With Miami Worldcenter, the city isn’t just getting 10 blocks of redevelopment—it’s getting an expansion of its urban core, bridging Downtown with the burgeoning Arts & Entertainment District (maybe the suits can appreciate a little Shakespeare), Miami Worldcenter Associates managing principal Nitin Motwani tells us.

Now that the City Commission unanimously green-lighted Miami Worldcenter’s zoning package and master development agreement, Nitin—snapped with principal Art Falcone—says that groundbreaking will be late this year or early next. “It will breathe new life into downtown Miami streets and bring new jobs, new spending and new tourism—while serving as a catalyst for continued investment,” he says. Ten blocks of urban blight will become a retail, residential, and commercial destination.

The boost will include nearly 35,000 jobs, including about 18,000 direct jobs, according to a study by Fishkind & Associates. The expo center will also bring events and conferences to downtown Miami for the first time, capturing new visitors and their spending, Nitin points out. When complete, the development will include a 765k SF shopping center (anchored by Bloomingdale's and Macy's), a 1,800-room Marriott Marquis, 1,000 residential units, and a pedestrian-only promenade including lifestyle and retail offerings that will connect the hotel with Biscayne Boulevard and the bay front to the east.