A popularSouth Beach restaurant that suddenly closed in August will reopen across the bay at Miami Worldcenter.
Jonas Millán, co-owner of Juvia Group, said a new location has been secured for Juvia on the 12th floor of Miami Worldcenter’s Block H at 652 N.E. Second Ave.
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Expected to open by the end of next year, the new location will have 8,769 square feet of indoor space and a 7,100-square-foot outdoor patio. It will employ 160 workers, including chefs, waiters, managers, servers and other staffers.
“The level of gastronomy we are looking to offer mandates that we have a large team,” Millán said.
For 11 years, Juvia operated on the top floor of 1111 Lincoln Road. It closed in late August after more than a year of litigation with its landlord, 1111 Lincoln LLC, over rent. The 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida in Miami-Dade County issued a final judgment for possession in favor of 1111 Lincoln LLC on Aug. 21.
“We couldn’t find a common ground,” Millán said.
The new Miami space is 60% larger than the South Beach locale and offers fantastic views, he added.
“It’s a magical location,” Millán said. “Last time we visited, we were looking at the sunset on the bay, and we could see the new Signature Bridge that’s under construction,the cruise ships and the Miami Heat arena.”
Juvia’s new home will be in a $6 billion, 27-acre community masterplanned by developers Arthur Falcone and Nitin Motwani, in partnership with Los Angeles-based CIM Group.
Completed residential projects at Miami Worldcenter include the 569-unit Paramount Miami Worldcenter condominium, the 444-unit Caoba apartment tower, and the 434-unit Bezel Miami luxury rental tower. And more buildings are coming. For example, New York-based developer Lalazarian plans to build more than 2,000 residential units there.
Miami Worldcenter is already home to three food and beverage concepts operated by Chef Michael Beltran’s Ariete Hospitality Group: Brasserie Laurel; Chug’s Express; and El Vecino Cigar & Cocktail Bar.
Other restaurants slated to open there next year include Maple & Ash, Earl’s Kitchen & Bar, Serafina, Sixty Vines and a combination BurgerFi/Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza eatery.
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“There is so much more to Miami beyond the beach,” Millán said. “Its epicenter has shifted and great things are now happening on the mainland.”
Next year, Millán said, he also intends to open a 5,000-square-foot Sushi Garage restaurant at Bayside Marketplace in downtown Miami. When that launches, it will be the concept’s fourth South Florida location. (Other locations are in Miami Beach, downtown Fort Lauderdale and Miami’s Coconut Grove.)
In addition, Juvia Group is moving forward with plans to open a 10,000-square-foot Juvia restaurant in Hallandale Beach.
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South Florida’s culinary scene took off during the pandemic as restaurant operators relocated to the region to avoid Covid-related shutdowns. That trend, plus South Florida’s booming tourism economy and the migration of high-income households to the region helped push retail rents upward.
However, there are signs that Miami’s retail market has weakened somewhat. According to preliminary statistics from Colliers, the average asking rent in Miami-Dade County decreased 31 cents from the second quarter to $43.33 a square foot in the third quarter.
Erik Bojnansky, South Florida Business Journal
