Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar
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Coconut Grove is one of Miami’s most distinctive neighborhoods, known for its lush canopy, quirky houses, wonderful restaurants, artists’ homes, breezy streets, and an unpolished charm that feels increasingly rare in South Florida. Public spaces matter deeply here, especially Fuller Street, a small pedestrian-only block that has quietly evolved into one of the Grove’s most beloved gathering places. It has become even more popular with the community after the recent openings of Chuggie’s, Mae’s Room, and Drinking Pig BBQ, all within a few feet of one another.
However, the Fuller Street locals have known for decades is about to enter a new era. According to a spokesperson from the Allen Morris Company, a development agreement between the City of Miami and the developer was passed on Thursday, December 11, during a City of Miami Commission meeting, making a plan to redesign the street official. The agreement establishes the framework for redesigning Fuller Street and its neighboring Kirk Munroe Park, with the stated goal of upgrading both into greener, more functional public spaces that reflect Coconut Grove’s established character.
The Allen Morris Company/Oppenheim Architecture rendering
What the Approved Plan Includes
The Fuller Street paseo (plaza) is a central element of Ziggurat, Allen Morris Co.’s luxury mixed-use project planned along Grand Avenue, which is currently home to many beloved restaurants that have plans to relocate.
Allen Morris Co. recently secured a $138.5 million construction loan from BDT & MSD Partners and BHI to advance the Ziggurat project. Rising on 1.7 acres at Grand Avenue and Matilda Street, Ziggurat will deliver a trophy office building, 18 ultra-luxury residences, and nearly 45,000 square feet of neighborhood-focused retail. Plans also include a rooftop Michelin-chef restaurant overlooking Biscayne Bay, as well as a pedestrian walkway extending from Main Highway through Fuller Street to Kirk Munroe Park, just steps from Coconut Grove Elementary.
Designed by Oppenheim Architecture, the project incorporates pedestrian paseos, a central courtyard, and a major overhaul of Kirk Munroe Park. Groundbreaking is expected in December 2025, with construction on Fuller Street set to begin in summer 2026, and completion targeted for early 2028. Additionally, the Espinosa family, a longstanding and highly regarded family in the Grove that has owned and operated Grove Laundry & Cleaners on the site since 1961, has partnered with the Allen Morris Company on the project.
Under the approved development agreement, Allen Morris will reimagine both Fuller Street and portions of Kirk Munroe Park in partnership with the City of Miami. The city will contribute $3 million toward the upgrades, while the developer will contribute $2 million, resulting in a total investment of $5 million in public infrastructure tied to the project. However, the plan has sparked considerable debate online and among area residents, who feel that the intentions behind the redesign of Fuller Street are primarily financial.
Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar
A Street With Meaning for the Grove
Since Fuller Street was closed to automobile traffic in 2020, it has grown into a low-key, humble, and slightly rugged gathering space that many residents associate with “old Coconut Grove.” It is a place where people linger without pressure to spend money, where kids eat lunch, neighbors meet casually, and community events spill naturally into the street.
Barracuda Taphouse & Grill, which anchors Fuller Street, recently celebrated its 30th anniversary with an epic block party. Surrounding shops and restaurants, like Chug’s Diner across the road, are typically calm, breezy, and easy to navigate. For many residents, Fuller’s appeal lies in its simplicity and accessibility, qualities they worry could be lost as the street becomes more formalized.
Some residents fear congestion and overprogramming, with concerns that Fuller Street could begin to resemble busier, more commercial districts like Brickell or Midtown. As the street has increasingly been described as the “Roman Forum” of Coconut Grove, a shared civic space, those fears have intensified.
Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar
Concerns About Access, Ownership, and Process
According to reporting by Coconut Grove Spotlight, attorney and neighborhood activist Danielle Villoch sees the agreement as part of a broader trend of turning basic public upgrades into amenities for private developments. She argues that both the park and the paseo are being marketed as extensions of Ziggurat, designed to drive pedestrian traffic toward the project’s retail tenants. Villoch has also noted that the developer’s attorney helped draft the development agreement, calling the process lopsided.
Residents have also raised concerns that early design concepts appear to route pedestrians through a retail corridor rather than directly toward Kirk Munroe Park, prompting questions about whose interests the design ultimately serves.
Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar
Local Businesses Offer Optimism as City Resources Remain Limited
Not all stakeholders view the plan in a negative light. Barracuda Taphouse & Grill owner Lee Kessler told the Coconut Grove Spotlight he was encouraged after attending meetings with the developer and residents, noting that he felt the community was being heard. Steve Capellini, co-owner of Atchana’s Homegrown Thai, echoed that optimism while emphasizing the importance of maintaining Grove’s character and ensuring continued community involvement.
Allen Morris Company CEO Spencer Morris has pushed back against concerns of a land grab. He says design revisions have already been made based on resident feedback and that the development agreement does not grant exclusive control of public spaces. “If we cannot come to a resolution on the design, then construction is not going to happen until there is some sort of collective agreement,” Morris said. He also noted that he lives in the Grove and wants the community to support the project.
From the city’s perspective, District 2 liaison Javier Gonzalez has emphasized that the agreement does not finalize any design. All public improvements must still be approved by residents, stakeholders, the Coconut Grove Business Improvement District, and the City Commission. Commissioner Damian Pardo demonstrates that securing private funding for infrastructure upgrades enables the city to close budget gaps and accelerate projects that might otherwise remain unfunded.
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Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar
Chèvre Founder Sees Opportunity in Fuller Street’s Next Chapter
As Fuller Street evolves, new businesses are already beginning to take shape around the Ziggurat project. In an interview with New Times on December 12, Mario Naar, founder of Chèvre Miami, shared his perspective on the changes ahead.
Chèvre is set to open inside Ziggurat’s leasing office, located on the corner of Fuller Street and Grand Avenue, within the next two weeks, following a soft pop-up phase that has included outdoor events on Fuller Street. The collaboration marks a rare partnership between a real estate developer and a restaurant concept, bringing artisan sandwiches, specialty products, and curated wines directly into the heart of the project.
Naar tells New Times he is optimistic about the planned upgrades to Fuller Street and Kirk Munroe Park. “It will operate as a full Chèvre market with our signature events and chef collaborations,” he explains. “A lot of people are kind of freaked out because they think a big developer is coming in, but they’re doing a lot for Coconut Grove. They’re donating like $7 million to make this beautiful park, and they’re redoing Fuller Street in terms of remodeling it and putting in more trees.”
Naar adds that the project’s emphasis on greenery and design has been misunderstood by some critics. “You have all these people who are hating on it, but Allen Morris is doing it the right way,” he says. “It won’t be a huge concrete jungle. They’re planting all these trees and beautifying the area. It’s a facelift, and it looks great.”
What Happens Next
According to a spokesperson for the Allen Morris Company, with the agreement approved, the next phase centers on continued community meetings and design development. The Allen Morris Company and the City of Miami plan to continue gathering feedback before proceeding to permitting and construction, which is tentatively scheduled for late summer 2026. The design of Fuller Street is currently being modified to reflect feedback and requests from neighborhood stakeholders. As a result, no finalized renderings are available to share at this time.
For now, Fuller Street remains what it has been in recent years: a casual, communal space shaped as much by its people as by its pavement. Whether the next chapter enhances or alters that identity will depend largely on how the process unfolds from this point forward.
Fuller Street. 3001-3099 Fuller St., Miami.
Ziggurat. 3101 Grand Ave., Miami; zigguratcoconutgrove.com.
