Overview
Steven J. Wernick is an experienced land use attorney and maintains a multi-disciplinary practice throughout South Florida. He has significant experience representing real estate developers, property owners, and other real estate industry clients – skillfully navigating the intricacies of local government regulations and the development approval process to help clients deliver on great projects and revitalize urban core neighborhoods.
Steve’s work in recent years has been most prominent with projects under development in Wynwood, Miami’s emerging arts district undergoing a significant transformation into a 24/7 live, work, play neighborhood that has become an epicenter for global art tourism and expansion of Miami’s tech hub. Starting with his work for Goldman Properties on a portfolio of adaptive reuse projects and the award-winning Wynwood Garage, Steve has worked with local and national developers on entitlements for over 7 million square feet of new retail, office, multifamily and hospitality development constructed in Wynwood over the past decade.
Previously, Steve worked as special counsel for the Wynwood Business Improvement District (BID) in the creation and adoption of the Wynwood Neighborhood Revitalization District (NRD-1), recognized by the American Planning Association with the 2017 National Planning Award in Economic Development. Additionally, he has secured zoning and development approvals on multifamily office, and hospitality projects within the City of Miami, Bay Harbor Islands, North Miami, Miami Beach and other waterfront communities in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties. Steve was intimately involved in securing entitlements for the Miami Design District Retail Street Special Area Plan – including infrastructure improvements, nonstandard covenants and a regulating plan to facilitate over 1 million square feet of development of luxury retail, art and civic space.
Steve has built a reputation as a trusted advisor for creative zoning tools to support neighborhood revitalization in South Florida’s emerging neighborhoods. As a trained urban planner and credentialed by American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), Steve has the ability to communicate with diverse community stakeholders, and experience shepherding code amendments and overlay districts to unlock the potential for mixed use redevelopment. In 2021, Steve secured approval from City Commission for adoption of Wynwood Norte NRD2, including rezoning of 14 acres.
Steve is regularly asked to speak at conferences and to media outlets on evolving trends in planning and zoning and is cited by courts and secondary law sources nationwide, including Powell on Real Property and Land Use Planning and the Environment: A Casebook (2010).
Experience
Represented developer of 250 Wynwood, an 11 unit 6-story live/work building and the first new construction under the Wynwood NRD-1 zoning district
Represented developer of CUBE Wynwood, a 90,000+ SF 8-story boutique office building
Represented developer of Wynwood 25, Wynwood’s first market-rate apartment building, rising 8-stories and 400,000 SF+ floor area, with 289 units and 31,000 SF of ground floor retail; and securing the first transfer of development rights (TDRs) from a qualified Legacy Structure in Wynwood
Represented developer of 545 Wyn, a 300,000 SF 10-story class A office building and parking garage with green roof deck developed by Sterling Bay
Represented Goldman Properties securing zoning approvals for Wynwood Garage, a 8-story artistic parking garage with ground floor retail/restaurant uses and co-working space, and the first large scale new construction project approved by the Urban Development Review Board in Wynwood
Represented joint venture between L&L Holdings and Oak Row obtaining design and development approvals for Wynwood Plaza, a 1 million square feet mixed-use development, including 200,000+ square feet class A office building and 500+ multifamily residential units, anchored by grand courtyard connecting Wynwood Norte and Wynwood Arts District
Represented Magellan Housing, developer of Wynwood Works obtaining a warrant special permit and waivers for a 120-unit mixed-income multifamily residential building, including units priced for low-income, moderate-income and workforce households through a public-private partnership agreement with the Omni Community Redevelopment Agency
