Miami=Downtown Miami Central Business District: I [Archive]

MIAballinboi

July 14th, 2004, 04:06 PM

Israeli group to invest $1 billion into downtown Miami
from the herald: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/9146857.htm

Israeli investors have a $1B plan for Miami skyline

Parking lot magnate Hank Sopher has turned over the heart of his Miami land holdings to some Israeli investors who are planning $1 billion worth of development.

BY DOUGLAS HANKS III

dhanks@herald.com

An Israeli company is planning $1 billion worth of real estate projects in downtown Miami, people familiar with the venture said Tuesday.

Africa-Israel Investments has assembled a series of parcels, including the heart of parking lot magnate Hank Sopher's portfolio, fronting Biscayne Boulevard and west of the thoroughfare, said representatives for Sopher and the development group.

The assemblage will give the company, headed by one of the world's richest men, the ability to significantly shape the future of downtown Miami as it blends residential projects with its commercial district. The bulk of the company's new land portfolio sits near the boulevard, in the Park West area, now a stretch of parking lots and scruffy commercial buildings.

''We're talking about millions of square feet here, probably a million and a half,'' said real estate broker Edie Laquer, who helped Sopher assemble one of the largest land portfolios in downtown Miami.

City and company officials plan to announce details of the acquisition and venture Monday, but Africa-Israel Chairman Lev Leviev discussed his plans in the Israeli press in recent weeks.

Leviev, who made Forbes magazine's list of the world's 500 richest people, said Africa-Israel would spend about $90 million for 25 properties in and around Miami and roughly $1 billion to develop the estimated 15 acres of land, according to press reports. But people who have spoken to company officials caution that those figures represent only rough estimates of the dollars involved.

''I think they're still assembling'' land, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz said in a brief phone interview.

Laquer, president of the Laquer Corporate Realty Group, said the first priority would be constructing a high-rise in the old Howard Johnson's hotel immediately south of the MacArthur Causeway on Biscayne.

But the full scope of Africa-Israel's plans remained a mystery Tuesday evening. Laquer said the company had retained Sopher as a partner and that the portfolio acquired included land north of downtown, in the Brickell Avenue neighborhood and in Miami Beach.

Africa-Israel executives could not be reached Tuesday evening, and Laquer declined to provide anything but broad details. He and an Africa-Israel representative described the 25 lots as a patchwork of mostly nonadjoining lots and not the kind of broad footprint that could yield a single sprawling development.

''There's no megablock in there,'' said Seth Gordon, whose public-relations firm has been retained by the development group. ``It is individual parcels scattered around.''

The deal comes in the midst of a historic real estate boom in South Florida that has led deep-pocketed investors to scoop up land, sparking a flood of high-rise projects. Jay Massirman, a senior vice president at the CB Richard Ellis commercial brokerage, sees Africa-Israel's pledge of so many investment dollars as reflecting the pent-up potential of downtown Miami.

''We're really in an unprecedented development boom,'' Massirman said. ``However, downtown Miami has really been the overlooked stepchild in this. We don't really have a real downtown.''

Yet the city's development agency reports that roughly 16,000 residential units have been announced or are underway in the area from Brickell to just north of downtown. That's four times larger than what has been built since 1995.

Soaring property values, a rush of speculators and rapid sales have led to warnings of a possible pricing bubble, while the sheer number of project announcements have some predicting a glut of condominiums to come.

The Africa-Israel deal would serve as a lucrative bookend for Sopher, who in 1998 began scooping up vacant land along Biscayne. The parking lot operator from New York found little competition.

''Everything was for sale. Edie [Laquer] had a sign on most of everything,'' he recalled in an interview with The Herald last October. ``To me, it was a no brainer.''

streetscapeer

July 14th, 2004, 08:59 PM

For some reason I'm very weary about this venture...hopefully they start dishing out some proposals and tangible plans...we'll see...

havok100

July 15th, 2004, 12:13 AM

Is that a crane on the Lofts Downtown lot?

Rx727sfl2002

July 15th, 2004, 07:59 PM

City24 is PAC Not In Miami's Central Business District.. theres a post there on City24 with links and pictures. plus theres a post everywhere else you have posted it seems youve gone spam crazy.

http://one-miami.com/_html/
http://metropolitanmiami.com/
http://www.capitallofts.com
http://www.evergladesonthebay.com/
http://marinablue.com/
http://www.900biscaynebay.com/
http://tenmuseumpark.com/flash/index.html

brickell

July 16th, 2004, 02:47 AM

Don't forget the The Loft I and II.

http://www.theloftdowntown.com/
http://www.theloftdowntown2.com/

Toucano

July 16th, 2004, 05:38 AM

You can see most windows have been removed as a bulldozer is already starting to tear apart at the other side of the buildings
http://www.pbase.com/image/31397351.jpg
Out With The Old and In with The New:
http://www.pbase.com/image/31397357.jpg

streetscapeer

July 16th, 2004, 06:02 AM

they're tearing that down for the dupont project right?? Any renderings??

zpcsc

July 16th, 2004, 07:51 AM

I purchased a unit at the loft downtown 2 & the balcony space reads as 84.45m2. Does anyone know how to convert that to sq.ft.? I have no clue of what that means.
thanks.

MIAballinboi

July 16th, 2004, 04:49 PM

DUPONT TOWERS
http://www.markzilbert.com/images/condo_pix/dupont_towers/artist_render.jpg

MIAballinboi

July 16th, 2004, 04:55 PM

Quoted by South Florida Dave for the info:

Guys, I just came across a copy of Daily Business Review that had some interesting info in it:

Cousins Properties has scrapped its plans for an office tower & has instead decided to partner with the Related Group (these guys are everywhere right now!) to build a 55 story condo tower on the same site. Apparently downtown office space vacancy rates have gone up for 5 months in a row so they've decided condo is the way to go. Shocking.

Also, as brickell posted, it talked about the deal with the Israeli investors. As the Herald article said, the first property to be developed would be the old Ho-Jo's, now a hotel called the Port of Miami. They want to build a 40 to 50 story tower (I assume condos though the article didn't specify). The article listed Arquitectonica (gasp!) as the potential designer.

So, we lose the Columbus office design & height but get a 55 story condo tower in return. That's too bad cause, even though it wasn't perfect, IMO, I liked the design. Hopefully we'll get something of a signature building, although probably not as bold as the original design.

_____________________________________________________________

WE LOST ANOTHER TALLEST :bash:

SkyDiveJunkee

July 16th, 2004, 05:31 PM

Dupont looks big and bulky, they should have gone for something more slender and scaled down.

MarkyMark

July 16th, 2004, 05:51 PM

streetscapeer

July 16th, 2004, 06:26 PM

Dupont looks big and bulky, they should have gone for something more slender and scaled down.

I don't tink it's too bulky at all...I'm curious to see how the left tower will look from biscayne blvd (on the opposite side of this rendering)

the year 2006 will be SOoo Magical

MIAballinboi

July 16th, 2004, 07:34 PM

One Miami Official Heights,

according to skyscrapers.com
One Miami East Tower
Height 140 m 460 ft

One Miami West Tower
Height 137 m 449 ft

_______________________
Not Bad, more 400 footers

zpcsc

July 16th, 2004, 08:19 PM

Reply to ZPCSC:
"I purchased a unit at the loft downtown 2 & the balcony space reads as 84.45m2. Does anyone know how to convert that to sq.ft.? I have no clue of what that means.
thanks."

m2 is meters square.....to convert into square feet, you just multiply by 10.764.

So in your problem, 84.45m2 is equivalent to 909 square feet which is a damn big balcony. Did you buy a penthouse apartment?

Mark, thanks for your reply. Actually 909 is the unit size but on the description it states 84.45m2 balcony size. Tricky. I guess the 909 includes the balcony. I will have to further check into this.

MIAballinboi

July 16th, 2004, 10:16 PM

yeah it probably includes the balcony and the whole unit,

damn if it was only balcony that would be huge, lol

in other news

Happy Birthday, Wachovia Financial Center !!!
On This Date Back In 1984, The Wachovia Financial Center Officially Opened, Becoming The Tallest Building In Miami, Florida, The South, And The Tallest Building South Of New York City And East Of The Mississippi River. It Was Also The Tallest Building In Miami From July 16, 1984 To October 1, 2003, Until The Opening Of The Four Seasons. :cheers:

ten more years, and it might rank like #10 tallest in miami :cheers:

streetscapeer

July 17th, 2004, 04:52 AM

I think this thread is very deserving of this pic...this is just for the CBD

http://miamirealestatetrends.com/Images/StarterImages/Downtown-Miami.jpg

and remember that the following projects contain two towers:

Island Gardens
Marina Blue?
Everglades on the Bay
One Miami
Dupont

and Met Miami has 3 towers and entertainment complex

streetscapeer

July 17th, 2004, 05:08 AM

I will literally Explode in Joy when I see these go up

It'll be the perfect scraper to gaze upon as you head to Miami Beach (and news is, they'll be Taller)

http://miamirealestatetrends.com/images/StarterImages/IslandGardensMainPic.jpg

http://miamirealestatetrends.com/images/StarterImages/island-Map.jpg

SORRY for the mega long article...but it's a good one...if you get tired just skim :)

WATSON ISLAND - Island Gardens Complex

The Island Gardends project looks like it will be moving forward once it receives final approval in the coming days.

Megayachts . . . megabucks . . . megatraffic?

A proposed $400 million megayacht marina complex on Watson Island is nearing approval, but many residents worry about the traffic it will bring.

Article BY MICHAEL VASQUEZ June 23,2004 - Miami Herald
mrvasquez@herald.com

Miami's rejuvenated Watson Island, already home to a children's museum and squawk-filled Parrot Jungle, is well on its way to also becoming a pit stop for the super-wealthy world traveler.

City leaders on Thursday are poised to give their final stamp of approval to a proposed $400 million megayacht marina complex, one flanked by two luxury high-rise hotels, shops and restaurants.

Backers of the project predict it will boost Miami's upper-crust prestige while pumping huge amounts of cash into the local economy. Megayachts -- typically categorized as vessels 80 feet or larger -- don't come cheaply, and their millionaire owners are known for splurging while in town.

''The dollars are big dollars, and they revolve countless times within the community,'' said Frank Herhold, director of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida.

