Land just steps from the Earlington Heights Metrorail Station could soon be redeveloped into a six-story, mixed-income apartment project known as Model City Apartments.
Drawing inspiration from Liberty City’s nickname, ‘Model City’, the proposal aims to create a mixed-income residential community under Florida’s Live Local Act. The project is being led by Laisy Martinez’s MIAMI FABRICATORS INC and is planned for a 0.46-acre site at 2235 NW 41st Street. Although branded as Model City Apartments, the property technically falls within the boundaries of the Brownsville neighborhood.
Plans call for a total of 50 residential units, consisting of 20 studio apartments and 30 two-bedroom units. According to submitted plans, the studios will average 435 square feet, while the two-bedroom units will average 869 square feet. The project’s name is intended to reflect more than location. The development is aiming to embrace the ‘Model City’ concept by creating housing opportunities across multiple income levels rather than serving a single demographic.
To achieve that goal, 20 of the project’s 50 units, representing 40% of the total, will be designated as workforce housing for households earning up to 120% of Area Median Income. Those affordability restrictions would remain in place for at least 30 years.
Additionally, half of the workforce units will be reserved as deeply affordable housing for households earning 60% of Area Median Income or less, helping the project qualify for tax incentives. The remaining apartments (30) will be leased at market rates consistent with newer residential developments in the surrounding area.
The proposal remains well below the development intensity permitted under the Live Local Act. Current regulations allow up to 250 residential units per acre and building heights of up to 10 stories, meaning the project utilizes only a portion of the site’s available development capacity.
At ground level, plans call for 29 parking spaces, approximately 2,006 square feet of amenity space, a residential lobby, and streetscape improvements including widened sidewalks and additional landscaping. Interestingly, because the property is located within 500 feet of the Earlington Heights Metrorail Station, county regulations would allow the project to provide no parking at all. The proposed parking supply therefore exceeds the minimum requirement.
The six-story building will rise approximately 75 feet and feature an exterior composed primarily of white stucco accented by colorful murals. Plans do not include balconies, a relatively uncommon design choice among newer multifamily developments in Miami.
The developer has submitted an Administrative Site Plan Review application, which is currently awaiting approval from Miami-Dade County. As is typical for developments utilizing the Live Local Act, the proposal will not be subject to public hearings.
Whether the project will ultimately move to construction is unclear. What is clear, however, is the continued impact of the Live Local Act on development patterns across Miami-Dade County, particularly along Metrorail corridors where higher-density residential projects are increasingly taking shape.