Represented developer of Mohawk at Wynwood, securing design and development approvals or a 12-story 400,000+ Square feet market rate multifamily residential building including 226 units
Represented developer of The Rider, a 12-story 131-apartment hotel building adjacent to future Wynwood/Edgewater commuter rail station in Wynwood’s NE Quadrant
Represented developer of Wynwood Urby, securing WDRC Approval and waiver special permit for 1.3 acre site to be redeveloped as 289 dwelling units, 17,000 square feet of commercial space and curated art program
Represented Fifield Companies' Wynwood Station, an 8-story building which includes 210 apartments and 11,000 sq. ft. of retail space, secured WDRC Approval, waiver special permit and other development approvals
Represents developer of Metro at Edgewater, including platting, site plan approval, waivers and UDRB approval for multiphased project in Edgewater
Represented Blue Road LLC and partners on Emblem Tower, securing Conditional Use Permit and Site Plan Approval for 20-story market rate multifamily building on NW 7 Avenue in City of North Miami
Assisted with drafting and advocating for City of Miami Zoning Reform Legislation; including amendments to Miami 21 zoning code and land development regulations to harness new technologies and building industry innovations; led a research effort to support micro-unit legislation sponsored by Miami Mayor Francis Suarez to incorporate best practices from Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, and other first-tier markets to expand housing options tied to transit-served districts in Miami
Wynwood Arts District NRD-1; Contributed to crafting and security City Commission approval of legislation implementing the Wynwood Neighborhood Revitalization District (NRD-1), which brought recognition to the City of Miami’s first NRD, including 2017 APA Award: Best Economic Development Plan
Underline Special District & Impact Fee Allocation; Worked to secure up to $65 million in park impact fees from City of Coral Gables and City of Miami to be allocated to The Underline – Miami’s ambitious urban trail project stretching 10+ miles through multiple jurisdictions; currently chairs a committee studying The Underline Special District, including value capture mechanisms for long-term sustainability
El Portal Form-Based Zoning Code; Acted as special counsel to the Village of El Portal’s Planning Director advising on creation/adoption of the Village’s Form Based Code in 2017
Wynwood Norte NRD-2, Co-authored and guided the Wynwood Norte Neighborhood Revitalization District (NRD-2), the City of Miami’s 2nd NRD, through community engagement and public hearing approvals; as a 141-acre overlay district, the NRD-2 was the largest neighborhood rezoning ever adopted under Miami 21 and brought together diverse stakeholders to support a measured and context-sensitive rezoning that allows for additional density while promoting the character of the neighborhood
Education and Credentials
Education
- University of Florida, J.D., Order of the Coif, Florida Law Review
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, M.R.P., Masters in Regional Planning, Real Estate Development
- Boston University, B.A., magna cum laude, Bachelors Degree in American Studies
Admissions
- State of Florida
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
Affiliations
- American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP)
Recognition and Community
No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the highest court of any state. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. See Awards Methodology.
Recognitions
Daily Business Review, Unsung Hero Award, 2022
Builders Association of South Florida, President's Award, 2021
Super Lawyers Magazine, Florida, 2013-2024
Daily Business Review, Real Estate Lawyer of the Year, 2017
Builders Association of South Florida, Joseph G. Goldstein
Legislative Leadership Award, 2017
South Florida Business Journal 40 under 40, 2017
CHS Child Advocate of the Year, 2015
Community Involvement
University of Miami School of Architecture, Adjunct Professor, 2021–Present
ULI SE Florida Caribbean, Advisory Board Member, 2018-2020
Friends of the Underline, Inc., Board Member, 2017–Present
Wynwood Community Enhancement Association, Advisor/Pro Bono Counsel, 2019–Present
Children's Home Society of Florida, Inc., State Board of Directors, 2016-2019
