"What if" Presentation by Steven Fett from the University of Miami - Part I

William Waters, the city's Director of Community Sustainability, tapped the expertise of the University of Miami Architectural Department and had Steven Fett prepare a series of "what ifs" for the various lots prone to possible redevelopment east of Federal Hwy.  These were prepared for the joint Planning and Zoning, Historic Resource Preservation Board meeting of 2/20.  I will prepare each over time to post here, but we will start out with the western lot at the Gulfstream property since it has seemed to garner the most attention.

It is important to look at the assumptions and all are situations where the development is "maxed out" according to the new code requirements contained in the city's proposed land development regulations.  To be clear - the only buildings that could be built to 65 feet would be hotels of 50 or more units - any office or condominium building would be limited to 45 ft.  The prospect that each of these lots would be developed with at least a 50 room hotel stretches the imagination, but this shows what the extreme would be under the proposed code.  A conservative analysis it is.  It is also important to realize that this would happen gradually over time, with the various properties finding an opportunity, governed by market forces.  It is not likely that the three or four bank related properties would be redeveloped any time soon.

This would be in the event 65 ft. were allowed east of Federal, as included in the current version of the city's comprehensive plan.