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‘Bullish on Allapattah’: Miami’s Next Frontier Of Development

No. 17 Residences in Miami's Allapattah neighborhood 1170x435

At 4.6 square miles, Allapattah is an eclectic landscape of warehouses, single-family homes, apartment buildings, hospitals, justice facilities, restaurants, shops, and art museums.

In recent years, the predominantly working-class Miami neighborhood has become something else: the next frontier of real estate development.

Real estate insiders said Allapattah won’t have the same fate as Wynwood, with office and retail rents are among the highest in South Florida. For one thing, it is more than three times the size of Wynwood. For another, real estate investment there has been at a moderate tempo, at least so far, said Francisco “Paco” De La Torre, an artist who transformed two Allapattah industrial buildings into arts studios and offices.

“It’s been a slow and steady growth,” he said. However, since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, that growth has manifested at a “stronger, steadier pace.”

Among Allapattah’s agents of change are Don and Mera Rubell and their son Jason. The family of prominent art collectors moved their collection’s exhibition site from Wynwood to a 100,000-square-foot warehouse building at 110 N.W. 23rd St. in Allapattah in 2019. Since then, the Rubells have converted two other neighboring warehouses to display their art. Their most recent acquisition is the 45,711-square-foot former Rex Discount Wholesale warehouse at 1090 N.W. 23rd St., purchased for $10.7 million in 2022.

In 2019, Jorge Pérez, founder of Miami-based Related Group, turned a 28,000-square-foot warehouse at 2270 N.W. 23rd St. into an art exhibition space called El Espacio Twenty Three.

On the multifamily apartment front, Neology Life Development Group, led by Lissette Calderon, completed No. 17 Residences, a 13-story, 192-unit market-rate apartment building at 1569 N.W. 17th Ave., in 2021. Two more 14-story apartment complexes – the 237-unit Fourteen Allapattah Residences and the 323-unit The Julia – will be finished in six months, she said.

Alfredo Riascos, principal of Miami-based Gridline Properties, said most of Allapattah’s warehouses will either remain industrial uses or be converted into office or art-related uses. But along its major vehicular corridors, developers will have an incentive through the Live Local Act to replace warehouses with workforce housing projects.

“Allapattah is a [desirable] market, given its location in the Miami urban core and the vicinity to downtown Miami, Wynwood and the Medical District,” he said.

 

Source:  SFBJ

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Terra Offers $500M For Oceanfront Miami Beach Condo Building

Terra has offered half a billion dollars to buy out an oceanfront condo building in Miami Beach, six months after a Related Group-led venture backed out, according to a letter obtained by Commercial Observer.

Located at 5445 Collins Avenue, the property, Castle Beach Club, sits on 4 acres along the famed Miami Beach strip, offering 576 linear feet along the ocean.

The deal — if finalized — would effectively become the most expensive land purchase in the Miami area. Terra, led by David Martin, will most likely tear down the 18-story building and construct an ultra-luxury condo complex. The site can accommodate a structure up to 200 feet tall.

The proposed buyout is part of a growing trend following the deadly collapse of Champlain Towers South, a condominium built in 1981 that was poorly maintained. Some condo associations of similar, decades-old buildings are choosing to sell to developers to avoid footing the bill for costly repairs, now mandated by Florida law.

In late 2021, the homeowners association of Castle Beach Club put the property, which dates back to the 1960s, on the market, hiring a team led by Colliers’ Ken Krasnow and Gerard Yetming to shore up the highest price.

Jorge Perez’s Related Group and 13th Floor Investments first swooped in a year ago, together bidding $500 million. But the joint venture backed out of the deal in October after their financing fell apart as interest-rate hikes rattled capital markets and a handful of unit owners held out.

Last Friday, Terra officially entered the picture, matching Related’s original offer.

A letter penned by Yetming was sent to unit owners announcing Terra’s $500 million bid, which averages out to $877,192 per unit. The property’s 570 unit owners are set to receive individual offers in the next two weeks, after which they will have about two months to decide whether to accept the offer. To complete the sale, Terra will likely need 95 percent buy-in from condo owners.

“We can confirm that Terra has the capability to complete this purchase, and has the funding in place to do so,” according to a letter.

The source of Terra’s financing remains unclear, though the developer is said to have a partner on the deal with whom it previously worked with.

Back in 2022, Terra and seven other firms had bid on Castle Beach Club, according to The Real Deal, which first reported the most recent proposal.

