Developers have rushed to build new residential towers along Miami-Dade Metrorail stations on U.S. 1, in many cases taking advantage of the density and height that the transit-oriented sites provide.
Nearly 5,000 units, mostly apartments, are in the development pipeline, according to The Real Deal’s analysis of recently completed, under construction and proposed projects from the Dadeland Mall area to Coconut Grove.
Some developments, such as Terra and Grass River Property’s Grove Central, connect to Metrorail stations and are being built through public-private partnerships, while others are across the street or near a station. Among the latter is Fortune Development Group’s proposed luxury condominium project on the site of Gables Waterway, a mixed-use commercial and residential complex across from the University of Miami in Coral Gables.
Fortune is in contract to acquire the site and partner with a luxury brand on the project, which would front the Coral Gables Waterway and include a publicly accessible park, developer Edgardo Defortuna previously told TRD.
“The developers need to be really creative,” said luxury broker Judy Zeder, of The Jills Zeder Group at Coldwell Banker. Zeder said there is a “huge, huge” demand for luxury condos in Coral Gables and nearby, referring to the Gables Waterway location, which is near schools, restaurants and the under-construction Underline linear park, which runs underneath the Metrorail.
Here’s a look at the pipeline of new developments:
Shorty’s BBQ redevelopment
Atlantic | Pacific Companies and Florida Value Partners acquired the Shorty’s BBQ restaurant site near the Dadeland Metrorail station two years ago in a sale-leaseback. The proposed project at 9200 and 9180 South Dixie Highway in Miami calls for a 25-story tower with 176 units, and a 20-story tower with 324 units, designed by Corwil Architects. The new project also could include 4,900 square feet of commercial space and a 668-space garage.
Crest at Pinecrest
Alta Developers completed the first 18-story building with 296 apartments this year, and plans a second 12-story building with 223 apartments, a garage and ground-floor retail at 9600 South Dixie Highway.
Gables Waterway
Fortune plans a 251-unit condominium project with 1,500 square feet of retail space and a park at 6800 Caballero Boulevard, according to an application filed with the city of Coral Gables. Rafael Portuondo’s Portuondo Perotti Architects and Arquitectonica are working on the project. Defortuna expects the approval process could take six to nine months. He is in talks to brand the project, which is across from the University of Miami campus. Presales could begin in about a year, he said.
Gables Station
In 2021, 54 Madison and Nolan Reynolds International completed Gables Station, a 1.2 million-square-foot mixed-use project at 237 South Dixie Highway in Coral Gables. They sold the 495-unit project to Hines last year for $430 million. It includes an 80,000-square-foot LifeTime athletic club, 25,000 square feet of co-working space, a Trader Joe’s, the specialty foods market Graziano’s and Alpareno Group’s chef Niven Patel’s Italian restaurant Erba.
The Mark
Landmark Properties plans a 396-unit residential complex with 19,000 square feet of commercial space and live-work units on the site of the University Shopping Centre in Coral Gables, also across from UM. Landmark has not yet closed on the site at 1250 South Dixie Highway.
Shoma One
Shoma Group doubled the height of its planned Shoma One mixed-use apartment development at 3650 Bird Road in Miami. The firm now plans 740 apartments, an 18,000-square-foot Shoma Bazaar food hall and ground-floor retail space across two 40-story towers. Shoma tapped Bermello Ajamil & Partners to design the project.
Shops at Sunset Place redevelopment
Alex Vadia’s Midtown Opportunities plans to redevelop the Shops at Sunset Place, at 5701 Southwest 72nd Street in South Miami. Though specific plans have not yet been disclosed, the South Miami Commission recently unanimously approved zoning ordinances that will allow the developer to build up to 33 stories along the portion of the property fronting U.S. 1, from the 12 stories currently allowed. The project will include a residential component.
British design and architecture firm Heatherwick Studio and ODP Architecture & Design will be working on the master plan and timeline for the 10-plus-acre property.
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Link at Douglas
13th Floor Investments and Adler Group this year completed the first phase of Link at Douglas, a 7-acre master planned development at the Douglas Road Metrorail Station, at 3060 Southwest 37th Court in Miami. The project includes two apartment towers with 733 units, a 30,000-square-foot Milam’s Market, a renovated Metrorail station, and a public plaza connecting to the Underline linear park. 13th Floor plans another two apartment buildings with a combined 850 units.
Grove Central
David Martin’s Terra teamed up with Grass River Property to develop Grove Central at the Coconut Grove Metrorail station, at 2800 Southwest 27th Terrace. The project includes a 23-story tower with a total of 402 apartments, workforce and co-living units, a new 1,250-space public parking garage and about 170,000 square feet of retail space anchored by Target and Total Wine & More. The project is nearly completed.