A 2002 study co-authored by Herhold's organization estimated each megayacht visit contributes at nearly $400,000 to the region. Miami's proposed megayacht marina would include 48 boat slips, more than 200,000 square feet of retail/dining space, a performance stage, and fish markets.

MAJOR REVENUES

The city would retain ownership of the land under a 45-year lease and receive $1 million annual lease payments during construction, which could be built as soon as late 2006. Once the facility is up and running, the city would get $2 million a year in rent, plus a share of the revenues starting several years later. Miami also expects to earn more than $4 million annually in property taxes from the project.

According to the developer's proposal, non-yachters could visit a maritime gallery, an array of themed gardens and stroll along a 100-foot wide promenade looking out on the bay.

Other planned public amenities include:

• Children's model yacht boating pond and playground.

• Sculpture displays • Boating and fishing charters and tours.

Not everyone is convinced the marina developer, Flagstone Property Group, will reserve space for everyday folks. Some fear that the proposed lease between Miami and the developer may not guarantee total public access.

''They could just build those hotels and you'll never see anything else happen,'' said Nancy Liebman of the Urban Environment League. ``It's such a loosey-goosey type of land lease.''

Both the city and the developer -- who spent a year hammering out the terms -- say protections for the public are ironclad. Judith Burke, a lawyer for the developer, says Miami insists the project will not open unless all the public set-asides are in place. ''All of the amenities will be in the project, there's no question,'' Burke said. That the word ''amenities'' and Watson Island could be used in the same sentence demonstrates how far this long-neglected 86-acre patch of prime real estate has come. Blessed with panoramic views of downtown, Watson Island has been the subject of grandiose development schemes since the Great Depression.

A slightly smaller megayacht marina was proposed in the late 1980s, but it, like an earlier proposed theme park, quietly went nowhere.

Only in recent years did plans start to materialize, with the man-made island now boasting attractions that include Parrot Jungle Island and the Miami Children's Museum. The 24-acre megayacht proposal is dubbed ''Island Gardens,'' and is spearheaded by Turkish developer Mehmet Bayraktar, who has built similar projects around the world. But the building boom on Watson Island has prompted criticisms from other parts of Miami-Dade -- that local roads can't handle the additional traffic and possible help from mass-transit expansions won't arrive in time.

http://miamirealestatetrends.com/images/StarterImages/Island-Gardens-Map.jpg

TRAFFIC WORRIES

Traffic worries are a key reason the city of Miami Beach -- where drivers end up if they keep going on the MacArthur Causeway past Watson Island -- is opposing Island Gardens.

''There are issues related to hurricane evacuation,'' Miami Beach Mayor David Dermer said. ``All of us impact one another.''

Current Watson Island tenant Parrot Jungle Island has also said potential traffic snarls have not been sufficiently addressed.

Miami leaders say traffic studies they've conducted prove otherwise -- the studies predict a reasonable level of traffic flow even after the project is built. Miami Beach has challenged the thoroughness of those studies.

Miami, meanwhile, questions if Miami Beach is acting a tad hypocritical since the Beach has many high-density projects -- higher than Miami's, Hialeah's, Philadelphia's or Boston's.

''I think it's very unfair,'' said Diaz, suggesting the Beach might fear competition. ``Maybe they just don't want five-star hotels and a megayacht marina on Watson Island.''

Still, the question arises, why not make it one big park instead? When the state gave Miami the land decades ago, it was with the stipulation it be reserved for public use. The state is now expected to waive that requirement for Island Gardens, in exchange for a share of Miami's annual lease payments.

''This is a rich man's project for rich people only,'' said Miami resident Stephen Herbits, whose view of downtown Miami from his Venetian Causeway condo will be obstructed when Island Gardens is built. ``Three hundred-foot yachts. Who has access to those things?''

City leaders counter there are still plans to create a roughly six-acre public park on Watson Island, a park the city says will be better used because the area will become a top-notch destination.

Although an exact blueprint for the park remains unsettled, the developer has agreed to contribute $1 million to help Miami spruce up parts of the island, including the park.

A solid majority of voters approved the development in a 2001 referendum. Back then, the height of the proposed hotels was much lower -- one of 16 stories, the other 25. The current proposal calls for two towers, of 28 and 42 stories, still nowhere near the tallest in the city. The proposed hotel operators would be the Conrad Hilton and Regent companies, with hotel development overseen by hotelier Sherwood Weiser. The architect, engineering and interior design firm is Spillis Candela DMJM.

Flagstone, the project's developer, said floors were added to the towers, in part, because of a plan by the state to build a tunnel from the Port of Miami-Dade to MacArthur Causeway, which would have cut into the hotels' space. The tunnel project is still years away.

Other factors in the height increase, according to Flagstone, include: federal rules requiring different design plans for security and safety, a desire by the developer to create several floors of space for open viewing, and other aesthetic changes.

REVAMPED PLANS

Although the revamped plans featured higher buildings, both the developer and city argue the project remains basically the same, with little change in the number of hotel rooms or square footage of retail space. Said Mayor Diaz: ``That's what the people of Miami approved.

Flagstone Properties Group has also contracted Sea Secure LLC a leader in maritime security and Counter Terrorisms to provide port security for the New Mega Yachts Project.

Please contact our sales group to be placed on our future Pre construction list for this and other projects.

gian

July 17th, 2004, 05:56 PM

Gotta wonder if this one might quietly go nowhere also. Seems like a local player might be able to make it happen...

MIAballinboi

July 17th, 2004, 10:50 PM

looks like a nice project, hope its built

streetscapeer

July 18th, 2004, 01:11 AM

That could happen Gian...but for some reason I have faith in this one...the developer is really aggressinve and despite some setbacks in the past...things are gradually looking up for this project

It's pretty much alll been approved...the last thing they had to do was go before Gov. Jeb Bush, his cabinet, and the Miami City Commission to get a deed restriction to allow the public venture on the public property...even the Department of Environmental Protection (which approved the project) recommended that the waiver be approved....which it finally did

the voter's already approved back in 2001

we just have to wait and see what happens I guess....cross your fingers tight...lol

gian

July 19th, 2004, 05:44 AM

I've been also trying to figure out Oppenheim buildings as well....I'm wondering if anyone can actually tell me which residential building has been built of his so far?

is it that the cost of buildings are too much for the builders? What's up with Ice, Ten Museum, etc.? They've taken money but haven't even broken ground yet????

Dale

July 19th, 2004, 05:47 AM

Now that another tallest has been cancelled, I'm beginning to worry that Miami is running out of plots upon which a tallest would be allowed.

Comments ?

zpcsc

July 20th, 2004, 12:40 AM

I spoke to the Loft 2 sales team. The unit I purchased @ 909 sq. ft. is a/c area balcony not included. They were not able to tell me the balcony size, but by looking at the pics it seems small. I misunderstood the balcony size in the printed catalog. Thanks for everything...

streetscapeer

July 20th, 2004, 01:29 AM

did they tell you anything about the building construction timeline?...when they are likely to break ground?

Dale

July 20th, 2004, 01:51 AM

Anyone want to take a whack at my question ?

ISG

July 20th, 2004, 03:00 AM

you might be right, and maybe big bldg. developers are waiting for the area to prove itself with the current crop of projects before going for a mega tall building. anyway as long as the designs are breathtaking the skyline will be great, even without the tallest.

any votes on best building design so far in the miami area?

SkyDiveJunkee

July 20th, 2004, 05:19 AM

Espirito Santo Plaza is probably the best IMO. At night it is simply stunning. Its one of those buildings that dominate its location, even moreso than Miami's tallest only a few feet away from it. Other than that, Everglades and Marine Blue are two I'm looking forward to, and I think Blue will be pretty kickass coming right off the bridge.

streetscapeer

July 20th, 2004, 05:56 AM

I simply can't wait for ten museum, everglades, and island gardens

streetscapeer

July 20th, 2004, 05:59 AM

Now that another tallest has been cancelled, I'm beginning to worry that Miami is running out of plots upon which a tallest would be allowed.

Comments ?

I'm sure there are still quite few parking lots in dowtown, and also there are plenty of old buildings that can be torn down.

brickell

July 20th, 2004, 06:44 AM

Anyone want to take a whack at my question ?

I was thinking about this yesterday as a matter of fact. The Colombus Bazaar parcel should really be tall office and not condos. It's the prime spot for an iconic tall tower. There are lots around the city that have the size but we're quickly running out of good spots that would make an impact. Met1 is a little underwhelming for it's location as well.

If the boom continues, my money would be to see the one of the smaller Brickell buildings be demolished to get the next tallest with waterfront views.

It'll also be interesting to see what the Africa-Israel group has up their sleeves. They're reportedly proposing a 55 story tower already. With the amount of land they've acquired, they could create a whole neighborhood of scrapers anchored by the next tallest.

Toucano

July 20th, 2004, 06:50 AM

a small building was recently torn down along Brickell....I took a picture the other day...i`ll post it soon...I`m Personally looking foward to more density in Miami and the pedestrian activity it is going to bring to the downtown area, I would like to see all the proposed projects fall through and see Miami become a sea of cranes....I`m also dying to see the Miami Mass Transit become a reality instead of a .5% tax and an 88.9 mile plan on paper...Miami has a great deal of potential right now, however it is still going to need the progressive mind-set that Mayor Manny Diaz has created for the next decade or so...We are also in Dire need of a massive convention center to attract massive corporations and major conventions...I`m talking a Huge one like in Chicago...Miami has the perfect weather, scene, and amenities...Companies and conventions would flock here to avoid the cold weather of the north bringing massive amount of opportunities with them...Microsoft has had to move conventions from Miami in the past citing a lack of useable convention space...just my opinion but we are finally taking a step in the right direction....

brickell

July 20th, 2004, 07:48 AM

It's the same problem all over again though. Where do you put it? We couldn't find room for a baseball stadium. Where do you put a giant convention center without affecting the density of neighborhoods already in place. Unlike northern cities, miami doesn't have a lot of industrial or rail yards that are close to downtown. The Buena Vista railyards might have provided the space, but that's not a prime spot, and it's pegged for development. Watson Island would also make a good spot, but that is also pegged for development, even though it's public land.

brickell

July 20th, 2004, 08:17 AM

some specifics from a new herald article on the africa-israel project.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/9194449.htm

and take the web vote:
http://forums.prospero.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=kr-miamiwebvote&msg=288.1&ctx=1

DOWNTOWN MIAMI | DEVELOPMENT

Builder reveals Miami makeover

Six projects, including a 55-story condominium and boutique hotel, were announced as the first phase of a $1.5 billion plan to create a new urban corridor in Miami.

