Empire Brickell Gets FAA Approval, Demolition Permit Pending

·103 Comments

The Federal Aviation Administration has approved the height of Empire Brickell. Construction permitting is underway.

The 26-story Empire Brickell has been approved for a 320-foot permanent height, with temporary construction cranes up to 335 feet.

Both a demolition permit and construction permit were applied for in August, Building Department records show.

The demolition plans have been filed and are in review. For the construction permit, a private provider review is listed, with the plans not yet filed.

According to a September UDRB filing, Empire Brickell is planned to include:

  • 250 residential units
  • 2,452 square feet of ground floor retail
  • 344 parking spaces in a 6-story garage

Grand Peaks of Hollywood is listed as the developer

Corwil is the architect.

 


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Melo is sigma and Chad
2 months ago

West Brickell still needs more filling up.

16
Anonymous
2 months ago

Yes with more luxury residences and designs to tie it into the rest of Brickell.

12
Juan
2 months ago

What about normal residences with nice designs, why does every new mediocre apartment building have to be a “luxury” development?

-2
Anonymous
2 months ago

Because there is limited space left within Brickell and it’s branding for Mia Miami has become pseudonymous with luxury neighborhood. There is a plethora of adjacent land to develop north and west of Brickell for “normal residences” but why waste this once in a lifetime opportunity to complete the vision for a high end neighborhood within Miami.

7
Drac
2 months ago

^
People are always looking at someone else to build “pretty” architectural designed buildings (and that’s whatever you think pretty is) instead of doing it yourself if you think its that easy.

-5
Anonymous
2 months ago

I taught myself how to cad in a day. I could design a better rendering in less than a week if that was my sole job. Enough excuses already…

6
Drac
2 months ago

Designing and paying to build it are two different things.

0
Dakota
1 month ago

Developers are not focused on showing you pretty pictures. They develop real estate.
Congrats on your CAD prowress. It will take a bit more than a day to raise the money, buy the land, and build a tall building and I’ll be rooting for you and your first effort. Go get ’em!

1
Anonymous
2 months ago

* synonymous

2
Brickell Stakeholder
2 months ago

Agree, I can’t believe the Miami DDA master plan for 2025 fails to include this area.

That was a huge mistake by the urban planners and city.

From the amount of development in this part of Brickell, we can see it is coveted and critical to Miami’s overall development.

The City of Miami and DDA need to take a second look at their plan and add this valuable and integral part of Brickell to the development plan.

11
Anonymous
2 months ago

Even Brightline knows it bc it’s in the zone for free pick up and drop offs. Brightline is ahead of the DD “authority”

8
Factual
2 months ago

DDA = Doesn’t Do Anything

3
Miami’s History
2 months ago

Because it’s not in the DDA boundary. To expand the boundary, they’d have to do a finding of necessity study per state statutes, and likely there would not be a finding of necessity under the state’s parameters/definitions of blight. The DDA was created in the late 60s while I-95 was still being constructed. They likely omitted west of the FEC Railway because the I-95 construction was meant to eliminate blight.

0
Anonymous
2 months ago

If the DDA no longer serves its function and relies on an outdated map from the 1960s, shouldn’t it be abolished or at least reformed?

You could walk down the street in this part of Brickell and see the cranes all around or look at a Google Map to see all the new restaurants and stores. A necessity study can be done in minutes if not seconds, as its common sense urban planning, and I have only been here for a year.

According to the Florida Statutes Section 163.340 (8), a “Blighted area” is one with a “substantial number of deteriorated, or deteriorating structures, in which conditions, as indicated by government-maintained statistics or other studies, are leading to economic distress or endanger life or property” (Florida Legislature, 2015, 163.340(8)).

There are luxury high-rises up in this area and more coming, look at the design and plan for One Southside Park or the expanding Chetrit Group development along the river. This is clearly the opposite of “blight” with older building being replaced with high-value luxury retail, offices and residences.

I-95 still serves as a boundary to eliminate blight, but excluding this area only from the DDA plan only increases risk of blight to develop within Brickell, and this area needs funding to be maintained properly to serve the needs of new residences, businesses and development projects.

1
Factual
2 months ago

You need to have more than just one criteria met to qualify. Additionally, you think those landowners wanna pay millage on both DDA and City?

