I have some cool info on this new project. Can anyone here heard of it?

Richard

sounds cool post the info

Check out this site for more info! (http://www.pazrealtors.com/downtownmiami/theivyatriverfront/)

http://www.pazrealtors.com/downtownmiami/theivyatriverfront/miamirivervillage_web.jpg

What exactly is the point of a large GATED condo community downtown?

Alot of professionals are just sick and tired of the traffic, and want to walk to work.

A Gated community is much quieter and more secure than living in the dead center of downtown. Plus, there are plans for a 300 boat dry-dock marina.

Anyways, the 1st phase of the project is 190% sold out. If anyone wants to still get in, contact me and I'll find a way. I personally know the developer.

That doesn't make any sense. I nunderstand people wantto live downtown but: Gated communities have one way in and out - so walking gets harder. Downtown is by nature loud and sound carries up over walls pretty easily. Most rich people condos have secure or pretty secure private entrances anyway so a gate is unnecesasry. It just does not make any sense to build a gated community downtown - down on Brickell, maybe, but downtown. That's just weird.

A gated community in the middle of downtown does sound pretty strange. It kind of defeats the whole purpose of urban living.

I doubt that gated communities are very much more secure. Primarily, they only restrict vehicular movement.

Alot of professionals are just sick and tired of the traffic, and want to walk to work.

A Gated community is much quieter and more secure than living in the dead center of downtown. Plus, there are plans for a 300 boat dry-dock marina


Personally, I think both of these features (gates and huge marinas) should be outlawed from development projects, unless the developer is kicking in some serious penalty funds to offset community costs (in various forms) associated with these features.



BTW, gated communities are little more than a marketing ploy, and have proven to bear little impact on reducing anything above petty crimes (like vandalism and property theft. BFD). What realtors don't bother to tell you is felonious crimes typically go up or stay the same, due to varius reasons (gates are a lure to crooks. They say, "$$$$$"). Gates have also proven to significantly increase EMT response times, and we all know that response time is probably the single most important thing in determining whether a patient lives or dies.

The notion that a gate or wall is going to be effective sound mitigation in a dense, urban environment is a laugher.

The one thing good I can see about gates IMO is that is you live in the boonies and your dog or kid is outside unnattended, you know that they may leave the yard, but they aren't going far. So long as the nieghbors locked in with you aren't whackos, I guess everything should be ok.

Hey, it's the New Suburbanism - it's the next big thing.

^Wouldn't a kayak pretty much be your ticket inside this one? ;) Or are they gating themselves off from the water, too?

They're going to stock Miami's waterways with pirhanas and gunships. Problem solved. :)

Sounds fishy. There's supposed to be a public riverwalk along the whole of the river downtown. will that be gated as well?

Along the river there will be a public "riverwalk" boardwalk. There will be shops and restuarants aswell. Inside the "gate community" there will be a Starbucks, Day Care with nurse, and grocery store. More details coming soon...
Visit www.TheIvyAtRiverfront.com for updates.

You say you know the developer. You sure do sound like an ad for the project. How well do you know the developer?

I know the developer because I've purchased condo units from them in the past in other developments. Yes, I am a realtor.... but I'm dealing directly with the developer without going through the broker thats selling it. In other words, I get info much quicker than most others.

So does this mean that Miami River Village isn't getting built now?

So does this mean that Miami River Village isn't getting built now?

Sounds like they're just changing the name ?

I think Dale is right -- "Miami River Village" was the name, then it changed. By the way, this is the same parcel of land where the Marlins stadium was planned.
http://www.pazrealtors.com/DowntownMiami/TheIvyAtRiverfront/IvySite.jpg

but having it gated seems so antithetical to the spirit of miami river village, as well the design.

more info

The Ivy at the Riverfront will boast 13 and a half acre project that will have an incredible 40% of green space with beautiful gardens and riverfront walk ways. The perfect riverfront building will be within walking distance of the new Brickell Village Shops.

The 4 building condos will climb to 45 floors with both river and bay views. The building starts at $200,000 up to $700,000 for the1,2 and 3 bedrooms units. The building has been designed and will be built by some of the most famous designers and architects with finishes similar to the Jade at Brickell.

The entire project sold out in one day. Phase 2 should be annouced very soon.

A couple of comments on the gated community concept for Ivy at Riverfront. Although gated, the community will consist of at least 4 towers on 13.5 acres of land. It will very luxurious and family oriented. Jasonhouse commented correctly that the gated communities are good when your children get out, and it is a good marketing tool. You got it! There are only two roads into the project, so with or without walls and gates, emergency response times will not be effected.
The community will be positioned on the 5.5 mile greenway connecting the Biscayne Bay to the Miami International Airport, and one half block from the MetroMover so you can expect many of the benefits of Urban living.
If I sound like a sales pitch, it's because I am a broker that works for the company that is doing the sales. Additionally, I bought an apartment there with great Bay views and intend to call it home!
I'll post some new renderings follow this message...for more info on the Ivy, check out my website www.restainer.com/theivy You may notice similar text on other's websites (Richard) but plagarism is one of the sincerest forms of flattery!

Luis Revuelta drawings. Previous posts refer to a very colorful Miami River Village scene that was conceived by MorrisBorges. Those are no longer accurate depictions of the project.
http://www.restainer.com/theivy/w_ivyRenderings.jpg

Views to the SouthEast, and the opposite side of the building Northwest
http://www.restainer.com/theivy/Ivy_views.jpg

Enjoy!

Roark any updates on another fortune project Jade on the Beach Condominiums in sunny isles???

great photos, im glad were getting alot of realtors and people that can help out with these new pics and updates :)

Renner,
No public announcements yet....but the sales at Jade Beach were swift. The market is definitely impressed with Carlos Ott and the design elements that he is bringing to the area. Cascading glass infinity edge pool!?!?!? What's not to love?! The sales center should be on site in a couple of months (hint). As soon as something happens, I'll be happy to keep everyone in the loop.

The Ivy has added another floor to the tower, to make 45 stories. 43 Stories, with 20 ft sky loft PH's on top.
The official launch party was last Thursday, August 5th, 2004. Fortune Realty and Key International took over the Big Fish Restaurant for the evening and had nice celebration til after midnight.
This is going to be a fantastic project.

great news :cheers:

Have any more renderings been released?

