A big new piece of the Magic City Innovation District is moving forward in Little Haiti. Miami's design review board voted 4-0 last Wednesday to recommend approval of two towers with 553 homes on Northeast 60th Street, just east of Northeast Second Avenue.

The project is filed with the city as PZ-26-20746 and appears on the board's Oct. 21 agenda under 6001 NE Second Ave. Each building would get its own address: 255 NE 60th St. on the west and 275 NE 60th St. on the east.

What's planned

The application in the meeting packet describes two towers that share one podium garage, with parking underground too. The site covers about 80,000 square feet, a little under 2 acres. Together the buildings would total about 804,000 square feet.

  • East tower, 275 NE 60th St.: 267 homes, about 10,200 square feet of ground-floor retail and 343 parking spaces.
  • West tower, 255 NE 60th St.: 286 homes, about 15,200 square feet of ground-floor retail and 375 parking spaces.

The design steps down in height as it nears Northeast Second Avenue, from 25 stories to 20 and then to six. Arquitectonica is the architect. The drawings carry the name of Plaza Equity Partners, and the owner on the application is MCD Miami LLC.

Floridian Development reported that every unit would be offered as a rental, with layouts from studios to three bedrooms, and that Bob Zangrillo's Dragon Global is leading the effort with Plaza Equity Partners. Because the homes would be rented rather than sold, the developers would not need to presell units before building, the outlet noted.

What the board focused on

Board members talked about when the planned pedestrian promenade would be delivered, a long interior corridor and the use of artificial green screens, according to the meeting video record. One member asked for small breaks along that corridor. The board attached three conditions to its vote, ZoneWire's meeting summary shows.

No construction start date has been announced. Next comes the planning director's decision, then permits.

What it means for the neighborhood

Magic City is a nearly 18-acre mixed-use district planned in Little Haiti. This is its third major proposal in recent years, after an office tower and a residential tower that have not broken ground, Floridian Development reported. Northeast Miami is also in line for a proposed commuter rail line, which recently got its state funding back.

For renters, 553 new apartments would mean more choices close to the Design District and Little River. For nearby owners, the plan would bring ground-floor shops and a promenade within walking distance. The project also adds to a regional building wave: Southeast Florida ranks first in the country for multifamily construction, according to MIAMI REALTORS.

Just north, Little River Distillery on Northwest 71st Street offers rum tours and tastings.

Buying or selling in Little Haiti? The Miami Lookout is founded by Joe Biscaha, a Miami real estate advisor with Compass.

Aerial view of Little Haiti in Miami
Little Haiti from the air in 2023. Source