Jacksonville-based Florida East Coast Railway is suing a Miami developer along its 351-mile long freight line.
The railway, owned by a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, is alleging that Ofer Mizrahi’s Miami Ironside is encroaching on the train tracks that run behind the office and retail development, according to a lawsuit filed in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court earlier this month.
Florida East Coast Railway is suing MIS North LLC, Q4 Properties LLC and Q5 Properties LLC, companies owned by Mizrahi. The buildings in question are at 7380 to 7390, 7520 to 7820 and 7500 Northwest Fourth Court in Miami’s Upper East Side neighborhood, just west of Little River.
Mizrahi could not be reached for comment.
Using deeds that date back to 1895 and 1896, Florida East Coast Railway is alleging that Ironside is trespassing on its corridor and that the railway claims and owns title to the corridor and the “encroached area.”
Brightline, All Aboard Florida’s high-speed passenger rail service, is running on FEC tracks. Funds managed by Fortress Investment Group sold Florida East Coast Railway Holdings Corp. for $2.1 billion last summer. Fortress still owns Brightline parent Florida East Coast Industries.
The railway declined to comment on the suit.
Property records show Mizrahi’s entities paid a combined $6.81 million for the Ironside site between 2008 and 2015. The mixed-use development is home to more than 60 showrooms, stores, galleries, gardens, co-working spaces and gyms, according to its website. Tenants include Antrobus + Ramirez, Ironside Pizza and Alchemist.
Mizrahi has been a developer in Miami for about 20 years, starting with projects in the Miami Design District and Wynwood.
Haru Coryne contributed reporting.