Transforming Asphalt to Oasis: Jacobs-Engineered Ocean Terrace Park Revitalizing Miami Beach

Miami Beach's Ocean Terrace is undergoing a stunning transformation—and Jacobs is helping bring the vision to life as the project’s engineer of record. 

What was once a standard asphalt roadway is being reimagined as Ocean Terrace Park, a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly space with direct beach access. The nearly complete five-acre redevelopment by Ocean Terrace Holdings is designed to be a cornerstone of the community, blending natural beauty with practical resilient and opening up opportunities for residential, retail and hotel development.

Envisioned by Sandor Scher and Alex Blavatnik as the principals of Ocean Terrace Holdings, and designed by renowned landscape architect Raymond Jungles, the park includes boardwalks, seating areas, water features, native landscaping and turtle-friendly lighting. These elements are tailored to create an immersive, environmentally conscious experience for visitors while supporting the city’s goals for sustainability and walkability.

Jacobs is leading the engineering, design and construction observation to help bring the project from concept to reality. 

A key part of the City of Miami Beach's broader effort to beautify and pedestrianize the Ocean Terrace corridor, the project features upgraded storm drainage, new irrigation systems, a dedicated bike lane, pedestrian walkways and an open-air pavilion. These additions improve both the safety and accessibility while reinforcing the coastline’s resilience to storms and sea level rise. 

One of the most significant community benefits of Ocean Terrace Park is its role in connecting existing green spaces to the north and south along the city’s renovated Beachwalk. By linking these areas, Ocean Terrace Park creates a continuous, pedestrian-only sanctuary that encourages public interaction with nature within an urban setting. The landscape design draws inspiration from native dune vegetation, further enhancing the ecological value of the space.

"When we envisioned the project ten years ago, standing in the middle of the street on Ocean Terrace, we had a transformational vision and did not see parked cars and asphalt,” says Sandor Scher, principal of Ocean Terrace Holdings. We envisioned a beautiful landscape, large shade trees, water features, exceptional food & beverage, vibrant dune scape and green areas instead of parking and drive lanes. The world-class Ocean Terrace Park brings that vision to reality. We are proud to have created one of the largest rewilding and coastline resiliency projects in the country." 

“The new Ocean Terrace Park project is breathing new life into Miami Beach's oceanfront,” says Jacobs Client Account Manager John Elizabeth Aleman. “This redevelopment not only provides beautiful green spaces for the community to enjoy but also incorporates resilient infrastructure designed to withstand future weather variability. It brings new opportunities for recreation and retail and we look forward to Ocean Terrace Park’s place as a cherished and enduring asset for generations to come."