Stormwater Improvements Project Begins in Ft. Lauderdale’s Dorsey Riverbend Neighborhood
The city of Fort Lauderdale is beginning its Stormwater improvements project in the historic Dorsey Riverbend neighborhood. Man-Con, Inc will install 21,000 feet of stormwater pipe, install 90 drainage structures, install a new sewer pump station, reconstruct swale areas, trim trees, restore pavement, reconstruct driveways, and relocate nearby water and sewer lines. Construction began on Monday, July 22, 2024 and will continue to late 2026. Work will happen on weekdays between 7am and 6pm. For more information: use the website for the City of Fort Lauderdale. Stormwater improvement projects are especially necessary at a time where Fort Lauderdale has been hit with historic flooding. In early April of 2023, some parts of the city received more than 25 inches of rain while surrounding cities saw as high as 17 inches. Dorsey Riverbend is just one of the seven vulnerable neighborhoods highlighted in a $200 million plan to update drainage. Others include Durrs, Progresso, Victoria Park, and Southeast isles. The end goal is for the installed infrastructure to withstand about 10 inches of rain in a 24-hour period. Improving stormwater infrastructure is a race against the clock. Canals that flooded in the past would drain their water out onto the ocean, but recently the ocean’s rising waters has caused problems with natural outflow.
Shoma One Moves Forward With Permitting and New Designs
Shoma One at 3650 Bird Rd is moving forward with updated designs and permitting. The project previously announced in early 2024 will have 748 units with 94 of them being workforce units to meet a 12.5% minimum requirement. The 12.5% requirement derives from a workforce housing development program that permits the Shoma Group to add 6 floors of additional height in exchange for workforce housing. Plans previously called for 718 parking spots, but the developers scaled it down to 700. It’s worth noting that there’s no minimum parking requirement in “Rapid Transit Zones” of Miami. Additionally, there will be 22,453 SF of retail and 30,245 SF of open space. 24 Bicycle Parking Spaces will be provided. There’s two towers both rising 40 floors or 407 FT to the roof and around 440 FT to the top (estimate to the top as there’s no elevations past the roof line). Previous elevations show a different crown, one that has a circular, decorative feature at the top. The new crown is tiered, featuring a series of successively receding levels, giving it a distinctive, stepped appearance. Now, the developers are moving forward with permitting. On may 14th, 2024 total demolition permits were filed that aren’t yet approved. Once those permits are approved and demolition commences, the developers are expected to move forward with foundation/structural permitting and construction. The architect is Bermello Ajamil & Partners.
Miami Stands Out Nationally with a Staggering 44 High-Rises and 15,066 New Units Under Construction
Miami is undergoing a historic boom in high rise construction. In a list compiled by Floridian Development’s independent analysis (subject to minor errors), Miami has 44 high-rises under construction. These high-rises will add 15,066 multifamily units, office SF, and other uses to the market. This data only pertains to city boundaries and doesn’t include high-rises from Sunny Isles, Miami Beach, and the rest of South Florida as others lists notably have done. Note: Construction is when piles are driven into the ground and foundation work begins. Demolition or site clearing is not counted as construction. Under Construction High-rises (More than 12 floors) in Miami’s City Boundaries: Out of the 44 high-rises under construction in Miami, 40 are primarily residential and account for 15,066 units. Three of the high-rises are mostly office-use while one is dedicated to medical research and care. High-rises in Miami are reaching new heights. Waldorf Astoria Miami is at the forefront. Towering 1,041 FT, it will be Miami’s tallest residential tower in decades. It’s also the tallest tower under construction outside of NYC (in the U.S.) and Miami’s first supertall. Other notable towers on the list are Okan Tower and The Cipriani Residences, both of which will exceed 900 FT. Miami’s development pipeline exhibits significant variation in unit counts. The towers with the highest number of units include Mercedes-Benz Places, Namdar’s First Phase, and Miami River. Mercedes-Benz Places will provide 1,010 market-rate units. Miami’s high-rise construction consists of both market-rate and affordable/workforce housing, though the majority of the projects are geared towards market-rate units. Miami’s high-rise development is particularly notable on a national scale, largely due to the city’s emphasis on taller buildings. While comprehensive lists for each city detailing developments with 12 or more floors may be limited, CTBUH’s data tables provide valuable insights. For instance, Miami currently has 17 towers under construction that exceed 492 feet (150 meters, or approximately 45 floors), surpassing New York City’s 13. It’s important to note that NYC is the only city with more high-rises under construction at lower heights than Miami. Despite this, Miami’s focus on taller structures makes its development impressive and competitive, second only to New York City’s sheer scale of construction. Miami’s allure to domestic migrants makes the city appealing both for business and development. Even so, many critics highlight the city’s inefficiencies to deliver adequate traffic improvements or transit improvements amidst the growth in development. Likewise, Miami City Commissioners recently reinstated parking minimums, forcing more cars on the road.
Shoreline Review Submitted for “The St. Regis Residences” in Miami
Related Group’s “St. Regis Residences” submitted site plans for a shoreline development review on July 18th. The tower, announced in the past, will rise 48 floors and feature 152 residences. Part of the site plan highlights the benefits to pedestrian connectivity and experience. On both the east and west portion of the property, there will be a public baywalk access path that leads to 450 additional linear feet of baywalk. The property is raised from the ground, making steps and a sloped pathway necessary for accessibility. The tower will be setback 50 feet from the water. Likewise, If plans materialize, the baywalk will have a public “lawn sculpture”, cast in place benches, and other lighting features to enhance the pedestrian experience. Along both the property’s frontage and baywalk will feature adequate native and foreign greenery. The tower will be the 621 FT tall, the tallest on the strip. The Design Architect is RAMSA (Robert A.M. Stern Architects), and the Architect of Record is CFE (Cohen Freedman Encinosa & Associates). The tower will rise at 1809 Brickell Ave.
