Robert Wennett Proposes Bjarke Ingels-Designed Special Area Plan For Miami Produce Center In Allapattah

Robert Wennett has submitted a Special Area Plan to build a mixed-use complex, Miami Produce Center, in Allapattah designed by none other then the starchitect Bjarke Ingels and his firm BIG Architects. The project is proposed on 8.54 acres located at Northwest 21st and 22nd Streets, and between Northwest 13th and 12th Avenues. The proposal will feature 8 buildings will offer over 860,000 SF of residential; 231,000 SF of office space; 114,000 SF of hotel; 76,000 SF of school, 75,000 SF of retail and 1,149 parking spaces. Wennett, who developed the iconic Herzog & de Meuron-designed 1111 Lincoln Road parking garage, purchased the property in 2016 for $16 million and closed on $20.6 million of financing for the properties via SunTrust Bank in August 2018. 

Crescent Heights Strikes Deal With The City Of Miami Beach To Build A 42-Story Tower On Alton Road

According to new reports Crescent Heights has finally struck a deal with the city of Miami Beach to redevelop the former South Shore Hospital site, the three-block lot between Alton and West Avenue from 5th to 7th streets, into a 42-story tower. The tower, which will be located on 5th Street, is designed by Arquitectonica and will feature a 13,900 SF floor-plate. Crescent Heights has agreed with the city to limit the residential unit count to 400 as well as reduce the commercial intensity by 50%. The proposal includes a single story commercial plaza on the Alton Road side of the 6th street parcel which would feature retail, cafes, etc., as well as parking. The commercial structure would buffer the park which in exchange to build a high-rise, Crescent Heights will donate a 2.5-acre street-grade park to the city. Original proposals included parking to be located under the park. The developer will also give an easement on 5th Street for the city to build a pedestrian walkway over 5th Street as well as build an extra turning lane.

The currently approved project on the site rises 5-7 stories and features 510 apartments. Mayor Dan Gelber worries about congestion due to an influx of new residences in addition to a "wall effect" that is created by the low-rise buildings. With a high-rise condos, a selection of owner-occupants will not live in Miami full-time while apartment rentals would be operating at near 100% occupancy.   

The terms are still under negotiation and the plans have not yet been approved by the city. Mayor Gelber plans to ask the City Commission to pursue a development agreement and draw up a term sheet for Crescent Heights's proposal. Should the proposal be approved the timeframe of the project is expected to be 2 years. 

Check Out These Newly Released Renderings of YotelPad Which Is Set To Break Ground In Downtown Miami Q4 2018

YOTELPAD has released new renderings as the project gears up to break ground by Q4 2018. The project is expected to cost $150 million and has set a timeframe for delivery in 2020. YOTELPAD in Downtown Miami will be the first East Coast location of YOTEL's new YOTELPAD concept. Located at 227 NE 2nd Street in Downtown Miami, YOTELPAD will be a 29 story tower designed by Stantec which was approved in July 2017 by Miami's Planning & Zoning Department. The project offers 208 residential units and 250 micro-sized hotel units, split with the residential units on top of the hotel units. Residential units come in 425 SF studios, one-bedroom and 708 SF two-bedroom floor plans; pricing starts at $250,000 and units will come fully furnished and move-in ready. Residential units will have the ability to be rented for short term via the hotel's rental pool. YOTELPAD is being developed as a joint venture between AQARAT, a Kuwaiti real estate company, and Aria Development Group.

Perkins + Will Reveals New Contemporary Baptist Health Facility At 709 Alton Road

The Miami office of global architecture and design firm, Perkins+Will, has announced the opening of the recently completed Baptist Health facility at 709 Alton Road. The four-story outpatient care center was developed by Crescent Heights and features 120,000 SF of total development. The contemporary structure designed to focus on community well-being, bringing a new level of service to Miami Beach while capitalizing on the neighborhoods walkability. The Baptist Health outpatient facility encourages health and well-being by connecting everyday urban amenities such as like retail, food, and beverage, with active public spaces, walking paths, roof gardens, and state-of-the-art wellness care for the mind and body.

“Our aligned mission with Baptist Health was to create and sustain an effective hospital-community partnership in Miami Beach,” said Pat Bosch, Design Director of the Miami office of Perkins+Will. “Improving patient experience and encouraging social engagement through strategic design was paramount.”

The design of the building blends indoor-outdoor spaces and an abundance of natural light, to meet the unique healing needs of all patients. While traditional medical office buildings internalize circulation, Perkins+Will designed an interior public promenade along Alton Road, effectively extending the sidewalk activity through the glass storefront and inviting the community inside. In terms of functional design, primary care and urgent care services are located on the same level as physician’s offices and community resource rooms to streamline patient visits. All parking and services for the building are located on the upper interior floors to maximize access to and from the active building components, street and sidewalk. The top floor of the building is transparent with circulation and activity focused along the commercial corridor and the roof terrace which will be used for physical therapy and exercise classes.

