Wynwood Norte Takes A Step Towards Approval After Rezoning Approved By Miami City Commission

Wynwood Norte is one step closer towards approval after the Miami City Commission voted unanimously to approve the rezoning of the area just north of Wynwood to allow mid-rise development for infilled housing. The community plan still needs to be reviewed by state officials. The zoning changes included relaxing the parking requirements for both residential and commercial properties and allowing development up to four floors for projects with 20% affordable housing. In the development area on NW 36th Street and North Miami Avenue mixed-use projects can now rise up to eight stories and residential projects can now rise five stories. Miami-Dade County will also partner with developers to redevelop roughly 1,400 units on county owned land. The revitalization plan was organized by the Wynwood Community Enhancement Association and planned by PlusUrbia. The Wynwood Community Enhancement Association is made up of a mix of local residents, property owners, community organizations and local businesses who recognized that the current zoning stifled development in the area.

Vladislav Doronin and Len Blavatnik Receive Approval For Aman Hotel & Residences In Miami Beach's Faena District

Vladislav Doronin and Len Blavatnik have received approval from Miami Beach City Commissioners to build Aman Hotel & Residences in Miami Beach’s Faena District. The developers will build a new 250’ tall tower adjacent to the historic Versailles Hotel located at 3425 Collins Avenue, in addition to restoring the Versailles Hotel back to its former splendor. Aman Hotel & Residences Miami Beach will feature a 56-room hotel and 23 condominiums.

The approvals required a zoning change for height increase from the permitted 203’ to the proposed 250’. The height increase had been met with community opposition from several Historic Preservation Board members, including chairman Jack Finglass, as well as residents of the King David Condominium across the street. The final plans still must be submitted and approved by Miami Beach’s Historic Preservation Board.

Len Blavatnik is an American industrialist and philanthropist whose firm, Access Industries, owns a diverse portfolio of over 6 million square feet across iconic hotels and other commercial and residential properties in the United States, Europe, South America, and the Caribbean. Along with Alan Faena, Blavatnik developed the neighboring, ultra-luxury condo tower, Faena House.

Aman Hotel & Residences Miami Beach would be the first Aman Resort in South Florida. Vladislav Doronin is the chairman of Aman Resorts, in addition to being CEO of real estate development firm OKO Group. OKO Group’s Miami portfolio also includes luxury waterfront residential towers; Missoni Baia and Una Residences; and 830 Brickell, Miami’s first new office skyscraper in over a decade

Funding For Lincoln Road Revamp Approved By Miami Beach City Commission

A $77.4 million funding package for a major James Corner Field Operations-designed revamp of Miami Beach’s Lincoln Road has been approved by Miami Beach city commissioners. The funding will come from city taxpayers in addition to a $16 million Special Assessment charged to property owners in the immediate Lincoln Road district. The city has also updated zoning to allow some Lincoln Road property owners to build hotels. Construction in the renovation is expected to commence in spring 2020 and will include an enhanced pedestrian promenade, a new outdoor dining layout, updated lighting and signage, a new performance area, updated landscaping and renovations to many of the roads historic structures designed by Morris Lapidus.

Miami Beach Commissioners Vote To Finalize Deal With Crescent Heights At South Shore Hospital Site On Alton Road

Miami Beach commissioners have officially voted in favor of finalizing the proposed deal with Crescent Heights and its co-founder Russell Galbut to redevelop the former South Shore Hospital site on Alton Road in South Beach. As per the agreement Crescent Heights will fund and build a 3 acre park on the Alton Road site in exchange to allow Galbut to up-zone the site where commissioners approved a tower height increase to 519’. The tower is being designed by Arquitectonica and will rise 44-stories, offering 410 luxury units which the developer will be allowed to rent as short term rentals with a minimum term of 30 days per rental. After sale-and-purchase of the condo units the buyers will not be permitted to rent out their condos on a short term rental basis. The park which will be connected to the baywalk which wraps around South Pointe via a taxpayer funded pedestrian bridge. Galbut now has 6-months after the appeal periods to demolish the vacant South Shore Hospital and must complete the park within 2.5 years after the construction permit for the tower is issued, which must be completed with in 8 years. Should Galbut wish to flip the property he must retain 10% ownership.

Check Out The Newly Released Video Of The 3 Acre Park Coming To Alton Road As Part Of Deal With Russell Galbut

Miami Beach has struck a deal with Crescent Heights co-founder Russell Galbut to bring a 3 acre park to Alton Road in exchange to allow Galbut to up-zone the old South Shore hospital site in South Beach. Commissioners approved a tower height increase to 519’, in exchange Galbut will fund and develop the 3 acre park which will be connected to the baywalk which wraps around South Pointe via a taxpayer funded pedestrian bridge. Galbut will have 6-months after the appeal periods to demolish the vacant South Shore Hospital and must complete the park within 8 years after the construction permit for the tower is issued. Should Galbut wish to flip the property he must retain 10% ownership. A subsequent hearing will take place in December.

