Miami Beach city officials have thrown their support behind a roughly $50 million plan to expand The Rivani, a seven-story mixed-use building at 1691 Michigan Avenue, with a rooftop buildout that would add office space, a full-service restaurant, and padel courts to the South Beach property.

What does the rooftop expansion plan involve?

Developer Robert Rivani's proposal calls for approximately 36,000 square feet of new office space to be added to the building's upper levels, along with a 6,000-square-foot restaurant and three rooftop padel courts at The Rivani, transforming the existing mixed-use building into a more vertically intensive commercial destination in the heart of Miami Beach's Michigan Avenue corridor.

  • Approximately 36,000 square feet of new office space added to upper levels
  • A 6,000-square-foot full-service restaurant included in the buildout
  • Three rooftop padel courts — the fast-growing racquet sport with surging interest across South Florida
  • The $50 million figure represents the estimated cost of the rooftop expansion alone

What is the land deal behind this project?

Because The Rivani sits on city-owned land, officials are considering extending the ground lease on the underlying parcel through the year 2132 — a roughly century-long commitment that would still require additional approvals before it is finalized.

  • Ground lease extensions of that length are not uncommon for large mixed-use developments on municipally held land
  • Long-term leases provide developers with the certainty needed to justify major capital investments

Why is Miami Beach supporting this kind of development?

Miami Beach has been navigating a wave of redevelopment proposals in recent years, with projects like The Rivani expansion representing a push toward higher-density, higher-value commercial uses in areas already served by existing infrastructure. The Michigan Avenue corridor has seen renewed developer interest as remote and hybrid work patterns have fueled demand for boutique, amenity-rich office environments outside of traditional downtown cores.

  • Padel courts and restaurant amenities reflect a broader trend reshaping commercial real estate in South Florida
  • Developers increasingly view sports and recreation programming as a competitive differentiator for office and mixed-use projects
  • Miami Beach has long balanced its identity as a global tourism destination with the needs of year-round residents and businesses

What approvals remain before construction can begin?

The project remains subject to further municipal review and approvals before construction could begin, and no timeline for groundbreaking has been publicly announced.

The original reporting on this development was published by Florida YIMBY.