5 November 13-19, 2025 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NEWS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | Month XX–Month XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | RIPTIDE | METRO | NIGHT+DAY | STAGE | ART | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | ZONING ON THE EDGEWATER Residents say Edge House developer is exploiting zoning loopholes. BY YUVAL OFIR B y 6 a.m., a steady me- chanical hum seeps into bedrooms at Quantum on the Bay in Edgewater, the soundtrack of Edge House construction on the other side of the narrow alley behind their building. The developer has floated a so-called Good Neighbor Agreement that would have al- lowed 5 a.m. concrete pours under a city noise waiver, with token concessions like debris netting and pool-deck cleanings, but none of the closest buildings signed on. To neighbors, the proposal looked less like a gesture of goodwill and more like a developer tactic to se- cure waivers while sidestepping the real disruptions residents are already experiencing. Consider- ing that construction has taken place at all hours, despite the lack of signed agreements, their con- cerns seem well-founded. Edge House is the latest monolith due to rise in Edgewater’s skyline, a 57-story tower marketed to buyers as a condo with short-term rental flexibility. “With short-term rentals per- mitted, residents will have the flexibility to capitalize on Miami’s thriving tourism indus- try,” a September 2024 Edge House blog reads, “making it not just a residence but an invest- ment opportunity unlike any other.” That contradiction is no accident: it’s en- abled by the Miami 21 Code of Ordinances, the city’s form-based zoning code, which de- velopers and their architects have learned to treat as a playbook of exploitable loopholes. The zoning analysis Edge House filed with the city is explicit: “Hotel units to be used for short-term stay (30 days or less).” Under Mi- ami 21 Article 4, lodging uses are subject to lighter parking requirements and have clearer paths to obtaining zoning waivers. But its marketing tells a different story. On Instagram and at a Biscayne Boulevard sales gallery, the high-end condos are sold as a “luxury home-sharing tower” with 608 turnkey residences and “flexible owner- ship.” A petition opposing the project, signed by more than 1,500 neighbors, spells out the frustration: “The developers appear to be disclosing two different narratives: one to foreign and local investors and an- other to city officials. This is a blatant viola- tion of ethical business practices and potentially legal regulations, as it misleads the public and undermines the trust in the planning and approval processes.” “The applicant is proposing a hotel with 608 Lodging Units,” a City of Miami spokes- person wrote in an email inquiring about whether the property was a hotel or resi- dence. “For all lodging uses stays must be less than 1 month in duration. Please note that each lodging unit has a density of 0.5 dwelling units. Thus, if they have 608 lodging units then their total density on site will be 304 units as lodging units have half of the density of a multifam- ily dwelling units.” Miami 21’s public benefits program is de- signed to balance taller towers with civic amenities, including parks, plazas, play- grounds, community gardens, and open spaces. In practice, the benefits often vanish once shovels hit the dirt. At Edge House’s September 17 Urban Development Review Board hearing, the team flip-flopped on whether its promised park would even be open to the public. Edge House’s detrimental impacts are visi- ble long before it opens its doors. The shared alley behind Quantum on the Bay and the 1800 Club has already taken a beating from heavy equipment and service trucks, with residents reporting broken pavement and worsening disrepair. Mature trees on the property were removed under circumstances neighbors say were misrepresented to the city. Complaints also point to crews starting work outside ap- proved hours and blocking public sidewalks before permits for closures were even in place. For neighbors, the pattern is clear: if these are the developer’s practices during construction, the neighborhood can expect little regard for rules once the tower opens. Edge House did not return New Times’ re- quests for comment via phone or email. Beyond the quality of life issues that Edgewater residents face during construc- tion, adding a short-term rental property to the block often comes with its own drama. Opera Tower embraced short-term rentals in the last decade, and chaos followed: party units, shootings, and round-the-clock turn- over. In 2020, its condo association sued Airbnb, arguing the building had become an “unlicensed hotel.” Only after stricter house rules did the building stabilize. Developers often work with architects who are well-versed in the complexities of the city’s zoning code. Kobi Karp, the archi- tect behind Edge House, has designed nu- merous projects under the code, including the 1600 Edgewater tower, the Ellipsis proj- ect on NE 26th Street, and the Edgewater Collective towers at 1900 and 2000 Biscayne Boulevard. His firm is recognized for its fa- miliarity with navigating Miami’s develop- ment regulations. Kobi Karp did not respond to a New Times email request for comment. Edge House is not a one-off. Within a few blocks, at least three more towers are in pro- cess: the twin 42-story Edgewater Collective, 1600 Edgewater, and 2900 Terrace. Together, they add thousands of units to a district where the infrastructure already strains. This wave traces back to Miami 21. Pitched in 2009 as a progressive, walkable zoning code under Mayor Manny Diaz, it was shaped with significant input from developers. Its DNA fa- vors density, waivers, and “public benefits” that often stay private. And since 2025, the Administrative Site Plan Review process has streamlined development approvals and eliminated the need for special permits for projects that meet zoning requirements. Edge House reflects broader trends in Mi- ami’s development landscape, where con- struction has accelerated faster than upgrades to local infrastructure. Each new project adds to the demand on existing roads, drainage systems, and schools. More than a decade after Miami 21’s adoption, questions remain about whether the code has delivered the balanced, livable growth it envisioned. Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Amara Wynwood did not deliver on a promise for a bayfront public park. That text has been removed from this story. [email protected] Edge House is the latest tower set to rise in Edgewater’s skyline — a 57-story condo marketed for its short-term rental flexibility. Photo courtesy of City of Miami | METRO | “THE DEVELOPERS APPEAR TO BE DISCLOSING TWO DIFFERENT NARRATIVES: ONE TO FOREIGN AND LOCAL INVESTORS AND ANOTHER TO CITY OFFICIALS.”
