EXCLUSIVE: Over 1,000 homes, retail planned near American Dream Miami mega mall

A developer wants to build over 1,000 homes and a retail center in Hialeah, just south of where another group plans to build American Dream Miami, the largest mall in North America.

The two proposals by an affiliate of Dania Beach-based Dacar Management are in Hialeah Heights, a largely vacant area between Interstate 75 and Florida’s Turnpike that was annexed into the city. Triple Five Group’s American Dream Miami, with 6.2 million square feet of retail, entertainment and more, plus 2,000 hotel rooms, has been proposed in an unincorporated site just to the north where the interstate meets the turnpike.

In addition to having a major mall, American Dream Miami would feature a theme park, an indoor ski slope, a water park, a submarine ride, and more entertainment options. While that area of the county is largely empty now, these two neighboring projects in Hialeah show that it could fill up quickly.

For the residential project, Dacar Management affiliate Atlas Hialeah Heights wants to rezone the 135.3-acre site on the south side of Northwest 170th Street between Interstate 75 and Northwest 97th Avenue for high density residential. That would permit eight units per acre, for a total of 1,082 homes. The developer has the option of putting commercial/retail buildings on up to 15 percent of the site.

In addition, Atlas Hialeah Heights agreed to expand Northwest 170th Street to two lanes and build a bridge east over Interstate 75.

The property was acquired out of foreclosure for $12.27 million in 2012.

For the retail site, Dacar Management CEO Alberto Micha, as trustee of Hialeah Gardens Irrevocable Trust, wants to rezone the 77.25-acre site a the northwest corner of Northwest 97th Avenue and State Road 924. He could build up to 525,000 square feet of commercial/retail space with up to 10 acres for residential. The residential density would be eight units per acre, for up to 80 units.

Micha would also build the new road of Northwest 142nd Street to connect Northwest 97th Avenue with Northwest 102nd Avenue. The new street would be the northern boundary of the project.

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Story by: Brian Bandell – Dec 17, 2015, 1:49pm EST
Photo Courtesy: Thinstock

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