The project was recently highlighted in a Hybrid Meeting on November 12, 2024 to discuss the latest developments, along with updates on the project’s development phase. The First Street & South Pointe Stormwater Improvements project originally began when its conceptual layout was proposed in 2022. Since then, multiple public meetings were held to incrementally present the design to the community. The design is now mostly complete, with construction commencement likely happening soon. The goal of the project is to decrease flooding while enhancing the walkability, safety, and aesthetics of the neighborhood. A PowerPoint from April, 2024 highlights such improvements for Washington Avenue and 1st Street. An underground water treatment and pump station will be constructed at the intersection between Washington Avenue and First Street. By the pump station will be a newly-built station for above-ground electrical components, such as a generator in case of power outages. All electrical components will be shielded from the public via an enclosure wrapped in greenery and perforated metal. 1st Street will be entirely reconstructed, both for pedestrian safety and road raising. The road will be raised by around 1.5ft to protect homes and businesses from rising waters, while widened sidewalks and native greenery will be included for expanded pedestrian improvements. As per a graphic from early 2024 that’s likely been updated, the road will be cut to 2 lanes: a 50% reduction from the original amount of lanes. Parking will not significantly reduce for 1st Street or for the adjacent Jefferson Ave. In total, proposed infrastructure improvements include 4 drainage wells, with 2 along Alton road and 2 along Washington Avenue. Pictures below show the improvements done to flooding after construction is completed. Ideally, once all planned South of Fifth Neighborhood upgrades are completed, flooding will cease to exist. The project will begin in 4 phases, with the first phase including the underground pump station for $80M, the second phase constructing improvements for 1st street at $24M, and phase 3 and 4 building improvements to both Washington Avenue and Alton Road at $34M and $40M respectively. The total construction timeline is 51 months, or 4 years and 3 months, with the longest phase being phase 4. Construction on 1st Street will close westbound traffic, though one eastbound lane will remain open during the work.
New Design and Specifications Revealed at Earlington Heights Workforce Housing
Earlington Heights, a transit-orientated development in Brownsville, is moving forward with new facade treatments and floor plans. The development was originally proposed in June of 2024 by Vivian Dimond, a principal at Bayshore Grove Capital. Plans showcased two 15 floor towers containing 856 workforce units, 33,827 SF of retail space, and 0 parking spaces due to transit reductions. The development is working to keep most of the original specifications, but with changes to the retail space and parking. The updated plans are reducing the retail space to 29,009 square feet. Reduced retail space derives from lowering the grocery store from 23,590 SF to 20,063 and replacing a front-facing retail space with a leasing center. Included among retail is a daycare center and space for a non-profit. Additionally, there will be 41 additional parking spaces. The 856 units are still 100% workforce, ranging from studios, 1 bedrooms, 2 bedrooms, and 3 bedrooms. Workforce Housing according to Miami-Dade is housing that’s within 60% to 140% of the county’s area median income “($42,600 to $99,400, respectively, for a family of four)”. Elevations showcase two 175-foot, 15 floor buildings that underwent some value engineering. Rather than incorporating large floor-to-ceiling windows along parts of the facade, with white and brown accents, the development will feature a new color palette of white, gray, and red. Both buildings are designed in a U-shape, framing around a central courtyard that hosts a swimming pool and other amenities.The park-and-ride garage, used also by the two towers, will keep its original design. The garage will be wrapped in a facade of blue and purple, along with red stairwells and added landscaping. The development is extremely transit-orientated, flanked by a metrorail station leading to Downtown Miami and a Metrobus depot. Unfortunately, the amount of bus drop-off stations at the depot will be slashed by around half, reduced from 15 to 6, creating future dents in bus-ridership near the Earlington Metrorail station. In all, the developer is hoping housing nearby the Earlington Metrostation will spur not only transit ridership, but further capital investment in the area. The development is designed by Arquitectonica. The location is 2100 NW 41 Street.
