Miami=Brickell Financial District

[Rx727sfl2002]

Wanted To Start A Thread On Brickell And All The Projects South Of The River
Hope Everyone Cooperates And Posts Pictures and Renderings On Buildings.

Please Revisit This Thread And Post New Information.

[MarkyMark]

Brickell is definitely the hottest area......after South Beach. I love this area.....has bay views and lots of greenery......and most of all.......very safe so you can walk anywhere (unlike downtown and performing arts district).

I can't wait until there are more shops and retail stores....so it becomes a place where you can walk to get anything you need.

[ISG]

Seems like MarkyMark has interests in the Brickell area. Nice area, but let's be frank, the whole miami area is hot. In fact, one of hottest areas in US for future appreciation as per latest real estate evaluations is zip 33137 (north of Brickell). My POV, why go for a place already developed and therefore over-priced when the future is north. - downtown, midtown and uptown.

[Rx727sfl2002]

http://www.emeraldatbrickell.com
http://www.thesailonbrickell.com/
http://jadeatbrickellbay.com/flashsite/content.htm
http://www.1390brickellbay.com/
http://solariscondos.com/
http://www.theclubatbrickellbay.com/club.htm
http://www.infinityatbrickell.com
http://sitiodigital.com/clientes/theplaza/
http://thebeaconatbrickellvillage.com/
http://skylinemarybrickell.com/
http://www.brickellontheriver.com/
http://neovertika.com/home.htm
http://latitudemiami.com/

[MarkyMark]

I acknowledge the fact that the area north of brickell is a hot up and coming area as well. It's obvious as to why property has appreciated so much in that area.....loads of new development are driving prices up...from extremely low initial prices (the crime, prostitutes and drug dealers I guess have really put people off).

Brickell to me is a much better, safer and cleaner neighborhood....and property prices there are not much higher than other new developments elsewhere along biscayne blvd. I've lived in many places all over the world....and just telling you what I like.

Don't get me wrong....I love the development north of brickell.......I can't wait until the streets are improved and the city looks like a real modern city...with great architecture and safe streets. I'm glad that people have a choice of where to live.

[MarkyMark]

also more links........

http://www.emeraldatbrickell.com
http://www.infinityatbrickell.com
http://www.thesailonbrickell.com/
http://thebeaconatbrickellvillage.com/

[Dale]

Are the streets that bad north of the river, or is it primarily the fact that the urban fabric is still coming together, a little ragged ?

[MarkyMark]

In my opinion, the streets have improved alot over the past five years...but still needs alot more work. I expect the new development in the area (which includes better lighting and street improvements) will eventually make the area alot safer and drive away the hookers and drug dealers. They haven't gone away yet though.

Every city have their less developed areas......which tend to attract crime....so you have to expect that everywhere you go.

The other month.....I was looking at a condo just north of the PAC......there were homeless people living in the abandoned building at which the condo was going to be built. The area will improve. It will just take time in my opinion.

[Rx727sfl2002]

Dale ive Lived Everywhere in miami you could Possibly think Except the Suburbs. (Yuck) Currently im On 72 and Biscayne and the area is fairly safe
still you see some hookers but alot more restaurants and cafe shops opening up and alot of old buildings being converted into lofts.

frankly 4 years ago you could get something for 60k now its more like 200k or better. thinking i might purchase something very soon while the prices are still low.

[brickell]

Brickell still has it's seedy area to the west. I've seen a fair shair of hookers and drug deals in the neighborhood at night, though it's vastly improved over the last two years.

Eventually they'll be bought out, but the landlords in the area seem to be just waiting for a higher prices and not putting any money into fixing up the properties.

[Toucano]

Brickell on the river updates:
http://www.pbase.com/image/31397141.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/image/31397155.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/image/31397177.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/image/31397217.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/image/31397331.jpg
Mary Brickell Village:
http://www.pbase.com/image/31397254.jpg

[texasboy]

Is there a reason why Miami never builds 900 footers or 1000 footers? The Blue and Green Diamond could have been one if they didn't buid twins.

[Toucano]

The Blue and Gren Diamonds were not in Miami they are in Miami Beach where the rules concerning skyscrapers are strict...The City of Miami will probably soon encounter some viable plans for a 800-1000 foot building...Infinity may be the beginning of supertall buildings for us...