 

Source:  Commercial Observer

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Related Group’s Nick Perez On Wynwood’s Transformation And The Future Of Development In This Burgeoning Neighborhood

The Wynwood Arts District, famously known for its striking graffiti walls and vibrant arts and entertainment scenes, is now one of Miami’s most desirable places to live, work and play, with some of the biggest names in tech, dining, fashion and hospitality setting up shop in the neighborhood.

Leading this charge is real estate powerhouse, Related Group, the first developer to enter Wynwood in 2019 with the area’s first ground-up rental community, Wynwood 25, and the firm behind the premier Class-A office building, Wynwood Annex.

Now, Related is betting big on the future of Wynwood’s luxury residential market with NoMad Residences Wynwood, the first hospitality-infused condominium from the iconic brand, NoMad Hotels.

PROFILEmiami had the opportunity to speak with Related Group’s Senior Vice President Nick Pérez to learn more about this exciting new development and what the future holds for the area.

PROFILEmiami (PM): What initially attracted Related Group to Wynwood?

Nick Pérez (NP): JP Pérez, the President of the Related Group, initially convinced our father, Jorge Pérez, to enter the Wynwood neighborhood, which has been one of our most successful plays to date. When Related chose to build Wynwood 25, our first large-scale rental development in the neighborhood, we were impressed by the art district’s popularity with locals and tourists alike. We recognized that while millions of people were visiting Wynwood each year, there were no existing large-scale residential communities that catered to locals. It was this lack of quality housing supply that compelled us to deliver Wynwood 25, which opened four years ago, and has since ignited a wave of residential development that has transformed the area into one of the hottest rental markets in the county.

Thanks to JP’s visionary foresight, our bet paid off in a big way and today we are the single most active developer in Wynwood. Related alone has a total portfolio, including units completed and under development, of more than 1,250 luxury rental apartments in the neighborhood. Similar to our rental projects, we hope that the NoMad Residences Wynwood will set an example for other condominium developers to follow. Not only are we creating a high-quality building that our buyers will be proud to call home, but we are incorporating a wealth of food and beverage options that will be open to the public and contribute to Wynwood’s dynamic community.

We’re exceptionally proud of the progress we’ve made to date and look forward to the building’s groundbreaking later this year.

PM: Talk to us more about NoMad Residences Wynwood. How did the project come to be?

NP: As one of the pioneers behind the branded residences trend in Miami, we recognized the potential for a partnership with a reputable hospitality brand to envision a new type of condominium offering in Wynwood. The philosophy behind NoMad Hotels is grounded in the idea of the hotel as a great home, which spoke to us as residential developers. The brand’s expertise in creating and activating artfully-lived spaces made it the ideal partner for this project.

Furthermore, the NoMad New York was credited for transforming Manhattan’s North of Madison enclave into one of the city’s most in-demand neighborhoods, and we feel strongly that the NoMad Residences Wynwood will further contribute to Wynwood’s incredible evolution, leading it to become one of Miami’s most inspired and sought-after destinations.

We developed NoMad Residences Wynwood in partnership with New York-based Tricap and collaborated with our globally-renowned design partners, DesignAgency and Arquitectonica. In addition to a full suite of resort-style amenities, the nine-story building will include two signature food and beverage offerings that will be open to the public, including the rooftop restaurant and mixology bar, The NoMad Bar. On NoMad Wynwood’s ground floor, residents and the community can enjoy a Casa Tua Cucina, an expansive open-kitchen concept offering simple, yet expertly crafted Italian and Mediterranean fare.

PM: Wynwood is rapidly transforming into Miami’s tech epicenter. How have Related’s properties contributed to this growth?

NP: In the wake of the pandemic, Wynwood became a major hub for innovators within the tech and finance spaces, including Founders Fund, Atomic Venture Capital and Live Nation Entertainment, which opened offices at The Annex.

The range of forthcoming hospitality and residential offerings, including the Arlo Hotel, Moxy Hotel and the Related communities, will cater to the needs of this growing workforce, much of which is looking to put down roots in the neighborhood.

In fact, this growing tech population paired with the highly regarded NoMad brand has directly translated into robust sales activity at NoMad Residences Wynwood. More than 50% of the building’s 329 fully-furnished homes are already in contract, including one priced at roughly $2,000 per square foot, which shattered neighborhood price records.

PM: Why is the neighborhood attractive to companies wanting to open an office in Miami?

NP: South Florida has experienced tremendous population growth in recent years as many people relocated from New York City, Chicago, Atlanta and parts of Texas.

