There may be plans in the works, but Midtown Miami is still far from the reality of actually having a Walmart built. Walmart's zoning change request has been put on hold by the city planning and zoning department just a day after another major developer in the Midtown area came out against the project.
Diversified Development Reality is the major retail player in Midtown. They own the mall block that houses the area's big box stores including Target and Marshalls. They also own the land where Walmart wants to build, and are on board with the plan.
They're not the only developer in the area, though. This past December, Midtown Opportunities took control of 22 acres of the original development, and the newly formed company does not want a Walmart marring their new investment. (CPExecutive.com has a good map explaining who owns what. The farthest blue area to the left is where the Walmart would go).
According to Open Media Miami, Midtown Opportunities has hired a law firm to pressure the City of Miami to reject zoning changes that would be needed to build the Walmart.
And just like that, Open Media Miami now reports that the zoning change request has been put on hold "until the planning and zoning department has received a 'complete and valid application.'"
Zoning rules established under the Miami 21 plan are at issue. Midtown Opportunities contends that Walmart's plans for an entrance into a 600-spot parking lot would interfere with pedestrian traffic along Midtown Boulevard. DDR and Walmart say that the area doesn't get much foot traffic (not yet, anyway).
[Open Media Miami: MIDTOWN DEVELOPER ASKS CITY TO REJECT WALMART ZONING REQUEST]
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