Table of Contents
- 1. A planned mixed-use residential midrise is bringing hundreds of
- 2. Overview of the 805 Flagler Project
- 3. Key Features of the Mixed-Use Development
- 3.1 Residential Units and Floor Area
- 3.2 Retail Space and Amenities
- 4. Zoning Waivers and Approval Process
- 5. Impact on East Little Havana Community
- 5.1 Addressing Housing Needs
- 5.2 Enhancing Pedestrian Experience
- 6. Architectural Design and Urban Integration
- 7. Feedback from Urban Development Review Board
- 8. Future of Urban Development in Little Havana
- 9. Conclusion and Future Prospects for East Little Havana
- 9.1 The Importance of Community Engagement
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A planned mixed-use residential midrise is bringing hundreds of
new apartments to East Little Havana, along with ground-floor retail pitched as a neighborhood-serving mini market, pharmacy, or similar daily-need use. The proposal—an eight-story project called 805 Flagler—has advanced through Miami’s design review process with recommendations to further break up its long Flagler Street frontage and refine details such as railings and landscaping.
805 Flagler Project Overview
– Project: 805 Flagler (proposed mixed-use midrise)
– Where: 805 W Flagler St., East Little Havana (Flagler corridor linking LoanDepot Park → Miami River → downtown)
– What’s included: hundreds of apartments (unit count not stated in the cited materials), ~5,000 SF retail, structured parking, internal amenities
– Status: UDRB recommended approval with conditions focused on massing breakup, railing/material choices, and landscaping detail
This update is based on statements and descriptions presented during the Urban Development Review Board process and the project’s submitted materials as summarized in the coverage referenced here. Where the public materials don’t specify a detail (like an exact unit count), this article leaves it as “not specified” rather than guessing.
Overview of the 805 Flagler Project
The development, proposed by Brookstone 805 Flagler LLC, is planned for 805 W Flagler St. on a site comprising 14 lots fronting Northwest First Street and West Flagler Street, bounded by Northwest Eighth Avenue. The project is designed by Corwil Architects and is positioned as an infill midrise on a corridor that connects LoanDepot Park, the Miami River, and downtown.
Project materials describe a response to local conditions that include “lack of connectivity and poor streetscapes,” with commitments to upgraded sidewalks, lighting, and landscaping intended to improve the pedestrian experience.
| Item | What’s proposed (as described in submitted materials / UDRB coverage) |
|---|---|
| Project name | 805 Flagler |
| Developer | Brookstone 805 Flagler LLC |
| Address | 805 W Flagler St. |
| Site description | 14 lots fronting NW First St. and W Flagler St.; bounded by NW Eighth Ave. |
| Building height | 8 stories |
| Total floor area | More than 535,000 SF |
| Residential | “Hundreds” of apartments (unit count not specified in the cited materials) |
| Amenities | More than 35,000 SF (internal), including two courtyards and an 8th-floor open pool deck |
| Retail | ~5,000 SF at NW Eighth Ave. & W Flagler St. |
| Parking | 500 proposed spaces + 26 on-street spaces |
| Site plan | Prepared by Corwil Architects |
Key Features of the Mixed-Use Development
Residential Units and Floor Area
Plans call for an eight-story building with more than 535,000 square feet of floor area. The proposal would add apartments (a unit count was not specified in the materials cited), supported by more than 35,000 square feet of internal amenities.
Parking is a major component: the project includes 500 proposed parking spaces plus 26 on-street spaces.
Retail Space and Amenities
At street level, the plan includes about 5,000 square feet of retail at the prominent corner of Northwest Eighth Avenue and West Flagler Street. The developer’s team has framed the space as a boutique mini market concept, arguing the area functions as a food desert and that a small-format operator could serve both residents and commuters traveling Flagler.
Amenities are concentrated inside the building and include two courtyards and an open pool deck on the eighth floor.
