Developer proposes affordable townhouses in Florida City

By Brian Bandell for the South Florida Business Journal

Miami Lakes-based Centennial Management Corp. has proposed an affordable townhouse community in Florida City.

Cordova Estate LLC, managed by Lewis Swezy, the head of Centennial Management, filed a municipal pre-application with Miami-Dade County officials for the 12.9-acre site at 321 E. Davis Parkway. The developer acquired the vacant property for $5.7 million in February.

It’s located just east of Florida’s Turnpike, near where it makes its southernmost exit onto U.S. 1.

Cordova Estates would have 190 townhouses, a clubhouse and 418 surface parking spaces.

The townhouses would range from 1,578 to 2,225 square feet. There would be 92 two-bedroom units and 98 three-bedroom units.

The application states the developer would take low-income housing tax credits for the project to support affordable housing.

Swezy, a veteran affordable housing developer, couldn’t be reached for comment. Miami-based Modis Architects designed the project.

With rents spiking by double digits in Miami-Dade, there’s been strong demand for affordable housing. Florida City is an attractive area for affordable housing developers because it has a relatively low cost of land, so building there is less expensive. However, it’s far from the county’s major employment centers.

External Source: Centennial Management Corp. plans Cordova Estates affordable housing in Florida City – South Florida Business Journal (bizjournals.com)