Will Robins’ new Design District development price out gallery owners?

A new development by Craig Robins’ that will convert four blocks of Miami’s Design District into a walkable high-end shopping center was given preliminary approval by Miami’s planning, zoning, and appeals board last week. Now as luxury brands and chic cafes plan to roll in, some local art galleries fear that they are about to get priced out of the neighborhood, the Miami New Times reported. “What we fear is another real estate bubble, with the relocation of big-name brands here turning this into a version of New York’s Fifth Avenue,” said Isaac Perelman, co-owner of Dot Fiftyone Gallery. “The dichotomy is that just a few blocks away from the Design District, you have some of Miami’s most impoverished communities, so I don’t know how sustainable the project will be.” Other gallery owners are optimistic about the potential of increased traffic to the area, however. “My take is that it is ultimately good for the community,” said Sloan Schaffer, owner of 101/Exhibit gallery. [Miami New Times]

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