Whitman Family Development Reveals Mixed-Use Luxury / Workforce Housing Development Within Bal Harbour Shops Complex

Whitman Family Development, the family-owned company that pioneered the concept of an open-air retail destination with the creation of Bal Harbour Shops, has submitted plans for a mixed-use development that will further enhance the 18-acre property with the addition of attainable and market-rate residences and a boutique hotel in the heart of the commercial district of the Village of Bal Harbour, Florida.

Serving as the Village’s commercial centerpiece, the premier upscale shopping destination Bal Harbour Shops comprises over 100 shops, restaurants and entertainment serving locals and visitors. Plans for the mixed-use development encompass 600 high-end residential units, 40% of which are slated for workforce housing and 60% of which are to be luxury housing, a 70-room upscale hotel and 45,700 square feet of additional retail space.

The new development is made possible by Florida’s Live Local Act, a bipartisan bill passed by the Florida legislature last year in response to the critical need for affordable and attainable housing statewide. The legislation enables developers to build more density and reach building heights within the scale of the surrounding area, so long as they commit to including attainable housing units. The law requires that local municipalities approve mixed-use residential projects in any area zoned commercial through an administrative review process, allowing developers to accelerate their timelines. In exchange, property owners must commit to designating at least 40 percent of all residential units as attainable or affordable housing for at least 30 years.

“South Florida’s economic future relies on creating more sustainable housing options. As a firm with deep Miami roots that span generations, Whitman Family Development is addressing this reality by making a significant investment in the greatest area of need in our community: access to attainable housing,” said Matthew Whitman Lazenby, President and Chief Executive Officer of Whitman Family Development. “By adding workforce and market-rate housing catering to service and hospitality workers, teachers, first responders, and other workers who are the backbone and lifeblood of our community and who are currently priced out of the market, Bal Harbour Shops will diversify the area’s housing market so that people who work in this Village can actually live here.”

Whitman Family Development has already filed plans for the mixed-use development with the Village of Bal Harbour. Once building permits are issued, the multi-phase project will begin with the development of an attainable housing tower on the property’s southwest corner, followed by luxury residential units, and the boutique hotel. The residential components, which will reflect the premium design, finishes and features that characterize the luxury brand, will feature lifestyle-driven amenities including elevated swimming pool decks, resident lounges and entertainment areas, modern fitness centers, outdoor recreational areas, and more.

The development’s planned residential component will help meet growing demand for quality and more accessible housing in the region. Today, half of Miami-Dade’s 936,351 households spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs, according to the 2023 Housing Needs Assessment report by the University of Florida and Miami Homes for All. This, while real estate experts recommend that renters and homeowners spend 30% or below on their housing expenses. Bal Harbour’s premium housing market, where the average home is valued at $1.7 million, currently prices out the community’s workforce as the median price for rental listings is about $7,000 a month, according to Realtor.com.

“The addition of a residential component at Bal Harbour Shops will enable a cross-section of residents to reside closer to their place of work,” Mr. Whitman Lazenby added. “The infill development will reduce commute times and gridlock, while improving quality of life for hundreds of people currently commuting into the Village of Bal Harbour and nearby enclaves each day.”

Under Bal Harbour Shops’ development plans, the new towers will rise to approximately 275 feet, consistent with immediately adjacent buildings in the Village, including the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort directly across the street. The design prioritizes pedestrian access and street-level activations, with new entry points that will foster connectivity within the development and the surrounding neighborhood. New tax revenue generated by this development will help the Village of Bal Harbour enhance public safety and prioritize infrastructure improvements, alleviating a cost burden that would otherwise be placed on residents.

Whitman Family Development has been a mainstay in South Florida’s real estate landscape for the past 60 years. The fourth generation, family-owned firm unveiled the Bal Harbour Shops in 1965 and has continually invested in the property with an eye toward the future of the Village of Bal Harbour, one of the region’s most desirable places to live and visit. The open-air, luxury retail center, which is home to renowned brands such as Chanel, Gucci, Tiffany & Co. and Valentino, is currently undergoing a $550 million retail expansion that will add about 250,000 square feet, nearly doubling the center’s current retail space. The retail expansion will accommodate the addition of 35 new upscale stores and restaurants, which will solidify Bal Harbour Shops position as one of the world’s most popular destinations for luxury shopping, hospitality, and dining.