[texasboy]

The Blue and Gren Diamonds were not in Miami they are in Miami Beach where the rules concerning skyscrapers are strict...The City of Miami will probably soon encounter some viable plans for a 800-1000 foot building...Infinity may be the beginning of supertall buildings for us...

Do you have any renderings for Infinity.

[texasboy]

Does anybody also have any pics of these buildings going up in brickell, which will be done any day now.

Jade Residences at Brickell Bay

Summit Brickell View Condos

The Cluc at Brickell Bay

[brickell]

If you look closely you can see Jade in the reflection of the 4Seasons tower.

[MarkyMark]

Texasboy.....The Infinity at brickell is set to be the third tallest building in Miami. Before their recent changes in height, it was estimated to be 630 ft (which is just a little higher than the BOA building). Now, apparently they have added a couple of more floors...so it will be slightly higher now. And each floor is 10 feet. The web site says it has 52 floors....I spoke with one of the sales people there.....sounds like it is more like 55-56 floors now. www.infinityatbrickell.com and http://www.decolofts.com/miamilofts/infinity.htm for pics.

In terms of Summit Brickell View........that building is an eye sore. It is brand new...but it looks atleast ten years old already. It has a really bad paint job. The building looks nothing like its original rendering.

[streetscapeer]

Brickell on the river updates:
http://www.pbase.com/image/31397141.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/image/31397155.jpg

I'm confused.....don't these two pics show Park Place under construction? or is it The Plaza on Brickell? I don't think they're Brickell on the River though.

[streetscapeer]

here's the site for Emerald at Brickell (pics taken from their site)

http://www.emeraldatbrickell.com/40224397.jpg

http://www.emeraldatbrickell.com/40224399.jpg

Jade is to the left

http://www.emeraldatbrickell.com/40224402.jpg

It will rise 27 stories

http://www.brickell-real-estate.com/images/The_Emerald_at_Brickell_miami.jpg

[MIAballinboi]

yes those are park place, he just misnamed them,

also i beleive the sail on brickell broke ground and is rising, i saw that, hopefully i can update that info

[streetscapeer]

Here's another rendering of infinity

http://preconstruccion.com/images/infiniti.jpg

[streetscapeer]

The Club at Brickell is almost finish...nice & dense

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v255/kleclerc/IMG_0672.jpg

Emerald is starting

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v255/kleclerc/IMG_0674.jpg

The Sail is right next to Brickell

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v255/kleclerc/IMG_0675.jpg

Park Place coming along

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v255/kleclerc/IMG_0676.jpg

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v255/kleclerc/IMG_0677.jpg

Mary brickell village has two parcels across the street from each other

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v255/kleclerc/IMG_0679.jpg

this is across the street

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v255/kleclerc/IMG_0680.jpg

Brickell on the River

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v255/kleclerc/IMG_0681.jpg

Hey Look!! It's Jacksonville...

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v255/kleclerc/IMG_0682.jpg

...lol j/k, no hate on jville...I just had to.....
Actually from here you cross the Miami River to go to the Central Business District... the pic above shows the western most portion of the CBD

[streetscapeer]

On I-95 today at about 6 o'clock

This Brickell pic is stupendous

Brickell alone could be an Awesome downtown

Check out the spectacular density!!

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v255/kleclerc/IMG_0725.jpg

This is lower brickell

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v255/kleclerc/IMG_0727.jpg

Lower Brickell and Grueling Miami traffic

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v255/kleclerc/847a752f.jpg

[MIAballinboi]

lol great pics everyone, it is jax

[Roark]

Seems like MarkyMark has interests in the Brickell area. Nice area, but let's be frank, the whole miami area is hot. In fact, one of hottest areas in US for future appreciation as per latest real estate evaluations is zip 33137 (north of Brickell). My POV, why go for a place already developed and therefore over-priced when the future is north. - downtown, midtown and uptown.
Time will tell, but like most major cities in the industrialized world, developement occurs around transportation, water, jobs, and services/amenities. Hopefully the rising tide will continue to raise all boats, but if the city slows in population expansion, I'll bet people would prefer to walk down a continuous 5.5 mile river walk with cafes and shops instead of down to the end of a dead end street for a peak at the water. My bet is on the CBD/River/Brickell area. And not in the midtown/north Biscayne Corridor.
Step on the MetroMover and ride from the Omni to the Financial District and it should make more sense.
By the time that Brickell on the River is complete, I expect to take the free metromover from my apartment direct to the AA for a Heat game, then maybe walk along the bay from there through Bayside, along the contiguous riverwalk back home.
When friends from those cold and heavily taxed parts of the US come to visit, they can take a water taxi from the Miami International Airport to my apartment. Neither of those scenarios are happening 40 blocks north of Flagler.

