The January 22nd Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Developers Forum showcased projects that aren't just reshaping our skyline, they're solving real community challenges and creating opportunities that will impact South Florida for generations.
This year's Developers Forum featured two sessions exploring the innovative approaches driving our region's growth: public-private partnerships tackling critical infrastructure and affordable housing needs, and master-planned communities redefining what mixed-use development can achieve.
The first session, moderated by Heather Jonczak of Carlton Fields, brought together David Burstyn of Redwood Dev Co and Joshua Coulter of Plenary Americas to discuss how strategic partnerships between cities and private developers are accomplishing what neither could achieve alone.
In North Miami, the Claude Pepper Park Global District is transforming a former landfill into one of the city's most significant investments in affordable housing and public space. The scope is impressive. Approximately 2,000+ affordable residential units across eight buildings, over 120,000 square feet of commercial space, a comprehensively renovated park and community center, a Miami Jewish Health PACE medical campus, and neighborhood retail, including a full-service grocery store addressing food access gaps.
But the real story is how they're making it happen. The site came with serious challenges — contaminated soils, groundwater impacts, and methane gas emissions from its landfill past. Through Brownfield designation and CRA partnership, what was once unusable city-owned land is becoming a district that will serve residents for generations.
The project also includes major water, sewer, and drainage upgrades benefiting not just the development but surrounding neighborhoods, addressing long-standing infrastructure needs that represent permanent public benefit.
Financing affordable housing at this scale requires intricate coordination of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, tax-exempt bonds, state funding, and local support. It's complex work, but the result delivers 100% affordable and mixed-income housing, healthcare access, community programming, jobs, and infrastructure improvements that strengthen the entire area.
Plenary Americas is pioneering a different approach with the Osvaldo N. Soto Miami-Dade Justice Center — Florida's first social infrastructure public-private partnership. The 25-story courthouse with 46 courtrooms replaces the functionally obsolete 1924 building that's decades beyond its useful life. More importantly, it establishes a model for how Florida can tackle other critical infrastructure needs through strategic partnerships.
These P3 projects demonstrate that when cities and developers align around shared goals, they can deliver affordable housing, environmental remediation, and public amenities together, tackling challenges that traditional development models simply can't solve.
The afternoon session revealed why Miami Freedom Park is generating so much attention and why it's fundamentally different from typical sports developments.
Moderated by Jose Gonzalez of GLC Real Estate, the panel featured Terry Fraser-Reid of Miami Freedom Park, Michael Goldban of Magellan Realty Group, and Andrew Trench of Cushman & Wakefield.
Terry Fraser-Reid, Senior Real Estate Development Executive at Miami Freedom Park, had a message for the room: "Miami Freedom Park is not just a stadium, it's so much more than that." Since breaking ground in August 2023 on the former Melreese Golf Course site, strategically positioned just southeast of Miami International Airport, the project has been moving at a remarkable pace. The 27,000-seat stadium opens on April 4th for Inter Miami CF's first match.
But the stadium is just the beginning.
The full development encompasses over 200 million square feet, including 750+ hotel keys, up to 750,000 square feet of Class A office space, diverse retail and entertainment, and a 58-acre public park that will rank among the largest the city is building. The goal: a 365-day-a-year destination, not just a game-day venue. Miami Freedom Park is taking a different approach. Instead of building traditional retail around the stadium, they're creating an entertainment and community hub that happens to host world-class soccer.
The project's first retail announcement captures their philosophy perfectly. Popstroke, the Tiger Woods-backed entertainment golf concept, became the inaugural tenant for a specific reason. The appeal? A customer base that spans from 5 to 95 years old, at price points that don't exclude anyone. It's the kind of tenant that works whether there's a soccer match happening or not, whether you're bringing your kids for an afternoon out or meeting colleagues for a casual round. This accessibility isn't accidental; it's the core strategy.
For the business community, Miami Freedom Park offers something that has been difficult to find in South Florida: the walkable, street-level experience of a Central Business District combined with the accessibility of a regional hub.
Andrew Trench, Executive Managing Director at Cushman & Wakefield, outlined the office strategy: three phased buildings of roughly 250,000 square feet each, rather than one massive tower. The first breaks ground this year and is already being actively marketed.
"That allows us to engage the market progressively," Trench explained.
The location advantages are compelling — direct access to the Dolphin Expressway, Miami International Airport, and the Miami Intermodal Center. But it's the on-the-ground experience that sets it apart: outdoor wellness spaces, eclectic dining options, and world-class entertainment create an environment designed for the companies shaping Miami's future.
Michael Goldban, Founder, Magellan Realty Group, who previously worked on Miami Worldcenter, emphasized the opportunity: "Miami is truly one of the best markets in the country, if not the world, to develop from a retail and office standpoint."
The 58-acre public park isn't just amenity space; it's a statement of intent. With playgrounds, walking trails, and soccer fields, it's designed to invite neighbors in and give locals genuine reasons to visit beyond match days.
The development team emphasized throughout the session that while tourists will certainly be welcome, the primary focus is on creating something for locals. Miami Freedom Park aims to become the city's next great district, one that understands Miami's character as a city of neighborhoods, each with its own distinct personality.
It's about creating something authentically Miami that serves the community 365 days a year, not just when there's a game on the schedule. The park, the entertainment options, the dining experiences — all designed to function as a real neighborhood, not just a stadium complex.
Both sessions highlighted how South Florida is tackling complex challenges through innovative approaches, whether through public-private collaboration delivering affordable housing and critical infrastructure, or master-planned communities creating genuine neighborhoods with year-round activation.
With the Justice Center under construction, Claude Pepper Park phases delivering housing and amenities, and Miami Freedom Park's stadium opening in weeks, these aren't distant concepts — they're reshaping our region right now.
For our business community, these projects represent the kind of forward-thinking development that creates lasting value and opportunity. They show what's possible when vision meets execution, when public and private sectors align, and when developers commit to creating places that truly serve our communities.
South Florida's transformation is happening in real time and these projects are leading the way.
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The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce's Developers Forum continues to showcase the visionary projects and leaders shaping South Florida's real estate landscape. For more information about upcoming programs and events, visit miamichamber.com/events.