Housing Trust Group Delivers Flagler Station Affordable Apartment Community in West Palm Beach

Housing Trust Group (HTG), a developer of market-rate and affordable housing, has completed Flagler Station, a new $33 million affordable apartment community located in downtown West Palm Beach, Florida. It is the first new affordable apartment community to be built in the city’s downtown in 30 years.

A public-private partnership between HTG, the City of West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County, Flagler Station features 94 apartments reserved for residents earning no more than 30, 60, 70 or 80 percent of area median income, with rents ranging from $393 to $1,689. The property is ideally located just one block from the Florida TriRail/Amtrak station and five blocks from the Brightline commuter rail station connecting West Palm Beach with the cities of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando.

The developer hosted a grand-opening ceremony with partners to commemorate the milestone on Monday, August 7. Speakers included Matthew A. Rieger, President and CEO of HTG; City of West Palm Beach Mayor Keith A. James and District 3 Commissioner Christy Fox, State House Representative Jervonte ‘Tae’ Edmonds; District 88, Executive Director Jonathan Brown from Palm Beach Housing & Economic Development Department, and Board Chairman Mario Facella of Florida Housing Finance Corporation.

“With a thousand people moving into Florida each day, investment in affordable housing has never been more essential,” said Rieger. “Flagler Station will provide much-needed housing for West Palm Beach’s service workers, first responders, teachers, and other lower-wage workers who play vital roles in the city’s economic success, but simply can’t find adequate, well-priced apartments near their jobs.”

According to Marcus and Millichap, the average rent in West Palm Beach jumped by more than 40 percent since the end of 2020, to $2,432 per month in March 2023. Sticking to the 30 percent rule, an individual or family would need to earn close to $100,000 per year to comfortably afford rent in the city.

"We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Housing Trust Group for their unwavering commitment to bringing affordable housing to the City of West Palm Beach. This partnership marks a significant milestone in our journey towards a more inclusive and vibrant community. We eagerly anticipate the positive impact this development will have on the City and its residents," said City of West Palm Beach, Mayor Keith A. James.

Located at 991 Banyan Boulevard, Flagler Station is an eight-story, high-rise property with a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. Community amenities include a 3,200-square-foot, double-high multi-purpose clubroom, a computer/business center, a rooftop pool, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and on-site parking.

Named after Henry Flagler, the 19th-century industrialist who built the Florida East Coast Railway (FECR), Flagler Station’s site includes some of the original, now defunct FECR tracks, which have been incorporated into the development as part of a linear park featuring original artwork and murals. The City’s intent is to build out this park along the rest of the rail right of way to make it a true “rails to trails” conversion. This supports a transportation and mobility plan that the City adopted in 2018 featuring an integrated system of bike lanes, busways, train stations, trolley routes, sidewalks, and roads to reduce car traffic and make the city more pedestrian-friendly.

The building’s architectural design echoes the “brutalist” style that characterized the Old West Palm Beach City Hall, now demolished, and the Federal Courthouse buildings. With its partner, Corwil Architects, along with city officials, HTG delivered a design that is both contemporary and historic in its aesthetic. Archways were incorporated into the building facade to showcase structural elements, while giving reference to the Beaux Arts architecture of Grand Central Terminal.

Financing sources for Flagler Station include $23.27 million in 9% low-income housing tax credits through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC) that were purchased by CREA; a $20.3 million construction loan from KeyBank; an $8.93 permanent loan through Freddie Mac; a $75,000 City of West Palm Beach loan; a $314,446 Palm Beach County grant; and a $550,000 HOME loan from Palm Beach County.

The project team for Flagler Station is general contractor Rinaldi Construction, engineer and landscape designer WGI, Inc., architecture firm Corwil Architects, and interior designer B. Pila Designs.

Images via Tony Tur

Boynton Beach City Commission Approves Public-Private Partnership Project, The Pierce, In Partnership With Affiliated Development

Boynton Beach City Commission has voted unanimously to approve all agreements between the City, the Boynton Beach CRA and Affiliated Development in order to advance highly anticipated $80+ million mixed-use, mixed-income workforce housing project, The Pierce.