Those renders look awfully slick. I thought the earlier designs looked a little Vancouverish myself (not that Vancouverish is bad for Vancouver).

I renew my objection to a gated condo "community" in the middle of downtown. How ridiculous can you get? Miami is influenced by South America, sure, but it is not in South America . . yet.

Well, I suppose the allure is the illusion of safety. Although as a security consultant, I don't see that gates afford any appreciable security.

Put it in Aventura with all the other annoying isolated condos that bar people from easy enjoyable access to the water.

The 5.5 mile riverwalk has public access, in fact, the architect has opened up the riverfront club to provide views and amenities to those boating down the river, walking on the riverfront, and for the residents.
There will be a 7,500 sq ft waterfront restaurant, a coffee shop and plenty of other retail available to the public and more than the 1,800 residents of the Riverfront.
I've found it interesting to see the amount of community on Brickell Key, with 12+ towers on 20 acres. Riverfront has 4 towers on 13.5 acres. With all this greenspace, it makes a big backyard for the kids to play.
The gated oasis concept is a benefit for the families that will live here, it will keep children in the playgrounds and not in Miami Avenue. As for security, I would agree, the wall won't help keep out those intent to get in, but that is why there are 24 hours security patrols, cameras, and coded entry systems.
With respect for your opinion, I think banishing this project to Aventura is pretty harsh!
The Ivy is:
One building from the Metromover
Two buildings from the James L Knight center/Miami Convention Center
Three blocks from the proposed 45,000 sq ft Whole Foods
Three blocks from Dade County Courthouse
Four blocks from the Phillip Johnson cultural center
Two blocks from a state of the art Tennis Facility
Four blocks from a Publix, PF Chang's (okay...maybe a little Aventura), and lifestyle center
If you feel it necessary to drive your car, you are only two blocks for Interstate 95 access, and 8 minutes from Miami International Airport.

There are some new renderings that were handed out in coffee table book, I'll try to scan them or get some jpgs up. The Riverfront club is amazing. It features grassy spaces and terrazzo deck and planters. It will be very nice.

If you could get those renderings up, I'd really appreciate it. I wanna see what a downtown gated community looks like. I wonder how the city commission reacted to this development being gated? Do you happen to know, Roark?

BTW, when are we gonna hear about 1060 Brickell? That's gotta be happening soon, right?

thanks for the info roark cant wait for the renderings

and whats 1060 brickell? or how tall

great

thanks for the info roark cant wait for the renderings

and whats 1060 brickell? or how tall

great

I think it's going to be known by another name, and that it is twin towers of 48 and 35 stories.

Looks imaginative.

Dale's got it right. Roark had said a while back that info was gonna be released soon about the project (located at 1060 Brickell & supposedly named the Avenue). He said he'd seen the renderings for it & that it looked really nice. It's on the west side of Brickell between the Plaza @ Brickell & the JW Marriott. So I'm hoping to see renderings soon.

If you could get those renderings up, I'd really appreciate it. I wanna see what a downtown gated community looks like. I wonder how the city commission reacted to this development being gated? Do you happen to know, Roark?

BTW, when are we gonna hear about 1060 Brickell? That's gotta be happening soon, right?
Hey SoFlaDave,
I'll get Ivy renderings up asap.
Commissioner Winton seemed to love the project at the party! He had the best seat in the house. As for the full Commission's reaction, they approved 9-0. Commission Minutes (http://www.ci.miami.fl.us/Agendas/PZ/03-12-18.pdf)
The Miami River Commission gave the project it's blessing based on the developer's respect for the Greenway and the public right of ways. Here is what they said... MRC - Miami River Village (http://www.miamirivercommission.org/infill111803.htm)
Gated oasis doesn't mean iron spears, barbed wire, or turrets on a wall. You will that it is pretty considerate of the quality of life for the community and the residents.

As for 1060 Brickell, the project will be called Avenue and as soon as the renderings/photos are cleared, I'll be happy to put them up in the Brickell-Financial Center thread (probably within the next couple of weeks). It's on the west side of Brickell, between the Dominican Republic Counselate (?) and a mid-size Office condo 1110 Brickell (Total Bank, this is condo-office developed by Fortune).

Hey SoFlaDave,
I'll get Ivy renderings up asap.
Commissioner Winton seemed to love the project at the party! He had the best seat in the house. As for the full Commission's reaction, they approved 9-0. Commission Minutes (http://www.ci.miami.fl.us/Agendas/PZ/03-12-18.pdf)
The Miami River Commission gave the project it's blessing based on the developer's respect for the Greenway and the public right of ways. Here is what they said... MRC - Miami River Village (http://www.miamirivercommission.org/infill111803.htm)
Gated oasis doesn't mean iron spears, barbed wire, or turrets on a wall. You will that it is pretty considerate of the quality of life for the community and the residents.

As for 1060 Brickell, the project will be called Avenue and as soon as the renderings/photos are cleared, I'll be happy to put them up in the Brickell-Financial Center thread (probably within the next couple of weeks). It's on the west side of Brickell, between the Dominican Republic Counselate (?) and a mid-size Office condo 1110 Brickell (Total Bank, this is condo-office developed by Fortune).

Who is involved with the Ivy project?

If you could get those renderings up, I'd really appreciate it. I wanna see what a downtown gated community looks like. I wonder how the city commission reacted to this development being gated? Do you happen to know, Roark?

BTW, when are we gonna hear about 1060 Brickell? That's gotta be happening soon, right?
This is the best rendering for now...as you can see, it's a digital camera photo of the promotional book, but you can see the Terrazzo planters, Terrazzo flooring, the grass, and wood ground covering. The riverwalk, the boat cleats, and restaurants are accessible to the public.
This is the 13.5 acre gated community. http://www.restainer.com/theivy/riverwalk.jpg
The information included here is believed to be accurate, but is not warranted.

