London + Regional Properties, under the LR Miami Airport Hotel, LLC, submitted an Administrative Site Plan Review (ASPR) application with Miami-Dade County on October 24 to develop two eight-story mixed-use buildings on the Pullman Miami Airport hotel site at 5800 Blue Lagoon Drive. The proposal outlines plans for 600 new residential units spread across two buildings on the hotel’s existing parking lot. The developer acquired the 10-acre site, currently home to the 281-room, 15-story hotel, in 2019.
The two proposed buildings will each yield roughly 300 units, with sizes ranging from 570 to 1,718 square feet, offering a mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom layouts. In addition to residential units, the development will feature three parking structures, providing 1,344 parking spaces, including 1,020 spaces for the apartment buildings and 324 spaces for the existing hotel. The parking garage closest to the hotel will include 6,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space. Amenities for residents will consist of two pools and clubhouses measuring 6,200 and 4,900 square feet, respectively.
Credit: Bizi Arq.
The unit matrix for the east building provides a detailed breakdown of the 319 residential units across eight levels, offering a variety of layouts. The mix includes 32 studio units averaging 578 square feet, 191 one-bedroom units averaging 803 square feet, 90 two-bedroom units averaging 1,093 square feet, and 6 three-bedroom units averaging 1,380 square feet. The total leasable area for the building is 278,600 square feet.
Credit: Bizi Arq.
The parking breakdown shows 452 total parking spaces, including 11 ADA spaces, 2 van spaces, and 439 standard spaces. The distribution of units across each level reveals a consistent layout, with 30 to 42 units per floor. Each floor contains a mix of studios, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units.
The unit matrix for the west building consists of 281 residential units across eight levels, with a total leasable area of 242,492 square feet. The breakdown includes 32 studio units averaging 561 square feet, 151 one-bedroom units averaging 768 square feet, and 98 two-bedroom units averaging 1,108 square feet. The units are distributed across the building’s floors, with 25 to 37 units per floor.
Credit: Bizi Arq.
The parking breakdown indicates that there will be 420 parking spaces, including 8 ADA-accessible spaces. All parking spaces will be standard, with no compact or tandem spaces.
As part of the application, the developer seeks to modify or remove the site from the Blue Lagoon Development of Regional Impact (DRI), which governs the area’s land use and development. Additionally, variances and waivers are being sought, including modifying existing zoning conditions, such as parking space requirements, and requesting relief from certain setback regulations to accommodate the new structures. The project is designed to comply with the Miami-Dade County SMART Corridor Subzone guidelines, a transit-oriented development initiative. The property is located within one-quarter mile of the East-West Corridor of the SMART Program.
The development team includes Palmetto Bay-based architecture firm Bizi Arq, civil engineer Hadonne, landscape architect Kimley-Horn, and traffic consultant Traf Tech Engineering, Inc. The application also requests a notable exception to allow property redevelopment while maintaining the current hotel operations.
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What a great place to live – in an airport hotel parking lot.