Located in west of Federal Highway between Ocean Avenue and Boynton Beach Boulevard, The Pierce will offer 16,800 square feet of restaurant and commercial space, a minimum of 236 apartment units and a parking garage that will include 150 public parking spaces. Affiliated Development was the only proposer that had an agreement with longtime Boynton Beach restaurant, Hurricane Alley, which secured the business’ future in Boynton Beach.

Fort Lauderdale-based Affiliated Development outbid 4 other firms that responded to a RFP in Decemeber 2021 issued by the Boynton Beach CRA, including Related Group. Negotiations have been ongoing since that time and all agreements have been finalized and approved by the CRA Board and City Commission.

“We are community builders and have a track record of working alongside our City and CRA partners to create a transformative projects that increase the quality of life for the city’s residents,” says Jeff Burns, CEO of Affiliated Development. “We have had our eye on Boynton Beach for a while and strongly believe that Boynton Beach is poised to reach its full potential.”

With housing affordability at unprecedented levels, The Pierce will offer 50% of the project’s units at varying workforce housing levels in order to accommodate the overwhelming demand for Class A living at attainable rents. The Pierce’s 8-story apartment building will offer luxury finishes, features and amenities including a resort style pool with private cabanas, state of the art fitness facility, co-work collective and keyless Bluetooth door entry. The Pierce will be built and certified to national green building standards.

Boynton Beach leaders have been setting the stage for this moment for many years. The CRA had assembled over 2 acres of property and received many unsolicited suiters over the years. Instead of moving forward with those proposals, the CRA underwent a competitive process that not only vetted the merits of the project, but the strength of the developer. Affiliated Development specializes in public-private-partnership development and has several completed projects in Broward and Palm Beach Counties.

Affiliated Development’s next step is to begin the land use entitlement process. “If all goes smoothly, we anticipate getting underway during the mid 2023,” says Burns.

Coral Rock Development Group Announces Mixed-Use Workforce/ Affordable Housing Project Buena Vida In Little Havana

Coral Gables-based Coral Rock Development Group today unveiled plans for Buena Vida, a Little Havana-based workforce/affordable housing mixed-use project. Located at 22nd Avenue and Flagler Street, Buena Vida will encompass 175 units of workforce and affordable housing boasting a compelling mix of one, two and three-bedroom floorplans ranging in size from 471 to 1,105 square feet along with structured parking. The eight-story project will also include 15,000 square feet of retail space.

Full-service featured community amenities will include a gym, dog park, conference center, pool and BBQ area. The retail space will include a medical wellness center for the benefit of residents and the surrounding area, along with a mix of retail shops and restaurants designed to enrich the neighborhood.

Buena Vida was designed by RSP Architects. Groundbreaking on the project will begin in 2022 and is scheduled for completion in 2023.

“We are very pleased to announce Buena Vida and create a high-quality workforce/affordable housing offering for families and seniors,” said Michael Wohl, principal of Coral Rock Development Group. “We are grateful for the support of Commissioner Joe Carollo in seeing our vision come to life to add to the growth and development in the Little Havana neighborhood. His endorsement has been critical in bringing this forward. As we’ve seen throughout the pandemic and the disruption of livelihoods for so many members of our community over the past year, now more than ever there’s an overwhelming need to provide apartments for those who cannot afford the high current market rate and are as a result paying a high percentage of family income for rent.”

Coral Rock Development Group is also developing Pura Vida Hialeah, a nine-acre major mixed-use development set to be the first of its kind in more than 20 years. Pura Vida Hialeah topped off earlier this year and is on schedule for completion in Q1 2022.

Rendering via RSP Architects/ Coral Rock Development Group

Affiliated Development Closes On $53 Million Loan And Begins Construction On West Palm Beach Workforce Housing Project

Fort Lauderdale-based Affiliated Development has started construction on the highly anticipated mixed-income workforce housing project, The Grand, after closing on financing. The Grand was capitalized by a $53 million first mortgage from Bank United and an investment from Affiliated Housing Impact Fund, LP and a private family office.

Located in downtown West Palm Beach between 2nd and 3rd Street along Rosemary Avenue, The Grand is walking distance to the city’s newest office complexes, shopping, dining, and entertainment venues, as well as the Brightline and Tri-Rail stations. Fit with luxury finishes, features and amenities, the 8-story building will offer 301 one and two-bedroom apartments and 9 three-bedroom townhomes with ground floor commercial space.