Wynwood is unique in that it offers a highly creative environment with proximity to the Miami Design District, Midtown and Miami Beach, making it an ideal location for companies looking to tap into the city’s diverse business and cultural communities. The neighborhood is home to acclaimed art galleries, luxury boutiques and Michelin-star and five-star restaurants, all of which contribute to its appeal.

Source:  Profile Miami

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Developers, Brokers Pursue Wealthy Art Buyers During Miami Art Week

It’s that time of year: Developers and brokers throughout the Miami area are once again tapping into the art world in the hopes that wealthy buyers will open up their wallets to purchase real estate.

The goal for most real estate firms is to expose the wealthy art aficionados to projects and properties, and follow up with potential buyers later.

Major real estate players, who happen to be art enthusiasts, are also hosting events that aren’t real estate related. Downtown Miami and Wynwood landowner Moishe Mana will have his annual birthday bash at the former RC Cola Plant in Wynwood, on Wednesday from 9 p.m. until “late,” according to the invite.

And Related Group CEO Jorge Pérez, an art collector who has long incorporated art into his projects and is the namesake of Pérez Art Museum Miami, is hosting buyers and brokers at El Espacio 23, Pérez’s personal art gallery in Allapattah, this week at a series of daily events for contract holders.

“We rarely see sales happen this week, but the follow-up is extremely strong,” said Nick Pérez, senior vice president at Related. The firm is also hosting events showcasing artwork at its projects’ sales centers, including at Casa Bella by B&B Italia in Miami’s Arts & Entertainment District.

 

“Once you have a very high-end, captured audience like you do, then exposing them to the different developments or properties you’re selling is a no-brainer,” said Daniel de la Vega, president of One Sotheby’s. “For the most part, it’s about exposure.”

For the majority of developers, it’s all about getting in front of the right type of buyer.

 

Source:  The Real Deal

 

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Real Estate Wins in Miami’s Mayoral Elections

Real estate-friendly candidates and initiatives came out victorious across Miami in Tuesday night’s election, particularly in the mayoral races in the high-profile cities of Miami and Miami beach.

In Miami Beach, Mayor Dan Gelber handily won reelection, capturing 62 percent of votes for this third term. The Democrat had tied his campaign to a controversial referendum to curb partying in South Beach. The referendum proposed rolling back the last-call time to serve alcohol at establishments along famed Ocean Drive, to 2 a.m. from 5 a.m.

The majority of voters agreed with Gelber, with 56 percent approving the non-binding measure.

Proponents say the initiative will help curb disorderly conduct and crime at the wee hours of the night.

“They don’t have to have a 24-hour party. Our residents cannot be held captive to a business model that creates disorder,” Gelber said last night.

Real estate is also at play. Endorsers believe the measure will help revive a historic but shabby part of town, and soften its wild-party image incongruent with the expensive condominiums that surround it.

As Miami attracts corporate giants, developers, including Jorge Perez of the Related Group, say Miami Beach has fallen behind, partially because of the perception of mayhem. Related is looking for a marquee name to fill its One Island Park office development in Miami Beach.

Last month, a tape leaked of Gelber talking with unidentified developers about creating a Political Action Committee to fund city commission candidates that support redevelopment, according to the Miami New Times, which first reported about the tape. The mayor also said he could put initiatives on the ballot favored by developers as a way of bypassing the commission approval.

“In politics, money plays a big part …” Gelber is heard saying. “Tell us what you need to reimagine the areas we know need to be reimagined.”

A Political Action Committee supporting the Ocean Drive measure earned donations from Starwood Capital Group’s Barry Sternlicht and developer Alex SapirThe Real Deal reported.

Critics, like the Citizens for All a Safe Miami Beach, say the measure will cost as much as $40 million in lost tax revenue and drive up unemployment, which will only worsen crime in the area.

Across Biscayne Bay in Miami, Mayor Francis Suarez also cruised through reelection, winning nearly 79 percent of the vote. The Republican elected official was a shoo-in, having raised millions of dollars.

Suarez’s crowning achievement has been to rebrand Miami into the “Wall Street and Silicon Valley of the South” by courting companies to relocate while embracing cryptocurrency. Many took note. Corporate heavyweights BlackstonePoint72 Management and Microsoft, just to cite a few, signed office leases in Miami this year.

Developers have reaped the benefits of the corporate migration. Office landlords have kept rates high thanks to the new-to-market demands. Residential rents and home prices have skyrocketed over the past year due to the influx of moguls and high-earning workers.