BY ELAINE WALKER

ewalker@herald.com

A Brooklyn developer and an Israeli company said Monday they intend to develop six projects within two years as part of their $1.5 billion plans for residential, commercial and office development in downtown Miami and surrounding areas.

Shaya Boymelgreen and Africa-Israel Investments will start with a 55-story high-rise condominium and boutique hotel on the site of the former Howard Johnson hotel at Biscayne Boulevard and 11th Street. Future projects include redevelopment of the Miami Arena site.

Those plans are just the beginning of the South Florida dreams of A.I. & Boymelgreen. The partnership announced at a news conference Monday that it spent $130 million to acquire 25 parcels stretching from the Park West area of downtown Miami to the Performing Arts Center, Biscayne Boulevard in Edgewater, the Brickell Avenue area and South Beach.

The long-term plan calls for construction of 3.5 million square feet, more than three Wachovia Financial Centers. Most of the projects will be residential or mixed-use.

''We're very committed to the people and the city of Miami,'' said Pinchas Cohen, chief executive of Africa-Israel Investments, a publicly traded investment conglomerate based in Tel Aviv.

The largest chunk of the land -- 14 properties -- was owned by UBS Warburg, an investment banking and securities firm with headquarters in Connecticut, and parking lot magnate Hank Sopher.

Sopher began buying up vacant land downtown during the late 1990s before real estate began to boom and prices soared. He will remain involved with the projects as a minority investor.

But Sopher is not done buying. He says he's already working on another 15 acquisitions stretching from downtown to North Miami-Dade and Broward counties, including the former Parkway Hospital site. He expects his new partners to be involved in many of the deals.

''We're going on to bigger and better things,'' said Sopher, during a phone interview from New York City. ``We see the whole South Florida area as a new real estate market.''

Boymelgreen and Africa-Israel bring the development experience to carry out what Sopher started. The partnership is already developing more than five million square feet in New York and Canada, including residential and mixed-use projects with retail shopping.

The genesis of Boymelgreen's move to South Florida lies in a Hanukkah menorah lighting celebration last December at Miami City Hall. Boymelgreen came to the ceremony with his brother-in-law, local rabbi Yakov Fellig, who introduced him to Miami Mayor Manny Diaz. The connection quickly came together.

Diaz declined to credit his conversation with luring the billion-dollar development plans to Miami but did say it may have played a role.

''We're hoping for a very long-lasting relationship between the city and this group,'' Diaz said.

A.I. & Boymelgreen would not provide many details Monday about its development plans for Miami.

The biggest question mark surrounds the Miami Arena site, which is subject to the partnership winning an Aug. 10 auction.

The site would likely include a mixed-use project with a strong high-rise component, said Miami real estate broker Edie Laquer, who will be a minority partner in the arena development.

The partnership's first project, on the Howard Johnson site, will include 334 residential units, plus a 40-unit boutique hotel and street-front retail shops. The triangular-shaped building has been designed by Arquitectonica. Sales are expected to begin early next year for units averaging $750,000. Construction is expected to begin in one year with an opening by 2007.

But local real estate analysts are concerned about a potential glut.

Roughly 16,000 new residential units are either announced or underway in the urban corridor stretching from the Brickell neighborhood to the area above the Performing Arts Center, north of downtown, according to the Downtown Development Authority. That's about four times what has been built since 1995.

Boymelgreen isn't worried about any potential condo glut, pointing out that most projects where construction is underway are already sold.

''Developers are risky people,'' he said. ``It's a calculated risk.''

Roark

July 20th, 2004, 03:58 PM

Wow...back from a little vacation to the news of A.I. & Boymelgreen's plan for the CBD is exciting. It just never ends!! 55 Stories on the Ho Jo site! That is great.

dr

Posted on Tue, Jul. 20, 2004

MIAballinboi

July 20th, 2004, 04:23 PM

theyll make space for a new tallest,

what the hell are they gonna do with that miami circle site,? i know thats south of the river sorry, lol

well if the commercial demand is there they better make space for it,

or it can be like boston, a dense city with a tallest at just under 800 feet

streetscapeer

July 20th, 2004, 04:57 PM

^^ I'll take that...maybe we'll get a new tallest in the next boom....lol I'm already thinking ahead!

streetscapeer

July 20th, 2004, 05:21 PM

SkyDiveJunkee

July 20th, 2004, 06:10 PM

NYC has very little land to build new projects and they manage to find it and build tall. I think eventually what will happen in Miami is demolition of smaller structures for bigger ones, hopefully it wont be historic ones.

renner01

July 20th, 2004, 06:35 PM

I agree with streetscraper. Right now i would not like to buy a condo in downtown just cause i feel like there isn't shit to do. If they would retail, bars, and some entertainment it wouldn't be such a bad place because its a great location. Close to the beachs, the grove and Coral gables...

MIAballinboi

July 20th, 2004, 06:45 PM

great find by miami jr on ssp,

the israeli planned tower on the hojo site
http://www.miami.com/images/miami/elnuevo/9193/84515724991.jpg

:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

streetscapeer

July 20th, 2004, 06:51 PM

I'll refrain from a detailed comment until we get more renderings..but not bad...it'll make for a terrific streetwall on Biscayne Blvd

zpcsc

July 20th, 2004, 07:06 PM

What I'm really waiting for..is when downtown becomes a popular destination. I'm waiting for the day when people stroll down the street with shopping bags, with tickets to a movie.....where people go for dinner and then catch a show @ PAC....I think retail is the key...I'm curious to see what type of retail all these projects are offering....I want things like a cornerside walgreens...or how about an old navy or something even better...like unique boutiques, some high-end stuff, small clothing shops, cafes, bookstores, design firms, studios, etc. ...basically I want a place where I can get anything from A to Z..or at least alot of things. This is what I admire most about Some of Florida's other downtowns like st.pete, sarasota,etc even Ft.Lauderdale's, half-an hour from Miami's.... Hopefully the entertainment complexes offered by the Met project and Mary Brickell Village will spark this dream!! does anyone know of any other projects that are offering retail components or other entertainment?

Same here, I can't wait to see what will happen. I don't know when loft2 will break ground probably once loft1 is in an advanced stage. The sales person told me, when we first met to pick out a unit, that their will be new bldgs everywhere in the area. They will be tearing down a lot of those old bldgs. I hope to see nice shops, coffee shops etc. We looked into the Miami River area but I really like Downtown cause it's more centrally located and you are able to walk to many different places. They need to get rid of all those ugly, old, cheap shops. I am sure they will, these are big time developers going into the area & I am sure they know what they are playing with. The only downfall about loft2 is that they do not have a parking garage. They are leasing the garage across the street for a term of about 5yrs so we have to wait & see if they have a better plan in store. The parking garage next to the lot seems to be fairly new but no word on parking there. We have 2 vehicles so we will have to rent a spot once we move in.

streetscapeer

July 20th, 2004, 07:17 PM

any news on when loft1 will break ground??

zpcsc

July 20th, 2004, 07:56 PM

any news on when loft1 will break ground??

No word, but it should be soon because the last time I drove by there they were getting ready to start. They told us loft2 should be ready in 2yrs (2006), that is what they are saying for all these bldgs. I am also waiting for info on the 3rd bldg from Calderon (neo lofts). No word yet but I am interested in seeing what they are going to offer. It's suppose to be in the Miami River area.

Roark

July 21st, 2004, 01:42 AM

Anyone want to take a whack at my question ?
Remember that the developers of the current tallest, Millennium Partners, still own quite a few contiguous blocks on the Miami River and on Miami Avenue. There was talk a few years ago of building the tallest on that site. They are putting tennis courts on the one of the blocks for the time being.

Dale

July 21st, 2004, 01:50 AM

Remember that the developers of the current tallest, Millennium Partners, still own quite a few contiguous blocks on the Miami River and on Miami Avenue. There was talk a few years ago of building the tallest on that site. They are putting tennis courts on the one of the blocks for the time being.

Intriguing. So I gather there are a number of plots left that would allow for a tallest ?

It's also easy to forget that Miami just got a new tallest this year.

streetscapeer

July 22nd, 2004, 05:53 AM

I think this is Carbonell (someone reassure me) ???

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v255/kleclerc/IMG_0683.jpg

Everglades on the be advertisement

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v255/kleclerc/IMG_0684.jpg

streetscapeer

July 22nd, 2004, 06:31 AM

here are some pics from the Macarthur causeway at about 6:30 PM...the overcast sky makes for good pics.

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v255/kleclerc/IMG_0716.jpg

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v255/kleclerc/IMG_0717.jpg

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v255/kleclerc/IMG_0719.jpg

The BOA tower is Gleaming

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v255/kleclerc/IMG_0720.jpg

At first I got really pissed off when the sign got in the way...but it made for a very cool pic! It sort of highlights the Wachovia tower

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v255/kleclerc/IMG_0721.jpg

About to take I-95

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v255/kleclerc/IMG_0722.jpg

check out the brickell thread for a few more pics

MIAballinboi

July 22nd, 2004, 05:03 PM

very nice pics! :) that is carbonell

Dale

July 22nd, 2004, 08:52 PM

Biscayne Blvd. looks a little shabby in these pics. Isn't it due for an upgrade ?

Roark

July 23rd, 2004, 04:09 AM

No word, but it should be soon because the last time I drove by there they were getting ready to start. They told us loft2 should be ready in 2yrs (2006), that is what they are saying for all these bldgs. I am also waiting for info on the 3rd bldg from Calderon (neo lofts). No word yet but I am interested in seeing what they are going to offer. It's suppose to be in the Miami River area.
Loft I -
As of today, they have broken ground. It appears that the pilings are in, the boom crane is on the site and they should be skyward in no time.
Ten Museum-
The trailers are packed up at the sales center, and they are moving off to their next project.
Brickell on the River - at about 24th floor.
One Miami - at about 15

Roark

July 23rd, 2004, 04:14 AM

MiamiSkyHigh

July 23rd, 2004, 05:30 AM

Hey! Your ideas are right on! I feel the same way.

zpcsc

July 24th, 2004, 07:18 AM

I am getting a little worried about parking in Downtown. As mentioned, I purchased in loft2 but like all new developments only 1 parking space per unit. Imagine that.....
We have 2 vehicles & reading an article on the South Florida Business Journal (http://southflorida.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2004/07/19/daily54.html) it seems prices for monthly unreserved parking will be increasing specially as the area develops. I wish I would be able to take the metromover to work since it will be right in my bldg., but unfortunately it does not run to where my work destination is. I will just have to wait & see what will be happening in 2006. I don't understand why just 1 spot per unit, in Miami, does not make sense. :bash:

streetscapeer

July 24th, 2004, 03:58 PM

OOoch!! Those prices are extremely high...it's like a whole 'nother car payment!!