City of Miami Waterfront Advisory Board, Chairman, 2015- 2017
Builders Association of South Florida, Chair, City of Miami Working Group, 2019-Present
In The Media
Speaking Engagements
- The Underline: Revitalizing Communities through Green Infrastructure, August 31, 2021
- Wynwood Norte: Mitigating Displacement through Community Vision Plan, September 9, 2020
- Evolution of Wynwood, June 2018
- 100 Years of Zoning, November 3, 2016
- Wynwood: From Garment District to 24/7 Neighborhood, September 2015
- Smart Growth and Mobility: A Tale of Two Cities, August 1, 2011
Media Mention
- Housing Policy To Watch in 2025, Law360, January 8, 2025
- New High-Rises and Vanishing Roots in West Grove, Miami Times, November 5, 2024
- Wynwood Commercial Site Shifts to Hotel, Condo Units, Miami Today, October 8, 2024
- Wynwood Walls Creator, Developer Partner on Hotel, Condo Building, South Florida Business Journal, September 6, 2024
- Gov. Ron DeSantis Signed the Amendments into Law on Thursday, The Real Deal, May 17, 2024
- Miami Not Immune to Office Distress, Foreclosure Bid Shows, Law360, May 15, 2024
- Unlocking Miami-Dade's Housing Potential, RentCafe, April 11, 2024
- 28-Story Tower With Over 100 Apartments Planned in Miami, South Florida Business Journal, April 12, 2024
- The End of Single-Family-Only Home Suburbs? Miami-Dade Zoning Rule Impact Could Be 'Sweeping', Miami Herald, March 29, 2024
- Day Pitney Adds Land Use Practice to Miami office, Miami Today, March 15, 2024
- The Real Deal: Movers & Shakers, The Real Deal, March 4, 2024
- Day Pitney Appoints Steven Wernick and Joseph Ruiz to its Miami Office, CityBiz, February 29, 2024
- Revisions Show Fla.'s Dedication To Affordable Housing Law, Law360, March 1, 2024
- Steven Wernick and Joseph Ruiz's Arrival to Day Pitney Featured in Law360, Law360, February 29, 2024
- Horizon's Residences at NOMI Scores $48 Million Construction Loan, South Florida Business Journal, November 6, 2023
- Goldman Properties Proposes Work/Live project in Miami's Wynwood, South Florida Business Journal, September 22, 2023
- New Florida Zoning Law Is A ‘Big Deal', But Questions Remain, Law360, June 29, 2023
- Miami-Dade County Mobility Fee on Track for Funding Multi-Modal Transportation System, Day Pitney Alert, June 2023
- Failed Vote May Not Slow Miami Beach Transformation, Law360, November 21, 2022
- Wynwood Norte moves toward increased residential density, Miami Today, November 1, 2022
- Multi-Skilled Lawyer Guides Urban Revitalization in Miami, Law360, July 14, 2022
- A great comeback story: Miami approves new zoning for neighborhood near Wynwood, South Florida Business Journal, March 26, 2021
- Wynwood Norte Neighborhood Revitalization District wins preliminary commission approval, Miami's Community Newspapers, November 9, 2020
- Wynwood gets serious, As new offices come to Wynwood, can the area's character survive?, Miami Herald, August 20, 2018
Publications
- Zoning Review in Commercial Real Estate Financing Transactions (FL), LexisNexis, January 14, 2025
- Zoning Review in Commercial Real Estate Financing Transactions (FL), August 2020, republished, Lexis Nexis, January 2025
- Envision 2035: City of Miami EAR Amendments: Encourage Redevelopment around Transit Stations, Day Pitney Alert, August 2023
- Florida's Live Local Act is a Big Deal for Affordable Housing, Day Pitney Alert, April 2023
- City of Miami Zoning Reform: A Tale of Two Cities, Day Pitney Alert, February 2023
- Unsung Heroes: Steven Wernick Highlights How Pro Bono ‘Elevates' Lawyers, Daily Business Review, June 1, 2022
- Wynwood Urby? Here are details about what likely will rise on old Art by God sit, Miami Herald, April 13, 2022
- Miami 21 Revisited: Adaptation is Key to Miami's Future in Age of Coronavirus, Daily Business Review, April 2020
- Smart Growth, Powell on Real Property, §78C, 2015
- Irma Revealed Weaknesses, But Presented Opportunities for a More Resilient Miami, The Miami Herald, October 2017
- Public-private partnerships help the economy, The Miami Herald, June 2011
- Preserving Land Entitlements in a Recessionary Economy, Florida Real Estate Journal, Vol. 17, No. 4, June 2009
- Golf Course Conversions: The Challenges of Urban Reuse, Powell on Real Property, §79.D08, 2008
- Diamonds in the Rough: Judicial Reaction to Golf Course Conversions, Zoning & Planning Law Report, 2007
- Zoning Out Sex Offenders Through Residency Restrictions in Florida