Macy's Unveils Plans For Hip Downtown Complex
MIAMI (CBS4) - Three years in the making, Macy's has finally inked a deal with a developer to create an entertainment complex on the ground floor of its downtown Miami building.
Plans call for six new restaurants, including a jazz club, a martini & wine bar and Kana – a gourmet coffee shop.
Miami developer Barlington Group will oversee the operations at the 20-thousand square foot space on the corner of Flagler Street and North Miami Avenue.
``The development will bring excitement and enthusiasm to the area, which will benefit the entire Downtown Miami business community,'' said Macy's spokeswoman Melissa Goff told CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald.
At one time Macy's had planned to open a Home Store in the space, but then the economy tanked.
Construction is set to begin in March and some of the new tenants could be open by summer. In the past two years, Downtown Miami welcomed 76 new net businesses to the area; since 2005, close to 200 new businesses have opened and another dozen or so are already planned for 2011.
"For the first time in Miami's history, the Central Business District is flourishing as an attractive urban community, sought after by residents and retailers alike," said Alyce Robertson, executive director of the Miami Downtown Development Authority in a written statement. "In a time when most markets are contracting, downtown's neighborhoods continue to stand out as the silver lining for recovery."
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