Roark

July 25th, 2004, 12:18 AM

Here are a couple of photos from a little Metromover tour of the CBD/River/Brickell. I hope that you like them!
Wachovia Tower From Biscayne Boulevard
http://www.restainer.com/skyscrapers/WachoviaTower_web.jpg

From Riverwalk MetroMover Station shooting south. Brickell on the River is up to 22 stories on the left, and the empty lot to the right is one of several Millennium Partners (Four Seasons) parcels.
http://www.restainer.com/skyscrapers/RiverwalkStationSouth_BotR_web.jpg

Rx727sfl2002

July 25th, 2004, 12:24 AM

Millenium Partners where supposed to build brickell commons on those parcels
im guessing that the yare waiting to see if the market is going to stick....

lets see what marybrickell village does for the area.

Rx727sfl2002

July 25th, 2004, 01:33 AM

http://www.900biscaynebay.com/

theres a rendering update of the 900 biscayne building now in color, more detail, get a hold of that roof art... 900 biscayne is wearing a nice crown...

Roark

July 25th, 2004, 10:47 PM

900 Biscayne Bay is a beautiful building, there are plenty of generous terraces, great layouts, and lots of private elevators! Brilliant.
You are right on about the Millennium Partners sites. The dismal showing of the Merrick Park project didn't give much credence the the luxury shopping idea that they had. Hats off for the clever idea with their tennis facility. Better way to land bank than a parking lot. 7 State of the Art Tennis courts and a clubhouse right accross from Mary Brickell Village. What a great neighborhood amenity for the 4,000 or so new residents within walking distance.

Dale

July 26th, 2004, 12:14 AM

I much prefer the design. And I guess you all know it's been increased to 65 stories ?

Nicrothstein

July 28th, 2004, 05:15 PM

great find by miami jr on ssp,

the israeli planned tower on the hojo site
http://www.miami.com/images/miami/elnuevo/9193/84515724991.jpg

:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

Great job...any other info?

Nicrothstein

July 28th, 2004, 05:23 PM

I much prefer the design. And I guess you all know it's been increased to 65 stories ?

Guess the buyers at Ten Museum Park on the north side are going to have an issue...of course that was never mentioned...LOVE the building on the hojo site. Do you know what they, AI, are naming it? What do you think of Opus?

Rx727sfl2002

July 28th, 2004, 05:57 PM

you would be surprised that when you get that high up the view really does open up alot and widens out...i dont think they will have any problems...

plus 10 Museum is covered in windows.....

streetscapeer

July 29th, 2004, 05:04 AM

I just took an excerpt from this article...it gives us a taste of another project the Africa-Israel developers are planning...read the bold

".......The first of six projects Africa-Israel and Boymelgreen have slated for completion within the next two-years is a 334-unit, 55-story luxury residence complete with a 40-unit boutique hotel on the former Howard Johnson site at Biscayne and 11th Street across from the America Airlines Arena. According to Africa Israel CEO Pinchas Cohen, construction will begin in 2005 and units will sell in the $700,000s.

“We are considering selling the hotel part to a private company,” said Jeff Morr, president of Majestic Properties. Morr’s company has been charged with deciding the “best use” for at least the first three Africa-Israel/Boymelgreen ventures. Morr told SunPost the second project will be a 300 to 400-unit condominium complex that will include possible brownstone structures and retail at 3050 Biscayne Boulevard. He cannot yet speak to the identity of the third project, and Laquer said she’s not sure how long it will take to complete the development of the remaining parcels. “Do you have a crystal ball?” she asked.

Africa-Israel and Boymelgreen have proposed a total of 3.5 million sq. ft. of residential, commercial and office space for Miami and Miami Beach and claim that further development plans will be announced as they unfold. Sopher will continue to be involved as a minority partner in future development........"

Brownstones in Miami....boy I can't wait for the renderings!!

Toucano

July 29th, 2004, 05:32 AM

The Loft Downtown is already Under Construction with a Giant Blue Crane On-site and Marina Blue has broken gound and a small crane is already on site to begin setting the foundation...

Dale

July 29th, 2004, 05:35 AM

The Loft Downtown is already Under Construction with a Giant Blue Crane On-site and Marina Blue has broken gound and a small crane is already on site to begin setting the foundation...

Woo-hoo ! Marina Blue's my favorite.

streetscapeer

July 29th, 2004, 05:56 AM

YAAAY for marina Blue...I'm really waiting for ten museum though

How high are the loft and marinablue gonna be again?

Dale

July 29th, 2004, 06:00 AM

Loft 23 stories ? Marina Blue 60 ? I know 900 Biscayne is 65.

south florida dave

July 29th, 2004, 06:28 AM

Cool, Marinablue's the one I'm looking forward to most.

Can't wait to see the renderings for the brownstone building. That should be
reeeeal interesting!

Dale

July 29th, 2004, 07:21 AM

I'm really pleasantly stunned about Marina Blue. I didn't think it was due to start until the Fall.

south florida dave

July 29th, 2004, 08:40 PM

By playing with the Wachovia webcam, I can't see where ground has been broken for Marinablue. What did you see, Toucano?

I know that the crane that's on the site has been there for a while.

Even if it hasn't broken ground yet, there's no doubt that Marinablue will go up.

mike18

August 1st, 2004, 05:05 AM

High 5: Face-lift sites chosen

A development group committed to spending $1.5 billion on 25 properties that it recently purchased in Miami and Miami Beach has identified five parcels of land that it plans to build on first.

BY MATTHEW HAGGMAN

mhaggman@herald.com

Three properties near the Biscayne Boulevard corridor and two on South Beach will be the first construction sites to be part of an ambitious $1.5 billion, 25-parcel plan, a spokesman for a development group said Friday.

Africa-Israel Investments and Brooklyn developer Shaya Boymelgreen, teaming up on the project, plan to build an office and residential complex at the corner of 30th Street and Biscayne Boulevard, a garage and residential tower across the street from the Miami-Dade Performing Arts Center and a 60-story apartment complex on the south side of Interstate 395, according to public-relations executive Seth Gordon.

In Miami Beach, the group plans to build a residential tower at the foot of the MacArthur Causeway and an office building on Meridian Avenue two blocks from Lincoln Road.

Gordon said the sites rank as some of the group's premier properties, each near other planned or completed developments. Two weeks ago, the group -- which operates under the name Africa-Israel Boymelgreen -- announced that it had spent $130 million to purchase more than two dozen properties in Miami-Dade County.

The partnership is between Shaya Boymelgreen and an Israel-based conglomerate with interests in energy, real estate, telecommunications and tourism. Boymelgreen is traveling to Miami on a weekly basis to work on the project.

The flagship property will be the yet-to-be-named 60-story residential complex on Biscayne across from Bicentennial Park. The condo tower, once announced as 55 stories, will be on the north end of a row of five planned luxury condos with views of Biscayne Bay stretching from the I-395 expressway to the Freedom Tower.

The second project will be north of I-395 and across the street from the Ballet Opera House of the Performing Arts Center. Boymelgreen is planning a parking garage to serve patrons attending events at the center.

At Northeast Second Avenue and 13th Street, the building will also have a residential tower atop the garage. Gordon said plans for the garage and tower have not been completed.

DRIVEN BY PARKING

Edie Laquer, the real estate agent who brokered the purchase of the 25 properties, cites the need for parking for the center as a major reason for the property's development.

''But for the Performing Arts Center, I don't know if that would have gone forward at this point in time,'' she said.

Farther north, on a three-acre lot between 30th and 32nd streets along Biscayne Boulevard, the partnership plans to renovate a 10-floor office building and lease the office building. It also plans to house its Miami operations there.

Next to the office building, it hopes to build a residential office tower with ground-floor retail outlets. But Laquer said the retail presence would be limited because of the nearby Midtown Miami development, which is expected to have a significant retail presence.

EYEING THE NEIGHBORS

In South Beach, the partnership hopes to take advantage of another nearby retail development, as it plans to develop a residential tower on the full block that sits at Fifth Street and Alton Road.

Across Alton Road, developers Jeff Berkowitz and Alan and Robert Potamkin look to build a retail development that would include a Publix supermarket.

Laquer said that tower would offer views of Biscayne Bay and maintain a prominent presence, sitting at the foot of the MacArthur Expressway as drivers exit into Miami Beach.

Last, Boymelgreen intends to turn a 10-floor, 60,000-square-foot Meridian Avenue office building in South Beach into an office condo with first-floor retail space.

As for the downtown Biscayne Boulevard condo tower, Gordon said the groundbreaking was slated for a year from now, with the others to follow shortly.

''They could conceivably roll everything out simultaneously,'' he said. ``They are working on the timing right now.''

south florida dave

August 1st, 2004, 10:02 PM

streetscapeer

August 2nd, 2004, 03:43 AM

Ooh, so the ho-jo building is gonna be 60 stories now. Nice.

I noticed they said the tower "will be on the north end of a
row of five planned luxury condos with views of Biscayne Bay
stretching from the I-395 expressway to the Freedom Tower."

Five towers? Let's see, there's Marinablue, 900 Biscayne,
Ten Museum Park & the ho-jo tower that I know about for this
area. Assuming the ho-jo tower is included in the five, we're
still missing the fifth tower. There's a mystery project here!

Man, this stretch of Biscayne is gonna be a wall of towers in
a few years!