Mixed-Use Corridor Revitalization Plan
What’s being built (and what each piece is trying to do):
– Housing: add “hundreds” of apartments on a major corridor (unit count not stated in the cited materials)
– Daily-need retail (~5,000 SF): aim for a mini market/pharmacy-style tenant that serves nearby residents and pass-through commuters
– Amenities (35,000+ SF, internal): concentrate shared spaces (courtyards + roof pool deck) away from the sidewalk to reduce street-level blankness
– Parking (500 + 26 on-street): keep car storage mostly inside the block while trying to preserve an active street edge
– Streetscape moves: upgraded sidewalks/lighting/landscaping + frequent fenestration to make Flagler feel more walkable
Zoning Waivers and Approval Process
The developer is seeking zoning waivers to allow:
- Increased maximum lot size for neighborhood-serving uses
- A 10% reduction in required parking
- A 10% reduction in required side setback above the fifth story
- Increased spacing of 75 feet between pedestrian entrances
| Waiver request (as stated) | What it changes in plain terms | Practical on-the-ground impact to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Increased maximum lot size for neighborhood-serving uses | Allows a larger site configuration tied to the intended neighborhood-serving program | Can make a larger, more continuous project possible—raising the importance of façade breaks and active edges |
| 10% reduction in required parking | Lowers the minimum number of parking spaces required by code | Could reduce garage size/traffic generation slightly, but still leaves a large parking program (500 spaces proposed) |
| 10% reduction in required side setback above the fifth story | Lets upper floors sit a bit closer to the side property line(s) than normally required | Can increase perceived bulk at upper levels; design detailing and step-backs/massing breaks matter more |
| Increased spacing of 75 feet between pedestrian entrances | Allows fewer entrances along the sidewalk than a tighter spacing would require | Fewer doors can mean longer “dead stretches” for pedestrians unless windows, stoops, and active uses fill the gap |
Miami’s Urban Development Review Board (UDRB) recommended approval with conditions focused on massing, materials, and streetscape detailing—signaling general support while pushing for refinements that would improve the building’s relationship to pedestrians along Flagler Street.
Impact on East Little Havana Community
Addressing Housing Needs
By adding hundreds of apartments on a major transit-and-commuter corridor, 805 Flagler would increase residential density in East Little Havana at a time when Miami continues to face intense housing demand. The site’s context includes a mix of multifamily and single-family structures, auto-oriented uses, vacant lots, and nearby institutional facilities, making the project a notable shift toward a more continuous urban edge.
Enhancing Pedestrian Experience
The developer’s attorney, Melissa Tapanes, told the city the project is intended to address streetscape shortcomings, citing improved sidewalks, lighting, and landscaping and “beautiful new, urban architecture with frequent fenestration.”
Corwil’s architectural narrative emphasizes active frontages, visual permeability, and connectivity—including landscaped edges and publicly accessible ground-level open spaces that create a transition between private residential areas and the public realm.
Neighborhood Benefits and Concerns
Potential neighborhood upsides (if executed well):
– More housing on an infill corridor, which can support local businesses and transit use
– A daily-need retail corner that could reduce “drive elsewhere” errands
– Streetscape upgrades (sidewalks/lighting/landscaping) that can make walking feel safer and more comfortable
Common concerns for a project of this scale (and why they came up here):
– Perceived bulk/“long wall” effect along Flagler (UDRB members repeatedly flagged the façade length)
– Traffic and curb management from a large parking supply and service access (board praise for minimizing curb cuts shows this is a pressure point)
– Ground-floor livability for street-facing units (privacy and railing/material choices were raised in review)
– Retail fit: 5,000 SF may work for a mini market, but board members questioned whether it’s enough for a full grocery/pharmacy
Architectural Design and Urban Integration
A central design move is how the project handles parking. Rather than exposing a garage to the street, the plan places structured parking in a podium that is lined with residential units along street-facing elevations, aiming to keep the pedestrian level active and avoid dead zones typical of garage-fronted blocks.
The building’s scale—described to the board as nearly a full city block—has also driven the main critique: how to prevent Flagler Street from feeling like a long, uninterrupted wall. The development team said it used a rescheduled presentation to redesign the main façade, moving away from an earlier concept that featured more distinctive balcony framing.
Street-Level Urban Design Steps
How the design is trying to “feel urban” at sidewalk level (step-by-step):
1) Put the garage in the middle: structured parking sits in a podium rather than facing the street.
2) Wrap the podium with “liner units”: street-facing residential units line the edges so pedestrians see doors/windows/stoops instead of parked cars.
3) Activate corners with retail: the ~5,000 SF space at NW 8th Ave & Flagler is intended to generate foot traffic where visibility is highest.
4) Break up the massing: UDRB asked for clearer separation of the two massings at the top so Flagler doesn’t read as one continuous façade.
Checkpoints as the project advances:
– Do the façade breaks read clearly from the sidewalk (not just in renderings)?
– Are ground-floor units designed for privacy (setbacks, landscaping, railing choices) while still staying “active”?
– Do curb cuts stay limited, and is the service access separated as described to the board?
Feedback from Urban Development Review Board
UDRB members praised the revised design while pressing for additional changes:
- The board recommended separating the top of the two massings to better break up the long Flagler façade.