[Roark]

1060 Brickell Avenue is getting closer to the launch.
The working title of the project is Avenue. It will be a very elegant condominium project in the tradition of the great NY city hotels with ingress from both Brickell Avenue and SE 1st Avene. Only 2 blocks from Mary Brickell Village and steps from the 10th Street Metro stop.
Tower I will be 48 stories tall and the second tower will be 35 stories, for a total of 568 Units. They have used every inch of the FAR to get to 48 stories, and the towers are very architectually pleasing.
The architects are the people responsible for Fisher Island, and the interior design team has just completed work on the the Espirito Santo (Conrad).
More info will be coming in the following weeks.

[Dale]

It just keeps coming and coming and coming and ...

[MIAballinboi]

amazing :)

[streetscapeer]

YAY...I'm so gitty now :cheers:

[Dale]

Is Infinity really over 600 ft ? Doesn't look quite that tall to me.

[MIAballinboi]

something for brickell key i saw in a home guide ad in miami herald

www.isolaresidences.com

[Rx727sfl2002]

http://neovertika.com/home.htm

LATEST NEWS
3:32 PM EDT Thursday
Coastal Construction to build Neo Vertika
Miami-based Coastal Construction Group said it has won the contract to build Neo Vertika, a 36-story, 443-unit loft building on the Miami River.

In Brickell Village on the south bank of the Miami River, Neo Vertika is across the river from downtown Miami. The project is to contain 443 splits and lofts and 20,000 square feet of retail space.

Coastal Construction said it plans a groundbreaking in July and completion in March 2006.

Amenities are to include a double-height professional fitness center, volcanic rock sauna, aromatherapy steam room, business center, riverfront dining, poolside bar and cabanas, a dog park, 24-hour security, concierge, valet service, cigar parlor and library.

Thomas P. Murphy Jr., Coastal Construction president and chief executive officer, said Neo Vertika is an example of the new downtown Miami: hip, cutting-edge and dynamic.

"We are pleased to be an integral part of this very progressive project and are look forward to working with Lissette Calderon and everyone at Neo Vertika," he said.



© 2004 American City Business Journals Inc.

Web reprint information


All contents of this site © American City Business Journals Inc. All rights reserved.

[MarkyMark]

Is Infinity really over 600 ft ? Doesn't look quite that tall to me.

According to this..it is.

http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/ci/bu/sk/li/?id=101321&bt=2&ht=2&sro=1

http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=201022

[south florida dave]

Hey, guys. This is my first post here so I just wanted to introduce myself. I post over on Skyscraperpage so some of you guys like Toucano & MIAballinboi already know me. Well, know OF me that is. Anyway, I saw all of the activity over here so I wanted to get in on it too. So, hello to all!

Roark, which side of Brickell is 1060 gonna be on? I think it's gonna be on the west side, is that right?

[Toucano]

Roark, which side of Brickell is 1060 gonna be on? I think it's gonna be on the west side, is that right?

Yeah its on the west side...The site can be seen well from the People Mover

[Rx727sfl2002]

http://www.theclubatbrickellbay.com/club.htm

new construction picture updates under view tab on website the club at brickell bay is almost done....

[south florida dave]

Uh-oh, the condo developers are fighting amongst themselves

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/9266524.htm

Loft developers off to court

In a sign of rising competition among developers, a pioneer of teh loft-style condo has sued a rival

BY MATTHEW HAGGMAN

mhaggman@herald.com


The condo loft is known for its spare simplicity: raised ceilings, few interior walls, open spaces. But one Miami developer says its loft design is unique and is going to court to try to prove it.

Neo Concepts, a Miami-based builder that has pioneered loft-style condos in South Florida, has sued the architect and developer of Infinity at Brickell, a planned 52-story Brickell Avenue-area condo and office tower, for copyright infringement.

The suit may reflect the increasingly stiff competition between developers attempting to fend off adversaries in the midst of the ongoing condo frenzy, observers say.

