2215 NW 1st Place Submitted to Wynwood Design Review Committee
Whale & Star Wynwood Owner, LLC has submitted new plans for a project located at 2215 NW 1st Place and 170 NW 23 Street. Plans include an 8-story mixed use building with 214 hotel rooms (between floors 2 and 5), 87 multifamily units (between floors 6 and 8), 87 parking spaces, and 313 bicycle spaces. To activate the ground floor for pedestrian traffic, the lobby will be accompanied by 8,935 SF of retail/restaurant space. Seeing that there’s been a flurry of development in Wynwood, it will be one of the shorter buildings in the neighborhood measuring 132 FT. Like many Miami projects nowadays, the project is requesting a slight increase in density in exchange for providing public benefits. For instance, under existing code, the building can only rise to 5 floors. Since the project is using Wynwood’s NRD-1 Public Benefits Program, planners are allotted a 50% density bonus and a max benefit height of 106 FT for habitable floors. Likewise, to meet the standards for Wynwood’s neighborhood characteristics, the project is including elevated art treatment by Goldman Global Arts. Six waivers were requested. These waivers ranged from increases in maximum allowed lot coverage, a reduction of parking by 30%, an allowance of parking within the mezzanine level, and more. It should be prefaced that the requested waivers don’t allow for taller heights nor increased density, but to enhance the overall design and function of the building. ODP is the architect of record while HWKN Architecture is the design consultant.
Melo Group Breaks Ground on “Downtown 6th” in Downtown Miami
Melo group has broken ground on their 54 story, 581 feet tower in Downtown Miami named Downtown 6th. According to South Florida Business Journal who originally reported the groundbreaking, Melo Group hopes for completion to be in about two years. The project will contain 824 units, 639 parking spaces, and 2,427 SF of retail space. Uniquely, the parking podium is wrapped in habitable units and colored protective glass, giving it enhanced pedestrian views. The development is also in proximity to a plethora of development including Okan Tower, 501 First, 600 Miami Worldcenter, Natiivo Miami, and the Crosby. According to building permits, Melo Group filed for both structural permits and site plan permits under Melo Contractors Corp. Both permits are under review but on track for being approved shortly. The site is already demolished and ready for construction. Melo Architecture and G3aec are the architects. The location is 46 Northeast Sixth St, close to multiple transit modes including Miami’s Metromover, Metrorail, and Brightline station.
Biscayne Shores Revealed in Miami at 11400 Biscayne Blvd
Biscayne Shores Development Group LLC, an affiliate of Ben Josef Group Holdings based in NYC, has revealed new plans for a 15 floor tower in Miami. The development will have 561 units, 20,000 SF of commercial space, 723 parking spots, and 16 bicycle rack spaces. 12.5% of the units and an additional 14 of them will be set aside for workforce housing. Its also worth noting that these plans are still conceptual and can change. The developers are amending Miami-Dade’s Comprehensive Development Masterplan’s High Density Residential text to allow 150 units per acre and a FAR of 3.0. These changes in text will only apply to select properties, like this one. Likewise, the Future Land Use Map will be changed to High Density Residential for the entire property. The tower will reach a peak of 179 FT fronting Biscayne Blvd and a peak of 107 FT fronting NE 14th Ave. The architect is Kobi Karp.
New Renderings & Design Released for Miami Riverside Center
Adler Development has revealed a twin tower project on the current site of Miami’s Riverside Center city administration complex at 444 SW 2nd Ave. The project, designed by Nichols Architects, will feature two residential towers both rising around 50 floors. Along the Miami River, there will be public access to a new multi-level restaurant complex, a new public river walk with improved landscaping, and more. The tower’s river facing facade has aesthetics and functionality in mind by adding liner units to mask a multi-level podium. Morgan Sirlin, the Vice President of Adler development, stated that the company doesn’t anticipate any groundbreaking “until 2027 at the earliest”. Density for the project is unknown as they’re in the design phases. The property is currently owned by Miami-Dade, but Adler development has a contract with Miami officials to build a new headquarters near the site of Inter Miami CF’s new stadium in exchange for land and development rights. Plans were proposed years ago, but were scrapped. Below were previous renderings.
