What’s next for Downtown Doral? Here’s a sneak peek at what’s rising
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Codina Partners broke ground on Sevilla, a 412-unit mid-rise opening in 2027.
- Downtown Doral will add 25,000 square feet of retail and a 932-spot garage by 2026.
- New projects expand Doral’s urban model with walkable amenities and local oversight.
Joseph Grullon has seen Doral change through the years — from industrial to trendy.
“When we first moved here, it was a lot more warehouses,” he said, referring to his arrival in 2004.
While Doral still has its share of industrial flavor, the focus over the past decade has been on Downtown Doral, a mix of apartment buildings, restaurants and stores. The transformation has kept workers around at night for dinner and drinks, and has drawn visitors from other parts of the county.
But it also has lured residents who want to live close to the action, which is why developers are now starting construction on a new seven-story apartment building right in the middle of things.
After a brief break from Doral to live in Brickell, the 38-year-old Grullon is now finding much of what downtown Miami offers in West Miami-Dade.
Doral “started bringing a lot more new businesses, retail, restaurants,” he said. “People who are living in Brickell and downtown, once they start having kids, can now come here and still have that lifestyle where you can walk downstairs and have restaurants and shops.”
Downtown Doral began rising 20 years ago, in 2005, with a new City Hall and office buildings. In 2013, developers broke ground on the project’s centerpiece: a street filled with restaurants, shops, parks and apartments, which started opening in 2015 and 2016.
But Downtown Doral isn’t done yet.
In addition to the new apartment building is in the works, new retail and extra parking are coming.
The arrival of Sevilla
.jpg "Sevilla at Doral_3_4-24 (2).jpg")
Sevilla, now under construction, is the newest residential addition to Downtown Doral by Codina Partners, the developers behind the city’s transformation. The mid-rise sits along the area’s main boulevard, around Northwest 53rd Street and east of 87th Avenue.
The seven-story building will span two city blocks and have 412 apartments for rent. The one-to-three-bedroom spaces range from 720 to 1,708 square feet. Developers have already broken ground and tenants can expect to move in early 2027.
The development fits Codina Partners’ “live, work, play, learn” motto that was used to design Downtown Doral.
“People are looking for a true urban community that’s a little less hectic,” said Ana-Marie Codina, the firm’s chief executive officer. “It’s really a resort-like lifestyle ... where you have all those amenities within walking distance.”
Residents will have a movie theater, several resort decks, a sauna and private salon, pickleball courts and a two-story gym with a rooftop walking track.
Families with young kids are just a two-minute walk from an elementary charter school and a three-acre playground. Across the street, UHealth Doral, an outpatient care center, offers services across 20 specialties. And just a four-minute walk down Northwest 53rd Street is the string-lit, restaurant-lined epicenter.
All those amenities don’t come cheap. Rent will be market rate when the project is finished in 2027. Similar apartments at nearby Codina Partners complexes range from $2,500 to $5,300 a month.
But Diana Mendoza says the quality of life in Downtown Doral offers is priceless.
“I bring my family around here because they live in Aventura, so I bring them to new spots that are very nice,” said Mendoza, 32, who has lived in Doral for four years and works for the city as a customer service representative. “It’s very nice to live in this area, and I enjoy working for this city because it cares about its citizens.”
New parking and retail in 2026
The announcement of Sevilla also coincides with updates in the development firm’s launch of an in-house team that will oversee its residential projects, including the new mid-rise and future homes Codina Partners plans to build in place of older office spaces.
Hoping to keep all operations local, the firm refinanced its Palma at Downtown Doral location to become the two-tower residence’s sole owner.
“Most of these apartment buildings are run by these big conglomerate management companies that are located out of state,” Codina said. “So the vision is that you’re going to prefer to be in a Codina building ... because you’re going to be treated like an individual. ... Everyone you’re dealing with is local and provides high attention to detail and a high level of service.”
Also on the docket for Downtown Doral is new retail and ample parking to accommodate the shoppers that developers expect will flock to stores.
Starting this summer through 2026, shops will begin to take over 25,000 square feet of space along Northwest 87th Avenue, and a parking garage with 932 spots will be built on 87th and 53rd Terrace.
“The idea here is to have a vibrant community with all of the amenities you really need ... your healthcare, your education, your dining, your entertainment, your fitness,” Codina said. “We’re very excited to get that.”
