Miami-Dade County has approved a new 20-story development to be built in the West Grove neighborhood.
Developers plan on using a rule called rapid transit zoning to supersize buildings in certain areas.
The Gallery at the Grove is set to be Coconut Grove’s newest highrise, replacing a three-story apartment building on Douglas Avenue. It’s caught up in a controversial new law that allows Miami-Dade County to supersede the City of Miami’s zoning rules for areas near the Metrorail.
Under the city’s zoning, this project would have been limited to five stories, falling more in line with the single-family residences nearby.
The county is hoping that adding higher-density projects near the Metrorail, like this one, will increase the number of people using public transportation over cars. Other projects that have used this zoning include Cascade, the 37-story apartment complex near Douglas Station.
The new ordinance is also expected to increase the number of affordable housing units in the county. To qualify for the height bonus, developers must set aside at least 12 .5% of units for affordable housing. At Gallery at the Grove, half of its anticipated units will be devoted to affordable or workforce housing fixed pricing. That'll be about 173 units.
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