What’s the future of this popular South Miami gathering spot? Landmark draws a developer
Change is coming to another popular landmark in South Miami.
A real estate firm wants to buy the longtime home of the beloved Deli Lane & Sunset Tavern, demolish it and build a rental apartment building on the site.
The restaurant and bar, around for four decades, is planning to give up its longtime spot at 7230 SW 59th Ave. as the developer knocks on the door.
But there is good news for those eager to continue visiting the popular breakfast joint and watering hole.
The owners already have found a new home in a historic building around the corner from the current site that was once home to the community’s bank, drugstore and post office during the Roaring ‘20s, said Steve Olszewski, manager of Robins Plaza, a family trust that owns the Deli Lane Café & Sunset Tavern building.
The move will allow a popular place to keep going. On a recent Sunday morning at the current location, diners filled the outdoor tables along the brick sidewalk, feasting on pancakes, omelets and coffee.
The decision to vacate and move comes as Virginia-based real estate development firm AvalonBay Communities is under contract to buy the 1.25-acre site for an undisclosed amount.
A favorite South Miami hangout
Friends Jahn Kirchoff and Mike Maler opened Deli Lane & Sunset Tavern in 1988. Whether for weekend brunch or after a hurricane, the restaurant became known for its “relaxed atmosphere and unique recipes,” a Miami Herald columnist once wrote.
The move to 5900 and 5904 S. Dixie Hwy. provides a welcome new chapter for the restaurant owners.
“It’s super exciting. The building we’re in is 80 years old. Eighty-year-old buildings have issues. The plumbing is older. We get to go into a space that is all brand new and all up to current code and we get to design the space,” Kirchoff said. “We will be the gateway to the city of South Miami. I am thrilled.”
The contract on the new location is expected to close at the end of 2024, and the remodeling of the approximately 5,400-square-foot Dorns building would begin in 2025. The new space is about the same size as the existing location.
Under the deal, Robins Plaza, which owns the Dorns buildings, would pay to build the new Deli Lane Café & Sunset Tavern at an estimated cost of up to $1.5 million, Kirchoff said. The process would take about two years, with a move expected in late 2027. The existing restaurant would remain open until the new home is ready.
AvalonBay Communities would likely turn the current restaurant and tavern site into an apartment rental building. The company already has a 10-story, 290-apartment rental building under construction across the street from the future site of the restaurant. The company entered the South Florida market in 2017, building nine communities across the region, including in Hialeah, Fort Lauderdale, Doral, Miramar and Coral Gables.
“We’re excited to continue investing and growing our presence in South Miami,” said Micah Conn, senior vice president of Development at AvalonBay Communities. “We love the charm, convenience, and high quality of life the city provides and look forward to introducing our trusted brand to local residents and being an active, long-time member of the community. We own and operate for the long term and invest for the future.”
Keeping Deli Lane in a changing city
The new development plans come at a time when South Miami is undergoing a metamorphosis. In October, city leaders gave their final blessing for the demolition and redevelopment of the Shops at Sunset Place, the community’s dilapidated centerpiece. Plans include condos, a hotel, theater, shops and offices for the 10-acre site.
With all the coming changes, the community rallied to keep Deli Lane in South Miami.
“It’s everybody’s go-to watering hole,” said Mayor Javier Fernández, who is up for re-election in November. “It’s where people meet for breakfast or have a late night drink. On occasion I have played dominoes there. It’s a place where people gather.
“Whatever the future holds for that property,” the mayor said, “it’s essential there’s a place for Deli Lane.”
For Olszewski, keeping Deli Lane in town was extra personal.
He helps run a family trust, Robins Plaza, that owns the existing building. He and his wife inherited the site from his father-in-law, who often dined at Deli Lane. Olszewski’s wife then told him she always wanted to help keep the restaurant in the city. She died earlier this year, and Olszewski said he’s honoring her wish.
The mayor went to Olszewski to ask about the future of Deli Lane and urged him to help keep the restaurant open.
“I like the fact the city was pushing to keep Deli Lane,” Olszewski said. “It makes me feel good that I’m playing a little role in keeping a little piece of South Miami.”
This story was originally published October 31, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
