CLIENT NEWS: Biscayne Boulevard Hotel-Residential Tower Advances
May 30, 2024A new hotel and residential tower, along with office and commercial space, is proposed for busy Biscayne Boulevard in Miami’s Edgewater neighborhood.
Owner-developer Green Circle Development LLC plans the new building at 3200 NE Biscayne Blvd.
The overall project will have 523,318 square feet of floor area and include 108 lodging units, 110 residential units, about 5,000 square feet of commercial space, 2,000 square feet of office uses, and a parking podium garage for up to 332 vehicles.
The city’s Urban Development Review Board unanimously recommended approval with a condition that the developer use a second option for the façade of the garage levels, switching from stucco to a light bronze louvered mesh.
The new tower will offer amenities including a fitness center, children’s room, lounge areas, swimming pools, and the hotel will have a ballroom with terraces that overlook Biscayne Boulevard.
The new building’s design is accented with many palms, including along the top of the parking podium.
Carli Koshal, an attorney representing the developer, said the property is on the west side of Biscayne Boulevard, just north of Northeast 32nd Street.
The assembled parcels make up 42,965 square feet, or 0.926 acres.
The new tower will be adjacent to historically designated Beverly Terrace condominiums.
In a letter to the city Ms. Koshal wrote: “Edgewater is one of the more pedestrian friendly neighborhoods within the city, and this project will contribute to its character. There are a number of attractions within walking distance, including Midtown, the Design District, and great restaurants…
“Further, the project is directly adjacent to the Biscayne Boulevard Transit Corridor. The commercial, lodging, and residential use of the property will improve the walkability of the area and promote transit use.
“The scale and mass of the building will enhance the Biscayne Boulevard streetscape and will improve the neighborhood character by bringing vibrancy and a destination to this area,” she wrote.
The developer is requesting several waivers to the zoning code that if approved would allow:
- Up to a 10% increase in lot coverage.
- Vehicular access points to be placed closer together on Northeast 32nd Street and to be configured in a way that improves safety and further limits disruption to the pedestrian realm.
- An increase between pedestrian entrances along secondary frontage on Northeast 32nd Street.
- Reduction of side and rear setbacks above the eighth story to 20 feet for lots having one dimension less than 100 feet.
- Reduction of secondary front setbacks above the eighth story to 10 feet for lots having one dimension less than 100 feet.
- Parking in the second layer above the first floor along a primary and secondary frontage.
Ms. Koshal wrote: “It should be noted that the proposed design includes an off-street private vehicle drop-off in order to also limit disruptions to vehicular traffic along Northeast 32nd Street.”
Arquitectonica’s Bernardo Fort-Brescia told the review board the details.
He said there will be a ground floor restaurant, and a coffee bar off the lobby. All loading is internalized.
Mr. Fort-Brescia described the lodging use as “a compact urban hotel.”
He went on to detail another option for the screening material that the owner had asked the design team to explore.
The latest design includes light bronze inlays, a skin of screening mesh for the parking levels and the bulk of the podium.
Board members applauded the change and said the switch from stucco surfaces to the bronze skin is an improvement, and they made that a condition of their approval.
Board member Ligia Ines Labrada said, “I’m actually very happy that you presented the second option. The first iteration of this was out of character from what I expected from you.
“It seems it was designed in a vacuum, in the context of the historic building on the corner, the podium was way too dense. Adding this is a great touch and makes it successful,” she said.
She complimented the orientation of the tower, the arches on the ground floor, the second layer frontage, and use of glazing in the structure.
“I’m all for the project in its second iteration. Congratulations,” said Ms. Labrada.
Board member Agustin Barrera said, “I couldn’t have said it better myself. This option really is this treatment is a better product for the community.”
Board Chair Ignacio Permuy said, “I’m in agreement with my colleagues, it’s a beautiful project.”
Mr. Permuy did suggest redesign elements that would be more compatible.
“I see three different languages,” he said. “You have the beautiful flowing curves at the bottom, then you have the glass, two stories of glass, which is very light, very airy, then you have a heavy, very linear structure on the top.
“Right now, I see them as three different independent uses. The new design is very well done. I think it’s still a little top heavy … the beautiful arches in the bottom bring everything together,” said Mr. Permuy.
