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Front Page » Real Estate » 22 acres in Little Haiti targeted for vast mixed-use project

22 acres in Little Haiti targeted for vast mixed-use project

Written by on December 27, 2016
  • www.miamitodayepaper.com
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22 acres in Little Haiti targeted for vast mixed-use project

A developer intends to turn 22 acres in Little Haiti into a vast mixed-use project with nearly 2,800 residences, acres of stores and offices, and the promise of a train station.
East Ridge LLC has applied to the City of Miami for a Special Area Plan to package the project in one development agreement. The city’s Urban Development Review Board reviewed the project Dec. 21 and deferred it to January.
The property is south of Northeast 54th Street, listed at 5045 NE Second Ave.
A conceptual plan filed with the city shows plans for:
■2,798 residential units.
■418 hotel rooms.
■283,798 square feet of commercial/retail area.
■97,103 square feet of offices.
■4,636 parking spaces.
■231 spaces for bicycle parking.
■295,343 square feet of open space.
The sweeping plan would transform Little Haiti and has some residents worried about its long-term impact on traffic and life in general.
Several residents spoke in opposition to the project Dec. 21, and some pleaded with the board to defer the plan to afford more time for review, and to look again in 2017 when more board members are present and more residents can weigh in on the far-reaching proposal. Of the nine-member board, three were present.
One resident spoke in favor, noting the potential for many new area jobs, but cautioned to keep a close eye on the development as it evolves and to think beyond open green spaces or parks when determining what public benefits the developer must provide in order to get bonus density.
The proposal envisions buildings from 8 to 28 stories, after bonuses.
The site is bordered on the north by Northeast 54th Street, on the east by FEC railway tracks, on the south by Archbishop Curley – Notre Dame High School property and on the west by Northeast Second Avenue.
Across Northeast Second Avenue is the Miami Jewish Health Systems campus.
Attorney Edward Martos, representing the developers, said the first thing they noticed about the property is its growth of very mature trees and a major priority in their plan is to preserve those trees.
“That is driving all of our plans: having a lot of green,” he said.
The overall plan will emphasize the open spaces between the buildings, said Mr. Martos. Zoning rules governing Special Area Plans require at least 10% open space; the Eastside Ridge plan boasts about 30%, he said.
Other factors driving the project are job opportunities tied to the neighboring health systems campus and the very real possibility of a train station being built as part of the Special Area Plan, Mr. Martos told the board.
Mr. Martos said Tri-Rail has studied this area for years with an eye toward creating a passenger rail stop.
Studies have shown that Tri-Rail likes the site in Little Haiti based on projected growth but doesn’t favor locating a station there now because of a lack of connectivity.
“We think this project eliminates those barriers,” Mr. Martos said.
The overall plan is to build a station inside Eastside Ridge along its eastern ridge, fed and serviced by new city trolley stops, Mr. Martos said.
The developer’s design team includes Kobi Karp Architecture and transportation engineering firm Kimley-Horn

6 Responses to 22 acres in Little Haiti targeted for vast mixed-use project

  1. Grato de Cardenas

    December 28, 2016 at 11:30 am

    Why is the concern always traffic and impact to the community?
    What about worrying about adding better public transportation, reducing parking and creating viable walking communities?
    The money spent on further studies is wasted!!!!

  2. Sean

    December 29, 2016 at 9:56 am

    This is an insane project. The density is too much and too large. It dwarfs all buildings surrounding it. The zoning should not be changed to allow this and is another example of dumb Miami city zoning for anyone to even come forth to make this happen. All this will do is further destroy areas that are meant to be single family homes. Use the Ft.Lauderdale model where the buildings are 6-8 floors max. Or perhaps 2-3 floor townhomes. Can’t we have a true residential neighborhood anymore in Miami? It should not be always 50 floor high rises next to single family homes. Stop this madness.

  3. John Dohm

    December 29, 2016 at 11:12 am

    “If you don’t like the heat, get out of the kitchen”.
    – Harry Truman

    Updated: If you don’t like the traffic, get off the road. Stop trying to hold the rest of us back.

  4. Andrew

    December 30, 2016 at 9:29 pm

    Dwarfs all buildings around it??? It is across from Miami Jewish Health systems.One complex and just blocks from the Design district. Both are dense building areas.

    Most of Little Haiti is apartment buildings. There is very little single housing stock left in the area to protect.

    If you want to argue that it will price people out of the area eventually , I could agree with you. The current arguments you presented aren’t very strong.

  5. CHARLES LEON

    January 5, 2017 at 3:01 pm

    Not to mention all the jobs this will create starting from construction. Make it happen!

  6. starapple

    February 25, 2017 at 7:53 am

    It’s time for Little Haiti to move forward. The area is a mess and definitely needs the upgrade, this project would make Miami look better as a whole.

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