Midtown 6 and 7 get a thumbs down from Miami board

Rendering of Midtown 6 and Midtown 7 side-by-side (Inset: Brian Gordon)
Rendering of Midtown 6 and Midtown 7 side-by-side (Inset: Brian Gordon)

Members of Miami’s Urban Development Review Board were unimpressed by plans for Midtown 6 and Midtown 7.

On Wednesday, the board voted 4-0 to delay recommending approval for the two projects until the owner, Magellan Development Group, and its architectural team, present more detailed renderings at the next meeting in October.

“If we see a rendering that looks not so very good, then I am really concerned about what the reality is going to be,” said board member Willy Bermello. “When I look at the presentation, there is a disconnect in many areas.”

Board member Dean B. Lewis echoed Bermello. “I think you have a good, interesting project in the abstract,” he said. “But I don’t think you have completed your submittal in order to fairly evaluate it.”

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Last week, Magellan Executive Vice President Brian Gordon told The Real Deal that the company is partnering with local landowner Alex Vadia to build the two 32-story towers on the lots at 3001 and 3101 Northeast First Avenue, which in recent years have served as the home to several satellite art fairs during Art Basel.

According to the developer’s applications, Midtown Six would consist of 447 apartments and 39,718 square feet of retail space, while Midtown 7 would have 391 units. Magellan is also close to finishing Midtown 5. The company needs city approval for a major use special plan, which is why it went before the Urban Design Review Board.

Despite a presentation by project architect Grace Ames that the towers would have elements that would serve as a transition from Wynwood to Midtown, board members were skeptical about the plans.

“You had the opportunity to see how Midtown is working with the retail and the restaurants and the people coming in and out, yet I am not seeing that [in the design],” Hall said. “We would like you to provide renderings that clearly articulate what it’s all going to look like.”