Suarez will undoubtedly continue to lobby companies — now with voters’ blessings. “Today we embark on a new chapter to finish what we started,” Suarez said last night. (Representatives for the mayor did not immediately respond to a request for comment.)

The mayoral race in Sunny Isles Beach, a town littered with new oceanfront high-rises, will go to a runoff since no candidate captured more than 50 percent of the vote. Real estate attorney and town commissioner Dana Goldman will face another commissioner, Larisa “Laura” Svechin. 

Down south, Homestead Mayor Steve Losner squeezed out a victory, winning by 68 votes.

Out west in Hialeah, Esteban “Steve” Bovo, who earned an endorsement from former President Trump, won the mayor’s race.

 

Source:  Commercial Observer

 

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Developers Move Fast To Meet Miami’s Growth Needs

As Miami continues to rebound from the pandemic, developers are making their mark by building new towers and infrastructure to meet the current and future needs of the city.

Rishi Kapoor, “Best of Miami: Leading Residential Comeback” nominee and founder and CEO of Location Ventures, said one leading developer worthy of recognizing is Terra Group, headed by CEO David Martin.

This past year, the group has hit a number of milestones, including breaking ground on mixed-income transit-oriented housing project Grove Central and securing a $64.8 million construction loan for the development of 27-acre multifamily development Natura Gardens. Two of the greatest achievements, Mr. Martin said, were the deliveries of condominium buildings Eighty Seven Park in North Beach and Park Grove in Coconut Grove, both of which promptly sold out.

Authenticity, Mr. Martin said, is key in development, and Terra wants to build projects that make neighborhoods better and give residents pride. In 2021, he said, a big goal for the group is to focus on market research centered on post-pandemic needs and trends that will inform later development decisions and innovations.

Having grown up in Miami, Mr. Martin said, he has a lot of pride in his community and tries to stay active in multiple ways by taking an interest in cultural, children’s and health issues. Currently, he said, he serves on the boards of Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and The Bass.

“There’s a lot of organizations I’ve taken an advisory role in,” he said, “and also a lot that we support financially.” 

One issue Mr. Martin said he hopes Terra can help address is that of affordable housing in Miami-Dade. Roughly 90% of the built environment in the county, he said, is zoned for single-family housing. 

“A lot of people look to solve affordability by creating subsidies which, in our view, is not sustainable,” he said.

“My view,” he continued, “is that affordable housing should be sprinkled throughout our entire county, not only in certain pockets. And we have an idea on how to build affordable housing in a more cost-effective way without requiring subsidies.”

Jorge Pérez, chairman of The Related Group, philanthropist and champion of the arts, also said this is an issue developers and officials must consider as the county moves into the future.

“Miami should not and cannot become a city solely for the 1%,” he told Miami Today via email. “We are going through one of the most exciting times in the history of the city; however, we cannot forget there are still countless families and individuals in need of opportunity. Officials must leverage the lessons of the globe’s other major metropolitan areas to build a Miami everyone – no matter their background or socioeconomic circumstances – can feel proud of.”

Mr. Perez and The Related Group were cited by Ron Shuffield, president & CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM Realty, for their accomplishments and contributions to the Miami-Dade community not just this year but over a handful of decades.

“It’s his mark that established the style of the “new Miami,” Mr. Shuffield said. “When you look at the architecture of our landscape, so much of that Jorge had a hand in. It was his vision that could see what would become a dynamic downtown area.”

“I founded Related in 1979 with the goal of building an even better Miami,” Mr. Perez said. “More than four decades later, Miami has been totally transformed and is well on its way to becoming one of the world’s great cities. Nevertheless, each one of our jobs continues to be built with that original goal in mind, no matter the price point or target demographic.”

From including museum-quality art in developments to building community green spaces, he said, Related is always trying to deliver on that mission and improve the neighborhoods it builds in. The Group has expanded since its founding decades ago, and now has over  $2 billion worth of inventory planned and under construction across the nation. 

Last fall Jon Paul Perez, son of Jorge Perez, took the reins as company president. Being able to pass the crown to a relative, Jorge Perez said, is a great achievement in itself.

“I’ve been very fortunate to have been able to achieve a great deal over the course of my life and career,” he said, “but nothing beats building a family that shares my passion for making a positive difference.”

“Driving around the city and seeing just how far neighborhoods have evolved brings me great joy,” he continued. “But knowing that the next generation of the Perez family will continue my lifelong efforts is my ultimate legacy. I truly wish I could see the new heights Miami will reach and the role Related will play.”