It has also left architects and developers -- many of whom are designing or building condo lofts -- anxiously waiting to see how the lawsuit turns out.

''Everyone is kind of shocked about it,'' said Miami architect Chad Oppenheim, who has been designing condo lofts for five years. 'I called my lawyer and said, `Do I need to copyright all my designs?' ''

In the complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Miami, Neo Concepts alleges that the Miami architectural firm Borges & Associates and the Fort Lauderdale developer Colonial Development Group copied the exterior design, floor plan and names of units from Neo Vertika, Neo Concepts' planned condo development along the Miami River.

Neo Concepts is seeking to stop Colonial Development from using the designs and names in the project, which is slated to begin construction by year's end. It also wants unspecified money damages.

Colonial Development Chief Executive Joseph E. Cook adamantly denied the allegations and promised to fight the suit.

Calls to Borges & Associates for comment were not returned.

While copyright protection can extend to architectural renderings, such suits between builders are rare. Developers generally prefer to spend money on building and promoting developments rather than paying lawyers to fight competitors.

That may be changing in Miami's red-hot condo market.

''You see people doing things now that in a normal time you would not see happening,'' architect/developer Willy Bermello said. ``I have never, ever heard of a developer suing another developer like this.''

Miami's condo market is in the midst of a historic boom that, if fulfilled, will remake the city's skyline. But there remain gnawing questions as to whether enough condo buyers exist to support all of the development.

Neo Concepts, under the leadership of 30-year-old Chief Executive Lissette Calderon, has been an innovator in the condo market. In 2000, it launched Neo Lofts, a 21-story development on the banks of the Miami River with loft-style units -- replete with few walls and raised ceilings -- modeled after the trendy apartments built in old warehouses in New York and elsewhere.

Following completion of Neo Lofts late last year, Calderon is pushing Neo Vertika, another loft condo on the Miami River. But many other developers in Broward and Miami-Dade have jumped into the market, promoting such loft-style condos as Infinity at Brickell.

In its suit, Neo Concepts alleges, among a host of claims, that Colonial Development and Borges & Associates used Neo Vertika's floor-plan names -- such as Split B -- and employed identical designs like a ''smoker's balcony,'' which it describes as a balcony area so small as to only leave room for someone to smoke.

Neo Concepts claims in the suit, which was filed June 14, that the balcony design was copied despite the fact that it ``costs more to build and is considered to be an inconvenience by current construction standards.''

Calls were made to Calderon, but a representative said Neo Concepts would not comment on pending litigation. Calderon is being represented by Steven E. Eisenberg of Feldman Gale in Miami.

Colonial Development plans to break ground on Infinity at Brickell in January, with completion expected in early 2007. The project on Coral Way, two blocks west of Brickell Avenue, is to have 450 units, with 42,000 square feet of office-condo space and 6,000 square feet of retail space. According to a sales representative reached at the condo's sales office, 70 percent of the units have been reserved. Contracts are to be signed in a month.

Litigation can rattle lenders' nerves, resulting in delayed construction, but Cook, who is being represented by Steven I. Peretz of Kluger Peretz Kaplan & Berlin of Miami, insists that the project will go forward as scheduled.

''We have no concerns in that respect,'' he said.

Several observers cast a skeptical eye on the suit. To prove copyright infringement, Neo Concepts must have clear evidence of copying or show that the designs are so similar that it could not have been happenstance. Reaching such a standard can be difficult.

Thomas R. Julin, an intellectual-property lawyer with the Miami firm of Hunton & Williams who is not involved in the case but has reviewed the complaint, called it a tough claim to make.

Noting the rectangular design of units in both Neo Vertika and Infinity, he said there were few unique characteristics that could satisfy a copyright-infringement claim.

''A shoe box is a shoe box,'' he said.

Bermello added that there's always some copying, since architects often borrow ideas from each other, and quipped that someone in New York could sue Neo Concepts for copying a loft apartment in Tribeca.

''I applaud Lissette for having the courage to be a pioneer for the loft style,'' Bermello said, ``but she can't hold onto it forever. She created a tune, and all of the people should be able to whistle it.''

