A developer plans a new mixed-use mixed-income residential tower for the Omni neighborhood of Miami, a few blocks from the School Board Metromover Station.
1600 NE 2nd Avenue LLC is the owner-developer of property at Northeast 16th Street and Northeast Second Avenue.
Plans include a 33-story tower w
ith 282 multi-family residential units, 10,000 square feet of commercial-retail with food and beverage options, amenities all around the building and a rooftop amenity deck.
The overall project is bringing about 475,000 square feet of floor area.
Miami’s Urban Development Review Board voted unanimously to recommend approval with conditions: Study the prominence of the main entry; screen the garage in a way that you don’t see the vehicles; look at relocating the FPL vault; and integrate workable windows into the living units.
Attorney Ines Marrero-Priegues, representing the developer, said the property is within the boundaries of the Downtown Area Development of Regional Impact, near public transit including the Metromover, employment opportunities and other important services.
In a letter to the city Ms. Marrero-Priegues said the project will attain additional public benefit height and public benefit Floor Lot Area by availing itself of the special public benefit bonuses for the site’s T6-24B Transect zoning.
She wrote: “The developer is requesting a warrant to allow the additional height, and waivers to allow a reduction in parking. The 1600 NE 2nd Avenue project will avail itself of this provision of the Public Benefit Program to satisfy the bonus height and bonus FLR of the development.”
She said the project will include 7% of its units as affordable housing units as certified by the city’s Department of Housing and Community Development.
The project will include 20 units that will be rented at the rent limits established by the city for individuals at or below 60% of the Area Median Income.
Ms. Marrero-Priegues wrote: “The development will provide 328 off-street parking spaces and 10 on-street parking spaces for a total of 338 parking spaces. Without any parking waivers, the project would require 467 parking spaces. The 30% reduction will reduce the requirements by 129 spaces.”
The reduction in parking is allowed under Miami 21 zoning because of the site’s nearness to transit.
“This area is well served by public transit and is also in close walking proximity to services and retail areas,” she wrote. “Some residents may not own a vehicle opting for bicycles, scooters or other micro-transportation modalities. In addition, visitors and patrons of the commercial space may walk and/or ride share to the building.”
The developer is also requesting waivers to allow above ground parking within the second layer of the NE Second Avenue principal frontage, if art, glass, or architectural treatment is provided for that façade.
The project design includes architectural treatments along the frontages that conceal the parking areas with art screens.
There is also a requested waiver to allow above ground parking within the second layer of the secondary frontages along NE 16th Street and NE First Court.
The architect, Kobi Karp, told the review board this was a unique opportunity to design a new tower with retail and commercial uses all the way around the building.
Pointing out floor plans and renderings, Mr. Karp said, “We tucked the entrance back here into the parking area, which is in back, allowing us to have an amenity area wrap all the way around the project, which is indoor and outdoor. The building stands alone.”
He described the project as a luxury multi-family rental.
Mr. Karp said the project will be highly amenitized, including a rooftop amenity area with a swimming pool, food and beverage, and more.
All loading is internal, with a dockmaster to help manage the trucks and other vehicles entering and exiting the building.
Board member Gia Zapattini asked if the screening on the garage levels will be metal.
Mr. Karp said yes.
She asked, “Do you think the screening would help block the car lights at night?”
Mr. Kapr answered, “Yes. We have a100% blockage of light, and we put a mesh behind for that complete blockage.” The garage levels will be mechanically ventilated.
Ms. Zapattini said, “That would be my one comment, making sure that the screening treatment obscures the car lights at night.”
“Absolutely,” responded Mr. Karp.
Board member Francisco Perez-Azua asked about how the ground floor service areas support each commercial space.
Mr. Karp said, “They all have their own bathrooms … we made the lobby on Second Avenue, and the food and beverage areas are set back so we can have seating on our property all the way around.”
Mr. Perez-Azua said, “That’s great. I am familiar with the neighborhood and I think it’s great that you’re adding that quality.”
Board member Dean Lewis said, “Thank you, Koby, for another well worked out project. There are some, you know, compromises being made given the program and the budget and the units, a limitation of balconies.
“I appreciate the curving, the arching of the balconies … perhaps some more units could benefit from that. I like the enclosed balcony concept where you literally have fixed glass, and upper glass doors, to bring the balcony in.
“I hoped to see a little bit more modernist articulation in the façades. It’s a bit conservative for you,” Mr. Lewis said.
Mr. Karp said he would study that.
Mr. Lewis added, “It’s great to have an amenity roof terrace. The ground floor is tough with the FPL vault requirements, getting that where it is, on the corner is a compromise, tough to work out.”
Board member Agustin Barrera said, “The way the project connects to the street level at the scale for the pedestrian, I like that. It helps define where to enter the building, where sometimes people get confused and don’t know where the entrance is. This is clear.
“I echo the comment on the FPL vault, but unfortunately, it’s a sin we have to deal with, and to have it on such a prominent corner, the designer must have been frustrated by that. But it was a tight site.
“I like the way you brought down the scale of the base, using the different textures and colors and materials. Overall, I think, it’s a nice project.
“I agree that maybe it’s a little monotonous, but at the end of the day we all have budgets we have to work with, there’s a real world we live in,” said Mr. Barrera.
New board Chair Ligia Ines Labrada said, “I think I differ from Mr. Barrera. I have a hard time seeing the delineation of your main entrance … Do you have an eyebrow?”
Mr. Karp said they would work on including a punchout, and highlight and feature the entrance even more.
She commented on the upper-level windows on the balconies.
Ms. Labrada said, “For the unit size you have, and living in Miami, to have balconies, make sure those windows are operational fully. That’s very important.”
Mr. Karp responded, “100 percent.”
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