Jewish Community Center in Miami loses effort to rezone property into apartment building, amid residents' oppositions

The Jewish Community Center in Kendall lost its effort to rezone its 23-acre property after community members successfully opposed the plan at a zoning hearing Thursday night.

The Greater Miami Jewish Federation, which sought the rezoning for the Alper JCC, faced significant backlash from residents. Community members feared the rezoning would allow developers to construct a large, six-story apartment complex with hundreds of units, raising concerns about increased traffic congestion and environmental impacts.

"There's nothing around that's six stories tall," one zoning board member said.

John Espinoza, a resident, voiced his support for the JCC but opposed the proposed change to the neighborhood. "The JCC survived and thrived because of us and our involvement. I've sent my kids there. I'm fully supportive," Espinoza said. "I just do not want the demographic of the neighborhood to change. There's enough traffic, there's enough flooding there. We don't need that".

Board Chair Hugo Alvarez noted that the Federation had returned with the same application despite previous opposition. "This is not the first time we're saying this to you all, and yet we come back, you come back before us with the same application," Alvarez said, "despite knowing the issues and concerns and problems that each one of us has voiced separately".

Community members indicated that the JCC stated the facility needed the extra funding. Board Member Jason Krieger suggested the JCC explore other options. "If the JCC needs support, there's a multitude of other revenue streams and other ways of generating capital that are not this very narrow path," Krieger said.

Espinoza agreed, stating that raising tuition was a hardship but preferable to alienating the neighborhood that had supported the JCC for 35 years. "They could raise some tuition," he said. "At the end of the day, selling out the neighborhood that supported them for 35 years is not the way of doing it. This is definitely a David and Goliath, and we're here for the long term".

In a statement, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation acknowledged the community's response. "While the greater Miami Jewish federation understands the response from the neighboring community, we are still hopeful that we can find a way forward that addresses all communal and civic concerns and enables the jcc to use the land and facilities for its best and highest purpose to benefit both the organization and the many stakeholders who live in the area," the statement read. The Federation added that it would "take some time to work this through and continue to develop a path" and remains "open to hearing the thoughts and suggestions from all interested parties."