Miami-Dade County filed a Comprehensive Development Master Plan (CDMP) amendment on July 1, 2026, proposing more than 2 million square feet of mixed-use development on the 36.2-acre waterfront site formerly occupied by the Miami Seaquarium on Virginia Key — one of the largest waterfront redevelopment proposals in the county's recent history.

What exactly is Miami-Dade proposing for the Virginia Key site?

Miami-Dade County submitted the CDMP amendment on behalf of developer Terra, targeting the May 2026 review cycle, which would transform the shuttered aquatic park property into a dense mixed-use waterfront district anchored by 877 boat slips. The 36.2-acre parcel sits along Biscayne Bay and has remained largely dormant since the Seaquarium's closure.

  • Total proposed development: more than 2 million square feet of mixed-use space
  • Boat slips proposed: 877, making the marina component among the largest in Miami-Dade
  • Applicant of record: Miami-Dade County, acting on behalf of developer Terra
  • Filing date: July 1, 2026, entered into the May 2026 CDMP amendment cycle

What approvals are still required before anything gets built?

No final approvals have been granted, and the CDMP submission is the first step in a lengthy multi-agency review process. Because the site is a bayfront parcel on Virginia Key, the proposal will require extensive environmental scrutiny alongside standard land-use review, meaning the path from filing to groundbreaking could span several years.

  • CDMP amendments require review by the Miami-Dade County Planning Department and the Board of County Commissioners
  • Waterfront and environmental permits would involve state and potentially federal regulatory agencies
  • Proximity to Biscayne Bay triggers additional scrutiny under Florida coastal management rules

Who is Terra, and why does the developer matter here?

Terra is a Miami-based real estate development firm with a portfolio of high-profile South Florida projects, and Miami-Dade County filed the CDMP application on Terra's behalf, signaling a formal public-private partnership structure for the Virginia Key redevelopment. The county's role as the applicant of record reflects its ownership of the underlying land, which it had previously leased to the Seaquarium's operator.

What does this mean for Virginia Key and Biscayne Bay access?

If approved, the project would fundamentally reshape one of Miami's most ecologically sensitive barrier islands, converting a defunct tourist attraction into a major mixed-use marina destination. Virginia Key sits adjacent to the City of Miami's existing Virginia Key Beach Park and near the marine research facilities of the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, making the scale of the proposed 877-slip marina a likely focal point of future public debate.

Original reporting on this development was published by Hawkins Commercial Realty.