The Grand is being constructed by Moss & Associates and was designed by MSA Architecture. Expected completion is slated for Spring 2023.

The Grand celebrates a successful collaboration between public and private entities to address both redevelopment and housing. In December 2019, the West Palm Beach CRA and city’s Housing & Community Development department awarded the developer $15 million in various funding incentives to bridge the funding cap and help finance the project.

“Our goal is to work with our city and CRA partners to create a transformative project that ignites redevelopment activities within the CRA target area and increases the quality of life for the city’s residents,” says Jeff Burns, Co-Founder and CEO of Affiliated Development. “West Palm Beach’s leadership and staff have been amazing to work with, and we are excited to play a role in this city’s evolution.”

The project will offer downtown class-A living and rents the average resident can afford. As part of the city and CRA funding incentives, the developer agreed to restrict 2/3 of the units at various income levels starting at 80% of AMI.

“Affiliated Development’s $81 million investment into the city’s historic Northwest community represents the single largest private investment in this neighborhood’s history and will deliver much needed workforce housing for our city’s residents,” said West Palm Beach Mayor Keith A. James. “This project supports the city’s efforts to build stronger neighborhoods and to provide better connections for residents between their home and their job.”

The project supports Mayor Keith James’ “500 in 3” initiative, an effort to create 500 workforce and/or affordable housing units in West Palm Beach within three years.

West Palm Beach is experiencing a wave of new residents and economic development as the city is quickly becoming a prime financial center for firms relocating from New York and other U.S. markets.

“Recent job growth has exacerbated the housing need,” explains Nick Rojo, Co-Founder and President of Affiliated Development. “As a longtime resident, it’s especially meaningful for me to help deliver such an impactful and transformative project to the city.”

In December 2020, Affiliated Development announced the successful closing of their $125 million housing impact fund to capitalize the company’s projects and tackle the region’s workforce housing crisis, largely comprised of local public pension plans. Affiliated Development has found a niche in public-private-partnership development and have over one-thousand workforce units in the pipeline throughout South Florida.

New Urban Development Proposes View 29 With Affordable And Workforce Housing In Wynwood

New Urban Development, an affiliate of non-profit organization The Urban League of Greater Miami, has proposed View 29 in Wynwood. The residential project is located at 2901 NW 2nd Ave. and will offer a mix of affordable and workforce housing to help address the shortage of affordable housing in Miami. The 27,717 SF site was deeded by the county to New Urban Development in 2020 in exchange for the development of affordable and workforce housing.

View 29 is designed by MC+G Architecture and will rise 12-stories, offering 116 apartment units, 105 parking spaces and 6,910 SF of ground floor retail. The unit mix is expected to offer 30 studios, 18 one-bedroom units, 58 two-bedroom units and 10 three-bedroom units. Residences would range from 650 SF to 1,200 SF. Amenities will feature a pool, community room, childrens’ room, fitness center, yoga room, business center and a rooftop terrace with a solar panel canopy. The Wynwood Design Review Committee is scheduled to review the proposal on May 12.

Affiliated Development Launches $125 Million Impact Housing Fund

Affiliated Development, a real estate development, investment and asset management firm, has announced the launch of an impact investment fund to invest in multifamily mixed-income workforce housing throughout South and Central Florida. Affiliated Housing Impact Fund, LP (or the “Fund”) will provide equity capital to finance Affiliated Development’s pipeline of workforce housing projects and investments. Affiliated Development’s principals, Jeff Burns and Nick Rojo, will be the sole general partners and managers of the Fund.

The Fund’s overall investment objective is to generate a positive social and environmental impact, while delivering attractive risk-adjusted returns for its investors. The Fund’s investment strategy is to capitalize the development of high-quality multifamily housing, offering a superior living experience at attainable rents. Each project will be constructed to meet the stringent requirements for green building certification standards.

“Over 60% of renters in the South Florida area are cost-burdened, meaning they pay more than 30% of their income on rent. Most South Florida residents are forced to either allocate too much income toward rent, live with one or more roommates, or move away from major employment centers in order to find reasonably priced housing.” Burns said. “The tremendous demand for attainably priced housing in South Florida has been compounded by the influx of new residents and businesses migrating to the area. We feel a sense of responsibility to work alongside local government to help find solutions to this growing issue.”

