More than 80 guests, including members of the town council, attended the Miami Lakes Chamber of Commerce luncheon on March 12 to hear executives with The Graham Companies describe the status of its retail, hospitality and residential projects.
Lake Katharine Shopping Center
Demolition of the 52-year-old commercial building began in June, 2024. Rebuilding it to hold two restaurants and retail shops in 12,429 square feet should be finished this year. It will bring new amenities to the east side of town, at 6105 Miami Lakes Drive.
“We really think it’s a great upgrade for the area,” said Laura W. Ratliff, vice president of the Commercial Division.
Main Street
“Main Street is the core of our town, and we want it to continue to thrive and grow and be the place everybody wants to be,” Ratliff said.
Rebuilding of the parking lots and drainage will begin this year as renovation plans for the street progresses.
“We’re really, really excited,” Ratliff said. “We’ve taken years of experience and feedback from our tenants and are going to bring it up to current standards,” she said.
Main Street is about 40 years old. Among the plans are repurposing four of the 17 theaters in the CMX complex, next to the Garrison Taproom.
“We are starting to figure out how to take old movie theaters and make it something wonderful,” Ratliff said. “Some will become retail storefronts.”
At the former sushi buffet restaurant near the fountain, the company hopes to have two restaurants, with outdoor dining too.
The former Miami Lakes Jewelers store will house two businesses and one of those spaces is already leased.
“Continue to be patient with us and I can guarantee you’ll be more excited to see the end of it than I am,” Ratliff said. “We’re really hoping with the renovation, it’s set up to have events.”
She showed the audience a list of 29 industrial, retail and office tenants who signed or renewed leases or expanded in the last six months.
Most impactful is the Baptist Health Emergency Center at 15200 NW 77th Court. It opened March 6 and has been treating patients. She also mentioned Venture X, a shared office space on New Barn Road that can accommodate 81 small firms.
“It is a wonderful addition that allows a lot of flexibility for businesses and people working in Miami Lakes,” Ratliff said.
She took questions, including about an office building once planned for 7900 Oak Lane.
“We’re not sure the market will support an office building right now,” Ratliff said. “When we started that project, the world was different. We’ve paused that and are trying to figure out what the best use of it is.”
Residents often ask why Miami Lakes doesn’t have a Whole Foods store.
Ratliff said, “We would love to have a Trader Joe’s, a Whole Foods or a Fresh Market and we have pursued them and pursued them and pursued them in the past.”
When those businesses look for new locations they use very particular guidelines and income metrics, she said.
“And unfortunately, they have basically told us that Miami Lakes is not a fit,” she said. “We have tried to integrate them into so many new projects and every time we approach them, it’s a ‘No’. It’s not because we don’t want them. We would love to have any thriving concept like that in Miami Lakes. So we continue to pursue what we see as the best options that fit and that we can get here.”
She said Philip Wyllie, director of Commercial Leasing for the company, attends conferences with those retailers.
“We continue to evaluate if things are changing with them, if there is a concept that fits for our town,” Ratliff said.
South Pointe Apartments & Shops
In January, the company began renting 179 apartments and approximately 14,000 square feet of retail space at 8205 Commerce Way.
Commercial tenants include The Suite Garden (owned by The Nail Garden salons), which plans to build spaces for independent beauty and personal care professionals in a large storefront in one of three buildings.
Katie Martinez, portfolio manager of the Residential Division, presented photographs of the pool with a view of Graham Dairy Lake; a business center and two conference rooms that are free for residents to reserve; a club room with coffee bar and game table; a fully equipped gym and a dog park.
Each unit has a balcony, stainless steel appliances, washer and dryer and in the one-bedroom apartments, a moveable kitchen island with storage.
Asked whether the company provided affordable housing, she said while South Pointe is not, many of the company’s apartments in Miami Lakes meet the requirements for affordable housing.
Miami Lakes Golf Club - The Residences & Shops on NINE
Development Manager Mike Martinez described the site plan approved by the town in 2022. Construction will begin in May and is expected to end in the second quarter of 2027.
The $110 million project has three components: A driving range building; a club house and a mixed-use building, with 278 apartments in seven stories. There will be a “wrapped” parking garage somewhat camouflaged from the street and 10,000 square feet of commercial space.
“We’re excited about the commercial space on the corner along the entry road that will be double height,” he said. “We hope it will give a dramatic effect when you walk into the space and make it more sellable to a higher end restaurant. We’ve also provided enough space directly outside the restaurant for outdoor seating.”
Residents will be able to reserve four business rooms. There will also be two pet grooming stations; a large clubroom for a casual space to work from during the day and a space to entertain guests at night and on weekends that will have TVs, a pool table, views of the resort style pool and the golf course. Also on site: a large fully equipped fitness center and two BBQs.
Asked about traffic from the new housing developments, Ratliff said, “We care about traffic because it impacts all of you and you guys are the businesses that drive Miami Lakes and are the backbone of our business. When we do a development, it’s something that is top of mind for us.”
Mike Martinez said land in the golf club project was reserved for a new entrance turn lane and a new turn lane onto the eastbound Palmetto Expressway ramp, but that a traffic study found they weren’t needed at this time.
“If we wanted to add one in the future, we’ll be able to do so,” he said.
Ratliff said after the 6600 Main apartments were built, expected increases in traffic around Northwest 67th Avenue didn’t happen.
“Somehow everybody comes and goes at their own time,” she said.
Developer impact fees from the 6600 Main project funded two improvements in town: The turn lane into the Windmill Gate Shopping Center and the adaptive light synchronization on Northwest 154th St., Mike Martinez said after the meeting.
“We’ve been really lucky to be able to work with the town to do some of the traffic improvements and we’ve been able to keep some of the impact fees in the town of Miami Lakes, rather than sending them off to Miami-Dade County to be used elsewhere,” Ratliff said. “We think that’s really meaningful because we can make changes in our community.”
Outgoing Chamber President Fred Senra, a partner in Miami Lakes AutoMall, said of the new housing, “The way I look at it is we have another 800 potential customers who are buying cars and servicing cars. I’m all for it.”
Mayor Josh Dieguez said, “There is a lot more pedestrian traffic as people get into the walkability cycle, going back and forth to the gym and the shops.”
Miami Lakes Golf Club - Driving Range and Clubhouse
Danny Martinez, project manager in the Construction Division, described how the new driving range will provide golfers with the latest amenities that will work in all kinds of South Florida weather.
“We’re going to be a place where serious golfers play and a place where you can do TopGolf-type activities,” he said.
There will be teaching bays, and a home for First Tee Miami’s golf program for kids.
Golfers will also be able to replicate a round at famous courses like Augusta National Golf Club -- on video simulators.
The clubhouse will have a banquet facility to accommodate 250 guests; a members’ lounge, bar and restaurant with big TVs and card tables and will be “a place to chill after a round,” he said.
“A massive terrace along the north end of the building will be able to host cocktail parties for weddings.”
Last November, the club stopped golf operations to completely renovate the course. The irrigation system was replaced, greens were raised above flood levels, holes were moved, sod was put down and trees were planted. Barring big storms or other unforeseen events, golfers may be able to play as soon as this November.
“We want to be the coolest golf course, the most fun golf course,” he said.
First photo: Executives with The Graham Companies share development plans with the Miami Lakes Chamber of Commerce during its luncheon at the Miami Lakes Hotel on Main on March 12. From left: Danny Martinez, project manager, Construction; Mike Martinez, development manager; Katie Martinez, portfolio manager, Residential and Laura Wyllie Ratliff, vice president, Commercial Division. Photo: Matthew Casamayor.