709 Alton Road houses primary care, urgent care, diagnostic imaging, endoscopy and other services. Imaging components includes X-ray, ultrasound, mammography, bone densitometry, CT and MRI. The facility is now open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The project marks the Miami studio’s second project on the Alton Road corridor with Crescent Heights, the other being the mixed-use 1212 Lincoln Road, and their fifth completed on Miami Beach. 

Stambul Acquires The Historic Walgreens Building In Downtown Miami's East Flagler Street

Stambul, a family-owned and operated, full-service boutique construction and development firm, has completed the purchase of the historic Walgreens building in Downtown Miami for $19.75 million. Located at 200 East Flagler St., the building was owned by the Alonso family and is previously home to La Epoca Department Store. Stambul plans to redevelop the approximately 50,000 SF building into a multi-level entertainment complex, which will serve as a catalyst for Downtown Miami’s resurgence including high-end retail, dining and entertainment. The five-story, Art Deco-style building was first built in 1936 and at the time was the third Walgreens outside of Chicago and the first in Florida. The storied building boasts over 80 years of history that includes secret dealings by Al Capone. The restoration of the building will be completed by Stambul’s in-house general construction team and is scheduled to begin in the last quarter of 2018.

“We are meticulously and thoughtfully curating and overseeing vendors, spaces and activities that will integrate to provide an organic experience,” said Stambul’s Principal Daniel Peña Giraldi.  “Stambul wants to be a key player in the rebirth of Downtown Miami and its evolution into a culinary and entertainment destination for locals and tourists.”

This is Stambul’s third adaptive-reuse project in Downtown Miami. The firm also spearheaded the restoration of the historic Miami National Bank into The Langford Hotel, now Eurostars Langford, and is working on the restoration of the Old United States Post Office and Courthouse that will include Biscayne Brewing among other food and beverage outposts.

“We’ve always understood Downtown Miami’s potential and we’re excited to be deeply rooted in its rebirth,” said Stambul’s Principal Luis E. Rojas. “We’re quickly working on giving the historic Walgreens building a new life and elevating Flagler Street to its prime days.”

"This property has played an important role in the evolution of Downtown Miami and it is incredible that Daniel, who appreciates and embraces the history of Downtown Miami, is the buyer,” said Mika Mattingly, who leads Colliers International South Florida’s Urban Core Division. Mattingly and Colliers’ Gerard Yetming marketed the property on behalf of the seller, Habitat Development Corporation. “Over the last few years, institutional buyers and private equity have invested close to $3 billion in a 6-block radius in downtown Miami. Downtown is on the verge of a complete transformation, and Daniel’s acquisition of La Epoca will speed up the change."

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. 

MiamiCentral Featuring Brightline Tabs Tony Cho’s Metro 1 Commercial As Exclusive Retail Brokerage For Development

Florida East Coast Industries (FECI) has hired leading commercial brokerage firm Metro 1 Commercial, LLC to spearhead retail leasing efforts for the state-of-the-art development, MiamiCentral, Miami's most connected, mixed-use transportation hub. Metro 1 will target approximately 130,000 SF of MiamiCentral’s newly constructed retail space, with a focus on food & beverage, health & wellness and other lifestyle-driven tenants.

Andres Nava, VP of Commercial Leasing and Grace Chance, a leasing associate who recently joined Metro 1 after several years leasing Brickell City Centre, will lead efforts on behalf of Metro 1. Metro 1 Commercial’s emphasis on transit-oriented development (TOD) and proven track record for successfully utilizing retail to differentiate and elevate emerging neighborhoods played a key role in the firm’s selection.

“Metro 1 has been a catalyst in the evolution of South Florida’s most engaging projects and neighborhoods,” said Tad Templeton, vice president of retail leasing for FECI. “We are eager to have Tony and his team on board and look forward to working together in delivering that same dynamic to MiamiCentral.”

Located in the heart of Downtown, MiamiCentral aims to address the steady increase in demand for walkable, retail-driven centers caused by the area’s sharp increase in population. A recent report published by Miami’s Downtown Development Authority shows a nearly 40% increase in Downtown residents since 2010, with an average of 1,500 new residents per year. This growth not only positions MiamiCentral as the focal point for downtown commerce, but also primes the project to have far-reaching effects on the entire district.

“More than a leasing agreement, we see this as an opportunity to play a key part in downtown’s rebirth,” said Tony Cho, Founder and CEO of Metro 1 Commercial. “Finding retail partners who bring something new and exciting to an area while staying true to its historic identity is a unique challenge, but one that inspires our entire team. We’ve had incredible results throughout neighborhoods like Wynwood and Magic City, and look forward to bringing our unique approach to MiamiCentral.”

