Residential |
Listening to Our Neighbors
Improves Safety
Great Neighbors
Protects Against Large Scale Development
Low Traffic Impact
Enhancing the Community
Residential |
|
Community Benefits |
|
Preserves Historic Killian Drive
Preventing traffic build-up by avoiding access on Killian Drive / 112th Street was the neighborhood’s most requested aspect of the development. Killian Gardens will not have any vehicular access via Killian Drive and will therefore not require any modifications to Killian Drive such as turn lanes. Residential
The neighborhood’s second most common concern is the fear of a commercial development on the property that would generate countless daily unknown visitors with no ties to the community and at all hours of the day and night. Contrastingly, Killian Gardens will have large homes that will serve as a quiet, residential setting for elders. There would be no commercial component (i.e., no stores, retail, etc.). Great Neighbors
Killian Gardens residents will be wonderful, peaceful, and quiet neighbors. With the low-density footprint and residential senior living model, the secluded patio and lush gardens will serve as a tranquil setting for the residents to enjoy the Killian community. Low Density
Miami-Dade County is pushing for very high density, mixed use developments all along the US-1 corridor. This property falls within the SMART Plan and South Dade Transitory Corridor that could allow for over 250 apartments to be built on the site and over 630 ALF residents. Contrastingly, Killian Gardens will be a low-density, luxury community having only four homes. With 136 residents, this gated and nestled community will have less than 22% of the density that could be allowed under the SMART Plan. Environmental Benefits
As part of the project, we would be installing new sewer lines and extending connection capabilities to the site. This will expand sewer connection lines in the neighborhood thus allowing additional homes to connect to sewer and move away from the environmentally undesirable septic tanks. This expansion would result in a positive environmentally friendly impact for the neighborhood. |
Low Traffic Impact
Since Killian Gardens will provide housing for the elderly who require assistance with activities of daily living, very few (if any) of the residents will have cars. Moreover, the little traffic that will be generated will be mostly during the off-peak hours. By contrast, the other realistic potential development options for the site would substantially increase rush-hour congestion. Killian Gardens provides the lowest possible traffic impact versus the other potential workforce housing or commercial development options. Improves Community & Property Value
The current vacant land is a draining eye sore that people often use as a trash dump, and it attracts vagrants, trespassers, and crime. The neighborhood is concerned about the potential detriment to property values that would result from other development options. However, Killian Gardens will be a luxury residential setting for the more affluent seniors in the Killian and Pinecrest Village areas. These will be multi-million dollar homes that greatly enhance the overall look and feel of the neighborhood. Protects Against Large Scale Development
With the recent SMART Plan and other initiatives by Miami-Dade County to encourage intense development and commercial or mixed use along US-1, many neighbors are afraid of a large developer acquiring and expanding the property to assemble 7+ acres for a large workforce housing, multifamily, retail, office, or commercial project directly fronting Killian Drive. However, since Killian Gardens is a small-scale project in the middle of the block, its development will eliminate the future possibility of a large developer acquiring other adjacent parcels to develop a project that the County could support despite being detrimental to the character of the neighborhood. Safety
Several neighbors expressed concerns about the potential for crime and nuisances associated with the currently vacant land and with potential retail and workforce housing development options. Killian Gardens helps improve the safety of the neighborhood by creating a secure environment for seniors where there will always be someone monitoring to help ensure everyone’s safety. |
|
Killian Gardens Team |
|
Michael Baldwin, MBA
Michael has lived in the Killian and Kendall neighborhoods for most of his life. He graduated from Killian Senior High School in 2001, and his children attended Kendall Christian School, both just down the street from this property.
Michael has worked in the senior living space for the past 17 years and is the owner of OHC Advisors, a national senior living consulting firm. He has conducted thousands of property tours and interviews with owners of senior living communities of all sizes, and he has seen first-hand how seniors prosper in smaller, residential settings. Combined with his own experience with his father having lived in a local big-box assisted living facility, Michael is passionate about bringing his neighborhood a better alternative to senior living. |
Frank Mena, Esq.
Frank got into the senior living world to help care for his grandmother, who was living in a small assisted living facility. When the owners were looking to sell the ALF in 2007, Frank wanted to ensure that his grandmother would be well cared for under its new ownership. As such, he purchased the ALF himself, without knowing how the endeavor would change his life from being a corporate lawyer for one of the most prestigious law firms in Florida to falling in love with interacting with the elderly residents.
Frank quickly developed a passion for working with seniors and has since dedicated a large part of his life to providing housing and care to seniors. His personal mission is to “care for those who cared for us.” |