The group’s focus, he said, is not just on development. 

“Through The Related Group Philanthropic Foundation,” he said, “we are providing support to a variety of causes, from health and wellness to social equity. We are also proud supporters of a variety of Miami-Dade organizations, including FIU, The National YoungArts Foundation and many more.”

As Miami-Dade continues to set its sights on becoming a tech and finance hub, Mr. Perez said he would work to support that goal. 

“I am committed to supporting elected officials and the private sector as they continue to attract national and international businesses to the city,” he said. “This influx of capital and talent goes far beyond real estate sales, it is about setting the city and region up for the next stage in its growth. From day one, I knew Miami/South Florida had the potential to be a hub for business, culture and lifestyle – and that vision is becoming more and more real with every day.”

Two other developers that deserve recognition for their work this year, Mr. Martin said, are Goldman Properties, which has developed a number of properties in Wynwood, and Dacra, headed by President and CEO Craig Robins.

 

Source:  Miami Today

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Lissette Calderon Delivers First Multifamily Project In Allapattah

Developer Lissette Calderon has completed the first of her three apartment projects in Miami’s Allapattah neighborhood.

Nearly two and a half years after buying the land, Calderon’s Neology Life Development Group received a temporary certificate of occupancy for the 192-unit No. 17 Residences, a 13-story building at 1569 Northwest 17th Avenue.

Calderon said it’s “the perfect time” to build in Allapattah, which she said is Miami’s “last authentic urban core neighborhood.” The area has attracted major real estate players, including the Related Group’s Jorge Pérez and 1111 Lincoln Road developer Robert Wennett.

Pre-leasing, including virtual tours, launched earlier this year. Calderon said monthly rents start at about $1,200 for a studio apartment. The building offers “attainable luxury” that was lacking in Allapattah, she added. Studios start at 740 square feet, and one-bedroom apartments start at 600 square feet. Units go up to 1,125 square feet for a three-bedroom, according to the development’s website.

The building is west of the Miami Health District and northeast of her Pier 19 Residences & Marina apartment building on the Miami River. It’s south of the Rubell Museum and the popular Hometown Barbecue restaurant.

Amenities include an 8,000-square-foot park for residents, which was added during the pandemic due to increased demand for outdoor space, a pool deck with cabanas, rooftop garden, fitness center, co-working spaces, and package rooms.

Calderon said she plans to break ground on her next two projects, 16 Allapattah and 14 Allapattah, this summer, and deliver those buildings about 16 months from groundbreaking. 16 Allapattah is planned as a 323-unit rental building with 9,000 square feet of office space and ground-floor retail, and 14 Allapattah, a two-tower project on an Opportunity Zone site, is expected to have 237 apartments and ground-floor retail.

Wennett, who tapped Bjarke Ingels to design his major mixed-use development nearby, secured approval from the Miami City Commission about two years ago for his Miami Produce Center special area plan. The planned 1.4 million-square-foot development could have as many as 2,400 co-living units and 637 traditional residential units, nearly 231,000 square feet of office space, 129,000 square feet of retail space, about 22,000 square feet for “educational uses,” as well as more than 1,000 parking spaces.

Calderon said she has been welcomed by the community in Allapattah, and that she is not displacing residents.

“I go into neighborhoods where I’m wanted,” she said, noting that her firm purchased existing warehouses and shuttered buildings.

 

 

Source:  The Real Deal

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Developers Push The Art Basel Crowd Toward A New Miami Neighborhood

Miami Art Week’s center of gravity moves every couple of years—pulled at one moment by the gritty muraled walls of Wynwood, at another by the gleaming shops of the Design District.

But during this year festivities, a new neighborhood that’s been overlooked by the artistic glitterati is seeing a flurry of activity.

Allapattah, nestled just west of Wynwood and north of Little Havana along the Miami River, is known for its Dominican community and grain warehouses. It’s now the home of two major art complexes—the 100,000-square-foot Rubell Museum that opened on Dec. 4 and the new El Espacio 23 experimental art center developed by billionaire real estate magnate Jorge Pérez to exhibit his private collection and to develop artists in residency.

The Rubell Museum, set along abandoned rail tracks, houses 40 galleries in six former industrial buildings less than a mile from the original Wynwood home outgrown by what was previously known as the Rubell Family Collection. An empty parking lot was transformed into a garden filled with rare and threatened plants native to the Everglades and Florida Keys. Inside, the vast rooms are connected with a long artery of a hallway that culminates with Keith Haring’s painting of a heart.

