Neighbors in Kendall are mobilizing ahead of a zoning hearing next Thursday after the Greater Miami Jewish Federation filed to reclassify the entire Alper Jewish Community Center campus. The proposal would shift the site from single-family residential to a designation residents say could clear the way for mid-rise apartments where the JCC buildings and fields sit today. Neighbors warn the change could pump more traffic onto already crowded streets and alter the feel of the surrounding neighborhood.
What the rezoning request would allow
The Greater Miami Jewish Federation has asked Miami-Dade County to rezone the full Alper JCC property from single-family residential to a "limited apartment house" category that could permit buildings up to six stories and more than 480 units. In a statement to reporters, the JCC and the Federation said the filing is intended to provide "the greatest flexibility" as they assess community needs and possible funding options, and they emphasized that they "have no plans to close the JCC." County review agencies have already recommended approval of the application, according to CBS News Miami.
Neighbors cite traffic and "speculative rezoning"
"If you have the property and you can build a four or a six story, you're not going to build a four story. You're going to go for maximum density," said Michael Dyer, a resident who lives a few blocks from the campus. Dyer told the outlet the total number of units could climb another 25 percent if workforce-housing incentives are added, and he labeled the filing "speculative rezoning" because it covers the whole tract even though JCC officials say they are looking only at selling a portion such as the baseball field. Neighbors also point to regular backups on SW 112th Street and fear additional cars would swamp local roads; drivers already report the road "blacked up for several blocks," according to CBS News Miami.
Hearing set for next week
The zoning item is scheduled for the Kendall Area 12 community council agenda next Thursday, April 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the Kendall Village Center Civic Pavilion, 8625 SW 124th Avenue. Miami-Dade's community council page lists the meeting and explains how residents can submit written materials or speak in person at the hearing, according to Miami-Dade County.
What’s at stake
The Alper JCC, at 11155 SW 112 Avenue, runs preschool, camps and a range of adult programs, details visible on the center's website, which highlights the campus's role in South Dade. Representatives for the JCC say they are exploring ways to make the most of the property and have discussed selling a portion of the land to help support the center. How the community council and later county reviews respond to neighborhood feedback will help determine whether that plan can advance, according to Alper JCC.