“Uptown Harbor” by Dezer Development Subject to Site Plan Approval in North Miami Beach
“Uptown Harbor” by Dezer Development is subject to a site plan approval by the Planning & Zoning Board of North Miami Beach on August 12th. The project was originally proposed on November 10th, 2020 and had approval for both a development agreement and a conceptual plan. Up until May 9th, 2024, progress has been continuous. There will be eight blocks. In total the development will have 335,109 SF of commercial-retail space, 197,768 SF of office space, 2,000 residential units (subject to change), a 244-key hotel, and 4,743 parking spots. However, the developer is entitled to slightly more SF of commercial-retail space/residential units per a city and developer agreement. In this post, there will be an in-depth analysis for each block. Starting with block S1. Block S1 will border NE 163rd St and NE 36th Ave. It will be 21 floors high or 283 FT. It will contain 98,943 SF of commercial, 177,368 SF of office space, and 878 parking spots. Uniquely, North Miami Beach has minimum and maximum parking requirements. The developers could’ve had 641 parking spots on block S1 or 1,105 parking spots at max. The next block is S2. There will be a 38 floor tower rising 394 FT and a 35 floor tower rising 364 FT. Combined, they will contain 643 units, 32,004 SF of retail space, and 1,070 parking spaces. Block S3 will also have two towers. One will rise 48 floors or 493 FT and the other will rise 45 floors or 463 FT. In the tower, there’s a generous 22,398 SF of retail, 832 units, and 1,791 parking spaces in a multi-floor podium. Both towers will be the tallest towers in North Miami Beach if constructed. Moving to block S4, there will be one tower at 46 floors or 486 FT. It will distinctively have no parking spots, with offsite parking provided by block S3. There will be 33,111 SF of commercial, 20,400 SF of office, and 336 residential units. Transitioning over to the N-labeled blocks, block N1 will function as a community focal point. The 6 floor, 83 FT building will contain 131,658 SF of commercial space, 17,398 SF of gym use, a police sub-station, a fire rescue station, and a 2,141 SF community center for residents. To accommodate the various uses, the building will have 617 parking spaces on site, more than the 605 maximum North Miami Beach sets. Block N2 will be split into a residential and hotel block. The residential block will be 12 floors or 152 FT. There will be 153 units, 27,177 SF of retail space, and 215 parking spots. The hotel block will be west from it. The wedge-shaped building will also rise 12 floors but be 147 FT. There will be 244 hotel rooms for guests and 2,529 SF of commercial. Parking is provided on the residential N2 block. The final block named TH will have 36 town homes with waterfront access. The project will be in four phases. The first phase will be construction Block N1 (the community center) and Block S1, the 21 floor office and retail building. The second phase will involve constructing roadway improvements, park space, the canal, and other bay walk features. The third phase will undergo the construction of a waterfront promenade by constructing retail, restaurants, and other uses along the water from block S2, S3, and N2. The fourth and final phase will be the construction of all major condominium towers, the hotel, rental apartments, and town homes. Dezer Development is requesting multiple administrative waivers. Waivers range from allowing more than 14 floors on specific plots, requesting garage screening instead of liner units, and more. A total of 15 waivers are requested. The architect is Zyscovich Architects. The location of the master-development is 3501 Sunny Isles Blvd.
Tower Cranes Submitted For Waldorf Astoria Reaching Over 1,200 FT.
PMG development has submitted on Wednesday two tower cranes on the site of Waldorf Astoria Miami, a new supertall set to be one of the tallest towers in America. Tower crane one will rise 1,273 FT off the ground or 1,284 above sea level. It will be the southernmost crane on the property, bordering Biscayne blvd. The crane is already erected, but not at its fullest height. The second crane submitted will be 1,227 FT or 1,238 FT. It will be on the northern portion of the property. Like the southern crane, it’s already erected. Back in the summer of 2023, two tower cranes were submitted at the site but slightly lower in height and different in location. The installed cranes today don’t match the FAA filings, hence the new submissions. One crane that shifted the most was Crane #1, going to the southern part of the property instead of the middle. These new filings will be subject to FAA approval, and will most likely receive approval shortly. The project site is 300 Biscayne Boulevard. The tower will feature 360 residences.
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.