HIALEAH — A significant transformation is underway in Hialeah, as the Tri-Rail station parking lot buzzes with construction activity.
Commuters unloading from carpools are met with the sounds of drills and buzz saws just steps away from the train platform, where a vibrant new housing project, Metro Station 1, is taking shape.
Launched in May, this eight-story building is set to feature 55 apartments and aims for completion by January 2026.
What makes Metro Station 1 particularly appealing is its prime location adjacent to the Tri-Rail’s Metrorail Transfer Station, allowing residents to enjoy unparalleled access to transit options.
The building’s balconies are being constructed right above the train tracks, with an integrated parking lot designed to serve both the station and residents.
However, Metro Station 1 isn’t the sole development in this thriving area.
In fact, it represents just one element of a broader initiative transforming Hialeah into a high-density residential hub, dubbed the ‘Metro District.’
Three additional rental apartment buildings broke ground nearby in May and June, with more plans in the pipeline, signaling a substantial increase in housing availability in the vicinity of the transit hub that connects to downtown Miami’s Brightline station as well.
The Metro District comprises seven buildings that are either planned, under construction, or have recently opened, contributing over 3,000 new housing units within close proximity to Tri-Rail and Metrorail.
As the first new residents move into the completed Metro Parc, which opened earlier this year, the neighborhood is evolving rapidly.
John Martin, 64, one of the first residents of Metro Parc, attests to the area’s convenience.
“The apartment is super nice and incredibly convenient,” he noted.
“You walk across the street to the station and can be in Orlando in an hour and a half or West Palm Beach in just 30 minutes.
You can get to Brickell in 25 minutes; a couple moving in definitely wouldn’t need two cars.”
As for rental prices, Metro Parc offers rates ranging from approximately $1,800 to $3,000 monthly.
In comparison, the average rent in Hialeah hovers around $2,100, according to national real estate broker Redfin’s estimates.
Developers aim to set aside about 75% of the units at below-market rates through Florida’s Live Local Act, which incentivizes companies to create workforce housing by offering tax benefits.
This policy mandates that at least 10% of the units are priced below the local average rent.
Ivo Fernandez Jr., co-founder of Modis Architects, emphasizes the significance of this development wave.
“It’s the genesis of the transit district in Hialeah,” he said, expressing hopes that these projects will foster a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly community.
Fernandez believes this high-density residential development will appeal to younger generations, encouraging them to remain in Hialeah instead of seeking opportunities elsewhere.
He remarked, “Hialeah is what I consider the backbone of Miami-Dade County; it’s a workforce community.
Multi-generational family housing has often supported working-class families, but it frequently led their ambitious children to eventually move away.
In the past, what you got in Hialeah was just apartments and parking lots,” he lamented, highlighting the upscale amenities now offered by developments like Metro Parc.
MG Developer, the firm behind both Metro Parc and Metro Station, is optimistic that the allure of these homes will not only captivate local young professionals but also attract residents from downtown Miami who are feeling the pinch of rising rents.
Diego Torrealba, executive vice president of MG Developer, noted, “Miami is not getting any cheaper.
People are getting squeezed out of markets like downtown, Brickell, Coconut Grove, and are looking for transit-oriented developments that allow them to quickly commute to their workplaces.”
This transformative agenda is rooted in a rezoning initiative led by Debora Storch, director of planning and zoning for Hialeah.
Storch’s vision was to revitalize the area surrounding the intersection of Metrorail and Tri-Rail by enabling high-density housing development.
Traditionally occupied by single-family homes, blocks in this area are swiftly being acquired and cleared for new apartment complexes.
The initial project following the rezoning, Metro Parc, boasts a ten-story structure with a courtyard pool, accommodating a total of 559 studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments.
In an expansive strategy, plans have emerged for additional developments spreading from the nucleus of Metro Parc.
The block across East 26th Street, once home to a cluster of single-family residences, has already been cleared for
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