^^^
nice pic, now take a pic of the building! :cheers:

hmm, interesting. now explain to me what i'm looking at. is all of what's in this pic at the same grade as the riverwalk? can anyone walking along the riverwalk stroll up to the couches & sit or is that part elevated or off limits to the public?

looks pretty nice so far. if this is all open to the public then this is the sort of thing that the river needs.

if there are more pics worth showing i'd love to see them.

there's 4 towers planned for this project, right Roark? when do they break ground & what's the plan for how they'll be built? will it be 1 tower built at a time in 4 phases or will we see more than 1 tower going up at a time?

there's 4 towers planned for this project, right Roark? when do they break ground & what's the plan for how they'll be built? will it be 1 tower built at a time in 4 phases or will we see more than 1 tower going up at a time?
Sofla, that rendering was from about the line of the southwestern most tower looking over the riverclub, riverwalk, and the Miami River. The riverwalk continues about a 1/2 mile east to the mouth of the river and 5 miles to the west/north to the airport area. There is a slight grade up to the river club. The restuarant will be open to the public so I presume that people can walk up, sit down and order a drink or lunch. At some point and time (probably after dark, or when the restaurants close) you can expect that the public access to the 13.5 acres will be limited.
Purchase agreements will be going out to buyers in the next two weeks, and they should break ground 60-90 days after that. The first tower and infrastructure will begin at the same time, and I would imagine that the second tower may begin right behind the start of the first tower. There is plenty of land, so there shouldn't be any staging issues. I'm not sure about 3 or 4, but you will likely see 1 & 2 going up toghether. Sorry about the lame photo of the book picture, I'll keep trying to get some better renderings to put up.

cool. hopefully the public will a a decent amount of access to the land. once it becomes built up, the river will really need public, park-like areas for people to hang out. the riverwalk is definitely a nice start.

you the man, Roark. i appreciate all the info.

Posted on Wed, Aug. 18, 2004

DEVELOPMENT

Miami downtown to get high-rise boost

A site formerly proposed for a baseball stadium would get six condominiums and an office tower in the latest proposal for Miami's high-rise future.

BY MATTHEW HAGGMAN

mhaggman@herald.com

Six high-rise condominiums and an office tower will spring up on the largest undeveloped parcel of land in Miami's downtown and Brickell area, if builders' plans win city leaders' approval.

The 15 acres of undeveloped greenspace along the Miami River was once proposed for the Florida Marlins baseball stadium.

Beginning early next year, developers plan a decade of projects that will result in more than 2,000 residential condo units, between 50,000 and 60,000 square feet of retail space, and upwards of 200,000 square feet of office space.

It's the latest in a series of recent proposals to raise high-rise towers all over downtown Miami.

For the riverfront project, developer Lissette Calderon is partnering with Tony Cabrera of Miami-based Epoch Corp. to build three condos ranging from 41 to 54 stories.

Inigo Ardid of Miami-based Key International plans to build the other four structures, three condo towers and an office building, the tallest rising 55 stories.

Calderon and Ardid said they are collaborating on the projects so that they will look like one development.

Cabrera did not return calls for comment.

The sprawling project will likely be the biggest residential development on the Miami River. Parcels along the river have been aggressively targeted by developers seeking waterfront property. Neo, which is Calderon's Miami-based company, already has two projects on the river: Neo Lofts and Neo Vertika.

The land is particularly valued because it is near Brickell Avenue and downtown Miami, said Edie Laquer, the Miami real estate agent who brokered the sale of the property two years ago.

The six condo properties will be bordered by the Metrorail line to its west, the South Miami Avenue bridge to its east, Southwest Third Street to its north and the Miami River to the south. The 21-story office tower, slated to have 156,000 square feet of space, is set to be on the north side of Southwest Third Avenue.

Last month Key International began marketing the development's first condo -- a 47-story, 504-unit project called The Ivy. Ardid said Key plans to break ground in the first quarter of 2005. He said the project is 85 percent pre-sold.

But details about the rest of the 15-acre project have been scant. Neo has not even announced a name for the first proposed condo tower. Nor has Key International named its two other residential units or office building.

Neo and Epoch are currently deciding on a name for the first condo tower and plan to begin marketing the project next month, Calderon said. The condo will be 43 stories with approximately 480 units. She said they plan to break ground in the second quarter of 2005.

The seeds of the project were planted in April 2002 when Cabrera purchased the 15-acre site from three property owners. But Laquer said the size of the project was a ``bit more than he could chew.''

As a result, in November 2003 Laquer said she brokered the sale of a portion of the property to Ardid. Calderon was then brought in to develop the remaining property with Cabrera.

Ardid and Calderon added that they are currently in the middle of the approval process for each of their first condo towers.

Amid Miami's boom, city leaders have pushed for developments that encourage a vibrant, public street life.

This project, however, is slated to have entrances on South Miami Avenue and Southwest Third Street that will not be open to the public. Ardid said many of the retail outlets in the project are aimed to cater to the residents. He added that the project seeks a ''clublike'' feel.

But Calderon insisted that while the development aims to be secure, it also seeks to be open to the public. She noted that there will be public access into the property from the Riverwalk, the public walkway that the city requires to run along the length of the Miami River.

''This will not be a gated community,'' Calderon said. ``Although a secure community, we don't want people to imagine that its completely enclosed. We want it to be integrated into the entire urban core.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/9426377.htm

wow thats great news, :) :eek2:

Here is a link to floor plans, renderings, and a nice ariel tour of the Central Business District. http://www.theivymiami.com

YES ROARK, :) Its GREAT !, and Thats only the 1st Tower of 4 HUGE Condo Towers, RIGHT ? !! and all will be built On that One Huge Property West of South Miami Ave. and North of the MIAMI RIVER, AWESOME, and I heard the Tallest one could reach 60 Stories in 5 Years. WOW !! :cheers:

Last night I heard from an extremely reliable source that Alison Spear has been slated to do the interior design of IVY at Riverfront!
Alison Spear AIA website (http://www.alisonspearaia.com/new/index.html)
Hats off to a local girl done good!!!

IVY at Riverfront (http://www.theivymiami.com) is sending out purchase agreements within the next few days. The developer is doing a brilliant job ensuring that the commercial space enhance the neighborhood and serve as an amenity to the residents. There are strict covenants for the retail owner/operators to serve the lucky residents of IVY.

