Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
August 25, 2025
$1.5B Metropica Project to Transform Sunrise with First True Downtown
TLDR
- Metropica's $1.5 billion investment creates a strategic advantage by establishing the only true urban downtown in Sunrise, enhancing property values and attracting high-demand residents.
- Metropica Development LLC's master-planned project includes 3,000 residential units, 650k sq ft office space, 485k sq ft retail, and two hotels on a 50-acre site with integrated infrastructure.
- Metropica promotes community wellness and happiness through green spaces and amenities, creating a sustainable downtown that enhances quality of life for Sunrise residents.
- Metropica features a main-street spine with restaurants and entertainment, designed by renowned architects including Chad Oppenheim and Philippe Starck's YOO Design Group.
Impact - Why it Matters
This development matters because it addresses the critical need for urban infrastructure in rapidly growing suburban areas, creating walkable communities that reduce traffic congestion and improve quality of life. The project's focus on nature, wellness, and happiness principles sets a new standard for mixed-use developments, while the land donation for highway access demonstrates responsible corporate citizenship that benefits the entire region. As suburban sprawl continues to challenge South Florida, Metropica represents a sustainable model for future urban planning that balances growth with community needs, potentially influencing development patterns across similar markets.
Summary
Joseph Kavana, CEO of Metropica Development LLC, is leading a transformative $1.5 billion master-planned community that will establish the first true downtown for the City of Sunrise in western Broward County. The massive Metropica project, located strategically between Sawgrass Mills mall and Amerant Bank Arena (home of the Florida Panthers), is approved for 3,000 residential units, 650,000 square feet of office space, 485,000 square feet of retail space, and two hotels with 240 rooms each on a 50-acre site. The development represents a monumental investment in creating an urban center where residents can live, work, and play without needing to travel elsewhere.
The project recently achieved a significant milestone with a landmark land donation agreement where Metropica Development donated 19 acres to the Florida Turnpike Authority via a memorandum with the city. This high-cost contribution, which required redesigning their stormwater retention plan, will enable the Florida Department of Transportation to create a direct access interchange at Pat Salerno Drive and the Sawgrass Expressway, dramatically improving traffic flow for the area. The development is guided by three core principles—Nature, Wellness, and Happiness—with design features including extensive green spaces, state-of-the-art amenities, and a main-street-like spine featuring restaurants, shops, plazas, and entertainment venues.
Metropica Development previously completed One Metropica, a 28-story, 263-residence condominium building that resulted from collaboration with internationally renowned architect Chad Oppenheim and London-based YOO Design Group founded by John Hitchcox and Philippe Starck. The current phase includes 1,000 luxury rental apartments, a retail plaza, and one of the two planned hotels, positioning Metropica to become the focal point of Sunrise and accommodate 16,000-18,000 people daily, solidifying western Broward County as a rapidly growing, high-demand neighborhood.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by citybiz. Read the original source here, $1.5B Metropica Project to Transform Sunrise with First True Downtown
