First building in vast Little Haiti project gets OK

The very first building proposed to launch a major mixed-use project destined to change Little Haiti gained the support of the City of Miami’s influential Urban Development Review Board.

At its November meeting the board unanimously recommended approval of what’s identified as Parcel 11, part of the Magic City Innovation District – Little Haiti SAP (Special Area Plan)…

…In June 2019, Miami commissioners granted initial approval to the mixed-use project by approving several zoning and land use requests from the developer and its affiliate co-applicants, clearing the way for the Magic City Innovation District.

The Special Area Plan and development agreement include a maximum of 2,630 residences, hotel rooms, nearly 350,000 square feet of commercial-retail uses, and more than 1.9 million square feet of offices.

The first building is designed as a 25-story mixed-use building with 349 residential units, 13,010 square feet of commercial-retail uses and 10,093 square feet of office space, with an adjacent parking garage with spaces for 393 vehicles and amenities, connected to the tower.

Total floor area of this first building is 522,806 square feet.

The principal owner-developer is identified as MCD Miami LLC, along with Magic City Properties I, LLC, a subsidiary/affiliate of MCD Miami and the owner of the “Parcel 11” property within the SAP area.

Neisen Kasdin, an attorney representing the developers, wrote: “The SAP is a 17.75-acre phased, innovation oriented mixed-use project in the heart of Little Haiti, with core product concepts and design rooted in entrepreneurship and innovation, technology, the arts and entertainment, sustainability and resiliency and health and wellness.”

…Mr. Kasdin told the board this project will be a great redevelopment of a site that has been abandoned for years, and the northeast area of the project is being eyed for a new train station…

He said the spine of the project will be a grand promenade.

“New streets will be created for better connectivity and advanced mobility,” he said.

Architect Bernardo Fort-Brescia, a founding principal of Arquitectonica, explained some of the details of the proposed 25-story building. He said it will be a multi-family rental apartment building with active retail on the ground floor. The overall project will be preserving many mature trees on the property, he said.

Board member Ignacio Permuy said, “I commend the team on a job very well done. I like the massing of the building, the articulation. I’m very much for this project.”

Original article appeared in Miami Today.