Miami Commission Delays Action On Overtown Highrise

By Deserae del Campo
Strong opposition to Avenue One, a 349-unit residential tower planned for Overtown, has led Miami commissioners to again delay action on a request for a land and zoning change for the project.

The latest deferral came at the commission’s planning and zoning meeting May 25. Attorney Lucia Dougherty, representing developer A-1 Management Corp., asked to defer the item until the next planning and zoning meeting, said Dean Lewis, architect for Avenue One and principal of DB Lewis Architecture + Design.

"On Wednesday, the night before the meeting, we met at a community center where local residents presented a general resentment to any kind of development that would not be accessible to the majority of people living in the neighborhood," said Mr. Lewis. "So we deferred the item from the agenda to get more time to diffuse and discuss the project."

This is the second time commissioners have deferred the request for a land-use and zoning change for the $68 million project planned for 1950 NW First Ave. In May, City Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones asked for time to "digest the project" before making a decision that would impact Overtown residents in her district.

The 16-story Avenue One is to include 349 units, 8,563 square feet of retail and 633 parking spaces at a cost of $6.8 million, according to city planning records. Developers need to change the land use from general commercial and industrial to restricted commercial and change the zoning atlas from liberal commercial to restricted commercial.

Calls to A-1 Management Corp. were not returned.

"This is not a high-end luxury glass condo," Mr. Lewis said. "We want to make it accessible to the area and generate more jobs with mixed retail space.

"We need more time to show residents and talk to them about the merits of the projects," he said. Units are expected to start at $300,000.

Avenue One is to return for consideration at the city’s June 22 planning and zoning meeting. Advertisement