Expansion of the Miami Design District’s zoning boundaries and updating Craig Robins-led Miami Design District Associates’ development agreement are on the city of Miami’s agenda this month.
Miami commissioners will vote on the proposed changes Nov. 19, following a unanimous 9-0 recommendation for approval by the planning, zoning and appeals board in July.
The zoning change would add four properties to the Miami Design District’s special zoning plan, bringing its total area to over 1.1 million square feet, or 26 acres.
The properties, spanning a total of 17,760 square feet, are at 80, 74 and 70 Northeast 40th Street and 28 Northeast 41st Street. They include stores occupied by furniture retailer Boffi DePadova and high-end streetwear brands Ksubi and the late Virgil Abloh’s Off-White on Northeast 40th Street, and a vacant parcel between Italian eatery Le Specialità and Lucid Art Gallery on Northeast 41st Street.
The changes would give MDDA more flexibility in how it builds across the district, updating rules for building heights, setbacks, parking, loading areas, outdoor dining, signs and walkways.
A second proposal would add the same four properties and clarify rules involving construction deadlines, street improvements, development rights and what happens if the parties fail to meet their obligations.
The Design District spans 18 city blocks in a neighborhood north of Midtown Miami that has evolved from an overlooked furniture and design shopping area into one of South Florida’s top luxury retail destinations.
The transformation was led by developer Craig Robins, founder of Dacra, who began acquiring properties in the neighborhood more than 25 years ago and set out to create a destination combining luxury retail, restaurants, art, architecture and cultural institutions. Miami Design District Associates is a partnership with Robins’ Dacra, L Catterton Real Estate, backed by LVMH and Groupe Arnault, and Brookfield Properties.
The district is home to more than 200 retailers, including Hermès, Chanel and luxury brands under conglomerates LVMH and Kering. The neighborhood is also home to galleries, the Institute of Contemporary Art Miami, the highest concentration of Michelin-starred restaurants in Florida with Cote, Le Jardinier and L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, and the only Florida standalone stores for Alaïa, Baccarat, Chrome Hearts, Maison Margiela, Rick Owens and Supreme.
The district is growing beyond luxury retail, with office, residential and hospitality projects in the pipeline.
They include Ursa, an office and retail development by MDDA and BH3 Management; Fouquet’s Hotel & Residences, Miami Design District, a planned hotel and condo project being developed by MDDA, Raycliff Capital, Fort Partners and Constellation Hotels Holding. Sweetbird North, an office and retail project by MDDA and Raycliff Capital, received a $125 construction loan this summer. Nearby, Mirai Design District, a separate office and retail development designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, is being developed by Leviathan Development, Lionheart Capital, WellDuo and The Lane Organization.
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