FAA Grants Crane Approvals to Ombelle in Fort Lauderdale
Ombelle, a project in Fort Lauderdale featuring two 43 floor towers, has recently received approval for two tower cranes. Both tower cranes will rise 620 FT on different portions of the site. In a document by the FAA, both filings were given a “determination of no hazard to air navigation for temporary structure”. The document also mentioned that the cranes exceed obstruction standards, but aren’t a hazard to air navigation. These filing approvals come at a time where fence permits, demolition permits, and more were approved. The current site today shows wooden fencing installed and a cleared lot. Construction permits like structural or foundation permits aren’t filed yet, but the developer (Dependable Equities) still has movement in the Accela portal. Ombelle will include 1,100 apartments, 11,217 SF of commercial space, and 1,100 parking spaces at 300 3rd NE 3 Ave. Photos and plans credited to ODA Architecture.
“Hibiscus Grove” Proposed in West Perrine with Affordable and Workforce Units
Hibiscus Grove, a newly proposed affordable and workforce housing development by Integra is moving forward. The building previously received approval for 270 units, but they’re hoping to amend their site plan and ASPR approval for 300 units. Exact numbers are unknown, but the developer has stated they’ll provide 40% or more of the units as affordable housing. To accommodate the 300 units, there will be 295 parking spaces and 12 bicycle parking spaces. 5,751 SF of retail space, a community center, and a leasing office will be on the bottom floor. The tower will rise 11 floors or 107 FT to the roof and about 117 FT to the elevator shaft. Because the development is transit accessible, a new sidewalk will be built that connects the tower to the existing busway. On E. Hibiscus Street and Homestead Ave, there will be added parallel parking for retail spaces. Canopy greenery is significantly reduced from the existing site (67,425 Sf of canopy reduced to 11,100 SF via plans last year). Replacement greenery will be a mix of native and foreign landscaping that provide shade and aesthetics. The location is 9948 W Hibiscus St, Unincorporated Miami Dade. Renderings and drawing are from Lantz-Boggio Architects & Interior Design.
Hallandale Beach Proposes Sweeping Amendments to Residential Development Regulations
Hallandale Beach’s Planning and Zoning Board will vote on amending multiple residential development regulations. The meeting will take place on July 24, 2024 with staff recommending approval. Part of their recommended approval comes at a time where the “necessity for additional housing typologies continue to emerge. Smaller units provide an opportunity to expand the housing stock to include unit types that accommodate the diverse lifestyles and needs of the community”. The first to be amended is the minimum yard setbacks in the RD-12 district. Minimum yard setbacks were cut to the equivalent of single-family setbacks in the area. Likewise, in the past multifamily buildings (3 units or more) were forced to undergo a town-home typology. Now proposed changes allow for multifamily in any configuration. However, density in the RD-12 district will be decided later on. The minimum unit size for multifamily buildings citywide is reduced to 450 SF. When affordable housing units are at least 15% of the building, the minimum unit size can be reduced to 400 SF (Down from, 450 SF). Likewise, units with a minimum floor area of 500 SF can be counted as half a unit. For multi-family buildings, previous parking requirements were 1.75 spaces for every efficiency unit, 2.0 spaces for every 2 bedroom unit, and so on. Now, there will be a simplified requirement of 1.5 spaces per units. 10% of required parking will be added on as “guest parking” as is the standard for years. To sum:
Conceptual Site Plan Revealed for Citadel’s New Headquarters
A pre-application was filed on Friday (7/19/24) for 1201 Brickell Bay Drive, the site of Citadel’s new global headquarters. Although plans aren’t official and the purpose of the pre-application request was to review the RTZ site plan approval process, it’s progress. In an attached letter, plans call for the development to be in phases. The first phase will be the office at 1201 Brickell Bay Drive using applicable RTZ regulations. According to plans, the headquarters will be mixed-use. There will be a flagship hotel, office space, retail, health/fitness, food/beverage, and ample parking. Likewise, there will be a large baywalk with trees and a 55.92′ setback. On the right side of the lot, there will be a hotel drop off and an office drop off at the tower’s frontage. If conceptual drawings materialize, there will be a public terrace overlooking Biscayne Bay. Drawings show the tower as rounded. As it rises, it will slope upwards into a tapered design (please see example image below). As reported months ago, Foster and Partners will be the main architect. The architect on record according to conceptual plans is AAI architects.
Updated Plans and Designs Revealed for “Merrick Parc”
“Merrick Parc” by MG Development and partners have submitted new design and height data for a twin-tower development near Coral Gables and the Douglas Road Metrorail Station. In total, the development will have 806 units, 819 parking spaces, and 16,750 SF of commercial space. Unlike previous plans that called for two 19-story towers, these towers rill rise 32 floors or 361 FT. Likewise, the new towers have enhanced pedestrian-level design including more linear units, shade trees, and more retail SF. The development is located at 3898 Shipping Ave with the architect responsible for photos and design being Behar Font.
ROVR Developments Submits Plans for “Delaware Parkway”
ROVR development has submitted new plans for a 3-phased development named, “Delaware Parkway”. Plans include 1,000 units, 1,318 parking spots, and 0 SF of commercial space. There will be three towers in total. Two towers rise 12 floors (136 FT) while one rises 15 floors (159 FT). The 15 floor building will be at the lot’s corner. To meet requirements for retail square feet, the developers are planning to add 65,852 SF of commercial space in the second parcel. Likewise, the next parcel will feature about 400 less units than the first parcel proposed. The architectural firm and its respected renderings are credited to Anillo Toledo Lopez. The site is located at 1701 Delaware Parkway.