"MiamiCentral is poised to become one of Miami’s most connected, mixed-use hubs featuring transportation, retail, residences and offices. Its status as one of the city’s most high-profile transit-oriented projects, the built-in rental units and, of course, the thousands of people already using Brightline, makes this a dynamic property with huge potential,” said Nava.

MiamiCentral represents the city’s most central, multimodal transportation center considering its  proximity to I-95 within the Central Business District and several key neighborhoods including Park West, Biscayne Corridor, Arts and Entertainment District, Brickell and the Health District. In addition to its connection to Metromover and Metrorail, MiamiCentral serves as Brightline’s southern terminus featuring inter-city, express passenger rail service between Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Future mass transit expansion plans and upcoming developments—including Brightline’s Orlando service, integration of Tri-Rail’s Downtown Miami Link within MiamiCentral and the delivery of the Miami Worldcenter Marriott Marquis World Convention Center Hotel. Additionally, MiamiCentral will house Downtown Miami’s only food hall, Central Fare, set to feature unique and authentic vendors and well-crafted experiences focused on bringing food and beverage concepts that build community.

Beckham Turns His Sights To Redevelop Melreese Golf Course Into Office Space Masking Proposal As "Public Park"

Be careful what you wish for. Activists who brought lawsuits against David Beckham's Overtown Soccer Stadium proposal may have derailed that initiative which would have energized the Overtown community. The developers of a proposal led by David Beckham known as Miami Freedom Park now seek to remove one of Miami's last affordable public golf courses, Melreese Country Club, home of "The First Tee Miami,"one of the most respected youth golf organizations in South Florida serving individuals of all ages, capabilities, and backgrounds; in exchange for developing over 1 billion SF on the site if the proposal passes. The 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. A 400,000 SF office park would be one of the largest office parks in the United States of America. 

Mayor Francis Suarez has received both praise and backlash on Twitter after his tweet:

"Wow. A beautiful vision! 110 acres of true green public space open and accessible for our neighbors! This will be a vibrant park, entertainment complex, and soccer facility for ALL Miamians. #FutbolMiami" - @FrancisSuarez

Many of the proponents of the proposal are backing the soccer aspect of the proposal, but do not mention that the 110 acres of true green public space. Other bring to attention that the proposal is an office park, not a public park as Mayor Suarez had stated. Additionally the sit is a former waste dump and is only maintained to keep golfers safe but not for real estate development. The costs to clean the land would be astronomical to the city. What would happen should the proposal go through would be the city would lose its biggest public park (Melreese Golf Course), traffic would build up around the airport and the city would get hit with massive bills in which they would issue debt to cover as the $20 million contribution from the development is paid over 30 years and has a net present value near $4 million. The partnership of developers is in a rush to try to get the public to vote by pushing the potential of bringing pro soccer to Miami without even having a full developed plan to move forward with the proposal and would remove any leverage the city would have. ‏The project is expected to cost over $1 billion. 

Swire Properties Reveals Tobacco Road Expansion Plan For Brickell City Centre

Swire Properties has revealed plans for their Arquitectonica-designed, Tobacco Road expansion to Brickell City Centre. The developer has just filed plans with the city where they plan to build 2 more condo towers as well as extend the current Brickell City Centre mall skybridge as well as Climate Ribbon that would lead to a newly built, enclosed portion of the mall. The plans call for a 588-unit condo tower,  a boutique condo tower, 87,000 SF of enclosed retail under A/C, and parking. Approvals are expected by the end of the year (2018) with construction expected to begin in early 2020. 

Swire also revealed that they are not moving ahead with One Brickell City Centre at this time. The project calls for a 1,049' tower on Brickell Ave. 

Check-Out The Cipriani's Newly Revealed Mr. C Coconut Grove Hotel Designed by Arquitectonica

The Cipriani family is bringing a new hotel to Coconut Grove, featuring a modern, radical design by Arquitectonica which was influenced by Stiltsville in nearby Biscayne Bay. The development team recently revealed the hotel with new renderings and construction is nearing completion with the hotel expected to open this winter (2018). 

Located at 2988 McFarlane Road, Mr. C Coconut Grove will rise 5-stories and feature 98-rooms which are a mix of guest rooms and suites with private terraces. Pricing is expected to start around $325 per night matched with attentive European service from the staff. Mr. C Coconut Grove will also feature a new Italian dining concept with indoor and outdoor seating as well as the rooftop Bellini Restaurant and Bar. The project is being developed by Arquitectonica principal Bernardo Fort-Brescia's Main Highway Partners.