Take a Tour of SoLé Mia, North Miami’s Mini-City
With almost 4,000 units and 1.5 million square feet of commercial space, SoLe Mia is shaping up to be a massive live-work-play hub. LeFrak's Mario Gaztambide expands.
Situated on 184 acres near Oleta River State Park in North Miami, SoLé Mia is a $4 billion master-planned community that encompasses luxury living, nature, wellness, recreation, shopping, dining and more. The mini-city is rising at the intersection of NE 151 Street and Biscayne Boulevard, with three residential buildings—The Shoreline, Villa SoLé and Villa Laguna—already completed. Two others are currently underway and slated for delivery by 2027, including a 30-story tower that will add almost 300 units to the Miami luxury condo market.
LeFrak and Turnberry are behind this massive mixed-use development that is set to feature 4,390 residential units and 1.5 million square feet of commercial space, all centered around a 7-acre man made lagoon, the first of its kind in the area. Multi-Housing News asked Mario Gaztambide, senior managing director of residential properties at LeFrak, to reveal details about this waterfront community that has been making waves in the South Florida apartment market.
How challenging is the process of transforming an empty plot of land into a fully integrated community? What are you currently working on and when will we see new buildings coming online?
Gaztambide: We had the incredibly rare opportunity to reimagine more than 184 acres in Miami and create a thriving new neighborhood from the ground up. The vision for SoLé Mia…evolved from our decades of experience delivering successful master-planned projects. Together with our partner, Turnberry, we understand what residents today are looking for and developed SoLé Mia with their needs and desires in mind, from a lagoon with an array of waterfront experiences to first-class sporting and medical facilities.
With more than 1,000 residents already calling SoLé Mia home across three rental buildings, there are two more residential towers currently under development and construction, slated to be completed over the next several years.
Later this year, we’ll welcome a new Mediterranean dining concept by The Motek Group, Sesame Bakery & Café, which is just a short walk from our residences, and an iconic park and playground.
UHealth, a 363,000-square foot ambulatory medical facility, will open their largest world-class outpatient medical facility at the property in 2025, while construction for Mater Academy, a K-5 charter school, and Reserve Padel, a premier two-story padel club, are also underway, as is a luxury condominium, ONE Park Tower by Turnberry.
How did you decide on which features to include in this massive development?
Gaztambide: It was and continues to be our goal to introduce amenities that touch all facets of our residents’ lives—from education and fitness to relaxation and recreation. Our iconic Kompan-designed interactive playground and 17,500-square-foot dog park both reside in SoLé Mia Square, a village center to SoLé Mia which creates moments for connection among residents looking to gather and socialize.
The village is a crucial component to the success of the thriving neighborhood, and our more than 1,000 residents already take full advantage of these amenities so it’s a buzz year-round with pet owners walking their dogs, parents strolling with their children and people of all ages interacting with their neighbors for a true sense of community that most gravitate toward when moving to a new city.
Wellness and access to recreation was a huge consideration for LeFrak and Turnberry when developing SoLé Mia, as well as positioning the community around our 7-acre lagoon, Laguna SoLé, which provides spectacular waterfront views and a variety of water sports experiences. Our forthcoming new padel club will also provide its members access to one of the world’s fastest growing sports as well a state-of-the-art gym.
Health seems to be a key component of SoLé Mia. Why did you put health at the forefront of the development?
Gaztambide: More than ever, people are prioritizing their health and wellness. Having nearby access to treatment from some of the most renowned specialists in the country is the ultimate convenience. The most successful neighborhoods provide residents with truly livable homes, access to quality education options, easy access to mass transit, ample green space for fitness and relaxation and, of course, convenient health-care services nearby.
SoLé Mia is set to include several swimming pools. All images courtesy of LeFrak 
Communal tables and high-top bar seating for meetings or casual gatherings will be available at the property. 
SoLé Mia will include acres of green spaces and parks. 
SoLé Mia will feature various options for entertainment, including pool cabanas.
Tell us more about the role that the recreational facilities will play in promoting a healthy lifestyle within the community.
Gaztambide: SoLé Mia will ultimately have hiking and jogging paths that circumnavigate all of SoLé Mia to encourage movement, one of the most important pillars of any new wellness-inspired project. Extensive green space not only creates a sense of oasis at SoLé Mia but has been scientifically proven to promote happiness and a more well-rounded everyday lifestyle among city dwellers, so these foundational components of SoLé Mia are easily enhanced by our wide array of amenities.
The elevated residential lifestyle at SoLé Mia is enhanced by its numerous of resort-style amenities including recreation, shopping, dining, wellness, nature and more, making it a serene, tropical North Miami oasis nearby Miami Beach, downtown Miami, Bal Harbour and Aventura. Particularly unique to SoLé Mia is our swimmable, freshwater lagoon complete with play floats and sandy beaches for friends and family to relax and make memories together on a beautiful waterfront, exclusively for residents and their guests.
Residents also have ample opportunity to keep active since in addition to several pools, SoLé Mia has a jogging and bike path throughout our 37 acres of open space, with an iconic, interactive play structure available in the center of the community for children to gather as well. Reserve Padel will also soon open its first permanent location to introduce a deluxe, two-story racquet sports facility, including padel and pickleball courts and a spa so that residents are able to pursue their most active lifestyle however and whenever they please.
How is Solé Mia accommodating residents’ need to work fully or partially remotely?
Gaztambide: Complimentary, first-come-first-serve private offices are available to people seeking a quiet desk away from home, while residents who are more social can be seated at our long coworking tables where they can meet neighbors and enjoy water-cooler conversations throughout their workday.
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What’s the economic impact of the development on North Miami and the surrounding areas?
Gaztambide: SoLé Mia has already significantly improved the growing North Miami and surrounding areas and will only continue to do so. Having already attracted thousands of residents, as additional amenities approach completion, in addition to the commercial tenants already onsite, we will continue to add thousands of new jobs.
Do you have other large projects planned for South Florida?
Gaztambide: Our Bisby at Newport in New Jersey recently launched a new rental offering set to begin move-ins in the coming weeks with several new buildings in the works over the next few years as the development moves into a new phase.
That said, our current focus lies with the 184-acre SoLé Mia and bringing each aspect of the development—from its sophisticated residential offerings to its wide array of recreational, wellness and educational amenities—to fruition. With still a good amount of land available onsite for development, we have ample opportunity to continue enhancing the already robust community of families and working professionals.
Additionally, our partners at Turnberry have several projects in development, from the 800-key Miami Beach Convention Center Hotel as well as the St. Regis Hotel and Residences in Nashville.