2
Anonymous
2 months ago

Wait, I didn’t know know about the millage…

Are you saying Brickell residents east of the Underline have to pay millage on both DDA and City, and therefor have higher property taxes?

If that is the case, then this developing area seems like it has valuable land right grandfathered in and gives this area extra value, as long as Brickell is all maintained equally throughout.

3
Anonymous
2 months ago

Thank you for your insights. Whether owners would be on board depends if the millage adds any value. What do owners get out of being in DDA, and paying millage, that they don’t already get by being in Brickell?

I’d consider personally doing a preliminary survey of other owners at no cost if it’s in the communities best interest. Interested in knowing more -appreciate your insights.

3
Brickell Stakeholder
2 months ago

I don’t see how the DDA can operate without including this area. I’m concerned it could be deemed discriminatory, unfair, or misleading for the DDA to serve some parts of downtown but not others?

According to its website, “Our mission is to grow, strengthen, and promote the economic health and vitality of Downtown Miami. As an autonomous agency of the City, the Miami DDA advocates, facilitates, plans, and executes business development, planning, capital improvements, and marketing and communication strategies.” It doesn’t seem right to only aid some parts of downtown but not others, especially when the term “downtown” is used misdescriptively to describe an agency that does not serve all of downtown.

Also it seems to be in the DDA’s best interest to include this part of Brickell in its scope of operations, because it genuinely enhances downtown, so maybe there is a way to circumvent having to do a special study, by operating under the assumption that this is within the natural zone of expansion. It’s not like the State has any reason to object to recognizing the actual current day neighborhood. It’s not asking for more money, just correcting an outdated map so funds and resources can be fairly distributed.

2
Factual
2 months ago

The DDA literally doesn’t do anything but waste millions of dollars on staff and “swag”. They have the power of eminent domain and creating bonds and instead they host fashion shows. They’ve done nothing to fix the actual blight of downtown. Ever walked Flagler or S 1st St? Homelessness and vacancies galore.

As for the map, there are I think 14 or more criteria for blight including declining property values, frequency of emergency services calls, increase in vacancies, population decline, etc. You need to have multiple criteria to qualify. This area won’t meet enough criteria to qualify. Additionally, the DDA has its own millage separate of the City. You think those landowners want to double tax themselves?

3
Brickell Stakeholder
2 months ago

I guess what you’re saying is this area doesn’t qualify because it’s too nice (agree, love this area), but the neighboring areas where one bedroom condos go for millions of dollars need the resources to control blithe – now that doesn’t make sense to me 🤔

3
Factual
2 months ago

That’s precisely what I’m saying. What’s in the boundary right now was blighted back in the 60s and 70s when the DDA was created. Unlike CRAs, the DDA doesn’t have an expiration date which is why it still exists today. There’s definitely blight within the boundary, but much less than when it was created.

2
Anonymous
2 months ago

Well the DDA doesn’t need to broadcast itself as to one specific zone (since that zone is irrelevant nlw to the original intent of its creation). It can still be sponsored by that zone (because it’s doing so well as is!) The millage can come from that zone and advance the interests of broader downtown. That seems to be the only way that the DDA can reasonably continue to subsist. I don’t see why they would object because surely their goal is to advance the economic and residential interests of “downtown” as stated in their mission statement.

2
Anonymous
2 months ago

It’s a major oversight in local governance due to an ancient technicality that we can all fix within the next year 2023!

2
Anonymous
2 months ago

I think this area should get tax-exempt benefits of the DDA. It would be in best interest of those already paying the millage whose HOA fees probably cover public spaces. It would benefit those owners by reducing blithe within and immediately around the DDA.

3
Azarius
2 months ago

As well as ground retail west of the underline

9
dan
2 months ago

The zoning doesnt’ really permit it. The people building the huge tower next to Southside park found a loophole to build way higher (not sure what it is but I dont know why it wasnt used by other developers)

1
Anonymous
2 months ago

Good points Dan. I think the City recently rezoned this area under the SMART transit plan.

Also the “loophole” might have something to do with (1) contributing to the community by renovating Southside Park (2) an additional public benefit through rebuilding a fire station (3) using cube designs with different mix uses to create a scalable design with greenery at different levels, and (4) proposing an iconic world-class landmark design.

