South Miami OKs Sunset Place Condo, Hotel, Retail Project

Alex Vadia’s Midtown Development is moving forward with plans to redevelop the Shops at Sunset Place in South Miami into a mixed-use project with about 1,500 residential units.

The South Miami Planning Board on Wednesday evening unanimously approved a resolution granting initial site plan approval for the site at 5701 Sunset Drive. The resolution next heads to the South Miami City Commission for a final vote.

Sunset Place, a 10-plus-acre open-air shopping center built in 1999, has struggled with low occupancy rates for years. The property’s previous owners, led by Federal Realty Investment Trust, failed to secure zoning changes that would allow them to redevelop the property.

South Miami OKs Sunset Place Condo, Hotel, Retail Project — A rendering of Sunset Place’s redevelopment

Vadia’s firm acquired the shopping center in 2021 for $65.5 million and last year tapped British design and architecture firm Heatherwick Studio and ODP Architecture & Design to work on the project. In November, South Miami commissioners unanimously approved zoning ordinances allowing Midtown to build up to 33 stories along the portion of the property fronting U.S. 1, from 12 stories previously allowed.

Midtown Development could construct up to 1,513 residential units, and 350,000 square feet of retail, hotel, office and other space across a handful of towers, according to the plans. Using bonuses, the developer plans to build up to 33 stories high, with the taller buildings on the northern portion of the property fronting U.S. 1.

The residential portion breaks down to 283 studio apartments, 468 one-bedroom units, 482 two-bedroom units, and 280 units with three or more bedrooms, according to the proposal.

The project would have a 287-key hotel, and a movie and performing arts theater with 1,300 seats across 50,000 square feet. The retail space would total about 150,000 square feet of primarily restaurants and smaller retailers. The project also calls for 50,892 square feet of offices. More than 2,100 parking spaces are required.

The development would be built in phases across nine buildings, including seven residential buildings, one office building and one hotel tower, according to the proposal.

Sunset Place’s current anchor tenants include AMC Theatres, L.A. Fitness and Barnes & Noble. The complex also currently includes a small condominium component, which would have to be terminated.

Before the shopping center opened in 1998, the site was home to the Bakery Center, a fortress-like retail complex developed by Martin Margulies.

Sunset Place’s redevelopment will mark the largest project in downtown South Miami. Just south of the property, apartment developer AvalonBay Communities is building a new mixed-use apartment building with a grocery store on the ground floor on the site of the former Winn-Dixie at 5850 Southwest 73rd Street.