Mixed-use Edgewater tower on drawing board

A new mixed-use residential development is planned for Second Avenue in the Edgewater neighborhood of Miami.

The project, Edgewater 22, will replace a Midas auto shop at 2140 NE Second Ave.

The new building is to be 20 stories and home to 160 rental apartments, about 10,247 square feet of ground floor retail and a parking podium for 224 vehicles.

The city’s Urban Development Review Board is recommending approval with a couple of conditions: the developer must redistribute the ground floor design to accommodate a lobby and a vehicle drop-off area, and introduce a roll-down screen to separate the one drive from the loading zone.

Project details were presented to the board by the owner’s attorney, Iris Escarra, and project designer Zyscovich Architects.

Attorney Brian Dombrowski, also a representative of the owner, said the property consists of about 22,401 square feet or 0.514 acres.

The property is along Northeast Second Avenue, between 21st and 22nd streets.

In a letter to the city Mr. Dombrowski wrote. “The project is centrally located along Northeast Second Avenue which provides a variety of retail/commercial and civic uses located on all sides of the project. The proposed ground floor retail and residential uses will only further add to the available options in the neighborhood as Edgewater continues to thrive.”

The owner is requesting waivers that would allow:

■A reduction in parking spaces for a development near public transit.

■Parking within the second layer, above the first story along the principal frontage with an art or glass treatment, and above the first story along the secondary frontage with an art or glass treatment.

■Two residential loading berths to be substituted for one commercial loading berth.

■Up to 10% decrease in the drive aisle width.

■Up to a 10% increase in the maximum lot coverage.

The requested waiver would allow the lot coverage to increase by just 2% from 80% to 82%, representing an increase of just 522 square feet.

Mr. Dombrowski wrote, “The project provides an expanded pedestrian realm and activates the street frontage by providing ground level retail uses along the principal frontage of Northeast Second Avenue.

“By building on a larger portion of the lot, the project will create a stronger mixed-use development that combines residential, commercial, and public spaces, which will enhance the livability and vibrancy of the surrounding neighborhood,” he wrote.

Board member Anthony Tzamtzis said, “It’s a basic building that has a very well-organized layout … I like the distribution of uses with the retail, and overall I think you did a very good job.”

Other board members expressed concern and dislike of the lack of a dominant lobby area, and no drop-off area set aside.

There is a single drive in and out for the entire building, board members were told.

Board member Dean Lewis said the lobby is undersized for the scale of the building.

Mr. Lewis said, “It’s a pleasure to see some serious retail square footage in the mixed-use category but it’s a pity you’re not scalping out a better drop off condition for that residential lobby.”

Board member Agustin Barrera said, “The issue here is trying to use one drive for residents and service, and in my opinion it doesn’t work.

“It will not be a positive experience for residents … you can decorate it as much as you want, it’s not going to be very positive and there’s no place to pick anyone up or drop anyone off.

“There’s no place for Uber Eats, DoorDash, whatever all those companies are that are coming nowadays to drop off things. There is no place for them to park,” he said.

Mr. Barrera continued, “I really would like for you guys to relook at that ground floor and consider other ways to create a separate access for service.”

Mr. Lewis added, “I just think you’ve over compromised your lobby experience. I don’t see a lounge. I don’t see seating. I don’t see waiting areas. I don’t see a drop-off.”

Ms. Escarra said, “The ground floor design is always such a hard balance. Ideally we want to activate the frontages with retail.”

A representative of Zyscovich Architects said, “I think we can modify that and provide a more generous lobby.”

The motion to approve, with the conditions, passed unanimously.