- Members asked the team to explore different railing materials, especially for ground-floor units facing the street and internal courtyard.
- The board requested more detailed landscaping along stoops and public frontages.
| Issue raised | Who raised it (as reported) | What they wanted changed |
|---|---|---|
| Long Flagler façade needs stronger breakup | UDRB (recommendation); Gia Zapattini | Separate the top of the two massings; make the pedestrian experience less “relentless façade” |
| Railing/material refinement | UDRB (recommendation); Manuel S. Gallardo | Explore different railing materials; Gallardo suggested mesh/perforation over picket-style railings |
| Landscaping detail at stoops/frontages | UDRB (recommendation) | Provide more detailed landscaping along stoops and public edges |
| Canopy should emphasize two masses | Francisco Perez-Azua | Consider a break in the floating canopies; architect said it would be implemented |
| Curb cuts and access management | Francisco Perez-Azua (commendation) | Minimize the number of curb cuts along the site |
| Retail size realism (5,000 SF) | Manuel S. Gallardo | Questioned whether 5,000 SF can fit a true grocery/pharmacy; suggested more commercial area |
Board member Francisco Perez-Azua called the revision a “nice improvement,” highlighting the liner units and the centrally placed garage, and suggested a break in the floating canopies to emphasize two masses—an idea the architect said would be implemented.
Board member Gia Zapattini focused on the pedestrian experience, saying the elevation still reads as a roughly 400-foot-long façade and urging a clearer separation so pedestrians don’t experience “relentless façade.”
Board member Manuel S. Gallardo raised concerns about the proposed picket-style balcony railings, arguing for a more elegant mesh or perforated approach given the site’s role as a “gateway to downtown.” He also questioned whether 5,000 square feet is enough for a true grocery or pharmacy, suggesting more commercial area.
UDRB Chair Ligia Ines Labrada described the latest iteration as “setting precedent” for pedestrian-oriented urban activity in that stretch of the corridor.
Future of Urban Development in Little Havana
The 805 Flagler proposal reflects a broader push to add infill density along major corridors while reworking street-level design to prioritize walkability. In East Little Havana—where vacant lots sit alongside long-established homes and small businesses—projects of this size tend to become test cases: not only for architecture and traffic management, but for whether new development can deliver everyday services, safer sidewalks, and a more coherent public realm without erasing the neighborhood’s character.
Signals for Flagler Corridor
How to think about what this project signals for the Flagler corridor:
– Corridor infill: larger midrise projects filling gaps between older buildings and vacant lots
– “Walkability by design review”: boards pushing for façade breaks, active edges, and better landscaping/materials
– Everyday retail pressure: small footprints can work for mini markets, but the neighborhood benefit depends on the eventual tenant and fit-out
– Curb-cut discipline: fewer driveways and clearer service access can make sidewalks feel calmer and safer
– Neighborhood character test: the public realm (stoops, windows, shade, lighting) often determines whether new density feels integrated or isolated
Conclusion and Future Prospects for East Little Havana
805 Flagler is moving forward as a large midrise bet on the Flagler corridor: apartments, a small retail footprint aimed at daily needs, and a design strategy that hides parking behind active edges. The UDRB’s recommendation—paired with pointed requests to break up massing and refine materials—underscores the project’s central challenge: translating scale into a street experience that feels walkable, varied, and neighborhood-serving.
The Importance of Community Engagement
As the project advances, continued feedback on ground-floor livability—privacy for street-facing units, storefront usefulness, and curb-cut minimization—will shape how well the building functions as part of the neighborhood rather than an isolated complex.
Sustainability and Urban Development
While the proposal is framed primarily around connectivity and streetscape upgrades, its infill location and pedestrian-first design goals align with a broader planning logic: concentrating growth where infrastructure and destinations already exist.
The Role of Transportation in Urban Growth
With Flagler Street serving as a key east-west spine linking downtown and major destinations, the project’s parking supply, entrance spacing, and pedestrian access will influence how residents and visitors move through the area—by car, on foot, or via nearby transit.
Cultural Preservation Amidst Development
Little Havana’s identity is rooted in long-standing residents, small businesses, and street life. The success of new construction along Flagler will be measured not only by units delivered, but by whether the public realm feels more welcoming and useful to the existing community.
Looking Ahead: The Future of East Little Havana
If built as envisioned—and refined as the review board requested—805 Flagler could become a marker for what comes next on the corridor: denser housing paired with practical retail and a stronger pedestrian environment, setting expectations for future projects in East Little Havana.