Two new residential towers under Florida’s Live Local Act received approval from Miami’s Urban Development Review Board (UDRB) this week. Together, the projects will bring nearly 800 new apartments to the Wynwood Norte and Overtown neighborhoods.
The Wyn Park project, developed by ABH Developer Group led by Alexis Bogomolni, is planned as a 36-story building designed by Modis Architects. The development will include 293 units and a rooftop restaurant, located at several addresses along Northwest Second Avenue and nearby streets in Wynwood Norte.
In Overtown, a 55-story tower with 498 units is being planned by an entity connected to Alan Omsky, co-founder of the KYU restaurant. This project, designed by Kobi Karp, will be built at sites along Northwest Second Avenue and Northwest 12th Street.
Both projects will reserve 40 percent of their apartments—117 units at Wyn Park and 200 units at the Overtown tower—for households earning up to 120 percent of the area median income, in line with requirements set by the Live Local Act. This state law, passed in 2023 and amended in later years, allows developers to build larger projects if they include affordable and workforce housing. The affordable units must remain income-restricted for at least 30 years.
At Wednesday’s UDRB meeting, board members approved both projects. Kobi Karp’s design for the Overtown tower received a 3-0 vote and was met with positive comments from board members. “I really do appreciate the project. And you get an economy of gesture without overly pushing,” said board member Dean Lewis.
The Overtown building will feature permanent exterior murals by artist Yana Volf, depicting portraits of local residents. “We have an opportunity to bring the art of Overtown into Overtown,” Karp said during the meeting, adding that “Some people said to me, ‘We would like to have a quality project in the community that is within the Live Local [Act].’”
The Wyn Park project faced more criticism regarding its design, passing with a 2-1 vote. Lewis commented on its architecture: “I just can’t get on board with it as a successful articulation. … The attempts on the façade. The Lego-esque pieces. The podium and the tower are trying to be related, but at the same time, I just don’t see that fluidity in the dialogue. I see you knitting but I don’t see you weaving.” He also noted a lack of signage for the rooftop restaurant and questioned how the building fits into Miami’s diverse styles.
UDRB Chair Ligia Ines Labrada was more supportive, stating: “I really don’t mind how you weaved the podium with the tower,” though she suggested changes to the rooftop and façade colors.
Both projects were approved with conditions such as revising certain design elements and adding features like planters and enhanced entrances.
The UDRB’s recommendations now go to Miami’s planning and zoning department for final approval.
The Live Local Act has led to a surge in similar proposals across Miami. For example, Calta Group recently secured approval for Anatomia, a 30-story, 499-unit project in Allapattah, while Midtown Capital is planning a 22-story, 348-unit tower in Little River. The largest Live Local Act proposal in South Florida is HueHub in West Little River, which would include over 4,000 units in seven towers.