Maybe the writer of this article was ignorant and was counting Everglades
on the Bay, which is south of freedom tower....or maybe they coun't Marina Blue as two towers (prob not, but just maybe)....or maybe you're right...maybe there's a project we don't know about (doubtful, but maybe)

I agree...I can't wait to see that street wall too!!

dave8721

August 5th, 2004, 05:05 AM

Some pictures I took from the parking garage of a Coral Gables building:

Coconut Grove
http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/1552/DSC00250_1.jpg

Dowtown Miami
http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/2125/DSC00251_1.jpg

Coral Gables
http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/1996/DSC00252_1.jpg

More Coral Gables
http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/8408/DSC00253_1.jpg

The Biltmore
http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/6731/DSC00254_1.jpg

brickell

August 5th, 2004, 05:29 AM

Nice.

Which lot is that?

SkyDiveJunkee

August 5th, 2004, 05:40 AM

That first Coral Gables shot is awesome.

south florida dave

August 6th, 2004, 03:57 AM

Great shots, Dave (great name too)! Love the downtown shot!!!

Is that from a parking garage in Merrick Park? It's close to there at least.

I usually go to the old Miracle center (no idea what it's called now. Paseo's maybe?) parking garage to get shots like this, but your site seems much better.

Toucano

August 6th, 2004, 05:21 AM

Yeah well to whoever asked....There are currently two small cranes at the Marina Blue site as 2 bulldozers continue to tear down whatever structure was on the land before...As I said It may not be official yet but they have begun work on the foundation...

In other News :::
a second huge crane has arrived on site of the Grovenor House in Coconut Grove (See Phot Below).....

A Large Crane is also working on a structure next to Jackson/Civic Center area (I Have no Clue what will be rising there but I am Fairly Certain that it is Not one of the two UM proposed 15 story research buildings)...

zpcsc

August 6th, 2004, 08:20 AM

I was notified today that my contract will be mailed to me for downtown loft 2. I asked if all the units were sold & they told me they were & that there is a waiting list for their next project at 50 Biscayne. There was an article in yesterdays Herald ref. this new project, a 54-story bldg. I have to drive by the loft 1 site to see how it's all coming along. Does anyone have some pics?

MIAballinboi

August 6th, 2004, 04:48 PM

great pics

south florida dave

August 6th, 2004, 11:55 PM

Yeah well to whoever asked....There are currently two small cranes at the Marina Blue site as 2 bulldozers continue to tear down whatever structure was on the land before...As I said It may not be official yet but they have begun work on the foundation...

That was me Toucano & you were definitely right. I've been checking the site out every now & then with the ultra-cool Wachovia tower webcam & they have definitely started foundation work. Looks like Ten Museum Park has started as well & 900 Biscayne is in the process of clearing the land.

Props to the Herald for putting up these webcams.

SkyDiveJunkee

August 7th, 2004, 12:23 AM

Do you have a link to the webcam?

south florida dave

August 7th, 2004, 01:03 AM

^Here ya go...

http://www.destinationwebcam.com/Miami/Miami%20Portal/Miami_Portal4.htm

Dale

August 7th, 2004, 04:00 AM

That was me Toucano & you were definitely right. I've been checking the site out every now & then with the ultra-cool Wachovia tower webcam & they have definitely started foundation work. Looks like Ten Museum Park has started as well & 900 Biscayne is in the process of clearing the land.

Props to the Herald for putting up these webcams.

Wow ! Great news !

BTW, where is the old Ho-Jo in relation to Ten Museum Park, Marina Blue and 900 Biscayne ?

south florida dave

August 7th, 2004, 08:04 AM

^It's just to the left of the Ten Museum Park lot in his pic:
http://www.markzilbert.com/images/condo_pix/marinablue/overmap.jpg

It's gonna be a wall of 50+ story buildings :carrot:

Dale

August 8th, 2004, 03:30 AM

Thanks, Dave.

Yep, left to right - 60 / 50 / 65 / 60 stories.

Dale

August 8th, 2004, 05:18 AM

And Dave, what's happening on the lot just to the right of Marina Blue ? It looks like it's under excavation in the pic.

dave8721

August 8th, 2004, 05:22 AM

south florida dave

August 8th, 2004, 05:53 AM

Ahh, that's where it is. Nice find. I'll have to go check it out sometime. I'd really liike to find a nice vantage point somewhere nearer to the skyline. Going east on the 836 I see a ton of mid-rise hotels & such that would be perfect spots to take a nice pano, but getting to them & then up to the top might be tricky. One of these days I'll take the time to scope out a nice spot.

Dale, that lot is a parking lot that's currently in use. Might actually be for Miami-Dade college, I'm not sure. The crappy quality of that pic makes it look like something else is going on, but sadly, no, it's just another surface parking lot. You gotta believe its days are numbered, though.

Roark

August 8th, 2004, 11:43 PM

Thanks, Dave.

Yep, left to right - 60 / 50 / 65 / 60 stories.
This is a little somthing taken from the roof of the Howard Johnson @ NE 11th Street and Biscayne. It was taken Sept. 9, 2003, just prior to the public anouncement of 10 Museum Park. Without a question, the residents in these buildings will have great views and excellent neighborhood amenities.
Movie Clip (www.restainer.com/skyscrapers/pano_hojobiscayne.AVI)

Rx727sfl2002

August 11th, 2004, 03:28 AM

Formelly Known As The Columbus Bazzar Tower Site Has Renderings Out And Will Soon Be Posted Sometime Tonight Or Tommorow... Check Back For Full Size Colored Renderings Of The Building.

burnzybaby60

August 11th, 2004, 04:13 AM

pleazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzeeeee tonight !! lol

Rx727sfl2002

August 11th, 2004, 04:22 AM

Ive Forwarded The Pic To Miamiballinboi But Waiting For Him To Post It I Cannot Post Pictures On Here If Anyone Else Can Feel Free To Private Message Me On Here And I Will Send Via Email.

MIAballinboi

August 11th, 2004, 04:56 AM

sorry, mywebpage.netscape has been giving me a lil trouble

BUT HERES THE NEW RENDERINGS!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/wrestlechamp316/pool00RenderingBIZho.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/wrestlechamp316/exterior00RenderingBIZho.jpg

Toucano

August 13th, 2004, 10:31 PM

Update:
A large Blue Crane is being assembled today on a vacant lot just west of the Miami Arena, It can be seen well from I-95
I have no clue what is going to rise on the lot if anyone has any info post it...It may be however the proposed blue 17 story apartment complex which was once listed on Miami-Dade transportation's page...

brickell

August 18th, 2004, 03:24 AM

http://www.miamiinvest.com/50biscaynerenderings.htm

a couple more of 50 biscayne

zpcsc

August 20th, 2004, 08:40 AM

Wow, I just got my contract agreement in the mail for my condo purchase. It's something else when you see the numbers in writing $$$$.....Between maintenance & taxes it will be $740 a month just on those 2 expenses & that is before all downtown is built. It's true what we all hear "you have to be rich to buy in these new properties". Oh, & another expense is the extra parking we need because you only get 1 spot per unit & who has only 1 car in So. Florida. Well, looking in the bright side if we decide to sell we can make some good $ out of it.

brickell

August 24th, 2004, 05:59 AM

can you rent out one of the spots or all they reserved for residents only?

zpcsc

August 24th, 2004, 06:12 PM

can you rent out one of the spots or all they reserved for residents only?

I think you can rent them out, that is another option. Another concern is that they are leasing a parking garage across the street for the owners of the units. The bldg. does not have its own parking, the builder has a lease for 5yrs w/a municipal garage & on the contract it states it will cost $35 per unit for parking for the 1st 5yrs, from the 6-10th yr it's $60 so I don't know if the lease will continue at the same garage. Those are things I have to ask. You can also lease extra spaces (which we will need) but it does not state the price on that. I don't know if this will be an issue once we sell ref. the garage situation, I hope not.

ChuckScraperMiami#1

August 28th, 2004, 05:01 AM

^It's just to the left of the Ten Museum Park lot in his pic:
http://www.markzilbert.com/images/condo_pix/marinablue/overmap.jpg

It's gonna be a wall of 50+ story buildings :carrot:
THERES NO stopping these THREE TOWERS, THEY are all SOLD OUT, and all three are UNDER CONSTRUCTION!!! :cheers:

Dale

August 28th, 2004, 05:47 AM

How can 900 Biscayne be under construction ? I thought that it still needed a height waiver from the FAA. Maybe they're doing site preparation ?

ChuckScraperMiami#1

August 28th, 2004, 04:18 PM

TRUE DALE, it is the SITE PREPARATION on the 900 Biscayne, and THE CITY OF MIAMI Gave them the MUSP PERMIT to start building, its a RISK the Developer has to go the extra 50 ft., its going to be 712 ft. total with the Nice Design on TOP.

MIAballinboi

August 28th, 2004, 07:02 PM

MIAballinboi

August 28th, 2004, 07:03 PM

anyways cheq the updated site

www.900biscaynebay.com

it has some new nice renderings and how it will compare with marina blue and how it looks in the skyline

its nice and tall

ChuckScraperMiami#1

August 28th, 2004, 11:01 PM

^^ chuck,

can you please say like where you got this height figure from?

i beleive you 100% its just im interested in knowing where your getting all these great heights for the new towers, do you work for the city or sumthing?

thanks :cheers:
Yep, Your Close MIAballinboi, :) I work for the county and I drive by these sites almost everyday, lol. I checked with the Construction Trailers and get the INFO there, and I found out the heights and the amount of stories there , too.You were close , I used to work for the City of miami Parks dept., And to let you know I droved by the OPUS TOWER Construction Trailerand the men there tell me its going to go up to 57 stories and its after the Oct. 28th Meeting with the city that they will start the Actual Construction, and they said the FDOT just might by-pass the moving of the I-395 project, its a "NO GO " on the I-395 its going to stay as is according to them.:cheers:

MIAballinboi

August 29th, 2004, 01:18 AM

^^

wow thats great, good to have you around, your very knowledgeable,

so i remmeber u saying once that theres a height limit? so that there will never be a 1000 footer because the most is like 900 feet and thats where wachovia and boa are??

dammm this is so sad, miami never getting anything over 900,

it would be awesome if you can get us some heights for like brickell on the river and like alot of the new projects

THANKS ALOT

streetscapeer

August 29th, 2004, 02:46 AM

Yep, Your Close MIAballinboi, :) I work for the county and I drive by these sites almost everyday, lol. I checked with the Construction Trailers and get the INFO there, and I found out the heights and the amount of stories there , too.You were close , I used to work for the City of miami Parks dept., And to let you know I droved by the OPUS TOWER Construction Trailerand the men there tell me its going to go up to 57 stories and its after the Oct. 28th Meeting with the city that they will start the Actual Construction, and they said the FDOT just might by-pass the moving of the I-395 project, its a "NO GO " on the I-395 its going to stay as is according to them.:cheers:

Great news for Opus....I can't wait to go back to miami in december and see more cranes, and new towers rising!!

renner01

August 29th, 2004, 01:48 PM

I just can't believe Opus is goiing forward. I saw the rendering and it really blocks the shit out of the PAC. Is this thing a definite go? I thought the developer Tim Murphy was going to sell the property to the city for the highway revamp or the whole approval process was a ploy to increase the asking price for the land after getting it approved.??

