Brownsville Transit Village

THE OPPORTUNITY

Roughly 5.8 acres of County-owned land were occupied by a vastly underutilized parking lot serving the Browns­ville Metrorail Station. Looking for ways to best lever­age its asset, Miami-Dade County reached out to several groups for solutions.

THE APPROACH

In partnership with Miami-Dade Transit and St. Agnes Community Development Corporation, whose mission is to develop affordable housing for low- and moderate- in­come inner city families, Carlisle proposed a development strategy that would provide substantial ground lease pay­ments to both St. Agnes CDC and the County. The ulti­mate result of this unique public-private partnership will be a vibrant mixed-use, transit-oriented, affordable hous­ing community and a catalyst for future development in the Brownsville neighborhood.

Phases I and II were primarily financed through the Tax Credit Exchange Program (TCEP), promulgated under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA). The two phases also received supplemental loans for adopt­ing greater set-asides for households earning up to 33% of area median income (AMI), and Surtax funds from Miami-Dade County. Phases III and IV utilized traditional Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity in addition to County Surtax and TCEP gap funds.

In order to become a true transit-oriented development, BTV needed to create a dense community and a destina­tion for transit riders throughout the County. To ensure that this plan would complement the existing low-density neighborhood, Carlisle worked closely with the Browns­ville Neighborhood Civic Association to develop a shared vision for the master plan. As a result, generous setbacks and massing, as well as townhomes lining the parking garage, offer a less intimidating visual approach to the neighborhood. Additionally, ground floor retail spaces accommodating a mix of uses, along with the open lay­out of the development, will ultimately contribute to a valuable civic space for the community.

Further, designed with green-living in mind, BTV will also include numerous energy and water efficiency features as part of its LEED-certified designation.

THE RESULTS

When complete, BTV will be the largest transit-oriented development of its kind in the country. It will also be the 1st LEED certified transit-oriented development in Miami-Dade County.

As a true mixed-use and mixed-income community, BTV will establish a walkable, live-work-play environment. The project will bring in new investment and new re­tail opportunities as well as serve as a model for future sustainable development in Miami’s inner city. Addi­tionally, the development will help to increase transit ridership, reduce the impact of suburban sprawl, and provide residents with immediate and convenient ac­cess to most of Miami-Dade’s employment centers.