A 211-unit apartment complex with workforce housing is planned for the Naranja neighborhood in south Miami-Dade County. Alcazar Development Group has proposed the Aura Living project on a 4.3-acre vacant site at the southeast corner of Southwest 280th Street/Waldin Drive and Southwest 152nd Avenue, according to filings made last week.
Alcazar, based in South Miami, submitted a zoning verification request to Miami-Dade County as part of its application to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC). This step is necessary for developers seeking funding and incentives for affordable and workforce housing. FHFC offers state and federal loans and grants for projects that include below-market rate units.
At least 12.5 percent of apartments at Aura Living—27 units—will be offered at workforce rents. In Miami-Dade County, these are reserved for households earning between 60 percent and 140 percent of the area median income (AMI). The current AMI in Miami-Dade is $87,200, according to FHFC.
The development received administrative site plan approval in 2021. Designed by Anillo. Toledo. Lopez, it will consist of two six-story buildings and one four-story building.
Alcazar purchased the land for $3.1 million in 2015. The firm is led by Jose Jorge Figueroa, Justo Fernandez, and Guillermo Villar.
In 2018, Alcazar completed The Olivia apartment complex nearby in Leisure City with 288 units across three stories. The company sold The Olivia to an entity tied to Artemis Real Estate Partners and Grand Peaks for $70.5 million in 2021.
Most of Alcazar’s other projects are also located in south Miami-Dade.
South Miami-Dade has seen increased interest from developers due to its large supply of less expensive land compared to other parts of the county. The region includes municipalities such as Homestead and Florida City as well as unincorporated neighborhoods like Naranja, Leisure City, Princeton, and Goulds.
Other developments are also planned near Aura Living. MAS AJP intends to build Mandarin Lakes Traditional Neighborhood Development—a mixed-use project with more than 500 residential units and commercial space—on over 200 acres nearby. Additional proposals include a seven-story apartment building by Aconcagua on South Dixie Highway at Southwest 264th Avenue/Bauer Drive; Shadi Shomar, Gonzalo De Ramon, Ghassan Abboud, Roger Abboud, and Royal American Construction plan two eight-story buildings totaling 278 units at another location within Naranja.
