The Miami Urban Development Review Board (UDRB) recently convened to discuss significant development projects within the city, approving Braman Motors’ 11-story automotive building in Edgewater and a vibrant apartment tower proposed by former baseball player Alex Guerrero in Wynwood Norte. However, a proposed multifamily project by Acre near Miami’s MiMo Biscayne Boulevard Historic District fell short of approval, receiving a split vote from the board.
The board met on Wednesday to critique the design and viability of each project. Their primary responsibility is to evaluate developments that exceed 200,000 square feet, although they can only recommend design changes to city zoning staff, who ultimately make the final decisions.
Braman Motors, a well-known automotive dealership firm led by tycoon Norman Braman, is planning to develop a massive special area plan project across 21 parcels in Edgewater, where several Braman dealerships currently reside. This proposal encompasses the construction of two towering residential structures, each 60 stories high with a total of 1,174 residential units, in addition to the 11-story automotive building.
Under Miami’s zoning regulations, special area plans allow for flexibility in zoning restrictions for property owners with over nine adjacent acres, provided they contribute public benefits such as parks or improvements to infrastructure. Braman’s automotive building, situated west of Biscayne Boulevard between Northeast 19th Terrace and Northeast 21st Street, will undergo reviews focused solely on its design at this stage.
Arquitectonica, the architectural firm behind the building’s design, has introduced breaks in the façade, presenting five distinct design sections to address the building’s considerable length, which measures over 960 feet horizontally. Attorney Melissa Tapanes Llahues, representing Braman Motors, drew a comparison between the auto building’s length and that of a “cruise ship” from an aerial view.
The UDRB members generally commended the approach of creating façade breaks. Board member Fidel Perez expressed approval, stating, “You have done a great job in breaking up the building into five sections since it’s a very long building. The language is very unique. You could have an opportunity in breaking it up vertically a little bit more.”
Conversely, board member Dean Lewis voiced concerns about the building’s design. “I feel that it’s anticlimactic. I think it went too far. I find that this assembly of five different façades pretending to be different buildings, but super connected internally, and the function [of the auto building] is a missed opportunity,” he stated.
The intended design includes a spacious five-story showroom, service bays, a service lounge, a parts warehouse, and dedicated inventory storage space. The board voted 4-2 in favor of the project, recommending that Arquitectonica incorporate more visual breaks in the design on a vertical scale, possibly through the addition of parapets.
Another project discussed was Acre’s proposed six-story, 337-unit Adela II building. Located on the northeast corner of Biscayne Boulevard and Northeast 64th Street, this site sits just south of Legion Park and west of Acre’s earlier development, the five-story, 236-unit Adela I building completed in 2020. Despite the Miami Planning, Zoning and Appeals Board approving zoning changes for the site in September, developers have faced opposition from area residents during the approval process.
During the UDRB meeting, members remarked on the design, emphasizing that it failed to maximize its advantageous location near Legion Park and Biscayne Bay. Board member Ignacio Permuy noted, “There is a lot of good design articulation in the project. If you look at the massing, there are missed opportunities. This is a beautiful site, facing a park, very unique. Water is nearby. It could be perceived as just a very long wall facing the park.”
In an effort to enhance connectivity with the park, Acre has proposed partially closing Northeast 64th Terrace, creating passageways that link the development to the surrounding green spaces. However, board members suggested more could be done, with Perez urging the developers to utilize the street as a dividing element to open the property more effectively to the park. “It’s too bulky,” he concluded.
The design by Corwil Architects includes concealed parking aimed at consolidating parking access to one section of the building’s footprint. However, board member Lewis raised concerns about potential inconveniences for residents needing to walk long distances to reach their parking areas, likening it to “a journey as long as a football field.”
Some members also challenged the design choice of a curved elliptical shape on a section of the roof, which was intended to pay tribute to a historic building located on the development site, which is set to remain intact. Despite the board’s critiques, Acre’s attorney declined to withdraw the application for redesign, resulting in a deadlock with a 3-3 vote. This means the proposal will be re-evaluated at the next UDRB meeting set for May 21.
Lastly, the meeting included a discussion regarding a striking residential project proposed by former Los Angeles Dodgers player Alex Guerrero. His Wynwood Norte project, dubbed the Wynwood Tower, features an eye-catching color scheme that aims to make an impression. Envisioned at 330-356 Northwest 37th Street, the tower will host 234 residential units, including apartments tailored for households earning up to 120 percent of the area’s median income. Guerrero intends to reside in a luxurious four-bedroom penthouse within the development.
The architectural firm Valle Valle & Partners collaborated with Guerrero and a local artists’ collective to create the unique color palette, which includes murals depicting baseball scenes alongside bold vertical stripes of lime green, yellow, and red on the building’s exterior walls. However, these artistic choices raised questions among UDRB members about the clarity of the building’s design.
Board member Anthony Tzamtzis commented, “I am perplexed about the colors of the building. I don’t understand where the building begins and where the art stops, or vice versa; what’s art and what’s the building?” The design aims to provide visual interest for both pedestrians and drivers along nearby I-195, as explained by architect Erick Valle.
The discussion centered on the separation of architectural design from color. Lewis pointed out that architecture should stand independently and succeed on its own merit. “Take away the color. Are you happy with what you have?” he posed. Nevertheless, the board ultimately voted 4-2 in favor of the Wynwood Tower project, allowing Guerrero’s vibrant vision for the neighborhood to move forward.
image source from：https://therealdeal.com/miami/2025/04/24/braman-motors-alex-guerrero-nab-project-approvals/