Mixed-Income Housing Revealed at River Parc According to Preliminary Plans
The ‘Related Urban Development Group’ has announced plans to build hundreds of new homes at River Parc, a revitalized public housing community in Miami. As per a recently filed pre-application request, the developer indicated that they will take advantage of the newly assigned SMART Corridor Subzone and the recently enacted Live Local Act to increase density and height. Currently, the site has 1,379 units and 659 parking spaces. Conceptual plans suggest that plans call for nearly double that, adding 1,038 additional units to create a total of 2,417 homes. It’s uncertain if all the new units will be designated as affordable and workforce housing, or if some will be market-rate. However, the Live Local Act dictates that at least 40% of the units must be affordable. The plans also feature 1,500 additional parking spaces, raising the total amount of parking to 2,159 spaces. With nearly one parking space per unit, it’s likely there will be some market-rate component this time around. Additionally, there will be 22,527 square feet of commercial space added along both the Miami River and NW 7th St. Elevations reveal plans for three new towers. The two tallest will be situated along the Miami River, both reaching 21 floors or 246 FT tall. The shortest proposed tower will stand at 145 FT, measuring 14 floors along NW 7th St. The rental towers will be developed in phases, with the two tallest being built in two separate phases. Site improvements include a riverwalk that will extend up to 28 feet and new green spaces, such as a small park preserve. The site’s location is 800 NW 13 Ave, Miami. It’s well within multiple transit modes including the MetroMover and multiple bus stops.
Redevelopment Plans Revealed for Miami’s Abandoned INS Building
Miami’s former Immigration and Naturalization (INS) building at 7880 Biscayne Blvd has a new plan: a 12-story building designed by Stantec. Originally left abandoned in 2008, the INS building was planned to be the “Triton Center” by Chinese developers. When plans fell through around 2021 because of permit inactivity and funding issues, the property was already more than a decade vacant, creating visual and safety problems for local residents. LGE 79, LLC is planning to breathe new life onto the lot with 35,044 SF of commercial space, 355 units, and 589 parking spaces. Units will all be market-rate and range from studios, 1 bedrooms, 2 bedrooms, and 3 bedrooms. The project aims to exceed the maximum lot coverage through the flexible lot coverage program, however, it complies with the rest of Miami code standards. In addition, the developer is seeking multiple waivers including a 10% reduction of guest parking, commercial parking, and residential parking. Because of the project’s proximity to mass transit (Metrobus routes 3 and 203), Miami code allows for a reduction in parking to promote walk-ability and transit use. The tower’s configuration is designed to minimize impacts to local residents. The site’s location is within two major thoroughfares with a multitude of retail space and car traffic, allowing for high density without proximity to single-family homes. Likewise, the project adds much needed housing, walk-ability, and retail space for the area. The different heights and facade coloration’s were designed to create the “feel of a multitude of buildings”. According to elevations, the mid-rise will measure 167 FT to the upper roof level, encompassing 12 floors. Site plan drawings showcase commercial space fronting 79th street, NE 5th Avenue, and Biscayne Boulevard. The largest space is a 21,017 SF grocer commercial space designed for a small grocery store or a large retail store. Palm trees and native greenery will line the sidewalk. Sidewalks will extend around 20 FT to the tower’s facade, including multiple visibility zones for drivers. The site’s location is 7880 Biscayne Blvd.
Cymbal Proposes Mixed-Used Tower in Miami With 239 Affordable Units
Cymbal Development is proposing a new mixed-used tower in Miami’s Midtown neighborhood designed by Arquitectonica. Like many other developments, the property is planning to utilize Florida’s recently passed Live Local Act, which allows sites to have added density, height, and parking reductions if 40% of the units remain affordable for 3 decades. According to the site plan, the development will include 598 units, although 1,357 units are permitted. 239 units will be affordable (120% AMI) and 359 will be market rate. All affordable units will be studio apartments ranging from 420 SF to around 470 SF. Also included is 18,108 SF of retail space and 4,547 SF of office space. Miami 21 code mandates that the development has to provide 815 parking spaces. Nevertheless, the developer has the option to request a waiver for a 30% reduction, which would bring the required number down to 570 spaces. They plan to use only part of this waiver, leading to 654 spaces instead. This exceeds the suggested 1:1 ratio between units and parking needed to ensure sustainable development in Miami. The developer is proposing 3 waivers in total, the parking reduction waiver is not part of that. Site plan drawings reveal adequate pedestrian activation such as units lined along the podium, a more than 20 FT sidewalk, greenery, and outdoor seating. Elevations indicate the tower to be 35 floors or 400 FT to the elevator, making it the tallest tower if built in Midtown. The property is located at 3466 N Miami Avenue. It’s well within multiple bus stops and the awaited Northeast Corridor rail project.