Rx727sfl2002

August 29th, 2004, 08:57 PM

opus is set to get approval for a musp in october
fdot will get there approval and studies information back in the end of september after which they will sieze the land through right of way (immenant domain). and opus will be out of luck.. also in its way are 2 other parcels which they own...

only reason opus wants to get approval is because the fdot would have to pay them for each of those units approved in the musp so if the tower is worth 100million then fdot would have to pay that plus price of land...

smart move by opus to try to push for a musp approval...

right now as they stand they would only walk away with about 10 million for that lot plus 10million for each other acre they own... so about 30-40 million out of which they loose out because each unit cost about 200k to build in a high quality tower but the prices are usually 300-350k per unit or better and if you do the math they make back what they spend on building the tower and then as profit make about the same or more if they sell anything past 400k leaving them with a nice profit....

heres the break down for example
One Miami, 896 condominiums and 27,000 sq. ft. of office
Cost: $250 million at 279k a unit they make there money back anything after that is profit ... and lets not forget that office space and restaurant lease generates much more cash in the long run...

so opus is wise to try to push to get its musp (multi use special permit) approved becuase then they could by law ask for more money. becuase the fdot(fla dept of transportation) would have to pay for each unit that wasnt built current market value which would be the original towers price plus price of land.....

Roark

August 30th, 2004, 08:32 PM

Nicrothstein

September 3rd, 2004, 06:22 PM

If I get a vote, mark me down for no on Opus, and yes to putting 395 below grade. I nice wide park/walkway over 395 from the PAC to Museum park would be astounding.
You may be interested in this article Wall Street Journal - Real Estate (http://homes.wsj.com/propertyreport/architecture/20040827-huxtable.html)

Looks like a govenment purchase will be 200+million, in addition, there is the extra costs which were approved (67 million) for PAC, god knows how much money (and excess monies) it will cost to rebuild 395, also all the other extra beautifications the city will undergo....WOW taxes are going to be ridiculous!

Rx727sfl2002

September 5th, 2004, 10:06 PM

Our Taxes Are Nothing Compared to many other cities dallas texas is 8.5 sales tax and have nothing to show for it... out tourism tax pays for alot of things and the decade of progress bond soon to expire will leave the city in a position where they can get another bond issued without having to raise taxes this is where the majority of the money will come from....

Roark

September 7th, 2004, 05:45 AM

Taxes...
Not only are our taxes low, but consider how much the tax revenue is on a parking lot. Say, any one of the parking lots on Biscayne between the Performing Arts Center and Flager.
Now consider the tax revenue on any one of those parking lots once 400 units of condos are on that area instead. With condos at roughly $400,000 per unit, use 2% of purchase price and it's easy to see that the condos will be bringing in quite a bit of revenue every year for quite some time.
Nice to know that all the parking lots are going to be developed.
There should be plenty of funds to pay for the increased strain on the infrasturcture.
Like Dave Chappelle said, "We're Rich ..... !"

Agent Orange

September 7th, 2004, 06:28 AM

I don't know a whole lot about taxes, but I was just thinking about this so called tourist tax. I am assuming that this tax is applied to business that serve tourists, such as hotels and amusement parks. So these establishments pass on the extra cost to the consumer. Well, what if we found a way to incur a addition sales tax charge on goods sold to tourists. For example, us locals would pay say approximately 7% on taxed goods, but the out of staters would pay say, 12.5%. Okay, 15%. This extra revenue could pay for many needed infrastructure projects, such as light rail in the bay area, for example. And of course we Floridians would benefit at the expense of our northern neighbors. Wouldn't that be nice.

Roark

September 7th, 2004, 07:08 AM

In my opinion, the 11% tourist tax does plenty. Notice that we don't have State or city income tax?

Taxes have a huge impact on living expenses. The next someone asks, "Who is going to live in these new condos?" consider that because of our low cost of living....
If you lived in Manhattan and wanted to move to Miami, you would have to make this much (http://www.homefair.com/homefair/servlet/ActionServlet?pid=200&tool=salarycalculator&previousPage=116&cid=homefair&fromState=NY&toState=FL&salary=100000&fromCity=36F0007&toCity=1245000&ownrent=own)

Without crossing boundries into CPA-dom...the "tourist tax" or bed tax is levied on hotels, rental cars, resort tickets, and probably a few other things.

Property taxes are the taxes that are levied to pay for water/sewer, schools, fire/police, debt service on bonds for Performing Arts Centers etc.
(People in government would be able to give better instruction on this).
Here's the County Real Estate Tax website to learn more (http://www.miamidade.gov/taxcollector/property_tax_real_estate.asp)
The new development is going to be a great benefit to build and enhance the Miami community. This is really an exciting time to live here.

ChuckScraperMiami#1

September 18th, 2004, 05:34 PM

Looks like a govenment purchase will be 200+million, in addition, there is the extra costs which were approved (67 million) for PAC, god knows how much money (and excess monies) it will cost to rebuild 395, also all the other extra beautifications the city will undergo....WOW taxes are going to be ridiculous!
TAXES, TAXES, TAXES, Reminds me of the old days of the Colonies PAYING TAXES TO THE BRITISH :bash: , lol. I still Say THE OPUS CONDO TOWER will still be BUILT, Maybe NOT at the OLD SITE, BUT TO THE WEST OF PAC ( PRETTY AREA of CONDOS ) :)

Rx727sfl2002

September 22nd, 2004, 05:08 PM

900 IN 2005: Work is to start early next year on a mixed-used condo tower at 900 Biscayne Blvd. by Terra International Developments and be completed in 2007. Features include a wet bar, two main pool areas, a garden lounge, massage rooms and sauna, and state-of-the-art technology including wireless access throughout the building.

"The style and urbanism that's driving Miami's downtown renaissance is the essence of 900, our signature building," said Pedro Martin, Terra International CEO. The 1.5-million-square-foot tower will feature 516 units, of which 350 have deposits, priced from $400,000 to $3 million. Details: (305) 530-0200.

Dale

September 22nd, 2004, 08:20 PM

900's going to be one massive building.

ChuckScraperMiami#1

September 23rd, 2004, 12:01 AM

YES DALE and RX :) , 900 BISCAYNE will be THE STATE OF ART Building on Biscayne Bulvd. Rising the tallest of the three in the same area, at over 700 Feet, accross from the American Airlines Arena, and with TEN MUSEUM PARK TOWER, being built by BOVIS Construction Co., and THE MARINA BLUE TOWER, already broken Ground and will be 650 feet tall. ITS AWESOME !!!, Like I said before BY SEPTEMBER, 2005 I SEE over 26 Different COLOR Construction TOWER CRANES over Just the City of MIAMI, theres so many Towers to mention, but to name just the ones going up next year, OPERA TOWER by TIBOR HOLLO, 1800 CLUB, QUANTUM TOWERS, ONYX TOWERS, ICE TOWERS, 50 BISCAYNE TOWER, THE EVERGLADES TOWERS, PLATINUM TOWER, PLAZA on BRICKELL TOWERS, IVY TOWERS, DowntownLOFTS TOWERS, INFINITY TOWER, LADITUDE TOWER, NEO VERTIKA TOWER, THE MET 1 TOWER, THE DUPONT PLAZA TOWERS, THE BRICKELL on the RIVER 2 TOWER, and so many more just getting started. WOW, Ain"t THIS JUST GREAT !!! :cheers:

brickell

September 23rd, 2004, 12:27 AM

http://www.900biscaynebay.com/

check out the video of miami on their website.

ChuckScraperMiami#1

September 24th, 2004, 06:44 AM

By the Way , Brickell, Great VIDEO, and that Metro Mover Station is right next to the 900 BISCAYNE TOWER, very nice.

renner01

September 24th, 2004, 02:55 PM

Condo Tower Phase I Success Leads to Phase II Launch
By Melissa Bogdany
Last updated: Friday, September 24, 2004 02:59pm

MIAMI-After nearly selling out the first phase of Everglades on the Bay, Cabi Developers LLC has launched sales of the second phase, also a 49-story mixed-use condominium tower rising Downtown.

Sales of the first phase of the $254-million project started in April. Since then, 98% of the tower’s 342 residences have sold. Therefore, Cabi is selling Phase II earlier than expected. And the developer expects a strong response once again, especially because 95% of the units in the second phase have water views and private balconies.

“With a four-month sell out of Phase II, we felt compelled to satiate the demands of buyers looking for downtown living by launching the second phase early,” according to Jacobo Cababie of Cabi Developers. “The unit selection, location and luxury in this tower will undoubtedly produce the same feverish response.” Cababie adds there’s a need for downtown-area residences, and Everglades fills a demand.

The second phase, the north tower, will have 341 one-, two- and three-bedroom units, and 70 lofts and flats. The units range from $189,000 to $1.5 million. The architect is Fullerton-Diaz. This tower will have its own entrance and valet, as well as a business center and concierge services. It also will feature an eighth-floor amenities deck, to include three pools, a 15,000-sf health spa and a billiards room, among other things, to be shared by the towers.

The first phase, the south tower, is set to be completed in late 2006, while the second phase is set to be finished in fall 2007. George Mato is the project’s director of sales. Turnberry Associates is the leasing agency for the project’s commercial space.

Aventura-based Cabi Developers is the U.S. subsidiary of Mexico-based GICSA. Its other local projects have included Country Club Center, a $15-million project, and the Parc at Turnberry Isle, a $40-million project, both in Aventura.
http://www.globest.com/news/123_123/miami/126822-1.html

ChuckScraperMiami#1

September 25th, 2004, 02:13 AM

WOW Renner, THIS IS going to be Awesome, Both Towers are expected to be well over 525 ft. THE MIAMI SKYLINE will Change FOREVER and each year after 2005. ITS Great. I hope they sell out the second tower as fast as the first.

