Bayside Marketplace

Bayside Marketplace
Bayside Marketplace in February 2020, with the Skyviews Miami Observation Wheel under construction
LocationMiami, Florida, U.S.
Coordinates25°46′42″N 80°11′11″W / 25.77831°N 80.186452°W / 25.77831; -80.186452
Address401 Biscayne Blvd, 33132
Opening dateApril 8, 1987 (1987-04-08)
Renovated2016
DeveloperThe Rouse Company
ManagementAshkenazy Acquisition Corporation[1]
OwnerBrookfield Properties (GGP Retail LLC) (51%)
Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation (49%) (Bayside Marketplace)
City of Miami (land)
ArchitectBenjamin Thompson and Associates, Inc.
Floors2
ParkingParking lot / Parking garage
Websitebaysidemarketplace.com
Building details
At night, c. October 2012
General information
StatusOperational
TypeFestival marketplace (1987–2016)
Shopping mall and market (2016–present)
Renovating team
ArchitectZyscovich Architects
Renovating firmAshkenazy Acquisition Corporation and General Growth Properties
References
[1]

Bayside Marketplace (or simply Bayside) is an open-air festival marketplace located in Downtown Miami, Florida, United States consisting of two mall structures: North Pavilion and South Pavilion.[2] The center is situated on the banks of Biscayne Bay, with the City of Miami marina on one side.[3] It was developed by the Bayside Entertainment Company, a subsidiary of The Rouse Company, a Columbia-based real estate developer.[2]

Bayside Marketplace is managed by the Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation, which owns a 49% stake in the mall, while GGP, a subsidiary of Brookfield Properties, owns the remaining 51%. The mall remains as a successful tourist attraction unlike many other Rouse marketplaces, though it did struggle in the early 2010s period and was eventually renovated in 2016.[2]

History

Pre-construction and development

In the 1970s and 1980s, downtown Miami experienced a significant decline characterized by high levels of crime, drug-related violence, and economic stagnation, leading to the city's infamous national reputation as a troubled and dangerous urban area. This heavy period of urban decay tempted city officials to initiate numerous revitalization efforts aimed at transforming the waterfront, restoring economic vitality to the core business district, and reversing Miami's character as a dangerous city. After World War II, people also began moving to the suburbs, wanting enclosed shopping centers over traditional local department stores. The bad state of Miami was encapsulated in the influential hit TV show Miami Vice, which ran from 1984 to 1990.[4]

The Rouse Company formed the subsidiary Bayside Entertainment Company[5] and began plans for Bayside Marketplace in 1983. The company selected the site, along 16 acres (6.5 ha) of land near downtown Miami facing Biscayne Bay, to develop a festival marketplace shopping center, as akin to their successful flagships of the same model being Harborplace in Baltimore and Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston. Development had key involvement from city officials including then-mayor Xavier Suarez. The project costed $93 million.[6][7]

Grand opening and early years

Bayside Marketplace had its grand opening on April 8, 1987, aiming to turn Miami into a tourist attraction.[8] The marketplace was designed by Benjamin C. Thompson as an open-air shopping center, mimicking the appearance of historical market sheds. Upon opening, it consisted of about 235,000 square feet (21,800 m2) of retail shops and restaurants between two different buildings, in addition to opening out to a marina called the Miamarina. The project was estimated upon opening to generate about 1,200 jobs in the Miami area.[9] The grand opening celebration featured live performances by the New World Pops Orchestra conducted by Peter Graves, a fireworks display, and a boat parade on Biscayne Bay.[10]

It included a mix of retail and souvenir stores, restaurants, 77 minority-owned businesses, and also included a space that featured local musical acts, and a food court on the second floor.[11]

Bayside Marketplace attracted over 12 million visitors in its first year of operation.[2] However, the mall eventually fall $18 million short in sales and two million visitors short once the novelty wore off.[12]

The Rouse Company announced that Hard Rock Cafe would open at Bayside Marketplace in the early 1990s. The restaurant had its grand opening in 1993, featuring a massive guitar attached to its roof, numerous palm trees, and Elvis memorabilia.[13]

After opening

Tenth-anniversary festivities in 1997 included several concerts and tall ship arrivals, as well as a fireworks show.[14] In the early 21st century, proposals were given by Miami-Dade County to link the mall to American Airlines Arena (now Kaseya Center) with a pedestrian bridge.[15] By 2004, the plans had been modified to instead include a street-level crosswalk, as well as a public park adjacent to the arena.[16]

The Rouse Company and its assets, including Bayside Marketplace, was acquired by Chicago-based General Growth Properties (GGP) in November 2004 for $12.6 billion.[17]

In 2014, New York-based Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation acquired a 49% stake in Bayside Marketplace and took over mall management.[18]

Decline, 2016 renovation and ownership changes

Bayside Marketplace's once-bustling food court on the second floor began to lose food tenants. It also failed to compete with new, modern competitors like the Miami Design District and Brickell City Centre. It was also seen as a "tourist trap" because it was seen as catering to cruise ship visitors and suburban visitors, which discouraged local repeat business.[20] Plans for the nearby SkyRise Miami entertainment tower was cancelled because it faced legal challenges and funding issues, which resulted in the site where it was planned to be constructed on as a "wasteland."[21]

The marketplace undergone a $27 million renovation in 2016 announced by Ashkenazy and GGP, and was designed by local architects Zyscovich Architecture,[22] which gave it a fresh and more modern look, through a brighter paint scheme, hurricane-resistant polyurethane roofs with LED lighting, a revamped tenant mix, and general modernization.[2]

GGP and its massive portfolio of shopping centers, including Bayside Marketplace—which owned a 51% stake in the mall—was acquired by Brookfield Properties—another New York-based firm—in August 2018.[23]