Works acquired by the Rubells very early in artists’ careers, including Cindy Sherman’s Untitled Film Still (#21) (1978) and Jeff Koons’s New Hoover Convertible (1980), feature prominently in the inaugural exposition, as does an immersive work by Yayoi Kusama called INFINITY MIRRORED ROOM — LET’S SURVIVE FOREVER (2017).

The warehouse was purchased for $4 million in April 2015, according to property records.

“Art transforms neighborhoods” says Mera Rubell, a former teacher and the matriarch of the family clan that collects art and invests in real estate. “There are always frontiers. You just have to go there.”

Just several blocks west in Allapattah, El Espacio 23 is a 28,000-square-foot arts center designed to serve artists, curators, and the general public with regular exhibitions. Its inaugural exhibit—“Time for Change: Art and Social Unrest in the Jorge M. Pérez Collection”—features more than 100 works curated by Bogota-based Jose Roca and explores themes that include identity, public unrest, and marginalized peoples.

“I could not do this in Wynwood; it would be twice the cost, at least,“ he says, noting that Allapattah was located centrally in terms of employment opportunities and industry. “Wynwood is already changed. You couldn’t be showing this,’’ he adds, sitting just a few steps from Estudiante, a David-sized statue by Spanish artist Fernando Sanchez Castillo. It depicts a student being searched and humiliated by police. “There’s just too much traffic of another type. I needed to find a place that was affordable and central.”

A Changing Neighborhood

As Allapattah emerges to attract galleries and artists, Pérez says he is aware of many of the issues that can emerge as neighborhoods change and says the area could be important for the development of affordable housing. He’ll be bidding on 18 acres the city will put up for sale; although he doesn’t say what he eventually wants to do with the area, affordable housing is on his mind.

The Rubells bought the warehouse that makes up their museum for roughly $53 per square foot five years ago. Today, asking prices for industrial warehouses in the area range from $200 to $350 per square foot, according to Diego V. Tejera, a commercial real estate consultant specializing in Allapattah.

“Now you have prices that are really high and there are no buyers willing to pay them,” he said. “All this past year very little transacted. People were waiting to see how all this pans out. With the grand openings of both of these venues, you are going to see more interest in the area.”

“The affordable rental market is extremely strong,” he explains. “If I could build any amount of rental building at rents that people can afford, they would be 100% occupied all the time. The problem is that we’re building a lot of rentals that people can’t afford because of land prices.”

Plus, Pérez acknowledges, profit plays a factor. “Developers make more money the more expensive the product they build, so there’s been a tendency to build towards the more expensive product, and I think the needs are in the lower-price product,” he explains. “We have to rebalance, and we’re doing that.”

Experts in affordable housing are wary of the addition of glamorous arts spaces to the area. “There is absolutely a cost, and the cost is people being forced out of their neighborhoods, and the sort of ethnic and cultural vibe of a neighborhood gets completely transformed,” says Robin Bachin, assistant provost for civic and community engagement at the University of Miami. “Even just looking at Allapattah, there’s been a tremendous increase in the average home value in the last five years.”

Most residents of Allapattah don’t own their homes or businesses, Bachin says, and the number of LLCs that own parcels in the area dramatically rose in the past two years.

The Effect of Higher Property Values

“It’s actually beneficial for an absentee landlord to not invest in the property, because if they think that they can actually sell the property, then the gain will be that much greater. It’s really detrimental to the residents who live there, who don’t own their property, as well as to the business owners, the mom-and-pop stores who most likely don’t own their building.

“There’s a great deal of concern of the impacts that that kind of massive development has on these working class communities of color—in the case of Little Haiti, obviously, a large Haitian-American community, and in the of Allapattah, a large Central American community,” she explains. “We know, for example, historically in cities across the country, that when art spaces, studios, and galleries move into a neighborhood because it has cheaper rent, that is a harbinger of gentrification.”

Pérez’s Related Group is involved with the redevelopment of Miami’s Liberty Square, which is the largest redevelopment of public housing in the southern United States. While his art spaces will undoubtedly make real estate in the Allapattah neighborhood pricier, Pérez says he wants to use them to confront the issue of home prices head-on.

“Housing affordability is one of the biggest issues that we have, in order for there not to be a complete displacement as neighborhoods change,” he says. “There are many things that the private sector and the public sector can do, and exhibitions like this, I hope, will make everybody think about it.”

 

Source:  Bloomberg

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