Rx727sfl2002

September 28th, 2004, 05:58 AM

http://50biscaynemiami.com/

webpage is up with pictures

ChuckScraperMiami#1

September 29th, 2004, 02:59 AM

Good Webpage RX, with great views from the 50 Biscayne Building, In last weeks MIAMI TODAY Paper, Thurs. Sept.23, " Planners, developers envision Downtown MIAMI as ' Little Apple ' with 11,000 residential units planned and 5,000 under construction Downtown MIAMI will become the Perfect place to live and work. The 900 Million Metropolitan Miami ( MET ) Project in the center of it all, will be the Boldest and the most Innovation project of all. With a 47,000 square-foot Whole Foods Market touted as the Worlds largest natural-foods Supermarket in a Four Story, 120,000-square-foot Facility " Lifestyle Center ", with two floors devoted to a Cafe-Style Movie Theater. THE GOAL here is to Transform DOWNTOWN into a New Retail Destination responding to the Growth in Residential and Visitor Market.

Dale

September 29th, 2004, 06:09 PM

27 story office tower proposed for downtown - Park West area !

www.miamitodaynews.com

ChuckScraperMiami#1

September 30th, 2004, 02:39 AM

Dale, Great INFO, thanks for that website of the MIAMI TODAY, a good newspaper.

Dale

September 30th, 2004, 06:15 AM

You're welcome. :)

dave8721

September 30th, 2004, 05:29 PM

A couple more towers for Brickell. Axis at Brickell Village (the project used to have the name Brickell Station) will be two 39 story towers and is set to break ground in January with a completion date of June 2007. It will be next door to the newly completed Brickell View and will form a wall along with Infinity and Park Place that will block the Espirito Santo Building from view from the west. Oh well, these are a couple of interesting looking buildings though. They have renderings on the site: http://www.axisatbrickellvillage.com/

streetscapeer

October 1st, 2004, 05:32 AM

great news... thanks...they just keep on coming...

I'll go ahead and post the renderings here

http://www.axisatbrickellvillage.com/7172004913174122.jpg

http://www.axisatbrickellvillage.com/AxisRendering.jpg

I like em'

ChuckScraperMiami#1

October 1st, 2004, 06:28 AM

FANTASTIC News DAVE and STREET, This Project was told to me by the BOVIS Construction Group a couple years back when they were building BRICKELL VIEW, Yeap ,your Right, It was suppose to be " Brickell Station ". Now Axis at Brickell Village, a Better name for the Mary Brickell Village area. WOW, it just never stops. and with Interest rates still holding , IT WILL BE BUILT !, I wish I was in 2007 ,now. BRICKELL will never be like it is Today. Three years will make a BIG Difference, I'm Counting The TOWER Construction CRANES NOW, LOL. 2,4,6,8,10,12,14,16,18,20,22, Should I go on ?

Dale

October 1st, 2004, 06:31 AM

This is one of the one's I've really been waiting for. It looks otherworldly.

By the way, when does the major streetscaping project for Brickell Avenue begin ?

ChuckScraperMiami#1

October 1st, 2004, 06:45 AM

This is one of the one's I've really been waiting for. It looks otherworldly.

By the way, when does the major streetscaping project for Brickell Avenue begin ?
Dale, :) its in the awarding stage of the project, But Due to start LATE 2005, and finish by early 2007, FINANCING will be the Factor when completed. Also new Sewer Lines will have to be Installed First, and that will take some time. :sleepy:

Dale

October 1st, 2004, 04:17 PM

Thanks, Chuck. That'll add a lot to the area. It's worth waiting for.

MIAballinboi

October 2nd, 2004, 02:26 PM

Great Projects!!!

DOWNTOWNER

October 4th, 2004, 06:29 AM

Yes, these may be nice buildings, but what is your consensus of the neighborhood...will the area to the west side of these buildings ever be improved...it's a VERY sketchy neighborhood. Partially obstructed bay views around Brickell may be more valuable than non-obstructed views from these towers due to the neighborhood difference...WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS???

DOWNTOWNER

October 4th, 2004, 06:33 AM

Rx727sfl2002

October 4th, 2004, 09:26 AM

if youve kept up to date wiht the news most of those blocks are allready sold
theres an office building going up in the overtown arena metrorail station site and next to it theres are 3 lots with new development called crosswinds also a few blocks down theres the lyric theater which will also be renovated and have apartment complexes built there... and a new office tower just blocks from the arena and one of miami dades municipal parkings near that area will be demolished and will see a 35 story tower built in its place with a new larger parking tower that the city will benefit from...

so the sketchy areas will soon be gone

ps the lot behind the marina blue and 900 biscayne was bought by a developer about 1 year ago and soon you should see something in the pipeline....

renner01

October 4th, 2004, 12:14 PM

Tower planned for Miami arts area

by Robyn Friedman, Special to the Sun-Sentinel
Posted October 4 2004

Email story
Print story
A Miami developer has announced plans to build a 1.5-million-square-foot tower on Biscayne Boulevard that will bring more residential, office and retail space to Miami's burgeoning Performing Arts District.

The project, called 900 Biscayne Bay, will rise on Biscayne Boulevard between Northeast Ninth and 10th streets. Construction is scheduled to begin early next year, with completion slated for late 2007 or early 2008.

"This area is going to be hot for many years," said Pedro Martin, president of 900 Biscayne LLC, an affiliate of Terra-Archiplan 900 Management LLC, the developer. "The buildings are beautiful, and all of the projects are doing very well."

900 Biscayne Bay will feature 516 one-, two- and three-bedroom condominiums, and penthouses, ranging from 970 to 3,800 square feet. Units will be furnished with upscale appliances as well as several high-tech features, such as touch screen monitors that can be used for security, convenience and entertainment, and pre-wiring for various voice, data and television options.

The project's amenities will include pools, a garden lounge, cafe, massage rooms, sauna and a fitness center. There will also be a game room, a 50-seat private screening room, a residents' club with library and 25-seat dining room and wireless Internet access throughout the building.

The project's architect, Miami-based Revuelta Vega Leon PA, gave it a cutting-edge architectural design and angled the building to maximize the water views. Its height will be 65 stories, Martin said.

In addition to the residential units, 900 Biscayne Bay will also have 80,000 square feet of office condominiums and 25,000 square feet of retail space. Martin said that it's too early in the development process to have begun leasing the retail space, but said that the office condos will be released for sale in about a month. Prices will be approximately $400 per square foot, he said.

Alexander Daskaloff, who already lives in a condominium in Miami, purchased a three-bedroom unit on the 58th floor of 900 Biscayne Bay for a variety of reasons. "I thought the value for the square footage was very reasonable, especially compared to South Beach rates," he said. He also liked its location near the MacArthur Causeway, which offers easy access to Miami Beach.

But Daskaloff is also eying the office condominium space in the building and might consider moving his Internet firm to the same building as his home.

Despite the fact that there are several other projects under development in the same area as 900 Biscayne Bay, Martin is not concerned about competition. "Any building that has all the features we do is probably selling for about two to three times as much as we are, on a per-square-foot basis," he said.

To date, 350 of the units have been reserved, at prices ranging from the $400,000s to $3 million, Martin said. "We certainly have already made an impact without really doing a lot of advertising," he added.

But not everyone is as optimistic as Martin. "There are a tremendous number of condo units being built in Miami, particularly along Biscayne Boulevard and Brickell Avenue," said Mark Zilbert, a real estate agent with Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell Inc. in Miami Beach. "Some of my buyers question whether or not all the buildings will be completed in a timely manner."

The father and son team of Pedro and David Martin are the developers of 900 Biscayne Bay. Together they have developed Nautica in Miami Beach, Metropolis at Dadeland and Quantum on the Bay in Miami.

Robyn A. Friedman is a freelance writer. E-mail real estate items or tips to rafriedman@att.net.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/local/sfl-ybreal04oct04,0,1026930.story

Roark

October 4th, 2004, 02:52 PM

Yes, it appears these may be nice condos, but will the area just to the west ever be changed...it is a very sketchy neighborhood. Will the value of a direct bay view unit in one of these buildings be the same as a partially obstructed view from a building on Brickell?? Just curious if anyone knows of plans for the area to the west of these buildings, or will it stay as is, with the homeless and dilapidated buildings????
As a 13 year resident of South Beach, I've heard that question before, "Who's going to live there with the dilapitated buildings and the sketchy elements". Well, two Portofino's and a Courts later, the entire south of fifth street blossomed with development and livibility. The City of Miami Beach's committment to Lincoln Road created a very nice community center. We are seeing the same committments from the City and private developers in the CBD, Miami River, Brickell area.

streetscapeer

October 4th, 2004, 10:28 PM

As a 13 year resident of South Beach, I've heard that question before, "Who's going to live there with the dilapitated buildings and the sketchy elements". Well, two Portofino's and a Courts later, the entire south of fifth street blossomed with development and livibility. The City of Miami Beach's committment to Lincoln Road created a very nice community center. We are seeing the same committments from the City and private developers in the CBD, Miami River, Brickell area.

I agree...the areas west of these developments are bound to gentrify, with the massive amounts of new residents, there will be great demands for the basic necessities an affluent neighborhood requires....I see more restaurants, more retail, downtown will be desirable for all businesses in general.... however, there must be a demand first. which I predict will be produced by the influx of new residents!

