Andy Hellinger, Principal, UrbanX

In an interview with Invest:, Andy Hellinger, principal of UrbanX, discussed the evolution of Miami’s development landscape, the importance of building beyond traditional submarkets, and the infrastructure pressures that come with growth. “When you build something that truly serves how people want to live, work, and connect, the market will respond,” Hellinger said.

What made the Miami River corridor the right place to build one of the city’s largest mixed-use developments?

It represented a unique opportunity for urban infill. Following the Great Recession, most developers were focused on places like Brickell, Biscayne, Miami Beach, Edgewater, Aventura, and Sunny Isles. Few were looking at the Health District, Civic Center, and Allapattah for development.

We saw that as a blank canvas. With the economic activity generated by the health district and the courthouse, we believed there was an opportunity to create our vision of an urban lifestyle destination. The location is also highly connected. We are close to Brickell and Wynwood, but we are on the Miami River, which means we are connected to the city by road and by water. That gave us the opportunity to create something that could become a destination.

What is the case for building outside established submarkets like Brickell and Wynwood?

River Landing demonstrated that there is real demand outside the areas where developers have traditionally concentrated. Today, the project is 98% leased on the retail side and 98% occupied on the residential side, with strong rental demand. That is proof that the market extends beyond the usual zones.

When we started River Landing in 2017, we never viewed this area as a condominium market. Today, I can look out my window and see a condominium building under construction. That tells you the perception of the area has changed. We did not just build something and hope people would come. We built it and proved that there is a market outside where developers were traditionally building.

How has the rise of health and wellness influenced retail at River Landing?

Our society has become much more health-conscious in terms of what we eat, how much exercise we get, and how we think about recovery and longevity. That has had a real effect on retail real estate.

At River Landing, we wanted to create a place where people could have a variety of experiences, but also where residents would feel that if they did not want to leave, they did not have to. In wellness, that meant building out a full ecosystem. In addition to the residential gym, which is about 3,000 square feet, we have an 18,000-square-foot Planet Fitness, CKO Kickboxing, Pilates, barre, yoga, IV therapy, and massage services. It is not just about exercise. It is also about recovery, convenience, and creating a place where wellness is part of daily life.

What differentiates a mixed-use project that creates genuine community from one that simply checks the live-work-play box?

The difference is between mixed use that creates community and mixed use that creates code compliance. In many cases, a city requires active ground-floor retail, and that gets labeled as mixed use. But that is different from a project that is truly integrated.

A real mixed-use community gives people the ability to live there, work there, get groceries, shop, dine, access services, and spend their leisure time in one place. At River Landing, you can live here, get your food here, get your clothes here, do your workouts here, use banking services here, and enjoy restaurants on the river. We also have office space, so the project functions as a full lifestyle center. That is what creates community.

What do office environments need to offer today to attract workers back?

The owner of the office is always looking at convenience and rent commitment, but in today’s workforce environment, it is equally important to create a place where employees have moments for their own well-being.

At River Landing, we offer something that is more relaxed than what you might find in Brickell or in a city like New York. Employees can take a lunch break and walk along the Riverwalk, stroll through four levels of retail, or sit by the river for a quiet moment. We already have about 700 office employees here, and we regularly see them using those spaces during the day. That kind of environment makes employees happier to come to work, and that ultimately benefits employers as well.

What has driven the influx of new investors into Miami, and can the city sustain that growth?

The first answer is weather and taxes. People want to be in Miami because of the quality of life, and they want to be in Florida because the tax structure is attractive. That is especially compelling for people relocating from places like New York, Chicago, and California.

We are also seeing a different profile of investor. In the past, many international buyers came to Miami primarily to buy a condo. Now we are seeing more groups from the Middle East and Eastern Europe establishing businesses and opening offices here. The city is becoming a larger capital markets center, and that is changing the scale of investment.

The challenge is whether infrastructure can keep pace. Schools, transportation, roads, utilities, and public services all matter. There have been positive moves, including investment in schools and progress on updating water and sewer systems, but transportation remains the biggest weakness. For all of Miami’s strengths, we are still a car-dependent community.

What are the biggest constraints on continued real estate development in Miami?

Several factors are affecting real estate growth right now. Land prices are too high, interest rates are too high, and construction costs are too high. A major part of construction cost is labor, and we have a labor shortage. Material costs have also been affected by tariffs and other supply pressures.

All of that feeds directly into the cost of living, which in turn affects who can afford to remain in the market. That is a serious issue for long-term growth. A city cannot function if only the highest earners can afford to live there. The workforce that supports the broader economy also needs to have a place in the community.

What does Miami need on a policy and planning level to sustain its momentum over the next five years?

Miami needs growth that supports the full community, not just high-end development. Capitalism depends on labor, and labor depends on affordability and opportunity. If the cost of living keeps pushing people out, then the city risks undermining its own growth.

That is why policy and planning have to address affordability, labor availability, infrastructure, and transportation together. Development is always a long-term bet. From the time you buy land to the time you deliver a project, several years can pass. The challenge is always to figure out what the market will need years from now.

River Landing is a good example of that kind of long-term vision. We believed the area had potential when many others did not. The response has been remarkable. In 2025 alone, we had 6.8 million visitors. To me, that is incredible. It shows that when you build something that truly serves how people want to live, work, and connect, the market will respond.