555 apartments planned in Hialeah near hospital, transit station

By Brian Bandell for South Florida Business Journal

8-story project is proposed by the founder of a medical center company

Benjamín León, Jr., the founder of Leon Medical Centers, has proposed a multifamily building next to his health care facility in Hialeah.

The city council will consider the land use amendment for the four-acre site at 555 East 25th Street, plus 502 to 552 East 26th Street on June 11. Currently with a parking lot for LMC employees and vacant land, the property is owned by 555 East 25th Street LLC, which belongs to León.

It’s located a few blocks east of the Hialeah Metrorail Station and the Hialeah Park Casino and former race course. Hialeah Hospital is also nearby.

León wants to change the land use from “low-density residential” to “transit-oriented development district” in order to build 555 multifamily units, 26,400 square feet of ground-floor commercial space and 834 parking spaces in eight stories.

The amenities would include a fitness center, an Uber pickup lounge, a yoga studio, a clubroom, a courtyard and bike storage. The developer said 5% of the units would be reserved for the city’s “Hialeah Heroes” programing, meaning they would be workforce housing with a preference for city police officers, first responders, firefighters, nurses, teachers and city employees.

The developer said LMC would build a parking garage for its employees to make up for the loss of surface parking.

Miami-based attorney Alejandro J. Arias, who represents the developer in the application, couldn’t be reached for comment. The developer also has a rezoning application pending before the city, but it’s not scheduled for a vote yet.

LMC is one of the largest providers of care for Medicare beneficiaries in Miami-Dade County.

“The project’s location within a unique mixture of commercial, health care and residential uses also allows for an excellent opportunity for employee in the immediate vicinity to live within close proximity of their jobs,” Arias stated in the application. “This project will also serve as a catalyst for the redevelopment of this strategically located area of the city, that will allow many residents to transport easily throughout the city without the need of a car.”

Hialeah officials have encouraged more development near mass transit stations.

External Source: Benjamin Leon Jr. of Leon Medical Centers plans apartments in Hialeah – South Florida Business Journal (bizjournals.com)