DOWNTOWNER

October 7th, 2004, 04:25 AM

ChuckScraperMiami#1

October 7th, 2004, 05:06 AM

I'm having a hard time figuring out why the prices at 900 were much more than Marina Blue...Marina Blue has poured money into advertising, they have a great amenities area with pool overlooking the bay...900 hasn't even advertised, their prices are higher, and the pool deck appears to be on the west side of the building...900 is NOT DESERVING OF ITS PRICEPOINT.
Just my opinion.
True DOWNTOWNER, :) I see your point, 900 BISCAYNE is a more feature Tower with more amenities, THE reason why the Pool is on the west side of the building is because There's a Big Sewer Transfer Station at the Park Entrance Accross Biscayne Bulivd. And with the wind coming from the east , lol, it sinks. BUT your right, the Prices should equal in each building. I also heard The Prices in the building TEN MUSEUM PARK one block North are even higher with a GAS Station staying put right next to the TOWER. :cheers:

nimbyhater

October 7th, 2004, 05:18 AM

ChuckScraperMiami#1

October 7th, 2004, 06:21 AM

i remember reading something like a year ago that all the new condo development was pissy about that sewer station and that the county was gonna make it "a high priority" or some political empty promise like that, saying "a year from now, it wont b a problem" or somethign to that effect

guess not... though manny diaz did alot to clean up miami, dade county is still pretty much as corrupt as it gets... all i gotta say is, thank god penelas is gettin the hell outta here, i hate that guy
VERY Well TRUE Nimby, :) And As I know as a County employee, THAT SEWER Station is Still the Same, AND I see NO PLANS of it being moved. Its been ther well before the PARK WAS THERE, in fact THE PARK was built around it. THAT SEWER Station can't be Moved , because ITS A HUGE 3 PUMP TRANSFER STation TO VIRGINIA KEY, and its going to be alot of money to ever think of moving it , WHERE ???, as far as I see it, THE SEWER Station STAYS. :bash:

nimbyhater

October 7th, 2004, 10:46 PM

the fact that they even built a sewer station in the middle of downtown is just typical miami planning

brickell

October 8th, 2004, 05:21 AM

if i'm not mistaken, there's some money in the bond issue to move the transfer station offshore.

ChuckScraperMiami#1

October 8th, 2004, 05:29 AM

if i'm not mistaken, there's some money in the bond issue to move the transfer station offshore.
TRUE BRICKELL, :) But it HAS TO BE VOTED ON , First in the November Election, WHICH IT Should PASS, But many Property Owners are fed up with Higher Property Taxes :bash: , WE'LL HAVE TO SEE.

streetscapeer

October 8th, 2004, 05:56 PM

50 Biscayne

http://www.markzilbert.com/images/condo_pix/50_biscayne/miami.jpg

http://www.markzilbert.com/images/condo_pix/50_biscayne/main.jpg

http://www.markzilbert.com/images/condo_pix/50_biscayne/blg02.jpg

http://www.markzilbert.com/images/condo_pix/50_biscayne/blg05.jpg

http://www.markzilbert.com/images/condo_pix/50_biscayne/blg01.jpg

streetscapeer

October 8th, 2004, 11:27 PM

Let's revisit Met 1 and Met square

http://www.markzilbert.com/images/condo_pix/met1_metropolitan/model2.jpg

http://www.markzilbert.com/images/condo_pix/met1_metropolitan/model3.jpg

http://www.markzilbert.com/images/condo_pix/met1_metropolitan/model4.jpg

ChuckScraperMiami#1

October 9th, 2004, 07:32 AM

GREAT PICS STREET :) , you've done it again, Good Camera, In the first 3 Pics, MET 1 and MET SQUARE are all on the Same CITY Block. All Streets going through there in that same area will remain Open, even when all three Towers are finished. The third PIC of Met Square at the bottom facing the street to the bottom of that PIC is the WHOLE FOOD SUPERMARKET Entrance at 201 S.E. 3rd Avenue, Its a Natural Food Paradise Supermarket with a Deal in Place to Open on that Side of MET SQUARE.also Great PICS of 50 BISCAYNE Condo TOWER in PICS # 5, 6, 7, and 8, That Building will be AWESOME, and will be Built because its Developer is JORGE PEREZ, will known President of the Related Group that says to make it in the Condo Market is to " BUILD FAST and FINISH FAST " His Quote. Hes the Man that built MOST of the Condo Towers on SOUTH BEACH, Murano, Murano Grand, The ICON, and SO on. :cheers:

streetscapeer

October 9th, 2004, 06:22 PM

Found this on PBase

http://mk29.image.pbase.com/u43/galerius/upload/27574708.DSCF6400e.jpg

Miami's often-forgotten skyline

http://mishami.image.pbase.com/u42/galerius/upload/27568344.DSCF6409b.jpg

MIAballinboi

October 12th, 2004, 02:42 AM

i got the new ocean drive and its amazing

new ice 2 angled pic, sleek and tall,

and this is new

www.theivymiami.com
it got a site now

Dale

October 12th, 2004, 02:49 AM

I finally figured out what 50 Biscayne reminds me of - a flowering Bird of Paradise.

What do you guys think ?

ChuckScraperMiami#1

October 12th, 2004, 03:05 AM

True Dale , a bird of Paradise, LOL. NO more Drinks For that Man !!!

Dale

October 12th, 2004, 03:06 AM

Do I win anything ? :)

ChuckScraperMiami#1

October 12th, 2004, 03:15 AM

Do I win anything ? :)
Yes Dale, :) You get the Most Posts per DAY Award, I'm just having fun. Just Great :cheers:

Dale

October 12th, 2004, 03:19 AM

Indeed Chuck, you have roughly 2,100 posts to catch me. And that's a LOT OF CAPITAL LETTERS. :wink2:

ChuckScraperMiami#1

October 12th, 2004, 03:26 AM

i got the new ocean drive and its amazing

new ice 2 angled pic, sleek and tall,

and this is new

www.theivymiami.com
it got a site now
GREAT Website MIAballinboi, :) Thats gonna be one tall skinny Building, and thats only Condo Tower # 1. Perfect for that Site Along the Miami River and South Miami Ave. The Towers just keep Rising. Downtown Miami is going to be Great in 2007 !!!

south florida dave

October 12th, 2004, 03:32 AM

EDIT: Moved to Brickell thread.

ChuckScraperMiami#1

October 12th, 2004, 04:08 AM

Indeed Chuck, you have roughly 2,100 posts to catch me. And that's a LOT OF CAPITAL LETTERS. :wink2:
LOL, DALE :) , I just got to try Harder, lol and KEEP those Towers Coming , The more the Towers , the more Posts. :cheers:

streetscapeer

October 12th, 2004, 05:21 AM

i got the new ocean drive and its amazing

new ice 2 angled pic, sleek and tall,

and this is new

www.theivymiami.com
it got a site now

OMG....EVERYONE MUST GO to this website....when you click on "OASIS" on the toolbar there well be a series of clips at the lower right-hand corner...click on the second clip (the one with the reddish colors) and you will be astounded by a flyover of the CBD...after watching the video I found it amazing that many gaps will be filled in a few years...WOW! :) :eek2:

streetscapeer

October 15th, 2004, 12:51 AM

Got those links working

http://img95.exs.cx/img95/4127/maimi.jpg

Miami's often-forgotten skyline!

http://img95.exs.cx/img95/3590/keybiscayne2.jpg

All three!! :)

http://img95.exs.cx/img95/3603/keybiscayne3.jpg

ChuckScraperMiami#1

October 15th, 2004, 01:40 AM

STREET, YOU THE MAN :) , You did it AGAIN, How and WHERE From in the CITY OF MIAMI ,Where Did you GET those GREAT Fantastic PICS, Do you Own a Private Plane, Thats the BEST PICS of MIAMI YET, WOW. This Florum Is HOT Tonight, Keep those POSTS Coming Men and any Ladies, LOL. :cheers:

MIAballinboi

October 15th, 2004, 02:06 AM

WOOOW amazing street thanks a million, that first pic is amazing, it shows wachovia as in the front but its taken from the southeast looking northwest,

different view amazing

streetscapeer

October 15th, 2004, 03:47 AM

renner01

October 19th, 2004, 03:11 PM

Posted on Tue, Oct. 19, 2004

REAL ESTATE

Developer to expand in Miami

BY MATTHEW HAGGMAN

mhaggman@herald.com

Three months after plunking down $130 million for 14 properties in Miami, a New York-Israeli development partnership continues to add to its local holdings. Leviev and Boymelgreen Developers has paid $17.95 million for a 3.5-acre parcel in Miami's Edgewater neighborhood.

The developers plan to construct a 45-story condominium and refurbish a 10-floor office building already on the property. The project, at 3050 Biscayne Blvd., will be located across the street from the massive Midtown Miami mixed-use project in the 56-acre former Buena Vista railroad yard.

Leviev and Boymelgreen Developers, initially called Africa-Israel Boymelgreen, made a big splash in July when it announced the purchase of more than a dozen properties and plans to invest upwards of $1 billion in and around Miami.

The Tel Aviv-based multinational Africa-Israel Investments and Brooklyn developer Shaya Boymelgreen constitute the development partnership. Lev Leviev is the chairman of Africa-Israel, a holding company with business interests ranging from construction and hotels to energy.

Leviev and Boymelgreen have been looking for -- and buying -- additional area properties, including this one between Northeast 30th and 32nd streets on Biscayne Boulevard. The deal closed last week. Edie Laquer of Laquer Corporate Realty and Peter Andolina of Andolina Real Estate brokered the sale.

The project is slated to have 40,000 square feet of ground floor retail space, a six-floor garage and 425,000 square feet of residential space, said Mark Armstrong, Leviev and Boymelgreen's director of construction. The developer plans to reflag the property 3100 Biscayne.

Unit prices have not been determined yet. The company plans to market units in the first quarter of next year, and to break ground in the second or third quarter.

The already-existing office tower, which has 100,000 square feet of space, will be renovated. Leviev and Boymelgreen, currently housed in offices at 444 Brickell, is considering headquartering itself in the building.

The 3100 Biscayne development, coupled with the enormous Midtown Miami project, likely will transform the entire Edgewater and Wynwood neighborhoods.

For Midtown Miami, developer Midtown Group in Miami plans to build eight condo towers, one office tower and 220,000 square feet of retail space on 36 acres of the former railroad yard. Diversified Developers Realty in Ohio plans 600,000 square feet of retail space on 20 acres.

Midtown Group principal Daniel Pfeffer said the firm plans to begin construction on their first condo tower this week.

Since bursting onto the Miami real estate scene in July, Leviev and Boymelgreen have announced plans to build a 60-story high-rise condo tower along Biscayne Boulevard across from Bicentennial Park on the site of a former Howard Johnson's adjacent to Interstate 395.

It also has announced plans to build a condo tower at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Alton Road in Miami Beach, refurbish a 10-floor Meridian Avenue office building and convert it into office condos, and construct a parking garage near the unfinished Performing Arts Center.

Armstrong commented only on the 3100 Biscayne development project.

''We have plans to bring to the market several landmark project both on the Miami and Miami Beach side,'' Armstrong said.