I'm getting as giddy as CHUCK!!!! (almost)

Roark -

You used some CAPS, just like Chuck. That's how it all starts. :)

Roark -

You used some CAPS, just like Chuck. That's how it all starts. :)

:lol:

haha, come on theyre the ones that give the life and excitment in this forum.

and dont forget me lol

we <3 Chuck

LOL !!! :) , HATS Off to ALL You Good Men :), This FLORIDA Forum is Great, And thaT Allison Spears is Pretty :) , too, Great Pic of her in that website of hers, Thanks Everyone !! :cheers:

Everyone, I drove by this HUGE SITE for IVY , this Morning and it looks like their clearing some of the Trees on the site, I think their going to put a SALES Trailer on the Site Soon, THE IVY TOWERS will Look Great When All 3 Are Completed in 2010 !!!

This couldn't have been a more beautiful weekend in Miami! I was in a conference all day Saturday at the Hyatt/James L Knight Center. I took the Metromover from my office on Friday morning and was in the conference until happy hour at the City Club! Saturday morning back in the conference...happy hour at Bajans on the Miami River. Both days, I was with lots of young very bright people. They all work on Brickell/CBD or very close. Only a couple live near their jobs (one guy on Brickell Key). Of the dozen in my break out group, most believe that they will live in Miami for a very long time.
It was incredibly refreshing to sit on the River and answer questions about the 42 story Brickell on the River!! You could see the gears turning. This downtown living thing is going to be absolutely amazing! Ivy at Riverfront is just a short walk down the riverwalk. Maybe in a couple of years, we will have the happy hour at Ivy!!!

^ cool news it was a great day in miami,

lucky you got to go to the city club, 764 feet above miami....

I Think THE IVY Project will get More towers put on this BIG Property than the 3 Proposed, it Could FIT 6 Towers on this Huge Riverfront Property.

I Think THE IVY Project will get More towers put on this BIG Property than the 3 Proposed, it Could FIT 6 Towers on this Huge Riverfront Property.
That is correct sir! Key International has plans for two resi towers, Calderone/Cabrerra have plans for two resi towers, and there is room for two more towers that may be office, apartment, or condo...we will have to wait and see!
Those who reserved units in IVY have received their purchase agreements and the price list offered when the sales center will open. That should be coming up very soon.
The way things are going, IVY and the second Key Int. tower will be the first out of the ground.

THANKS ROARK :) , This IVY is a BEAUTY, and its Right on the RIVER, I'll bet the SALES are going GREAT !, Its the BEST Spot of the CITY, Right in the HEART of it ALL, You can't ask for a Better Place to live in Downtown :) . I mean , ITS RIGHT in the MIDDLE of Downtown and Brickell COMBINE :) . What I'm saying is , Its on MIAMI AVENUE just South of FLAGER Street. The Center of it ALL !!! :cheers:

its alotta land, they better put it 2 good use, and not build like three skinny little towers and a bunch of parking garages around em, is this still planned to be a gated community?

yup

this is the ivy site, rite?

http://www.hometown.aol.com/futureafg/images/brickell-%20plenty%20of%20room%20(ivy%20circled).jpg

yea

thats enough space for like 8 towers

YES NIMBY, Your are CORRECT !!!, its a HUGE 13 ACRE SITE that Still Could HOLD 6 TOWERS :) , If BUILT that will be the CENTER OF TOWN, Its HUGE and I hope its all BUILT in 6 years, But it could be 2014 When COMPLETLY Finished. ITS a Huge Area. :cheers:

Uptown-Midtown :) , I HOPE your Right, TOO, 8 could fit there, But I believe the Cityof MIAMI :bash: will only allow 6 , with a Park and roads to go through it to connect each tower. :cheers:

well i guess you're rite but this thing is going to take awhile and might not even happen which would be a good thing,because these people want little 30 story towers,maybe they sell it to hank sopher or jorge perez

well i guess you're rite but this thing is going to take awhile and might not even happen which would be a good thing,because these people want little 30 story towers,maybe they sell it to hank sopher or jorge perez
Au contrere mon frere! Ivy at Riverfront will be 48 stories. Purchase agreements are coming into the developer as I type this. A Costal Construction sign is on the fence as I rode by this Sunday.
The project is going ahead, and after tomorrow's meeting with the developer, you can expect an further update for the forum. Here are the prices when the sales center opens The Opening Prices (http://www.restainer.com/theivy/openingprices.pdf) (note that the square footages include terrace space).

well i stand corrected ,gracias

ROARK :) , YES YES YES, I saw that fence going up , too and there's clearing of the property, This is Great, its ALIVE !!! :cheers:

the ivy and the weeds shall rise

thats a huge site, big and tall

but have you seen the 1st phase wind by neo,it think that site was better left empty then to put that building on it.

like always im the hater,but sometimes its better to leave things empty then to fill with insignificant buildings.i know that the people who probaly have and will work on this building would be outraged by my comment but its the truth.sometimes size doesn't matter,but how pretty it is.lol

sorry calderon but job badly done,but im still glad its atleast a 41 story building

i would take 5 espirito santo buildings any day than 5 taipei 101(it looks like boxes stacked one on top of the other)

i agree wit u on that one uptown, i hate that taipaei crapper, such an ugly building, but hey, height is height, and even tho its ugly, its the worlds tallest, so u gotta respect it, although i to would take five espiritos over it

if miami only allows 6, they better make em good, 6 40-stories is nice, but all the way bak where they are, theyll get lost downtown and not really have much of an impact, a lot this size, i think deserves a much bigger impact on downtown, although it will do alot for density, also, ive seen so many different renderings for this site, i got no idea wats goin on, does any1 have any current renderings that are the right ones that they can post?

