Lennar pitches 7,800 homes on 960 acres; monster ‘City Park’ project crosses UDB

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Oh look, Lennar is back to nibble away at the Urban Development Boundary — again.

The Miami-Dade based developing giant — second largest homebuilder in the U.S. — has dusted off an old West Kendall land grab and this time, they brought friends and fresh asphalt.

After more than a decade of keeping this mega-development dream on ice, Lennar Corp., along with old-school Miami developer Edward Easton and a mystery crew from Boca Raton called Guherqui International, have filed new plans to push the UDB west and take 960 acres of farmland to build what they’re calling “City Park.”

Because “City Sprawl” didn’t test well with focus groups.

The monster $2 billion project — which is a lot more “city” than “park” — has been in the works for more than a year and officially filed its application with the county earlier this month. This would be the biggest UDB expansion request in years. It’s massive: 7,800 homes — mostly single-family — 1.5 million square feet of commercial space, 249 acres of lakeside beaches and green space, and a couple charter schools sprinkled in like parsley.

There’s even a 10-acre “community farm” in the site plan, which is a cute way of saying, “We’re totally not paving over farmland! We promise!”

They also promise to have almost 1,000 “workforce units” and create at least 13,000 “permanent” jobs.

Read related: Miami-Dade: Lennar wants to build 138 homes on 20 acres of rural South Dade

Like any UDB expansion bid, it requires a supermajority vote from the Miami-Dade County Commission — meaning seven out of 13 commissioners would have to sign off on moving the county’s urban footprint even closer to the edge of the Everglades. Developers said they probably wouldn’t go before the commission for another 14 months, which tells Ladra they’re counting votes — remember, half the commission is up for election next year — and trying to soften public resistance with lots of PR about “affordable housing” and “smart growth.”

The 960 acres of farmland sits between SW 136th and 152nd Streets and SW 162nd and 177th Avenues, just east of Krome Avenue, and has been zoned agricultural since, well, probably forever. But the heart of “City Park” is something developers call “the village core,” described as a mixed-use complex for entertainment, cultural programming, stores and restaurants with public spaces “that are designed to create one-of-a-kind experiences to foster strong social connections for residents and visitors.”

And sure, the Dolphin Expressway (836) is being extended into West Kendall. That was approved by the Greater Miami Expressway Authority — aka another public agency that loves ribbon-cuttings and hates wetlands. But a new highway doesn’t mean we need a whole city built next to it. That’s like putting in a fire hydrant and then inviting arsonists.

Lennar’s team says the development will include walking paths, its own fire rescue station, and plenty of green space. But we’ve seen this game before — big glossy renderings, sustainable buzzwords, and promises of infrastructure to come. Then the asphalt pours, the traffic piles up, the schools overflow, and taxpayers are left to clean up the mess.

Developers say this will be a sustainable community that will ease traffic because residents won’t have to drive east for work or shopping. Ladra can hear the snickers from Kendall commuters already. They say that to justify the biggest, boldest push yet to breach the UDB. They  say it’s the only site big enough to deliver what West Kendall “has been missing” — jobs, entertainment, and tax revenue.

Sure, and the last dozen UDB applications said the same thing before them.

Read related: Miami-Dade Commission approves 700 homes on 90 acres of mostly farmland

And let’s be real: There are multiple UDB expansion proposals pending right now as developers race to get their slice of South Florida’s last remaining open space. And the same commission that says “we need to be cautious about sprawl” is also handing out zoning changes like cafecito at Versailles.

Ladra says keep your eyes on who supports this. Who starts talking about “housing shortages” and “balanced development.” Who suddenly gets campaign donations from builders, consultants, and every LLC with a PO Box on Brickell.

Because this isn’t just another neighborhood. It’s a test. This isn’t just about 960 acres of farmland. It’s about whether Miami-Dade is willing to draw the line — or let Lennar erase it.

If they can expand the UDB for 7,800 homes in West Kendall, what’s next? A tech city by the Everglades? A private spaceport in the Redland? Don’t laugh — with the right lobbyist, anything’s possible in Miami-Dade.

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