During a Nov. 26 North Miami council meeting, developers unveiled plans for a transformative 22-story residential tower at 1200 North Bayshore Dr., near the bay. The project, featuring 267 units and 422 parking spaces, was pitched as a driver of economic growth for the area, all the while sparking an active debate among the project’s representative and several council members during the session.
Attorney and project representative Pedro Gassant, allured the commission and public with an exhaustive list of community benefits, including improved infrastructure for stormwater management in the area, enhanced pedestrian sites such as William Lehman Park, and over $100 million in unrestricted funds for the city over 20 years.
Affordable and workforce housing initiatives through down payment and rental assistance, as well as free community transportation to vulnerable populations, will also be provided.
(Photo Courtesy Continuum Company)
Rendering approved by the council of the apartment complex construction at 1200 North Bayshore Drive.
Although the majority of public commenters, particularly residents from Mariner’s Bay, ended up in support of the project, the council was not entirely confident about the removal of linear public waterfront access, a concern raised by former mayor Frank Wolland. This cast doubt among the council, particularly with Councilwoman Mary Estimé-Irvin, who refused her vote and tried unsuccessfully to negotiate for linear access.
Surprisingly, Wolland later dispelled his concerns, stating publicly how his client told him to “stop promoting [linear access to] the boardwalk.”
Addressing concerns over the removal of public linear access to the waterfront, Gassant explained that the development would allocate a 25-foot-wide, 600-foot-long section of its property for public waterfront access but staunchly argued to forgo linear access, citing potential conflicts due to proximity to nearby townhomes and the security risks of granting public access to residents’ private boats.
Councilman Scott Galvin, attending his final meeting due to term limits, was the first to approve the development, followed by Councilman Pierre Frantz Charles, resulting in a 4-0 vote in favor of the project. Councilwoman Kassandra Timothe was absent during the vote.
Before the regular council meeting, the city held a CRA meeting that approved multiple infrastructure grants from the CRA’s $55 million budget loan secured last fiscal year to move along transformative developments for downtown revitalization and community enhancement.
Following a detailed meeting filled with active discussions between the commission and project applicants, the city achieved key wins, including additional affordable housing units, enhancements to public spaces and sewer systems, and a projected increase in tax revenue driven by rising property values in the newly developed areas. These advancements have the potential to lay the groundwork for a vibrant and thriving city.
New Eateries
(Photo Courtesy Google Maps)
The planned site for the Restaurants development, located at 1111 NE 125th St.
Meanwhile, the Partners of the Gardens District LLC secured unanimous approval for their project at 1111 NE 125th St., receiving a $1.25 million CRA grant to revitalize the space with five new restaurants, including the highly anticipated Palm 78 seafood and steakhouse. As part of their community benefits package, the development promises to create 50 to 85 full-time and part-time jobs, seeking to strengthen the local economy.
NoMi Square Affordability
The seven-story, 342-unit apartment complex development at Nomi Square, located at 13855 NW 17th Ave., which had been approved back in 2022, received $6 million in CRA grant money, as well as 50% tax increment recapture in exchange for the addition of more affordable housing units.
Initially, the building planned to attract working middle-class tenants, with rental prices ranging from $1,500 to $2,800 per month. Nonetheless, it will now include 34 affordable housing units, available at reduced rents determined by different income levels and affordable to households earning below a percentage of the local Area Median Income (AMI): eight units at 60% of AMI, nine units at 70% of AMI, and 17 units at 80% of AMI.
This approach will ensure the building’s access to lower-income individuals, addressing a critical housing affordability crisis amid the rise of gentrification.
Claude Pepper Park
(Photo Courtesy Redwood Dev Co)
An aerial rendering of Redwood Dev Co's plans for 27 acres at Claude Pepper Park and surrounding areas.
The renovation of Claude Pepper Park, located at 1525 NW 135th St., anticipated to transform the west side of North Miami, also received $8 million in funds to seal the project at the Nov. 26 meeting.
A development approved earlier in July will include more than 2,000 housing units, including 200-300 low-to-moderate income units for seniors, across eight high-rise buildings. The development will also include more than 121,500 square feet of commercial space and upwards of 4,000 parking spaces, all on a 27.7-acre site that includes Claude Pepper Park and an adjacent vacant lot. Developer Redwood Dev Co will also revitalize the park with new sports fields and courts, while the Joe Celestin Center, located next to the park, will be expanded with new classrooms, a computer room, an amphitheater and a banquet hall.
The entire development is meant to serve as a new entertainment district for the city, and will also include a bowling alley, pharmacy, state-of-the-art medical facility, fitness center, business center, a movie theater and more.
Due to the newly retrieved grant, construction costs will be reduced, enabling Redwood Group developers to add 300 affordable housing units — up from just 34 in an earlier proposal — alongside tenant-based assistance over 11 years starting in 2026 and a significant reduction in senior housing costs by nearly 60%.
Moving forward, the project is expected to begin the site’s underground contamination cleanup within 30-60 days, with construction starting within the next 6 months.
(Photo Paloma Pimentel )
(From left to right) Councilwoman Kassandra Timothe, Mayor Alix Deslume, former Councilman Scott Galvin, and Councilman Pierre Frantz Charles, holding a cake with Galvin's image that was shared with the public, as a farewell gesture in his last council meeting.
North Miami’s Nov. 26 council meeting was a long ending to Councilman Scott Galvin’s storied public service career. Beginning at 7 p.m. and stretching almost to midnight, the unusually lengthy session reflected the urgency of a packed agenda. But that is typical when a local election is looming, said Galvin, as the council sought to make their mark, pushing forward project initiatives — many of which relied on Galvin’s final opportunity to lend his support before stepping down from the council.
(Paloma Pimentel)
Former councilman Galvin addressing the 1200 North Bayshore Drive development.
In an interview with the Biscayne Times, Galvin said he attended the meeting with an open mind which reflected in him championing the majority of items presented to the council. He was the first to vote in favor of the Bayshore Drive development, despite minor pushback from the community.
Galvin said he didn’t want to stand in the way of the support of the public majority, who flipped their stance in support of what was presented as a transformative project.
Approving the extended height for the project was just a first step, said Galvin, there will be more public hearings where more substantive details need to be approved, such as the project’s design and amenities.
“The real tough votes on the building will come after I'm off the council,” he said.
Looking back while stepping down from the council, Galvin believes the city is on the right track to improving a critical housing affordability crisis.
“We are definitely doing way more on that than other cities in South Florida, who I think are doing the bare minimum, if nothing,” he said.
Yet, the city still faces significant challenges in funding a new water plant, which Galvin estimates will cost approximately $1 billion.
The increased tax revenue from newly approved developments can help, he said, along with more grants from Congress. The city has already applied for an EPA loan of approximately $220 million, supported by the Biden administration. But, according to Galvin, that could easily change.
“It's possible that the new government decides not to fund our project or remove money that was anticipated for projects of that sort, or they decide to double the grant. We’ll have to wait and see,” he said.