Since 1962, The Graham Companies has followed a master plan for the development of its dairy farm into the Town of Miami Lakes.
“It’s kind of unusual for a developer to come up with a plan and stay true to it for all of these years,” Stuart Wyllie, president and chief executive officer of The Graham Companies told the Miami Lakes Chamber of Commerce at their Nov. 16 luncheon.
“We’ve made very, very few changes to this plan,” he said.
In town, the company has built and manages nine apartment communities; five shopping centers; Main Street with its shops and residences; 15 office buildings and the landmark golf course.
During his presentation that included history of the firm’s founder Ernest “Cap” Graham -- who once lived on a houseboat on a canal near Okeechobee Road -- Wyllie described projects that will provide new options for housing, health care, shopping, recreation and entertainment.
--South Pointe, 8205 Commerce Way. Under construction, completion goal is August 2024. It will have 179 apartments with views of Graham Dairy Lake and ground-floor commercial spaces.
--Lakeside Village, 14500 Commerce Way. Construction begins mid-2023. The company will build a 6,500 square-foot senior activity center to donate to the town; there will be 220 units with lake views for residents 65 and older who can enjoy a pool, clubhouse and other amenities, and housing for assisted living and memory care patients.
--Baptist Health Emergency Care Center, Northwest 77th Court at Northwest 149th Street. Baptist will build a single-story, 19,800-square-foot facility. In the permitting phase, it will serve residents of Lakeside Village and there is a nursing school nearby.
--Miami Lakes Golf Club, 7601 Miami Lakes Drive. A $110 million project, groundbreaking expected mid-2024. Planned are improved drainage on the golf course; The Residences & Shops on NINE’s 278 apartments that will encase a parking garage; a two-story restaurant and about 6,000 square feet of retail space on Northwest 154th Street. Also, a meeting and banquet facility and driving range with amenities.
“We didn’t rezone anything, and the density is significantly less than we could have put on it,” Wyllie said.
--Main Street. An architect is working on a redesign “to give Main Street a whole new look,” Wyllie said. “This will be a big undertaking, but it’ll be great.”