A previously undocumented indigenous settlement and burial site, believed to date back approximately 3,500 years, was uncovered during construction at 1809 Brickell Avenue, according to a recent article by the Miami Herald. The site lies beneath the future St. Regis Residences, a luxury condominium tower by Related Group and Integra Investments, which is currently under construction. The tower is planned to rise 47 stories and reach a height of 632 feet.
The parcel, totaling 3.23 acres, sits within the City of Miami’s designated archaeological zone along the Biscayne Bay shoreline. The site was previously home to a 17-story apartment building from the 1960s, which was demolished to make way for the new development.
According to a preliminary archaeological report submitted in October 2024 by Bob Carr of the South Florida Archaeological and Historical Conservancy, excavation work uncovered extensive evidence of early indigenous occupation. Artifacts include fire pits, pottery shards, stone tools, projectile points, and faunal remains from animals that were hunted, fished, or consumed. Human remains were also found, including the formal burial of an infant, indicating that the site may have served as a cemetery.
The materials discovered date from the Late Archaic period to the Glades II era, spanning roughly 1,000 to 3,500 years ago. Additional objects from more recent history, including 19th and early 20th-century artifacts such as a pewter cross, were also recovered.
Carr’s report recommends that some portions of the site, especially well-preserved middens and a green space adjacent to Brickell Avenue, be preserved if feasible. An archaeological management plan is expected to be developed once the excavation is further along.
In a statement shared with the Miami Herald, Related Group and Integra Investments said the excavation is ongoing and that all work is being performed in compliance with applicable local and state regulations. The developers noted that findings are being regularly reported to the appropriate governing agencies, and that public agency representatives have visited the site to review ongoing activities. Artifacts are currently stored under the supervision of the archaeological team in facilities designed for proper interim care.
The Herald reported that the city initially released the October 2024 archaeological report with redactions related to the discovery of human remains. The city later removed those redactions after determining they were not exempt under Florida’s public records law. The city attorney’s office stated that the original redactions were made at the request of the state’s archaeology division.
As of this writing, the City of Miami’s Historic and Environmental Preservation Board has not reviewed the 1809 Brickell discovery. Board members contacted by the Herald said they were not briefed on the matter and had not received a formal presentation from city preservation staff. Under city ordinance, the board has jurisdiction to evaluate findings on archaeological sites and recommend preservation measures.
The discovery follows an earlier excavation at another Related Group site along the Miami River, where archaeologists uncovered remnants of a large Tequesta village estimated to be around 2,000 years old. That discovery led to an agreement to preserve and exhibit parts of the site, and to designate the neighboring parcel at 444 Brickell Avenue as historically significant. Excavated materials from the Miami River site are currently being stored at that location, which is slated for future development following additional archaeological study.
The Brickell shoreline has long been regarded by archaeologists as a significant zone for indigenous history, with numerous discoveries made during previous construction cycles dating back to the 1990s. The findings at 1809 Brickell Avenue add to the growing body of evidence that Native American communities extensively occupied this area for thousands of years.
According to Carr’s report, the site may be one of two major Late Archaic cemeteries in the region. As excavation continues under archaeological supervision, further discoveries are expected to provide new insights into Miami’s earliest known inhabitants.
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Are we going to stop construction every time a pointed stick is found?
Respecting history, while laughed at in Miami and in other parts of the US, is valued elsewhere in the the World. Surprise, surprise – you can actually learn a thing or 2 from history. So many Americans are ignorant dolts.
Indeed, too much of Miami’s history is being destroyed, with pre-war buildings destroyed for stucco or glass boxes, or altered beyond recognition. Yet, when something that pays homage to Miami’s architectural heritage and will bring in millions for the economy is under construction, why so much fuss over arrowheads and glass beads.