City Park at West Kendall has officially submitted its application to Miami-Dade County, marking a significant step towards transforming the region with a grand vision of a 990-acre master-planned community.
Led by The Easton Group, Lennar, and MPKA, LLC, along with SWA Group handling the master planning and design, this ambitious $2 billion project is designed to tackle one of South Florida’s most pressing issues: traffic congestion.
The development aspires to create a ’15-minute city’, a concept that allows residents to live, work, learn, and play all within a short distance from their homes, effectively reducing the need for long commutes.
Residents of West Kendall have long dealt with some of the longest traffic delays in Miami-Dade, largely due to a lack of local employment centers and recreational amenities.
City Park aims to address this imbalance by promising 32,000 new jobs, housing opportunities, schools, and various amenities that bring essential services closer to the community.
The project is projected to provide a substantial economic benefit to Miami-Dade County, generating an estimated $2.35 billion in annual economic output and creating over 19,000 construction jobs that would yield $1.07 billion in wages.
In addition to construction jobs, the development is anticipated to create 13,000 permanent positions that will pay a combined $897 million annually, with an average salary of $75,000, significantly higher than the county’s median wage.
Sean O’Malley, Managing Principal of SWA Group, expressed optimism about the project, stating that City Park represents a comprehensive community featuring its own downtown, employment options, schools, parks, and well-integrated bike trails.
This holistic design is expected to lessen the burden on regional commutes while enhancing the overall quality of life for its residents.
Edward W. Easton, founder and CEO of The Easton Group, also highlighted the unique potential of City Park, noting that it is poised to fulfill the long-felt needs of the West Kendall community for jobs and entertainment, which have been historically absent.
He described this project as a rare opportunity to alleviate traffic woes, shorten commute times, and ensure robust job growth that will yield substantial tax revenues benefiting Miami-Dade County now and in the future.
At its completion, City Park will feature a Village Core that spans 144 acres and serves as the central hub of the community, filled with shops, dining options, entertainment venues, and an appealing waterfront boardwalk.
The development plan includes 1.4 million square feet designated for retail, 500,000 square feet of office space dedicated to medical, professional, and educational facilities, and 526,000 square feet for light industrial use, strategically positioned along the outskirts to support the operations of Miami Executive Airport.
On the residential side, City Park plans to introduce 7,800 new homes, with a range of housing types including 4,500 townhomes, 2,200 multifamily and live-work residences, and 1,000 single-family homes.
Notably, nearly 1,000 of these units will be reserved for workforce housing to support essential professionals such as teachers, nurses, and first responders.
Carlos Gonzalez, Regional President of Lennar, emphasized the importance of providing affordable housing for working families, particularly in the form of townhomes, addressing a significant gap in the county’s housing market.
City Park is designed to include 250 acres, around a quarter of the total area, dedicated to open spaces that feature parks, lakes, a community farm, alongside more than 10 miles of walking and biking trails that connect to the larger County trail network.
Additionally, there will be a Future City Park Transit Hub that will provide direct links to the South Dade Bus Rapid Transit system, enhancing accessibility for residents.
The establishment of City Park is also grounded in principles of climate resilience and sustainability, as it is situated outside environmentally sensitive zones and beyond the designated buffer around Everglades National Park.
Plans incorporate innovative green infrastructure such as stormwater retention lakes, aquifer recharge systems, graywater reuse, EV charging stations, and provisions for solar energy.
Bill Albers, Partner with MPKA, LLC, affirms that with an estimated $2 billion in development costs and ample job creation, City Park is set to become a key economic driver for Miami-Dade County.
Having submitted the application, the team behind City Park is eager to collaborate with local residents, government officials, and community stakeholders to refine their plans and actualize this vision.
Strategically located near significant transport routes such as the Florida Turnpike, Don Shula Expressway, and the suggested Kendall Parkway extension, City Park promises efficient access to broader regional destinations.
Furthermore, its proximity to Miami Executive Airport is expected to facilitate the establishment of a future aerospace and spaceport hub.
Economic assessments related to the City Park project indicate it will contribute about $181 million in permit and impact fees during the construction phase, along with anticipated annual property tax revenues of $37 million upon completion, including $21 million for Miami-Dade County and $14.6 million for local public schools.
Currently, the application is undergoing review by county officials, with public hearings anticipated later this year.
image source from：floridayimby
