North Beach’s version of Wynwood Yard to have more than 40 retail and restaurant concepts

Della Heiman and Ken Lyon have a five-year lease with the city to develop a public lot at 81st Street and Collins Avenue

Renderings of the North Beach Yard (Credit: City of Miami Beach)
Renderings of the North Beach Yard (Credit: City of Miami Beach)

North Beach Yard, Miami Beach’s proposed version of the hip Wynwood Yard in Miami, could have up to two dozen food and beverage operators and 20 retailers according to plans submitted to the city.

Since winning a five-year lease with the city to develop a public lot at 81st Street and Collins Avenue into an outdoor gathering space with a music component, portable restaurants and pop-up shops, Wynwood Yard founder Della Heiman and her business partner Ken Lyon have been working on a plan that incorporates shipping containers, food trucks, a live performance stage, a pavilion and a renovated city-owned building that will serve as a community center.

“Everyone tells us this is a quiet area that needs activation,” Lyons said during a presentation last week before the Miami Beach Planning Board. “It goes beyond this idea of having a few food trucks to a much bigger concept.”

The board voted to recommend that the city commission amend the city’s code to allow for temporary development on the city-owned land so that North Beach Yard doesn’t have to seek a host of variances, waivers and other approvals. On May 1, the Miami Beach Design Review Board is set to vote on the North Beach Yard development plan.

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According to Heiman’s letter of intent to the Miami Beach planning department, North Beach Yard would have up to 20 food and beverage operators in food trucks and trailers, three restaurants in repurposed shipping containers, an organic vegetable and fruit garden, and more than 15 market stalls offering local residents with “artisan-inspired culinary and retail products.”

In addition, the community center would be home to a fitness studio offering exercise and wellness classes, workshops and instructional classes on low-impact architecture, hydroponic & organic farming, rainwater harvesting, composting and recycling.

Plans are to open in 2019.