These are posted elsewhere but belong here too...
This is the rendering of Wind. Calderone/Cabrerra... Luis Revuelta Architect.
http://www.restainer.com/theivy/windrendering.jpg

The whole Riverfront schematic...13.5 Acres
http://www.restainer.com/theivy/siteplan.jpg

The Ivy at Riverfront (sorry, I don't have the color rendering)
http://www.restainer.com/theivy/w_ivyRenderings_first image.jpg

The River Club from Ivy at Riverfront Luis Revuelta/Alison Spear
http://www.restainer.com/theivy/riverwalk.jpg

ROARK :) , Great PIC of that Wind Condo Tower,, Each passing day , I'm seeing MORE Plans for TOWERS all Over MIAMI, This is a NEVERENDING STORY !!! :) , Its AWESOME, Could you IMAGINE What DOWNTOWN MIAMI will Look Like in 2010, I'm Chilling, lol. :cheers:

Everyone :) , I'll check out this project again FRIDAY, oh Thats TODAY, nov. 12th, hopefully its got the fence up , lol. :cheers:

EXCLUSIVE REPORTS
From the November 12, 2004 print edition
Six towers' sellout could reach $500 million
Susan Stabley

Two rising real estate stars have joined Miami developer Antonio Cabrera Jr. to create a mixed-use development with up to 2,800 condos along the Miami River.

The site for the Riverfront project's six towers was once one of several proposed sites for a Marlins baseball stadium. Cabrera's concept has been on hold since 2002.

"I tried to take this on myself and it was too large a project," he said. The owner and president of Miami-based The Epoch Corp. initially planned to develop the site as "Miami River Renaissance," then "Miami River Village."

Instead, he sold half the property to Key International, led by the Ardid family, for $18 million in November 2003.

The search for appropriate partners and financing for the project has delayed its development, along with permitting and rezoning issues, Cabrera said.

Lissette Calderon and Iñigo Ardid will lead in developing Riverfront's residential condos, 225,000 square feet of condo office space, and 80,000 square feet of retail on more than a dozen acres.

Cabrera tapped Calderon's Neo Concepts to create a joint venture called Neo Epoch 1 for two residential buildings.

Cabrera plans to build the sixth and final building, a mix of 50,000 to 60,000 square feet of office space and about 465 units in a 42-story structure.

Miami architect Luis Revuelta will give the Riverfront project a consistent look.

The project requires special city development permits because it has combined residential, office and retail components. Riverfront has been recommended for approval from the Miami River Commission and Miami's Planning Advisory Board, said Lourdes Slazyk, the city's planning assistant director.

"It's pretty big, and they are not asking for any bonuses," Slazyk said of incentives many developers use to boost the number of units.

Cabrera started to assemble the land just after Sept. 11, during "an age of gloom and doom," he said.

Now, there's talk of a condo bubble.

But Lissette Calderon, CEO of Neo Concepts, said demand for Riverfront's Wind by Neo was strong.

Sales opened at 4:30 a.m. on Nov. 8. After 12 hours, 75 percent of its 485 units - priced from about $200,000 - were reserved.

Key International's first offering, The Ivy, sold 85 percent of its 400-plus units, also priced from about $200,000, Ardid said.

Groundbreaking is expected in March, said Key International, which has developed the Miami Beach Marriott at South Beach. The company is also considering building an office building just north of the Riverfront site, Ardid said.

Construction of Riverfront is estimated at $500 million, with a 10-year buildout.

E-mail Miami-Dade real estate/international business writer Susan Stabley at sjstabley@bizjournals.com.
http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2004/11/15/story2.html

Renner :) , Great INFO, IVY is going to Be GREAT, I hope they build ALL 6 TOWERS by 2012 !!! :cheers:

great article but i can't believe wind sold 75% in a day

still dont really like this project that much, maybe i will after i see the other 4 towers, but the first two dont do much for me, and r kinda short, and dont really put this great piece of land to the best use, still think is woulda been an amazing place for a marlins stadium, although bicentenital park woulda been better, the orange bowl site doesnt really do it for me

Ivy is awesome, I just wish they could've incorporated the Marlins' stadium and condo towers. It's a waste. A baseball diamond ON the Miami River would have been incredible and would have further increased the clout of those parcels heading west. Don't get me wrong, if they propose buildings over 40 stories each with good ground level retail, then that's even better.

is the fpl facility by the river gunna stay there

Ivy is awesome, I just wish they could've incorporated the Marlins' stadium and condo towers. It's a waste. A baseball diamond ON the Miami River would have been incredible and would have further increased the clout of those parcels heading west. Don't get me wrong, if they propose buildings over 40 stories each with good ground level retail, then that's even better.
Doubtful that the FPL site will move anytime soon.
As for the space to the east of the FPL site....the parking lot between the MetroRail and the FPL facility (it's a parking lot now) is owned by Key International (Ivy Developer) and they are working on a project for that site....not another residential building though.
So far....Ivy will be 48 stories with lots of retail and park space, tennis courts, and the riverwalk. Wind is about that height.

is the fpl facility by the river gunna stay there
I HATE TO SAY THIS Men :) and Any Women :) Out there, BUT that FPL Facility by the RIVER STAYS, :cheers: There's NO WAY they are Moving that BASE and PLANT and the BEAT OF MIAMI :) , All I say is BUILD Around IT, but the FPL PROPERTY STAYS. Its A Permanent BASE of DOWNTOWN Operation. :cheers:

can't they move that shit into overtown,comeon overtown's already full of shit one more can't hurt

Uptown-Midtown, IVY is getting the Property Ready, The Fence is up and The Land is clearing.

Yea I Saw That

Uptown-Midtown :) , CAN you Imagine, IF these At LEAST 4 TOWERS Go UP., WHAT Downtown MIAMI :) is going to LOOK LIKE from I-95 and THE MIAMI RIVER. :cheers:
If Julia Tuttle :) Was looking at MIAMI From ABOVE , She would HAVE BEEN PROUD of Her Discovering and Starting A Future City in " MAGIC ". :cheers:

Copyright Times Publishing Co. Nov 28, 2004

One of the city's recent hot parties happened under a tent at 1060 Brickell Ave. to celebrate a sleek new debutante.

The guests were young, beautiful and well-dressed. The menu was carb-heavy pasta. Bartenders served white cosmopolitans.

The guest of honor was still on the drawing boards.

The soiree was thrown to generate interest in the Avenue, a 35- story, 570-unit condominium scheduled to be completed in 2007.

Even with spa services, Euro-style cabinetwork and a wine and cigar lounge, the Avenue has to find a way to stand out among the roughly 70 condominium projects that have been built, are under construction or are in the planning stages in downtown Miami.

