NY developer plans Wynwood hotel
New York developer Sonny Bazbaz wants to build a hotel in Wynwood. Miami’s Urban Development Review Board last week recommended approval of his mixed-use project at 2110 N Miami Ave.
His attorney, Iris Escarra, told the board it will be a “gateway” to the booming Wynwood Arts District. A rezoning and alley closure last year allow this “signature” project to rise, she said.
A 3-to-2 board vote recommended approval, with Neil Hall and Anthony Tzamtzis against.
The project is to have 163 studio and 1-bedroom apartments, 79 hotel rooms, 12,407 square feet of retail and parking for 315 cars in an L-shape building of eight and 12 stories.
Both interior and exterior are described as industrial, made of concrete, untreated wood and exposed infrastructure. Said architect Jonathan Cardello of design firm ADD Inc., now with Stantec, “It’s industrial in nature. Clean and simple.”
“I am not feeling it – at all,” said Mr. Hall. Wynwood has become unique, he said, and “I’m not sure you reinforce [that] with sameness.” Wynwood generates excitement because street art has made a hip space from old warehouses, he said, calling the project’s design “stark.”
Mr. Tzamtzis agreed, noting “this is a very special area of the city, it’s an artistic neighborhood.”
Renderings show greenery wrapping the first floor. Mr. Cardello said the trellis will create a canopy and shade, with plants attached to wire and screen in front of the retail, making the building as green as possible at the ground level.
Mr. Bazbaz said they looked at Wynwood’s “sea of 25-foot-high concrete boxes” and designed the green curtains as a buffer for pedestrians.
“I will remain skeptical,” said board member Gerald C. Marston. “It will require a high degree of maintenance to keep it growing.”
Ben Grimm
January 30, 2015 at 3:20 pm
Usually you repurpose an old warehouse for residential units within industrial zones. Building a new residential building inside an industrial zones is ridiculous. Residents there will be lonely for years to come. On the upside, if this gets built will make good low income housing for this city’s poor majority.
I thought real estate developers were more thorough in assessing neighborhoods in cities they’re not familiar with. I guess not.
gregory
January 30, 2015 at 9:56 pm
Lol I agree, they will be lonely for years to come.
Ray
February 4, 2015 at 11:21 pm
I completely disagree with both comments. This is an up and coming section of Miami with tourist walking all about taking pics throughout Wynwood all day long. Busy restaurants and modern cultural art everywhere.
Ben Grimm
February 11, 2015 at 3:52 pm
It’s been “up and coming” for almost 15 years now.
But I’m not complaining. It needs be a slow and calculated growth. I don’t want to see the labor force of Miami pushed out so that foreign speculators can have empty condos to park their money here.