Affiliated Development specializes in public-private-partnerships, which typically result in the utilization of government financing incentives necessary to make these types of projects work. The company has a track record of completing workforce housing projects in various South Florida cities.

The Fund has the requisite capital commitments for an initial closing which is scheduled for December. Current committed investors include the Fort Lauderdale Police and Firefighters’ Pension Fund, West Palm Beach Police Pension Fund, Hollywood Police Pension Fund, Hollywood Firefighters’ Pension Fund, Miramar Police Pension Fund and a locally based family office.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with local public pension plans. We see an inherent alignment of interest with our pension partners who can reinvest capital back into the community while providing housing for their contributors and the local workforce. We are also attracting interest from family offices and individuals seeking a double bottom line outcome with both financial and social returns.” Said Rojo. “Having discretionary capital also provides us the flexibility to move quickly and take advantage of opportunities while focusing on what we do best, which is executing.”

Miami-Dade County And Related Urban Development Group Break Ground on Three Round Towers

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez,  Chairwoman Audrey M. Edmonson and Related Urban Development Group (RUDG) have celebrated the ground-breaking of Three Round Towers B&C and Brisas del Este, an affordable housing development encompassing three buildings for a combined total of 383 units in the Allapattah area of Miami-Dade County. They were joined by a special guest on this occasion, the Honorable Dr. Benjamin S. Carson, Secretary for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The Three Round Towers development was originally built in 1970 on approximately 6.98 acres and included three towers (Towers A, B and C), a Community Center and parking for residents. Tower A was substantially renovated in 2018 by Related Urban. The current renovations are focused on the major rehabilitation of Towers B and C along with the construction of Brisas del Este, a new 120-unit affordable housing project. RUDG, the affordable housing arm of prolific developer Related Group, will serve as Miami-Dade County’s developer partner. 

The rehabilitation of the two existing towers and the new construction of Brisas Del Este will result in stylish, well-appointed residences tailor made to serve a primarily senior population through elevated accessibility options. The projects will serve residents from 30% area median income (AMI) up to 80% AMI and will be completed in the beginning of 2022.

“By fully leveraging multiple financing sources, our County is paving the way more for smart projects that create vital affordable housing for our residents,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez. “Miami-Dade’s public-private partnership with Related Urban Development Group has been a key component leading to the success of this particular project, and I look forward to the County’s continuing wise use of P3’s moving forward.”

The total development cost for the three buildings is more than $106 million. The layering of financing makes this development the largest of its kind in the nation  utilizing Opportunity Zone Funds ($24 million) in combination with other federal and HUD resources, such as Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), Rental Assistance Demonstration funding (RAD), Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) from the City of Miami, and a Purchase Money Mortgage (PMM) of $18 million from Miami-Dade County to the developer. County and State surtax funds are also being invested in the project. More importantly, the Opportunity Zone investment of $24 million was made by personally by Related Group CEO Jorge M. Peréz.

“The redevelopment of Three Round Towers and the addition of Brisas Del Este leverages the widest range of financing available in affordable housing development,” said Albert Milo, Jr President of RUDG. “It is truly a first-of-its-kind project made possible by our partners at the County, who we have worked with over a dozen times to create transformative affordable housing solutions across Miami-Dade. Through collaborations like this, we are able to continue making a real difference for the residents of the communities we build in.”

“With this project we are proving that Opportunity Zone funding is scalable for major affordable housing developments,” said Michael Liu, Director for Miami-Dade Public Housing and Community Development (PHCD). Liu continued, “With a visionary like Jorge Perez and extraordinary builder in Albert Milo, our plan to transform all of our public housing with private sector partners will succeed.” 

Related Group Reveals The Gallery On The River Designed By SR Architects Proposed For Overtown

Related Group has revealed The Gallery On The River, a 12-story affordable and workforce housing project which they have recently proposed for Miami’s Overtown neighborhood. The proposal, which was designed by SR Architects, has been submitted to the Urban Development Review Board (UDRB) for review on September 18 and will be built on county-owned land across the street from the popular Garcia’s, Casablanca and Seaspice riverfront restaurants. The Gallery On The River will offer 160 units which will be offered at affordable price points, 11 of which will be set aside for public housing. The project will also bring a 4-story parking garage with 304 parking spaces. Related Group will pay $40,000 per year rent for 75 years with 4% annual rent increases in addition to a $400,000 one-time payment.