While Miami Beach is a constant party, downtown Miami is like most other Sun Belt cities: a place for people to work. After 6 p.m., people head to the beach or Coral Gables for nightlife, or home to the suburbs.

But downtown Miami seems poised to be the place city planners have wanted for years: a place to live, work and play.

If all goes as planned, about 55,000 condominium units will be built in the city in the next 10 years at an investment of $9.9- billion; the majority are in the downtown area, although other high- rise projects are sprinkled throughout other neighborhoods. And they aren't cheap: Most units, even 700-square-foot studios, start at $200,000 and go dramatically higher.

Take the Miami Four Seasons Residences, for instance. Built in 2003, it features one- to four-bedroom homes. At 70 stories tall, it is the tallest building in Florida. Price for one unit: $695,000 to $6.2-million.

Yet many of the condo buildings haven't been built, like 1390 Brickell Bay, whose design was finished just this month. Groundbreaking on the $150-million tower in the financial district is expected sometime in early 2005 - yet developers tell Multi Housing News, an Internet trade newsletter, that the building is already 75 percent sold.

Almost every luxury-style building offers high ceilings, granite counter tops and stunning views. Others come with ground floor shops, movie theaters and health clubs. The developers are marketing the condos like fashionable clubs - most have one word names such as "Cite," or "Platinum," and all offer the fantasy of a car-free, hip, urban lifestyle.

City officials and prospective buyers say downtown living has its advantages: Residents are closer to Florida's financial and cultural hub, where international banks are rubbing elbows with a new performing arts center, which is also under construction.

Buyers are selecting units and making down payments before they are even built.

"It's totally unprecedented," said Luciana Lamardo, Miami's special projects coordinator. "Downtown is just exploding with development."

Downtown living is nothing new in cities such as Boston, New York and San Francisco. Florida is only now beginning to discover urban living.

Billboards on Interstate 275 in Tampa advertise a downtown condo called Grand Central, while St. Petersburg showcases pricey penthouses near the yacht club. Orlando has its own crop of high- rise projects near Church Street Station, and Jacksonville is trying to draw residents to its downtown river area.

But no Florida city has experienced the condo craze like Miami.

Long a no-man's-land of vacant buildings, weed-strewn lots and sleeping homeless, downtown Miami is undergoing a renaissance.

Turn onto almost any major street - Brickell Avenue and Biscayne Boulevard, for example - and a maze of cranes greets the eye. Dump trucks and men in hard hats swarm near the Miami River in the heart of downtown. Empty lots are surrounded by colorful banners advertising the new condos - with photos of leggy models in swank apartments, gazing at a million-dollar view of Biscayne Bay.

The buildings wind around the bay, populate Brickell Key and stretch toward Coral Gables. Many are near the People Mover, an elevated subway. Almost all are high-rise apartments, and the choice units have water and city views.

There have always been high-rises in downtown, just not this many. And the high price of real estate, combined with skyrocketing construction costs, is gentrifying the traditionally working class neighborhoods of Little Haiti, Overtown and Liberty City.

To be sure, development is booming throughout Miami-Dade, because the population is growing.

But Miami Beach, long the haven of the rich, is nearly built out. Single-family homes are going up as far away as Homestead - more than an hour's commute to downtown - and some people are leaving Miami for Broward County. But for many who are sick of commutes, can't afford a big, single-family home or want to live a more urban lifestyle, downtown Miami is suddenly the best option.

"You cannot get a single family house in a good neighborhood for under $500,000," said broker Susan Kasen of EWM Realtors in Coral Gables. Although she notes that younger couples just can't afford the homes, she has also sold several pricey condos recently - almost all to out-of-staters who want a vacation pad.

But even local officials are stunned by the rapid pace of development - and the cost of the condos, which can fetch millions.

"Who's buying these things?" wondered Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez, who says the new buildings in the city are a boon for the county because the new residents will eat at local restaurants and shop at local malls. "I didn't know there were people with so much money."

Some of the buyers, real estate experts say, are rich Central and South Americans; a recent survey by the Downtown Development Authority in Miami showed that 21 percent of all people moving to the area are from another country.

"There's a tremendous amount of flight capital coming out of South America, looking for a safe haven," said Brad Hunter, the South Florida director of Metrostudy, which tracks housing demand in U.S. markets. "It's a logical place to put their money."

Charles Intriago, a money laundering expert and former prosecutor who runs Global Media Alert, a Miami consulting firm, says some of the investment in Miami real estate is not on the up-and-up.

"There's at least $10-billion to $15-billion in corruption proceeds sitting in Miami real estate and private banking accounts," asserts Intriago.

He cites the case of Byron Jerez, a former Nicaraguan tax commissioner who allegedly embezzled money from his home country, then bought a $4-million condo in Key Biscayne. A U.S. federal judge ordered Jerez to forfeit the condo because it was purchased with cash that was subject to U.S. money laundering laws.

But the majority of buyers aren't so nefarious. Many are retirees, or lawyers who work downtown. Others are brokers or investors trying to make money in the red-hot market.

"Some of the wealthiest people in the world have migrated here and are buying and investing in real estate," said Hank Rodstein, a mortgage broker and owner of Miami's HR Mortgage.

Metrostudy's Hunter and others wonder whether there will be a condo glut in the coming years, similar to the 1980s, when speculators helped fuel a boom of construction along Brickell Avenue.

"That's the $64-million dollar question," said Hunter. "If all of the 55,000 were to come on at the same time, it would be a bloodbath."

During the 1980s, more than 15,000 condos went unsold when Miami's housing market crashed.

Hunter said it is now up to bankers to be the "custodians" of the housing market.

"They're the ones that will either keep the money flowing . . . or they will, at a point, draw the line and say, 'That's enough,' " he said. "I think so far, some banks have already drawn that line. They're looking on a case-by-case basis and putting each deal under more scrutiny than before."

Miami's Lamardo doesn't see an end to the boom.

"There's a lot of speculation, I've been to conferences from the Urban Land Institute that talk about there being a drop," she said. "There's no signs of drop."

Yet Hunter points to another downside to all of this redevelopment.

