North Miami’s city council on Nov. 18 unanimously greenlighted a proposal for a 1,568-unit high-rise complex on an 11-acre contaminated rock pit at the corner of 17th Avenue and 135th Street, in exchange for redevelopment and renewal of the 15-acre Claude Pepper Park and Joe Celestin Center just to the east at 1525 NW 135th St.
The Redwood CP Dev LLC project is out of scale with the modest single-family neighborhoods that surround it. Just to the south is North Miami’s Sunkist Grove; to the north is another residential neighborhood and north of that are more homes and a cemetery.
The $750-million plan proposes six buildings catering to all income levels and 180,000 square feet of retail and office space. In turn, the park at 1255 NW 135th St. would be redeveloped to the tune of $14 million.
(City of North Miami)
The conceptual Redwood project in Claude Pepper Park would include 1,568 apartment units and areas accommodating senior, affordable and workforce housing, and also include 180,000 square feet of retail and office space.
The plan is in its infancy. Both the former rock pit and lake – as well as Pepper Park – are currently zoned for public use.
“This project will be subject to changes, staff and planning reviews, and public hearings like any other project,” said District 1 Commissioner Scott Galvin. “But I would think that would happen rather quickly, in months rather than years, because people don't sit around with money lined up waiting for things to happen.”
Infrastructure also has yet to be addressed. North Miami’s 60-year-old water plant is straining its capacity and its aging sewer system is in ever-greater need of maintenance. Meetings with city staff and planners lie ahead.
This deal dwarfs city approval of NoMi Square, a seven-story, 342-unit apartment complex just north of 137th Street on NW 17th Avenue. That $118-million project was approved the previous month. It is scheduled to break ground next summer and take 18 months to complete. The project would get its water from the larger North Miami Beach system via pipes in adjoining Opa-locka.
Redwood’s lead developer is Anthony Seijas, a principal of development firm Altis Cardinal, who has 27 years in the real estate business, including 26 with homebuilder Lennar.
One striking partner – with 20% equity – is real estate agent, investor and lobbyist Herby Dorval, who among other things personally guaranteed a $155,000 second mortgage for the Bien-Aime Family Trust, which owns the residence of outgoing North Miami Mayor Philippe Bien-Aime, who narrowly avoided foreclosure in 2021. He did not recuse himself from the vote during this Nov. 18 meeting, the last of his mayoralty.
(FloridaPolitics.com)
Outgoing North Miami Mayor Philippe Bien-Aime did not recuse himself from the project vote on Nov. 18, even though the winning bidder included a partner who personally guaranteed a $155,000 second mortgage for the Bien-Aime Family Trust.
Robert Holland, attorney for the development team, led the pitch with Dorval.
“Mr. Dorval has assembled an all-star team, with each of its members having more than 20 years of development experience – a team of Miami greats to develop a transformative development for the western portion of North Miami … This is the only deal that has Haitian American equity,” said Holland.
Co-developers include Brian Sidman, David Burstyn, Alex Rodriguez and Kobi Karp, who detailed the project and called it “second to none” and “unique.”
It includes celebrity partnerships with professional boxer and community activist Anthony Berto and DJ Irie, a Miami DJ and community activist.
The project has support from Goldman Sachs, Ocean Bank and Regions Bank.
Redwood was chosen after the council listened to presentations from two other formidable teams. All three worked with the same concept: to create a development that included senior housing, workforce and affordable housing, rent-to-own options and commercial uses. The other two proposals came from the Fruit Joy Florida Development Company and PTM Sunkist Grove LLC, developer of Oasis at Sunkist Grove.
Councilwoman Kassandra Timothe, who represents District 2, indicated she liked the PTM project because of its relatively modest scale, but she quickly fell into line with Alix Desulme, the District 4 councilman and vice mayor who represents the Sunkist Grove district.
Residents of Sunkist Grove who spoke at the meeting seemed taken aback by the project’s scale and ambition.
“How are you going to accommodate this? It’s not realistic,” said Jimmie E. Buoy of NE 129th Street.
“No one has put together a home meeting to have input in my neighborhood,” said Judy Brown, president of the Sunkist Grove Homeowners Association. “I have not heard anything from my councilperson.”
After the meeting, Brown said she has been girding for a development wave in the neighborhood.
“I knew it was coming,” she said. “They got us. This is the last frontier.”