The 1 Southside Park project going up will be one of a kind and be a magnet for tourism and business in this developing part of Brickell. I suspect the city is monitoring this valuable land closely and maybe if proposals rise to the level of 1 Southside Park, the city would welcome denser projects here. I think they just want to be careful to preventively deter blithe by only allowing A-class quality development.

2
Anonymous
2 months ago

Brownfield status?

2
Anonymous
2 months ago

I hope that Grand Peaks comes back with a spectacular statement design. The original design in the renderings, posted above, were rejected.

This location has a significant aesthetic impact on Brickell and the Miami DDA, because it is located at the gateway to Brickell. This is where international travelers first enter Brickell from the airport. It is also visible from I-95, so it needs to represent the luxurious design-forward designs of Brickell.

There is a lot of value to this block and surrounding blocks because it is within the busy Brickell area, but offers residents a quieter more open neighborhood, convenient to i-95, steps away from metro mover and Brickell City Centre. It is also at a higher elevation than those buildings closer to the bay and will fare well into the future.

14
Anonymous
2 months ago

When I read this article and looked at the renderings, I also was thinking – “isn’t this the original design that got rejected because it was considered too hoo-hum?”

I’m confused.

6
Anonymous
2 months ago

It was? I think it’s a pretty solid design. It better not come back with cluttered juxtaposed balconies and windows.

-6
Anonymous
2 months ago

I thought the design of the rejected building was solid also. But remember, this is Miami where they let chickens roam around downtown.

-1
Anonymous
2 months ago

We have peacocks too. They’re better than pigeons and rats.

2
Anonymous
1 month ago

Pigeons and rats were in Miami before you and your great, great grandfather were born. Chickens, Roosters, Iguanas, invasive Fowl, Pythons, and toxic Toads are basically recent entities to South Florida and you know who brought them.

0
anonymous
2 months ago

nice infill. Hopefully the long empty lot next door gets filled in soon too. Lots of potential development opportunities in the west brickell area for the next 5-10 years

7
Anonymous
2 months ago

Brickell does not need anymore infill, it needs high net-value designs and world class architecture – especially in this location.

19
Anonymous
2 months ago

“Brickell does not need anymore infill, it needs high net-value designs and world class architecture – especially in this location”

But – wouldn’t – that – also – be – considered – infill – in – this – location?

-1
Anonymous
2 months ago

Yes, but some people use the word “infill” to describe bland buildings simply developed to fill a block. This area does need to be filled, but not the bland no-descript kind.

6
Drac
2 months ago

^
What’s considered a “bland” looking building is just a matter of ones opinion. A new building has new amenities which is one of the things young people are looking for. Another thing they’re looking for.. the vibrancy of the neighborhood.

-4
Anonymous
2 months ago

Middle aged people live here too and would pay more for high end designs. We can have amenities, vibrancy and top design/quality in one here.

1
Drac
1 month ago

But a lot of middle age people might consider the building in the pictures above as a “high end design.” Who are you to know what people taste is when they look at the design of a building?

-1
Anonymous
2 months ago

The long empty lot is going up now. They just poured in the concrete. It’s going to be beautiful and include mixed retail and residential, with art galleries on the ground floor.

10
Anonymous
2 months ago

Stop with the infill thing. You are as bad as the ones complaining of cereal boxes. Miami skyline is boring and repetitive. No more infills or cereal boxes. We need good designs.

5
Pleezzee
2 months ago

But, you just said – “You are as bad as the ones complaining of cereal boxes,” and then we see you complaining about – “No more infills or cereal boxes.”

Uh, will you make up your mind?

-3
Anonymous
2 months ago

FAA approval for a 26 story building????

7
Anonymous
2 months ago

Yes this will be the view of all the luxury condos on Miami Ave, so it should be equally as nice as those if not more to maintain the quality atmosphere of Brickell.

5
Anonymous
2 months ago

Gotta grease pockets…

2
Anonymous
2 months ago

They’re greased and ready to roll.

1
Name*
2 months ago

The not so Empire State building.

5
Anonymous
2 months ago

Sure, Musk.

4
Anonymous
2 months ago

Good heavens no, but the rejected design looked like one. The city and Brickell residents want this to be an upscale design masterpiece.

