Miami Redeveloped: Plans for New Movie Studio

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The city of Miami's downtown area is undergoing an arts renaissance and will soon include a new movie studio. 

The Miami Omni Community Redevelopment Agency announced it is under negotiations with EUE/Screen Gems for the development and operation of the Miami Entertainment Complex, a movie studio and related facilities.

Located in Miami's Media and Entertainment District, west of the Arsht Performing Arts Center, the studio will be a redevelopment of the current building. The building is more than 50 years old, built as a department store and was most recently used as a storage facility by the school board. 

The Magic City is enjoying cultural and economic growth, positioning itself as a major metropolitan city. Last week thousands of visitors descended on the city to enjoy Art Basel Miami Beach, the nation's largest art fair. During that time, some were able to witness the opening of the Perez Art Museum Miami, next to the Adrienne Arsht Center and neighbor to the site of the future Frost Museum of Science. 

"Through this partnership, we will create the infrastructure needed to reignite the film industry in South Florida," Miami Omni CRA Chairman Marc D. Sarnoff, said in the announcement. "As more productions see that Miami is serious about attracting the industry and that it has the facilities to accommodate major projects, the industry as a whole will be enhanced across the board."

New York City-based EUE/Screen Gems owns and operates film and television production facilities in New York City, Atlanta and Wilmington, N.C. The Wilmington studio is the largest production studio in the U.S. outside of California, and most recently was the location for the filming of "Iron Man 3," according to the company.

The studio's design intends to serve major movies, television series and independent filmmakers. It will include 50-foot ceiling heights, approximately 70,000 square feet of studio space, including two fully operational film sound stages of 10,000 to 12,000 square feet, a motion capture studio designed for digital imaging, 3-D animation and gaming, editing suites, screening rooms and 12,000 square feet of office and accessory rooms.

Miami Omni CRA, which owns the land and the existing building will reimburse EUE/Screen Gems up to $10.5 million in development costs.

The Miami Omni CRA is working on redeveloping the Media and Entertainment District and is near completion of a $6 million reconstruction of NE 14th Street from NE 2nd Avenue to NW 1st Avenue, connecting the Performing Arts Center with the Media and Entertainment District. 

Improvements include new wider sidewalks, decorative pavement, new curb and gutter and a 12-inch water main upgrade to help promote and attract future development along the corridor, the firm stated.