2020s–present

Although the COVID-19 pandemic caused temporary tenant closures and social distancing restrictions to be implemented, including the permanent closure of the Hooters restaurant on March 17, 2020, Bayside Marketplace continued to expand, including the addition of the Skyviews Miami Observation Wheel, which opened on October 28, 2020, towering 200 feet above the mall with 42 climate-controlled gondolas offering panoramic views of Biscayne Bay and the downtown skyline.[24]

Besides Hooters, Bayside lost six additional tenants during the pandemic, including Sun & Sea Brazilian Bikinis.[25]

The former Hooters restaurant space was replaced by Black Market Miami, which opened in May 2021.[26]

A 190–foot–tall Ferris wheel was added near Bayside in the spring of 2022 to celebrate its 35-year anniversary.[25]

Express, Inc. closed its Bayside store in May 2024, alongside 14 other stores, after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April 2024.[27]

January 2024 fireworks disturbance

On January 1, 2024, a large police presence arrived at the mall after reports of teenagers causing a disturbance including fighting and lighting fireworks.[28] The scale of police presence which responded to the incident spawned conspiracy theories (such as Bayside Marketplace being "attacked by aliens") involving extraterrestrials which police denied.[29][30]

Brookfield Properties reverted its U.S. retail subsidiary to the GGP name in January 2026.[31]

As of February 2026, Bayside Marketplace continues to house numerous stores and restaurants, including Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Five Guys, IT'SUGAR, and Hard Rock Cafe.[1]

See also

  • Bayside from north looking south (food court near the middle and the Hard Rock Cafe on the left)
  • Bayside from south looking north
  • Bayside as seen from the east looking west on Biscayne Bay
  • Facade of a parking garage spelling out the center's name
  • The College/Bayside station, which serves as transportation to Bayside
  • IT'SUGAR Candy Store at Bayside Marketplace, c. April 2024

References

  1. ^ a b c "Bayside Marketplace - Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation Realty". AAC. 2010. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Before and after: Miami's Bayside Marketplace". The Jaxsonmag. November 5, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
  3. ^ Miami Trave Guide
  4. ^ Renn, Aaron (July 22, 2024). "Miami: The Under-Appreciated Urban Success Story". Governing. Retrieved February 20, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ "The Rouse Company's subsidiaries". Retrieved February 14, 2026.
  6. ^ Rubin, Andrew (April 8, 1987). "Miami welcomes Bayside". UPI. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  7. ^ Beth Dunlop (September 25, 1983). "Spirit of Miami missing from Bayside designs". The Miami Herald. pp. 1L, 8L. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  8. ^ "From Miami Vice to Miami Nice". Miami Times Online. 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
  9. ^ "Bayside project fact sheet: It's big and beautiful". The Miami Herald. April 5, 1987. pp. 2BA. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  10. ^ "Bayside to open in style". Sun Sentinel. April 8, 1987. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  11. ^ "Bayside Marketplace - Miami Article". Miami Herald. 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
  12. ^ "RICHMOND'S 6TH STREET MARKETPLACE ASSESSMENT OF A FAILED FESTIVAL MARKET" (PDF). Retrieved January 18, 2026.
  13. ^ "Hard Rock Cafe Miami". Foresyte.
  14. ^ "Celebrate 10th birthday of Bayside Marketplace". The Miami Herald. April 10, 1997. pp. S6. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  15. ^ Oscar Corral (February 9, 2002). "Miami pushing Miami-Dade to build Bayside walkway". The Miami Herald. pp. 3B. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  16. ^ Douglas Hanks III (July 1, 2003). "Heat, county mull waterfront park". The Miami Herald. pp. 3C. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  17. ^ "General Growth Properties, Inc. Completes Merger of the Rouse Company" (Press release). Business Wire. November 12, 2004.
  18. ^ "Bayside alleges four stores haven't paid rent, sues to evict Claires and Envy". The Real Deal. April 16, 2018. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  19. ^ Taylor, Kate (January 27, 2017). "Teen retailer is suddenly closing all of its stores". Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  20. ^ "Skyrise Miami Eiffel Tower Site becomes a wasteland". WLRN. June 20, 2024. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
  21. ^ "SkyRise Miami Future tourist destination and a hard pill to swallow". Condo Blackbook. September 23, 2016. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
  22. ^ "Take a look at the new Bayside Marketplace in downtown Miami". The Real Deal. September 11, 2016. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  23. ^ "Brookfield Property Partners completes acquisition of GGP Inc". Brookfield Property Partners. August 29, 2018. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
  24. ^ "Skyviews Miami Observation Wheel opens at Bayside Marketplace". NBC Miami. October 28, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  25. ^ a b "Bayside: From Miami Vice to Miami Nice". Biscayne Times. May 2, 2022. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  26. ^ "Black Market Miami to replace Hooters at Bayside". South Florida Business Journals. May 3, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  27. ^ "Express Florida stores closing". FOX 35 Orlando. April 20, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  28. ^ Nbc6 • • (January 2, 2024). "4 teens arrested after large fight caused chaos in Bayside Marketplace on New Year's Day". NBC 6 South Florida. Retrieved May 12, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  29. ^ Rodriguez • •, Gabi (January 5, 2024). "'No aliens, UFOs, or ETs': Police clear up social media speculation after viral Bayside brawl". NBC 6 South Florida. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
  30. ^ Geisel, Hunter (January 5, 2024). "Rumors of 'shadow aliens' at Bayside Marketplace go viral after large fight among teens creates chaos - CBS Miami". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
  31. ^ Urbanski, Al (January 6, 2026). "GGP lives again!". Chain Store Age.
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