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.
Gasworx’s First Phase Moves Forward With Permitting in Ybor City
Gasworx Tampa, a development aimed at historic restoration and revitalizing southern Ybor City with housing, retail, and office, is progressing with extensive permitting. Gasworx was touted in early 2020 as a “development that will reconnect a community with its rich cultural heritage and to restore Ybor City to its rightful place as one of America’s truly great neighborhoods.” Developers now have an opportunity to deliver on that promise. The project’s first phase began construction in early 2020 with La Union, a 317 unit apartment building, and later W2, a 390 unit apartment building that broke ground in early 2024. The remaining parcels in phase one are now moving forward with 516 units, 108,000 SF of office space, and 87,000 SF of retail space. Additionally, phase one will feature a new TECO Streetcar station next to a proposed park, all part of the development. The permitting covers three new blocks: E1, E2, and E3. All three blocks have respectively filed their demolition permits, utility permits, construction permits, and site work permits. Block E1, located at the northern end, will feature 140 residential units along with 18,000 square feet of retail space. This block is already prepared for construction following a demolition permit issued in 2020, which demolished a two-story building surrounded by vacant lots that were previously used for parking. Block E1 already has a filed utility permit to add four wastewater service connections and a site/foundation permit, both pending a client response to proceed. Additionally, a construction permit has been requested for a parking deck to provide parking spaces for both the retail and residential units. Block E2 is somewhat complicated, with parts of the existing warehouse being torn down to make way for an office building featuring 108,000 SF of office space and 12,000 SF of retail space. The Gasworx team is dedicated to honoring Ybor’s historic roots in their development, translating into the brick warehouse constructed in 1952 being repurposed to house unique retail spaces. Block E2 has a construction permit submitted for the office building, as well as a utility permit, a demolition permit, and a site/foundation work permit in process, all awaiting client response. Block E3, set to be the tallest building in phase one with 376 units and 29,000 SF of retail, is moving quickly. Crews have already demolished the existing structure on the site, thanks to a demolition permit obtained in 2023. The removed building was a three-story office constructed in the 90s. Lot E3 is the quickest moving parcel, with a complete construction permit, utility permit, and site/foundation permit already submitted. While the construction and utility permits are still under review, the site/foundation work permit has been granted. According to Businesswire, Suffolk Construction will break ground on the rest of phase one this summer.
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.
Tampa’s Green Spine Cycle Track Continues Construction in Ybor
The City of Tampa is moving forward with the next stage of the Green Spine, a bike path that runs from North Hyde Park to V.M. Ybor. The Green Spine was first introduced in the early 2010s as part of the InVision Tampa Center City Plan, aiming to create “an appealing and safe cross-city multi-use trail that connects the eastern and western neighborhoods of Center City to the Riverwalk and to each other.” The entire Green Spine spans 3.4 miles, with the construction for phases 2a, 3a, and 1 already completed. The current phase, phase 3, includes segments 3B and 3C, with a total cost of $1,830,338 for capital improvements. The segment will feature two-lane bike paths with 3-foot concrete buffers, providing better protection for cyclists compared to existing bike lanes in Tampa that use cost-effective flex posts or paint. Construction began in August 2024 and is slated for completion by September of the following year. Recent site photos show that construction on segment 3B (Nuccio Parkway) is already under way, while construction for phase 3C has not yet started. Phase 3C along N 15th St will remove an estimated 42 parking spaces, with 52 remaining. It will develop a connection from Cuscaden Park to North Hyde Park, sparking significant improvements in the neighborhood/surrounding areas ranging from reduced gas consumption, increased tourism, improved water and air quality, and increase community connectivity. To contact the City of Tampa regarding concerns or suggestions, click here for Segment 3C and here for Segment 3B.
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.
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
1175 NE 125 Street Proposed in North Miami With 348 Units
Tate NM 125, LLC is planning to build a 17-story highrise in the heart of North Miami’s Transit Station Overlay District. Designed by Behar Font Architects, the project aims to secure a Conditional Use Permit to increase the site’s density to 150 dwelling units per acre, with a maximum height of 200 FT and various commercial uses. The developer intends to use most of these benefits. For instance, the development will include 348 units, around 40,000 SF of commercial space, and rise 167 FT. While North Miami code requires the proposal to have 674 parking spaces, the developer lowered it by 5.64% by incorporating bicycle and hybrid parking spaces. Hence, with added reductions, there will be 636 parking spaces. Residents will also benefit from 172 bicycle spaces on the ground floor, promoting pedestrian activity. In term of design, the highrise will feature public art consisting of green walls and decorative metal grill panels on the podium. Abstract art may be included on the western portion of the property. Additionally, the development looks to be prioritizing expansive sidewalks, ranging from a minimum of 21 FT to a maximum of 40 FT. A significant aspect of the development is the inclusion of a large retail space suitable for a grocer or a large retailer. This is vital for the local community, as the USDA indicates the development is under a tract where more than 100 households don’t have access to a vehicle and is farther than 1/2 mile from a supermarket. However, the development has some potential concerns including its focus on providing only market-rate housing, especially considering the census tract’s significant population of low-income individuals. The development is located at 1175 NE 125 Street.