4
anon
2 months ago

Super dramatic name for a super normal building

4
Anonymous
2 months ago

I was expecting a much more grand design, given the name

3
Original
2 months ago

I don’t think the people who can afford to live there will mind that much the design of this building.

-6
Anonymous
2 months ago

People willing to pay 3500 to rent a one bedroom or 600,000 to buy a two bedroom won’t mind the design? That’s about what the prices start at throughout Brickell. By the time these projects are done the price will be up even further. This is top dollar, even if prices are higher in other buildings, and I guarantee the people who can afford this will take into consideration the design.

6
Anonymous
2 months ago

I actually think these units could go for more money than the new buildings east of the Underline and west of Bay drive, because of its easy access to Coral Gables Grove and I95 to zip up to Palm Beach.

As Brickell densifies, as with most cities, the border zones become more valuable because they offer easier transit in/out and breathing room and less noise.

6
Original
2 months ago

“People willing to pay 3500 to rent a one bedroom or 600,000 to buy a two bedroom won’t mind the design?”

That’s the operative word, “willing.”

What looks worthy to some, may look unworthy to others.

-2
Anonymous
2 months ago

Yeah this place is worthy of top dollar. I don’t think it looked that worthy to anyone though. It would be wasted not to develop top A-list building here. Strongly suggest they up the quality and lean into this development.

5
Original
2 months ago

^
But, you said this place is “worthy of top dollar!” And after saying that, you can’t say “I don’t think it looked that worthy to anyone though,” because it looks worthy to you!

0
Anonymous
2 months ago

The land and location, just to clarify (not the design). It needs the design and quality to carry it home to its potential.

6
Original
2 months ago

^
You can detest the prices they’re asking now but remember, prices will be much higher in the same building five years from now.

-1
Anonymous
2 months ago

Exactly, so invest in a building that will represent Brickell for our entire lifestyle. It will pay off without a doubt.

2
Anonymous
2 months ago

Our entire lifetime*

1
Original
1 month ago

^
Son, no one is going to sit around and what till you and others are satisfied with the architecture of a building.

0
Anonymous
2 months ago

Are we all being gaslit by this name and design? Brickell, Miami and Florida, under leadership of Ron DeSantis, should require a real Empire Florida state building here.

3
Azure
2 months ago

The cage on the roof looks silly.

2
Anonymous
2 months ago

Density!!

1
gari
2 months ago

I’m confused. is this some type of minimum security prison, a soviet labor encampment, or more glorious Miami infill?

1
Hilarious!
2 months ago

Its whatever you desire…

1
Yet Another Anonymous
2 months ago

This is a great building… for Dadeland.

1
Anonymous
2 months ago

All the projecting concrete lines make it look like the rotting skeleton of what building could be built here.

1
Anon
2 months ago

Basic infill kind of deal but nice!

0
I can't believe...
2 months ago

But.. its, west, Brickell….

-4
Anonymous
2 months ago

No such name, it’s just “Brickell” stop trying to divide an already small neighborhood.

8
I can't believe
2 months ago

^
Tell that to TNM when they’re doing an article about another project in this area.

-1
Miami Future Development Authority ("MFDA")")
2 months ago

Don’t see any such reference in this article. That’s just what stakeholders in earlier developments try to pitch to distinguish themselves, because they’re in older buildings with limited value. Brickell is Brickell.

6
Anonymous
2 months ago

When the neighborhood fills nicely, it brings value to all of Brickell. No need to label every other block. The avenues serve as points of references. There’s only a few (SW 3rd, SW 2nd, SW 1st, S Miami Ave, and Brickell Ave).

5
I can't believe
2 months ago

^
“That’s just what stakeholders in earlier developments try to pitch to distinguish themselves”

But, that’s what the South Florida Business Journal refers to it as – Western Brickell.

-6
Anonymous
2 months ago

SFBJ refers to “western Brickell” (no capital “W”). They have used “western” descriptively to describe a location of a project, not as the name of a totally different neighborhood. Naming impacts how areas develops. This small sliver of land within Brickell is critical to maintaining the quality and growth of the entire neighborhood.

3
I can't believe...
2 months ago

^
Son, I never said the area is named “western Brickell.” I said The South Florida Business Journal donates this area as “western Brickell” and that’s with a capital letter or not.

Now if you don’t agree with that, take it up with the South Florida Business Journal.