Voters Approve David Beckham's $1 Billion Freedom Park By Waiving Competitive Bidding On Election Day

Miami-Dade voters have approved a referendum waiving competitive bidding for the right to redevelop Melreese Country Club into a $1 billion mega-project complete with office, retail and commercial space and a soccer stadium.

The referendum allows the negotiation and execution of a 99-year lease with Miami Freedom Park, LLC. for 73 acres of the Melreese Country Club site at 1400 Northwest 37th Avenue. Miami Freedom Park, LLC. is comprised of David Beckham, Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure, and brothers Jorge and Jose Mas. As per the agreement, the group will pay an annual rent of at least $3.6 million, or fair market value as determined by two independent appraisals, plus $20 million to fund construction of a 58-acre public park, paid in annual installments of $666,667 for 30 years.

The Arquitectonica-designed proposal includes 400K SF of office space and 600K SF of restaurant, retail and entertainment space; along with 750 hotel rooms and a 25,000 seat soccer stadium with only 3,750 parking spaces. The city will be on the hook to redevelop and maintain the remaining land at the site at the expense of tax payers.

The Behar Font & Partners-Designed Okan Tower Planning To Break Ground This Year in Downtown Miami

Okan Tower, located at 555 North Miami Ave., will break ground in 2018 and is currently finalizing their partnership with a general contractor. The self-financed tower from Turkish developer Okan Group has pre-sold about 12% of of units since the project was first proposed in October 2017. Okan Tower will rise 70-stories, 890', and was designed by Behar Font & Partners. The project will feature 300 hotel rooms, 80,000 SF of office space, 10,000 SF of restaurant space, 362 condominium units, and a selection of amenities including a rooftop swimming pool. The project is expected to be completed Q4 2022.

Check Out The New Renderings of David Beckham's Proposed Freedom Park

New renderings of David Beckham and Jorge Mas' controversial proposal to build one of the biggest private office and retail parks in the U.S. on city owned land, known as Freedom Park, have been revealed. The Arquitectonica-designed proposal includes 400K SF of office space and 600K SF of  restaurant, retail and entertainment space; along with 750 hotel rooms and a 25,000 seat soccer stadium with only 3,750 parking spaces. The city would be on the hook to redevelop and maintain the remaining land at the site at the expense of tax payers. The developers would pay $20 million to the city over 30 years, amounting to a net present value of roughly $4 million. Last week commissioners decided to delay the vote on city referendum that could send the proposal to the voting ballot for taxpayers to decide its fate. 2 of the 5 commissioners are in favor but the public backlash has been vocal with charities such as The First Tee Miami staging protests and Related Group's Jorge Perez, amongst others have made their opposition public. Commissioners will vote again this week. 

Related Group & Block Capital Group Break Ground On The Bradley In Wynwood

Related Group and Block Capital Group have broken ground on The Bradley in Wynwood, one of Miami's first projects to feature micro-units. The project was designed by Arquitectonica and features interiors by Lenny Kravit's Kravitz Design. When complete The developers expect to close on a $33 million construction loan over the next few weeks. The Bradley will rise 5-stories and will bring 175 rental apartments, 32,000 SF of ground floor retail and a 179 spot parking garage to Wynwood. The units will range in size from 480 SF studios to 1,000 SF 3-bedroom units and monthly rents are expected to range from $1,400 to $2,800. Amenities include a gym and a rooftop deck with grill area and cabanas. The project was first introduced as Wynwood 26 and developers were able to secure a 30% reduction in parking, decreasing the amount from 254 zoning requires to 179 spaces via contributing to the Wynwood Parking Trust Fund. The Bradley is located at 51 Northwest 26th Street. Construction is expected to be completed in 2020. 

Okan Group's Behar Font-Designed Okan Tower Approved In Downtown Miami

Turkish developer Okan Group's 73-story, skyline evolving Behar Font & Partners-designed Okan Tower proposal has been approved by Miami's Planning & Zoning Department in Downtown Miami including waivers from the Miami 21 zoning code. Located at 555 North Miami Avenue, the multi-use project has also been called The Sterling, although the press release and renderings point to the tower being called Okan Tower. The Behar Font & Partners design is inspired by a tulip, the national flower of Turkey, and will feature a rooftop swimming pool at the crown of the 956' rise. Okan Tower will feature 300 hotel rooms, 80,000 SF of office space, 10,000 SF of restaurant space and 362 condominium units. The location will give easy access to retail, entertainment and transit via MiamiCentral and the Brightline as well as the Miami Worldcenter mega-project. Okan Group acquired the land for $18 million in March 2017 before proposing the Behar Font design in October 2017.