Urban Development Review Board (UDRB) Meeting – March 18, 2026

The UDRB convened on March 18, 2026, at 7:00 PM to consider a single agenda item: the proposed mixed-use residential project at 119 Northwest 29th Street, known as the Frida Kahlo Winwood Residence. The project, presented by property manager Property Markets Group and architect Cube 3, involves 244 residential units, office/co‑working space, and ground‑floor commercial uses across a 12‑story frontage on 29th Street and an 8‑story frontage on 30th Street, with dual zoning (T6‑8‑0 / NRD‑1 and T5‑0 / NRD‑2). The board heard a presentation, discussed design concerns, and ultimately approved the project with conditions and recommendations.

Discussion Items

• Project Presentation: Applicant Javier Avignon (Bills and Sunberg) along with developer Adrian Hartman, architect Eric Samuelson (Cube 3), and landscape architect Chris Cabezas presented the project. They noted the dual‑zoning situation required duplicative waiver requests and that the project had already received unanimous approval from the Wynwood Design Review Committee (WDRC) with two conditions: (1) maintain art on the east facade with the adjacent property, and (2) shift art treatment to the lower ground level and main facade on NW 29th Street, exploring additional art interventions tied to Frida Kahlo. The building design uses GFRC panels and curved forms to create a sculptural appearance, with a large Frida Kahlo mural on the east facade. The amenity deck on the 8th‑story level is inspired by Kahlo’s residence.
• Board Comments and Critique:
  • Member Zamsis: Criticized the north facade on 30th Street as lacking pedestrian value, with only a small lobby, utility rooms, and two driveways. He noted long dead‑end corridors and questioned the recess above the 8th floor on the east elevation (attributed to zoning requirements). He urged enhancing the north facade to match the dignity of the south side.
  • Member Perez‑Azua: Praised the art and overall scale but felt the south elevation appeared as “different buildings” – a glassy upper portion disconnected from the sculptural base. He recommended integrating balconies further into the south facade and noted a discrepancy between renderings regarding east‑facing balconies; the applicant confirmed the version with balconies is the one seeking approval.
  • Member (unidentified, likely Garlardo?): Commended the massing, articulation, and resolution of the dual zoning, calling it a positive impact on the area. He appreciated the presentation of physical mass models.
  • Member Barrera: Liked the inspiration from Frida Kahlo but felt the building appeared “lackluster” and not fully sculptural – described the east facade arches as “butchered.” He suggested making corners more sculptural, especially the buttress‑like columns on 30th Street, and questioned the mixed tree species and large trees on the amenity deck. He also asked about the office/co‑working spaces (confirmed as deeded exclusively for unit owners).
  • Chair Labrada: Found the south facade successful but noted the roofline could better integrate the sculptural elements. She expressed concern about the amenity deck between two buildings and potential future development on the east side (an infill lot), but the applicant stated the adjacent lot is unlikely to reach the same height. She recommended adding balconies and expressing vehicular entries more clearly on the north facade.
• Applicant Response: The team acknowledged the comments and committed to refinements, particularly in response to the WDRC conditions about additional art on the 29th Street facade.

Key Outcomes

• Motion for Approval: Member Barrera moved for approval with conditions and recommendations. The motion was seconded.
• Conditions (binding):
  1. Increase sculptural elements on all facades, especially on Northwest 30th Street, more specifically the columns on that facade.
  2. Integrate balconies further into the south facade on Northwest 29th Street.
• Recommendations (non‑binding):
  • Revisit the roofline to include similar architectural expressions as the ground floor.
  • (Additional suggestions from members, such as refining the north elevation and tree selection, were noted but not formally included in the motion.)
• Vote: The board voted unanimously in favor (members Zamsis, Premui, Perez Azua, Garlardo, Behar, Barrera, Zapatini, and Chair Labrada all voted “yes”).
• Next Steps: The applicant will incorporate the conditions and recommendations before proceeding with further permits. The meeting was adjourned.