0
Anonymous
2 months ago

No need to do that, SFBJ is not the authority on the naming. They repeat what they read and learn in press releases. There’s only one Brickell and it is developing in that direction.

0
Anonymous
2 months ago

Technically, it’s “Southside.” Based on the original plat, Brickell proper ends at Miami Avenue.

-4
Brickell Stakeholder
2 months ago

Technically, this land is located in “Brickell.” The term “Southside” refers to a historic school in Brickell (closer to the new Citadel HQ than here) but there are no references to a neighborhood called “Southside” as far as I know. Even if there were, it is dated name and not fitting any longer.

The original map of Miami from 1918 can be viewed at the link below. yes, Mary Brickell had a plat along the Bay ending at Miami Ave, but that does not mean that “Brickell proper ends at Miami Avenue.” Brickell was just being developed with mansions then, and Ms. Brickell owned a cluster of lots along the Bay. It’s not like she immediately called it “Brickell proper.” Could you imagine developing homes and naming the neighborhood after yourself?

Even then, from the map, the “avenue” which now is I-95 appears to be the main dividing line of the neighborhood. The neighborhood Brickell was later named after her. All modern maps show the Brickell border as Brickell Bay to the east, I-95 to the west, the river to the north, and south to the Rickenbacker cause way. This relatively small neighborhood has and is simply considered Brickell.

All Brickel should be developed with common quality standards and beautification, which is why the original rejected Grand Peaks design was deemed inadequate and looks out of place within Brickell.

https://www.raremaps.com/gallery/detail/72346dt/the-official-plat-city-of-miami-florida-compiled-in-the-murray

6
Anonymous
2 months ago

This project is way too tall for sw2nd Avenue. There should be luxury midrises capped at around 16 floors if not shorter.

0
I'll just assume
2 months ago

So this building’s height scares you or make you feel nauseated or goes against your expectations or goes against your suppositions or goes against your calculations or etc, etc, etc…

What is it?

-3
Anonymous
2 months ago

All the above, plus the proximity to the highway makes this ideal for mid/low rises. What makes Brickell so amazing now is the height diversity. People like walking in two-story Brickell village with views of skyscrapers nearby. IT gives the city a tropical urban oasis vibe. If it’s all stark skyscrapers it loses that balance and charm, people stop moving here, then values go down.

5
I'll just assume
2 months ago

And that’s just your opinion that all those things will happen if only “skyscrapers” are built. Plus, where did you get the notion that only skyscrapers will be built?

1
Anonymous
2 months ago

Just all the plans being proposed and published, and the the City’s zoning code seems to designate height restrictions to large zones, without any degree of variation within those zones. Hope I’m wrong. I’d love to learn more about this if anyone has resources.

1
I'll just assume
2 months ago

^
Bruh, I think your imagination is running wild.

0
Anonymous
2 months ago

For this area, if height is sacrificing design/quality, chose design/quality.

3
Anon
2 months ago

Newsflash: most buildings in miami look like this.

-1
Anonymous
2 months ago

^ older infill buildings (being replaced) look like this. It does have some common elements with Miami buildings, not totally out of left field, but it looks like a low-grade version.

3
MINDSET
2 months ago

Well it is going to house people.

-2
Anonymous
2 months ago

So does the White House.

1
MINDSET
2 months ago

What, you got something against the design of the White House now?

-2
Anonymous
2 months ago

Love the White House. Saying that just because it houses people, it doesn’t mean it’s a “housing project” jaja. We need that level of grandeur here at the gateway to Brickell.

2
Hilarious!
2 months ago

Haha.. ^ he’s still mad that his design got rejected…

-4
Anonnnn
2 months ago

That makes no sense

2
Build build build
2 months ago

Why did they make this so small? Why not 50 floors?

-4
Anonymous
2 months ago

Because that would ruin the quality of this transition zone ideal for luxury boutique buildings, just as it’s been developing.

5
Anonymous
2 months ago

There should be taller buildings on 8th street and sw 2nd – redevelop those strip malls and boot the random free standing fast food joints.

8
Pleezzee
2 months ago

Remember, if developers build something on this site, the 26 floor building will be replacing two story buildings, so, its not as short as you think.

2
Anonymous
2 months ago

If, you mean when, if this developer fails to pull through another will soon.

1