"Working-class people can't afford these condos," he said. "I think affordability is going to become more and more of a problem - it's difficult for somebody making the median income to afford the median new home price."

For years, Miami was the nation's poorest city, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In 2003, it dropped to the fifth poorest, which means that about 27 percent of its residents live below the poverty level, set at $18,400 annually for a family of four.

Even now, in the shadow of the construction, homeless people sleep on the sidewalks and line streets waiting for free meals at feeding stations.

Tony Villamil, a Miami economist and CEO of the Washington Economics Group in Coral Gables, says that while there are pockets of poverty in Miami, the statistics belie the fact that people are "moving up" and acquiring skills to lift them over the poverty line.

Those folks are moving to Little Havana, where there is an increase in affordable housing, he said.

"The county here is doing very well," said Villamil. "That's reflected by the people that are coming here."

Activists and advocates for the working poor are becoming increasingly worried.

"We're very concerned about how the spiraling prices are going to affect low income people who have called Miami home for a number of years," said Max Rameau, a Miami activist. "They're all getting priced out of this boom."

Rameau says property values are rising in traditionally low income parts of the city - his home in Liberty City has nearly doubled in value in two years - and landlords are raising rents. Families are forced to live with other families to survive, he said, and others are subjected to long commutes.

And it's not just the poor who are suffering. Rameau says Miami's middle class is shrinking as the super rich move in.

Mary Nesbitt, a 62-year-old on disability who lives in a $185-a- month subsidized apartment, recently took in her niece, and her niece's five children.

"She was paying about $450 for a one bedroom," said Nesbitt. "She wasn't able to pay her rent and was evicted."

Because of federal housing rules, Nesbitt's niece was only allowed to stay with her for two weeks. Recently, her niece found an apartment at $500 a month, but Nesbitt worries she won't be able to afford it - after all, the young woman works at Burger King.

"I came to Miami in 1969," said Nesbitt. "It was an affordable place to live then.

"Now, it's not like that anymore."

Times researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report. Tamara Lush can be reached at lush@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8612.
[Illustration]
Caption: Construction cranes, like this one on Biscayne Boulevard just north of downtown Miami, are common all over this red-hot area.; Photo: PHOTO, Photo by BILL COOKE

Uptown-Midtown, IVY is getting the Property Ready, The Fence is up and The Land is clearing.
Tomorrow night the Ivy opens it's sales center at 848 Brickell Avenue. Resales will begin soon. And the launch of the second tower is not far behind!

great article renner, and great news Roark...when should we expect Ivy 1 to break ground along with Wind by Neo?

early to mid next year i say probably like march

"Who's buying these things?" wondered Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez, Metrostudy's Hunter and others wonder whether there will be a condo glut in the coming years, similar to the 1980s, when speculators helped fuel a boom of construction along Brickell Avenue.
"That's the $64-million dollar question," said Hunter. "If all of the 55,000 were to come on at the same time, it would be a bloodbath."
During the 1980s, more than 15,000 condos went unsold when Miami's housing market crashed.
Miami's Lamardo doesn't see an end to the boom.
"There's no signs of drop."
Yet Hunter points to another downside to all of this redevelopment.
"Working-class people can't afford these condos," he said. "I think affordability is going to become more and more of a problem -
For years, Miami was the nation's poorest city, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In 2003, it dropped to the fifth poorest, which means that about 27 percent of its residents live below the poverty level, set at $18,400 annually for a family of four.
Even now, in the shadow of the construction, homeless people sleep on the sidewalks and line streets waiting for free meals at feeding stations.
Those folks are moving to Little Havana, where there is an increase in affordable housing, he said.
"We're very concerned about how the spiraling prices are going to affect low income people who have called Miami home for a number of years," said Max Rameau, a Miami activist. "They're all getting priced out of this boom."



who are the people buying these condos,come on you can't tell me that 55,000 condos are being sold to international investors,they're aren't that many investors who are willing to spend money on condos right now.i do think that the prices are way to inflated like the four seasons and ten museum,i think that most condos should go from 100k to 1m. not 200k to like 20m,because right now not many people in miami willever make 200k in there lifetime.manny diaz should go down as a very good mayor but right now he only cares about new projects instead of thinking about new projects and more jobs like in tampa and in jax.

also im afraid of this boom ending up like all the booms in miami's history.everytime miami has a boom everyone thinks miami is going to become the next major city but it never occurs,after each crash miami comes out staggering and worse than before.miami seems to have booms every 20 years 1920's-1925 then 1941-1947,following lates '60's and last was in the '80 so when this boom ends theres a good possiblity we might not see another for 20 years.im not trying to jinx miami and sound like im not grateful for whats going but we have to do something so that miami doesn't go under after this boom and the most logic thing to do would be to secure jobs,which are what makes cities like new york and chicago what they are.he has tried to get the ftaa but that right now even seems iffy.

if anyone would like to argue what i've just said im all ears.

Great Article!

who are the people buying these condos,come on you can't tell me that 55,000 condos are being sold to international investors,they're aren't that many investors who are willing to spend money on condos right now.They aren't all foreign investors. There is a lot of foreign capital for sure, but I'm selling a lot to New Yorkers, people from San Franscisco, and young Miami professionals moving up and into downtown to get off the highways and end the commutes.manny diaz should go down as a very good mayor but right now he only cares about new projects instead of thinking about new projects and more jobs like in tampa and in jax.well over 65% of new construction permits in the county are coming from outside of the City of Miami. I take that to mean that there is construction booming in places other than the places that we discuss in these forums. It's also very likely that those places are much more affordable than the places on the Bayfront, riverfront, or ocean front. Mayor Diaz has done a bang up job in lowering crime, fostering growth, improving our bond rating to investment grade, and improving the overall quality of life for all residents of Miami. Remember, activists will always remain active even as the problems disappear!also im afraid of this boom ending up like all the booms in miami's history.everytime miami has a boom everyone thinks miami is going to become the next major city but it never occurs,In my humble opinion...Miami is a major city, and there are hundreds of examples (check out the largest International Art show this week...on the heels of one of the biggest International Book shows, etc.). Businesses are steadily moving to Miami (I've heard that our banking deposits are second in the US)we have to do something so that miami doesn't go under after this boom and the most logic thing to do would be to secure jobs,which are what makes cities like new york and chicago what they are.he has tried to get the ftaa but that right now even seems iffy.My best friend from where I grew up is living in a great city, NYC -Manhattan, he just wrote to tell me that after his recent Thanksgiving vaction, he will relocate his job as publisher/editor to Miami. He can perform the same job remotely, and drive 10 minutes to MIA and fly into NYC occasionally. He is not the first, and won't be the last person in this information age to migrate south. He can't believe that you can get 2 bedroom with a pool and parking place for ONLY $500,000. Let alone with a water view. No one has a crystal ball, but I'm sure that this boom won't last forever, there will be a bust. I just don't think that it will be prolonged or even devastating. Real estate always moves in cycles. Tech stocks can decrease 22% in 24 hours. When it bursts, it's called a bubble. Real estate isn't nearly as liquid an investment (plus you can live in a condo, you can't live in Global Crossing stock). It's amazing to me that anyone would call what is happening in Real Estate a "bubble". That term drives me crazy, and I'll buy you a beer if you can post any article the uses the term "real estate bubble" before the tech stock crash of 1999.
I have a hard time believing that real estate values will drecrease 19% per year for the next 5 years.

