Bakehouse Art Complex Expands Campus with Acquisition of Adjacent Property, Advancing Vision for Permanent Cultural Infrastructure in Miami
Miami, FL — (January 5, 2026) — Bakehouse Art Complex announced today the acquisition of a strategically critical adjacent property at 533 NW 32 Street, expanding its campus and accelerating its vision to create long-term permanent cultural infrastructure for Miami’s artists, cultural workers, and communities.
This milestone acquisition was supported by major multiyear investments from the Knight Foundation and special gifts from the Braman Family Foundation and Debi Braman Wechsler, Arison Arts Foundation, Christopher Carter and the Wege Foundation, and a gift from an anonymous board member. Shahrzad Emami Shaw of Nelson Mullins has provided critical and ongoing pro-bono legal counsel to Bakehouse on its future site plans and this acquisition.
The new parcel adds 0.3 acres to Bakehouse’s 2.3-acre campus and marks a major step forward in realizing its transformative master plan. Contiguous to the main Bakehouse campus, the parcel significantly strengthens the organization’s ability to pursue its redevelopment vision and opens the possibility of developing an additional 100 units of affordable housing, leveraging the site’s strategic adjacency and Bakehouse’s development rights. The existing eight-unit building, in derelict condition, will be demolished to make way for the next phase of development, including affordable artist housing, renovated and expanded studios and fabrication labs, public green spaces, and cultural gathering areas.
This acquisition further positions Bakehouse as a strong anchor institution in Wynwood Norte and strengthens its role in advancing community-centered and cultural driven revitalization, safeguarding a creative ecosystem essential to Miami’s long-term future.
“Knight Foundation is proud to have supported Bakehouse Art Complex over the years and recently with a multiyear investment awarded in 2021. We are delighted to see Bakehouse take this pivotal step to secure and expand its campus,” said Kristina Newman-Scott, Vice President of Arts at Knight Foundation. “Bakehouse is one of Miami’s most essential homes for artists, a place where creativity is nurtured, careers are launched and community is built. This expansion strengthens Bakehouse's ability to serve Miami's creative community for the long term, ensuring artists remain at the center of the city's future."
“Miami’s artists are essential to the vibrancy and identity of our city, and Bakehouse has been steadfast in championing and supporting them,” said Debi Braman Wechsler, director of the Braman Family Foundation, who personally and with the Family Foundation contributed to the acquisition. “We are honored to help make this strategic expansion possible. Securing this adjacent property strengthens Bakehouse’s foundation and accelerates its bold vision to create long-term opportunities for Miami artists.”
“The Arison Arts Foundation is proud to support Bakehouse at this transformative moment,” said Sarah Arison, President, Arison Arts Foundation. “For Miami to continue growing as a global cultural capital, we must ensure that artists have the space and stability they need to create, experiment, and thrive. This acquisition is a critical step for Miami’s creative community.”
“This acquisition represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Bakehouse and for our artists,” said Cathy Leff, Executive Director of Bakehouse Art Complex. “The extraordinary support we have received from City National Bank along with a coalition of funders now and over the years and the more than 1,000 people who turned out for our 40th anniversary celebration last month demonstrate the belief that artists are essential to our community. We must commit to building the permanent cultural infrastructure they, our neighborhood, and the city deserve. Our partners’ leadership makes it possible for Bakehouse to grow responsibly, protect affordability, expand its cultural footprint, and deliver on a mission that benefits the entire city.”
“It is incredible to witness such a seemingly small parcel of land have a huge impact on the future of Bakehouse, Wynwood Norte, District 5, and the greater City of Miami,” said Miami City Commission Chairwoman Christine King, District 5. “And I am especially delighted about the site’s immediate temporary use as a community garden and public space that cultivates connections, supports our residents, and deepens Bakehouse’s long-standing role as a neighborhood anchor and steward.”
“Bakehouse continues the DNA of its former industrial bakery, nourishing our city in new and enduring ways,” said Jason Korman, Chairman of the Bakehouse Board of Directors. “With this acquisition and the extraordinary momentum behind it, Bakehouse is igniting a cultural transformation, one fueled by brilliant minds, creative risk-takers, and a community invested in making Miami a place where breakthrough culture can thrive. Our Board has been steadfast in advancing this vision, and this milestone brings us meaningfully closer to a campus where creativity, opportunity, and innovation rise together.”
For press inquiries, please contact Ellie Hayworth Murray (ellie@hayworth.co).
For acquisition-related inquiries, please contact Cathy Leff (cathyleff@bacfl.org).
About Bakehouse Art Complex
Founded in 1985 in a former industrial bakery, Bakehouse Art Complex is a nonprofit incubator for artistic and cultural production, providing affordable studios, residencies, exhibitions, fabrication facilities, and public programs that empower artists and community members to co-create Miami’s cultural future. Bakehouse serves as a nationally recognized model for artist-centered urban revitalization and cultural infrastructure development.