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The primary developers of the Design District are proposing a unique and colorful mixed-use building to serve as the southern gateway to the booming Miami neighborhood.
The developers are Design District Associates LLC and Prinz Corner LLC, which are affiliated entities of DACRA and the owners of the property at 91-93 NE 36th St.
The companies plan a 20-story building there called Tower 91, to be home to 107 multi-family residential units, more than 20,000 square feet of commercial uses, and parking for about 227 vehicles.
The city’s Urban Development Review Board unanimously recommended approval.
Attorney Marissa Amuial, representing the developers, wrote: “The project will infill an important section of Northeast 36th Street and will serve as the southern gateway into the Miami Design District, providing much needed residential uses to further diversify one of the most exciting mixed-use communities in the City of Miami and beyond.”
The property is generally bounded by Northeast 36th Street to the south, Northeast First Avenue to the east, Northeast Miami Place to the west and the I-195 limited access expressway/right-of-way to the north.
The property is 30,996 square feet or 0.71 acres, and while the site is outside of the Miami Design District Retail Street (Special Area Plan) SAP, it is within the Design District Established Setback Area and the Design District Parking Trust Fund Area.
Ms. Amuial said the underutilized property is nestled between two thriving city neighborhoods: the Miami Design District to the north and Midtown to the south.
“High-quality infill development will serve as an important bridge between the two neighborhoods,” she wrote.
“In line with the ethos of the Miami Design District, the project was designed by world renowned architecture firm Elkus Manfredi with a strong emphasis on providing visually stunning and unique architecture.”
CUBE 3 is listed as the architect of record.
“This project intends to serve as the southern gateway to the Design District, previewing for onlookers the magical alchemy of art, fashion, architecture and gastronomy that epitomizes the creative spirit and global appeal of the Design District,” she wrote.
She said the design team has utilized a unique wedge-shaped building with undulating balconies to provide contemporary architectural articulation.
She said the building also tapers, providing greater setbacks from the podium along Northeast 36th and Northeast First Avenue to create a lower pedestrian scale while also providing a stunning and exciting profile at the upper urban scale.
Ms. Amuial concluded, “Overall, the project will be a one-of-a-kind building and welcome addition to the Miami skyline.”
The developers are seeking several waivers to allow:
■A reduction in the vehicular entrance separation from 60 feet to 38 feet.
■A lot coverage of 89% when 80% is allowed by the Miami 21 zoning code.
■Parking with an art treatment within the second layer at the primary frontage, and at the secondary frontages.
■An increase to the building setback on the principal front from none to 5 feet 10 inches.
The property is in a zero-setback area, but the developers seek a setback on Northeast 36th Street to “allow for a more spacious sidewalk and enhance walkability, and the pedestrian experience along Northeast 36th Street.”
Jon Cardello of CUBE 3 offered details to the review board.
Board member Gia Zapattini said, “I think it’s a wonderful project. I really like the landscape proposal, beautiful.”
She added, “My one comment, is there any way to make the balconies bigger? They seem very small. Is this a rental or a condo?”
Mr. Cardello responded, “It is a rental building, and the balconies, many of them, have a dimension of 7 feet deep but then they taper down at areas.
So, it varies. On the upper floors we set back the penthouses to make even larger balconies in those levels.”
Board member Anthony Tzamtzis said, “I really enjoyed looking at your drawings, they’re very complete and very well done … you did a very good job.”
Board member Robert Behar said, “I like the project. You did a fantastic job. Hopefully, it gets built like this.”
Board member Ligia Ines Labrada said, “I love the transparency of the building, the scale, the way you guys have tapered it from the bottom going up.
The landscape … I really enjoy seeing the trees instead of all palm trees, something we desperately need. The cut through the building for the driveway. Everything was very thoughtful.”
Board Chairman Ignacio Permuy said, “I commended the entire development team, and especially the two architectural firms. Very well thought out.
Beautiful design, and you took it from plan, to section, to elevations … the articulation, the massing. Everything is exceptionally done.
Congratulations.”
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