well if what happens in 1980 where there was 19,000 condos on the market and no one wanted them happens then im pretty sure it will decrease,i've said many times that as soon as people live in downtown they're going to want to work in downtown which brings new businesses.but what im saying is that we need to bring those businesses now not later.could you imagine if something like a dot.com bubble bursting in miami whoa that would be killer.

There are several significant differences between the development today and the bust of the 80's. As I see it, the projects in the 1980's were funded with S & L money before there were any dynamic lending restrictions. If you rolled into an S & L and asked for money to build a tower you would get it...maybe at 11% or more but you would get it. S & L's would pay depositors 4%.
If 1,000 people walked in to open a $100,000 Certificate of Deposits they would get 4%, the S&L would then loan $100,000,000 to Mr. Developer for 11%. That's a tempting spread. Unrestricted by any portfolio management controls, S & L's went berserk and builders built.
Now, institutional lenders are much, much, much more cautious with how they loan money to developers. They require hard contracts and significant amounts of money down. Additionally, technology in budgeting and accountability is more easily traded between lenders and project manager/developers. When a red flag goes up...one e-mail sends information through the banking community...new controls are put in place, and the financing slows down. Do you remember what your e-mail address was in that 1980's bust? (he said knowingly).
Don't get me started what the Tax Reform Act of 1986 did to real estate.
In conclusion, there may be an oversupply sometime in 2007...may be. I don't think so. If people decide not to live in their investment apts, and then put them on the market, there really are enough people that will come in and swoop up the bargains.
I'm putting my money where my mouth is, but for those that don't believe in the boom, then what do you do...stay in cash? Bonds @ 3%? Put it in the stock market and pay 15% capital gains on each bit of profit? There just aren't enough great alternatives as far as I can see...but that could be my problem!

simply put real estate follows trends and those trends take months and years to dip and dive.

if we want to say theres a real estate bubble then let me say this... if realestate was a bubble the bubble's skin is so tough that the buble could not burst it would deflate and very slowly at that...

real estate has always been the best and most secure investment anyone could make. miami wont have an oversupply whats happening is people are moving into condos and selling or renting thier homes. i did it my mother did it and so have my grandparents once you get to a certain age there really is no need for a backyard and hassles of repairing property when you elimanate all that reponsibility and expense its such a relief and so much worth it....

nothing like a hards days work and have someone park you car for you. or someone not let your uninvited guest upstairs

guys that stupid tunnel might be trouble for ivy,during the comissioners meeting on dec.9 jonny winton decided to postpone giving ivy a m.u.s.p(major use special permit) because it might disrupt his plans of building a tunnel connecting brickell to cbd. the problem is that he believes that the tunnel might be going under one of the building in the westside of the project.

on better news i did get to see the other 3 towers for ivy,all three were designed by luis revuelta,if the building stay the same i'm approximating one building at 40stories,1 at 45 stories and one that looks to be about 50 stories the 50 stories building looks like met 3 without the crown,and instead on top has something like dupont.

this is what i saw on there plans this might change,or not be built at all if winton finds out he cannot build his stupid tunnel. im calling this stupid because why are you going to build something that cost 236million for about a mile distance,

cool whered you see these plans? nice

miami tv channel 9 on comcast,the december 9 commisioners meeting.getting back to the tunnel why don't they do this tunnel where brickell ave. is at not all the way by the metrorail is at.whose going to go all the way over there to get on a tunnel

i thought the tunnel was on us1, thats were it should be, US1 under the miami river!

under the metrorail

is going to be between neovertika,latitude,and bor

The tunnel idea is slated for Sw 1st Avenue. In the transportation master plan, the tunnel would hit surface somewhere near Sw 3rd street on the North side of the river.
Although it's not to bueno to hear that the MUSP is delayed, I do think that the tunnel makes sense. The tunnel lasts for about 70 years whereas a bridge lasts 15 ish years before major overhaul.
You never have to wait for a tunnel to go up and down! Calculate productivity of 15 people in cars waiting for a draw bridge an average of 7 minutes 20 times a day 300 days a year for 25 years or so. Boats bump into the bridges in a major way once every 5 years or so...they never bump into a tunnel to put it out of operation. $236 Million sounds cheap to me.

Are they going to bore the tunnel, or are they going to make it cut 'n cover since the river isn't all that deep or wide to begin with?

I could be wrong, but I think the tunnel in Fort Lauderdale is C&C... but on the other hand, the Miami River has a lot of commercial traffic and dense development alongside, so re-routing the river a hundred feet around a construction pit probably wouldn't work...

You are right on...boring is probably the option.
I don't know much about the New River tunnel, or the specific technique used for the Miami River tunnel proposal, but the Miami River is the 4th largest port in Florida for commerce. With the tide and the river currents, and 1st ave being so close to the bay I'd have to believe that rerouting some of those large vessels around temporary barriers would be so dangerous that they wouldn't even try.

True Street :)

is going to be between neovertika,latitude,and bor
TRUE Uptown-Midtown :)