Sawyer’s Walk, an 18-story mixed-use tower in the historic community of Overtown in Miami, recently celebrated its grand opening on July 18. The complex includes 1.5 million square feet of residential, office, and retail space, including 578 units for low-income seniors. Some of the businesses set to open this October include Target, Aldi’s, Ross, Five Below, and Burlington. It will also serve as the future headquarters for MSC Group’s North American cruise line once construction on that space is completed, projected to be in April 2025.
“It’s the largest, predominantly senior, low-income housing development completed in the U.S. in over a decade,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “This is an example of developers taking the initiative to be a part of the solution.”
The building, which also includes a public plaza, an outdoor seating area, and a dog park, is rightly being touted as a transformative housing upgrade for the area. Half of these new apartments — 289 units — are reserved for former tenants of Harry Cain Towers.
“The delivery of 578 units is one of the largest affordable housing deals in the country over the past decade, setting a new standard for mixed-use, attainable housing in a high-density environment,” said Sydne Garchik, Principal at MRK Partners. “This is a significant win for the industry and brings us closer to our mission of revolutionizing affordable housing and building communities where every individual can thrive.”
MRK Partners was a key collaborator in getting Sawyer’s Walk to where it is today. They worked closely with the development team to secure financing for the project, oversee the property management team, expand and execute the amenities and multiple layers of spaces you can find throughout the building, and supervise the lease-up process.
“These units are not only affordable but also feature top-of-the-line amenities, including state-of-the-art kitchens, spa-inspired bathrooms, Olympic-sized pools, and an amenity deck that overlooks the city,” said Garchik. “We hope the success of this project demonstrates that affordable housing can be both diverse and appealing.”
Residents of Sawyer’s Walk will have easy access to all of the new stores on the lower levels in Block 55. In addition to the retail options, there will be a CVS pharmacy opening up, giving those living in the apartments the option to walk or ride the elevators downstairs to pick up their prescriptions without taking a step outside. This is especially beneficial during the hotter months of the year, and during particularly stormy days. In certain cases, this may be the first time that some residents will not have to worry about environmental factors limiting their ability to pick up their medication.
Not only will the brand-new residential space help alleviate some of the housing pressure the Miami-Dade area is currently facing, but the commercial space is expected to bring new jobs to the city. MSC Group will bring 250 of its current employees based in South Florida from MSC Cargo, MSC Cruises, and Explora Journeys to the new headquarters. This is just one part of its $100 million investment in the county, as the company is expected to generate more than 600 jobs over the next three years as MSC Cruises prepares to open the largest cruise terminal in North America in PortMiami in 2025.
“Sawyer’s Walk will be a triple-win for the Overtown community and the City of Miami, delivering a positive impact in the form of new jobs, additional revenue, and an affordable place to call home for hundreds of our local seniors,” said Jeffrey Watson, Chairman of the Southeast Overtown/ Park West Community Redevelopment Agency (SEOPW CRA). “These benefits will help sustain quality of life in Miami while advancing the mission of the Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA.”
Sawyer’s Walk is set to be significantly more affordable than most locations in the area. Rent in downtown Miami is frequently in the mid-$2,000s and can soar over $5,000 per month depending on the building and location. This new pet-friendly residence offers studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments ranging from $1,184 for a studio, $1,490 for a one-bedroom, and $1,788 for a two-bedroom unit per month, that go from 470 square feet to 1,000 square feet. Residents must be at least 62 years old, and make between 40–80 percent of median area income to qualify to apply.
Over the past five years, rent in the Miami-Dade area has skyrocketed by as much as 58%. The largest spike in rental prices occurred in 2021, with a reported 26.5% increase. This increase in living costs can quickly price people out of neighborhoods they call home — for many people moving into Sawyer’s Walk from Harry Cain Towers or the local neighborhood, this area has been their home for decades. By keeping rental costs at this level, these residents have the option to stay in this community they’ve chosen, something that would be out of reach otherwise.
Accessibility is key to these new apartments as well. It’s set up to accommodate the needs of its residents, including elevator access throughout the building to aid those with mobility needs. Each unit is equipped with high-end appliances and conveniences, like a washer and dryer to remove the need for residents to lug their laundry bags and carts to a laundromat outside of their apartments.
Another boon to residents at Sawyer’s Walk, to people who will soon call it their office, and to people looking to shop at the new facilities is its proximity to public transit. The mixed-use development, located at 249 NW 6th Street, is just one block away from MiamiCentral Station, which provides access to all four of Miami’s mass transit options, Metrorail, Metromover, Tri-Rail, and Brightline. This, combined with the conveniences each apartment comes equipped with, significantly curtails the need for residents to own a car in order to thrive in the city with fewer expenditures.
“First, we hope that we will be successful in showing the world that you can build high-quality affordable product, and still make it financially feasible,” said Stephen Garchik, President of SJM Partners, one of the developers of Sawyer’s Walk. “[There are] floor-to-ceiling windows, walk-in showers, walk-in closets, and high-end appliances in the kitchens. So we hope this will be the first of many projects we do and use this as a testament for everybody else in Miami that’s developing affordable housing and show them that with some support from the community, the same thing can be accomplished throughout the city.”
At MRK Partners, building affordable housing that does more than simply house people is at the core of our philosophy. They develop exceptional affordable housing projects across the nation in order to best serve communities. MRK’s properties provide comprehensive service plans for our residences, helping them live healthy lives. Learn more about our properties here, and to learn more about living at Sawyer’s Walk, visit their website or call the leasing office at (305) 433-4376.
