80 Floors in Miami’s Omni District From the Live Local Act? The CITT Annual Workshop Weighs in.
Miami’s long-awaited ‘Citizens Independent Transportation Trust’ held its municipal workshop last month. Attendees discussed a plethora of topics including Miami’s SMART Program, biking networks, and future projections. However, one agenda item stood out the most due to its unique findings: the impact of the Live Local Act on Miami. Background on the Live Local Act The Live Local Act was passed on March 23, 2023 but later updated in 2024. It seeks to supersede local government regulations concerning height, density, and zoning to improve housing costs by streamlining the development of workforce and market-rate housing. This is accomplished by applying the existing zoning from a property located one mile away to the new site. The law has also removed rent control, intending to instead utilize city-owned, commercial, or industrial properties for appropriate workforce housing development. Developers who choose to build upon underutilized land may qualify for expedited building permits, reduced parking requirements, or even tax credits. To qualify, plans must allocate 40% of existing units as affordable and ensure that over 65% of usable square feet is designated for residential use. According to state law, affordable housing is considered to be at 120% of the area median income, which some critics argue is still too high to be really considered ‘affordable’. What Did They Find? A PowerPoint presented last month revealed that Miami currently has 23 Live Local projects already submitted, a number likely to have increased since then. The heights of these projects range from 8 to 45 floors, totaling 8,723 units and 9,669 parking spaces. Most units are clumped near Wynwood and Edgewater, but developments go all the way to city boundaries. A context map taken from Arquitectonica’s 2110 N Miami Avenue presentation shows that large areas in Edgewater and the Omni District are set to benefit from heights of up to 80 floors, with potentially unlimited floors via added benefit heights. Although 80 floors can’t be built due to FAA regulations, neighborhoods such as Overtown and Wynwood will still reap significant advantages, as existing height limits restrict higher development. Even the newly named ‘Wynwood Norte’ neighborhood can see developments rising up to 36 floors with a 24-floor bonus height, with FAA height limits at 500 FT and 450 FT at the end of the neighborhood. From 24 Floors to 80 Floors Take 1361 NE 1 Avenue in the Omni District as an example. Current zoning under ‘Urban Core Transect T6-24‘ permits a maximum height of 24 floors. With the live local act and T6-80 lots (lots that permit 80 floor buildings) less than a mile away, the property now gains from almost unlimited height. Despite the heights being misleading because of FAA regulations allowing a 649 FT maximum height, that still encapsulates about 64 stories which is much higher than any other existing building in the neighborhood. For example, Art Plaza built by the Melo Group is a 32-floor building recently completed in the Omni District using T6-24 zoning. Located less than 50 feet from 1361 NE 1 Avenue, it’s restricted to a maximum height of 24 floors, or up to 48 floors if it meets certain city benefits. This 48-floor limit is considerably lower than the 649-foot height cap permitted by the FAA and the Live Local Act. The Live Local Act ultimately marks a shift away from local governments and conventional zoning, reshaping not just Miami but cities across Florida. Given the prospects of high-rise buildings detailed in this report, community stakeholders need to participate in discussions that balance density with the quality of life. Additionally, the increase in workforce housing alongside a greater housing supply will ultimately help alleviate Miami’s housing crisis.
Ultimate Wynwood Proposing 524 Affordable Units Using The Live Local Act
Ultimate Equity, LLC has presented plans for a dual high-rise development in Wynwood called “Ultimate Wynwood”, designed by Kobi Karp Architects. The project aims to be built on an 83,492 square foot lot near I-95, and will take advantage of development bonuses provided by the Live Local Act, allowing for greater density and height under the existing zoning regulations. Planning data indicates that the high-rises will feature a total of 1,300 residential units, 1,099 on-site parking spaces, and 21,601 square feet of commercial space. Thanks to the Live Local Act, which allows 40% of the proposed units to be designated as affordable, 524 units will be affordable housing and 776 units are market-rate. Affordability will be maintained for 30 years. On top of Live Local Act benefits, the developers will include multiple waivers such as two 30% parking reductions for commercial uses and residential uses, a waiver to allow one industrial berth to substitute two commercial berths, and a waiver to permit up to “ten percent waiver related to drive aisle width”. Parking reductions are allowed because the property is under a Transit Corridor area as dictated by the City’s Transit GIS layer. According to elevations, the project will include “seamlessly integrating art and nature to honor the neighborhood’s vibrant character”. These artistic elements are lined along the project’s podium. Likewise, both towers will rise 36 floors to 395 FT at its bulkhead. Elevations also uniquely show two basements parking levels. The project is located at 590 NW 26 St