The path has been opened for a major change to come to Allapattah. At the end of April, the City of Miami approved a measure that would change the zoning of over 60 acres of land along 20th street in Allapattah to T-6-8-O. In layman’s terms, the zoning change elevated the land from a base industrial zoning, to a zoning which permits extreme up to 8 stories of flexible use including mixed-use, retail, commercial, office, hotel, mini-storage, and apartments up to 150 units per acre. The move redefines the area as a potential mixed-use corridor, with a code that permits for well-designed mixed-use neighborhoods that provide for the full range of residential, office, work/live, neighborhood retail and community facilities in a walkable area with an amendable mix of transport modes such as pedestrian, bicycle, shared resources, auto and mass transit.

The spur for redevelopment comes well-timed. A decade ago, 20th street was a mecca for wholesale businesses supplying much of the Caribbean and South American markets. The area has fallen on hard times, but shows much promise for the future. To the east, the Wynwood market has seen values go 10x values a decade ago, and surrounding areas now provide few options for economically developable land to forger cohesive neighborhoods.

The specific areas affected area: between Northwest 20th Street and Northwest 21st Street and Northwest 13th Avenue and Northwest 19th Avenue, Miami Florida; and the North side of Northwest 20th Street between Northwest 19th Avenue and Northwest 27th Avenue, Miami Florida; and the south side of Northwest 20th Street from Northwest 27th Avenue to the Seybold Canal, approximately 15th ave.