Miami OKs coordination with developer on Brickell Key bridge work
Written by Genevieve Bowen on July 30, 2025
The City of Miami officially approved a coordination agreement with a private developer as long-awaited repairs began this month on the Brickell Key bridge, the only route on and off the small residential island.
On July 24, city commissioners authorized a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with 50A Developer LLC, which is behind the sweeping redevelopment of the former Mandarin Oriental hotel site at the southern tip of Brickell Key. The agreement aims to minimize disruptions as both the city and developer undertake major construction projects concurrently over the next year.
The Brickell Key bridge, which dates back more than 50 years and was last repaired in 2011, is undergoing a full rehabilitation that includes deck and sidewalk repairs, crack sealing, beam and joint restoration and seawall work on the eastern side.
Work officially began July 21 and will unfold in three phases, starting with a west-end median reduction expected to take three to four weeks. The city plans to stagger closures to maintain one lane in each direction throughout construction, which is expected to wrap up by December 2025 or early 2026.
City Commissioner Damian Pardo’s office, whose district includes Brickell Key, confirmed the $5.9 million bridge rehabilitation is being funded by the city and carried out by Florida Engineering and Development Corp.
The bridge repairs coincide with the demolition and redevelopment of the Mandarin Oriental site at the island’s southern tip. 50A Developer LLC, the entity with which the city is formalizing the agreement, is managing the redevelopment project in partnership with Swire Properties and the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.
Together, they’re transforming the site into an updated, luxury hotel and residential complex that reflects both Mandarin Oriental’s hospitality and Swire’s experience in high-end property development. The original hotel, which opened in 2000, closed May 31 after 25 years in operation to make way for its modern replacement.
Demolition of the existing hotel is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2025. Scheduled to open in 2030, The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Miami will feature a redesigned hotel and a slate of upscale residences across two distinct towers on the island’s southern shore.
The MOU will coordinate the city’s bridge work with the ongoing private construction, outlining each party’s responsibilities and timelines, as well as strategies to minimize disruptions for Brickell Key residents. It will also address how the city and developer schedule construction and manage traffic impacts and staging, though further details are still being worked out with input from the city’s legal and building departments.
Peter
July 31, 2025 at 6:54 pm
Please include details from the city engineer which says that this is a temporary fix and the it is likely the entire bridge will need to be replaced in 5 years. The timing of this coincides with Swire’s need to move significant volume of trucks over the bridge. Once the Swire Project is done the bridge will be replaced most likely.
Swire has been misleading the city and residents about the scope of their project all along. It is significantly out of scale with the island and the master plan never called for the Hotel to be torn down.
Swire has also just abandoned and sold off One Brickell City Center which was originally their cap stone project for Miami. This is after the demolition accident they had a year ago. They were once a stellar company for Miami set on being good stewards and investing in the future. Unfortunately, now they are milking their last prime lot of land regardless of impact to residents on the island and downtown.
Of note for everyone who enjoys walking over to the Brickell Key, the linear park around the island is now closed and will be for at least 5 years.