Rezoning, redevelopment on tap for Freedom Park soccer complex

David Beckham and business partners Jorge Mas and Jose Mas are wasting no time in bringing solid plans forward to begin building Miami Freedom Park.

What will become the new home to a Major League Soccer team’s stadium, along with a sweeping commercial park, hotel and new 58-acre public park, is the former Melreese golf course, on land owned by the city.

Two planning and zoning requests related to Miami Freedom Park have landed on a Miami City Commission agenda.

The large mixed-use project targeted for city land adjacent to Miami International Airport is on the commission’s agenda for today’s meeting (7/28).

It was in April that the city commission approved a 99-year lease of the city property to a private company, Miami Freedom Park LLC, for development of Miami Freedom Park. Commissioner Manolo Reyes cast the only no vote.

The partners have plans to remediate the contaminated site and make it home for the professional soccer stadium for Inter Miami CF, a public sports park and a commercial development.

On today’s agenda are first readings of two planning and zoning resolutions to get the sweeping project moving forward. Since the city is the landowner, City Manager Art Noriega is listed as the applicant for the planning and zoning requests.

The first resolution would rezone about 130 acres for the development of the Miami Freedom Park Special Area Plan at 1400 and a portion of 1550 NW 37th Ave.

The SAP consists of the approval of a soccer stadium, new lodging use (hotel), commercial space, office space, parking spaces, pedestrian promenade, plaza, green civic space type, and a public park, says the resolution.

“The SAP will modify the transect zone regulations that are applicable to the subject property and where a regulation is not specifically modified by the SAP, the regulations and restrictions of the Miami 21 code will apply; further changing the zoning transect of the acreage … from ‘CS’ Civic Space Transect Zone, to ‘CI’ Civic Institutional Transect Zone, and to ‘T6-8-0’, Urban Core – Open Transect Zone.”

City staff said this will allow the construction of a stadium, plaza, pedestrian promenade, parking garage, office and commercial space along with the construction of a 58-acre public park through Special Area Plan regulations and the transect change.

The second resolution would approve a development agreement between Miami Freedom Park LLC and the City of Miami “to govern the leased portion of the Miami Freedom Park Special Area Plan comprised of approximately 73 acres of property …for the purpose of redevelopment of such property for a soccer stadium, parking garage, and other uses.”

The development agreement would authorize “commercial, lodging, retail, and office, and any other uses authorized by the SAP; specifically providing for the sap to consist of a 25,000-seat soccer stadium, a parking garage containing 4,960 parking spaces with rooftop sports fields, mixed use retail and commercial, a hotel, and offices; the sap development shall contain a minimum of 6.55 acres of civic space.”

If approved, the resolution will authorize Mr. Noriega to negotiate and execute the development agreement.

The city’s Planning and Zoning Department is recommending conditional approval of both resolutions.

At its June meeting, the city’s Urban Development Review Board recommended approval of the first components – the stadium, parking garage and 58-acre park – with one condition: to reconsider breaking up the mass of the parking structure.

The site plan presented to the board showed a long linear three-level parking garage on the western edge of the site, with enough room for 4,900 vehicles.

While review board members had plenty of praise for the overall master plan and design of the stadium and park, several members said the proposed garage is massive and should be redesigned into two structures.

Board member Dean Lewis made the motion and explained he wants the development team to consider two buildings and articulate a real pedestrian experience, such as a pedestrian passage or paseo between the two separate buildings.

Board members who agreed with Mr. Lewis’ condition explained that bridges could be built into the design to connect the two buildings and allow for pedestrian and vehicle flow.

The motion was approved 5-0.

The current master plan includes creation of a soccer village integrating shopping, dining, and entertainment as an extension of Miami Freedom Park recreation and Inter Miami CF.

The overall site is to include a tech hub and hospitality, with a 750-key hotel.