North Beach may get new workforce housing at a city-owned site that's sat empty for more than seven years.

The Miami Beach Commission took action in late June on the redevelopment of the former Byron Carlyle theater at 500 71st St., advancing a plan to combine workforce housing, cultural programming and community space, Miami Today reported July 1. The exact meeting date, vote count and specific procedural step could not be independently confirmed from public records as of Monday.

The property, located between Byron Avenue and Carlyle Avenue, opened as twin cinemas in 1968. Miami Beach bought the building from WBC Broadcasting Corp. in 2001, but it has been closed since 2019 after flooding damage and the departure of its last tenant, O Cinema, in 2018.

Commissioner Tanya Bhatt has led the push for the redevelopment. Her vision includes a movie theater, a black box theater, free children's art classes, office space for local arts nonprofits, artist studios, a recording studio, affordable housing units and a cafe. Bhatt has argued that rental income from the housing component could offset the cost of running arts programming, reducing the need for ongoing taxpayer subsidies.

The project carries a $30.57 million price tag, funded from the $159 million in bonds Miami Beach voters approved for arts infrastructure in November 2022.

In 2021, commissioners rejected a proposal to sell the land to private developers for apartments and a cultural center. The current approach keeps the city as owner and project lead.

When the redevelopment concept first came before commissioners in June 2024, Commissioner David Suarez co-sponsored the item. "It's been sitting there empty forever," he said at the time. "You're not going to have the perfect solution that makes everyone happy, but I think this is the best solution for our city."

The Friends of the Byron Carlyle, a coalition of residents and arts organizations including Miami Light Project, FUNDarte, Miami New Drama, Rhythm Foundation and Miami Beach Pride, helped shape the plan.

The city's official project page estimates construction will take 24 to 36 months once underway. City Facilities and Fleet Management Assistant Director Daniel Alzuri said in June 2024 that the city was working with a consulting firm on a detailed proposal, but with the project still in its approval phase two years later, the original timeline has likely shifted.

The project's next procedural step could not be confirmed as of publication. Residents can track commission agendas and submit public comment at miamibeachfl.gov.