:bash:

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

1060 Brickell Avenue is getting closer to the launch.
The working title of the project is Avenue. It will be a very elegant condominium project in the tradition of the great NY city hotels with ingress from both Brickell Avenue and SE 1st Avene. Only 2 blocks from Mary Brickell Village and steps from the 10th Street Metro stop.
Tower I will be 48 stories tall and the second tower will be 35 stories, for a total of 568 Units. They have used every inch of the FAR to get to 48 stories, and the towers are very architectually pleasing.
The architects are the people responsible for Fisher Island, and the interior design team has just completed work on the the Espirito Santo (Conrad).
More info will be coming in the following weeks.
Your Right , its THE AVENUE CONDOS, :) and I checked today, Construction on the property is well underway, Fantastic, another two towers on BRICKELL AVENUE, that adds to the other 10 Towers under construction or planned JUST on Brickell Avenue, wow! :cheers:

[Rx727sfl2002]

In June, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz visited the Manhattan Institute's Center for Civic Innovation to deliver a message: his city's government has been restructured and is more efficient than in years past. As a result, Miami is taking its place among the most respected cities in the U.S.


During Diaz's tenure, the city's bond rating has climbed from junk to investment status, although a budget shortfall is forecast for fiscal year 2005. In addition, the cleanup of city government — once famous for mismanagement, malfeasance and general buffoonery — has sparked a turnaround, elevating Miami's image into one of respectability and fiscal responsibility, say the mayor's supporters.

But do changes at city hall really matter to developers who are in the process of developing an estimated $3 billion to $4 billion of new construction in and near downtown? Yes, says Michael Cannon, managing director of Integra Realty Resources of South Florida, an appraisal and real estate consulting firm. “Investors wouldn't come here unless city government was revamped.”

Miami's newly minted reputation for integrity and efficiency in city government does not negate the fact that the city has been named the poorest of the 100 biggest U.S. cities in a report by the Brookings Institution. This dubious distinction was based on the fact that Miami had the lowest median household income — $23,483 — in this group of 100, according to the 2000 U.S. Census.

Grand Plans


Although most developments are condominium projects with varying amounts of retail, one developer is planning office space downtown. MDM Development Group, the developer of Metropolitan Miami, a mixed-use complex that will include 1,500 condominiums and 222,000 sq. ft. of retail, has received approval from the city of Miami to build a 500,000 sq. ft. office tower. It replaces the original plan for 10,000 sq. ft. of office space.

In June, MDM was negotiating with three potential office occupants — law firm Steel, Hector & Davis, which gave MDM a letter of intent to buy a 100,000 sq. ft. office condo; accounting firm Morrison Brown Argiz & Farra, which is negotiating to buy 40,000 sq. ft. of office space; and insurance group Aon, which has existing offices in Miami and also is negotiating to buy a 40,000 sq. ft. office condo. MDM is planning to rent out an additional 300,000 sq. ft. of office space.

But not many developers are opting for office space. Cousins Properties of Atlanta and America's Capital Partners of Miami are reportedly scrapping their plan for a high-rise office building in downtown Miami in favor of a residential condominium development.

Mixed-Use Proliferates


A few miles north of downtown, a population explosion is about to take place on a once barren railroad yard. The Miami-based Midtown Group and Developers Diversified Realty — a Cleveland, Ohio-based REIT — are developing a 56-acre site, formerly the Buena Vista rail yard. The Midtown Group is planning 3,000 residential units on half of the site, and Developers Diversified is developing the other half with 600,000 sq. ft. of retail and up to 900 apartments. It is estimated that the two developers of the project, known as Midtown Miami, will invest $1.2 billion over seven years.

“Midtown Miami is widely regarded as the most significant urban redevelopment deal in the country,” says Craig Werley, principal of Craig Werley & Associates, a real estate advisory firm in Miami. “Nowhere in the middle of a major city do you have 56 acres” available for development, he says.

Although condos like the ones planned at Midtown Miami are popular, the cost of these units has skyrocketed. Seven years ago, buyers paid $150 to $200 per sq. ft. for a luxury unit, says Gene Berman, regional manager of the Ft. Lauderdale office of Marcus & Millichap. Now, buyers pay $350 to $800 per sq. ft., he says.

Condo Converters on a Tear


Between 15,000 and 20,000 apartments have been converted to condos in the last 24 months in Miami-Dade County, says Evan Kristol, senior investment associate at Marcus & Millichap in Ft. Lauderdale. “Everyone is in the game because of the aggressiveness of condominium converters,” he says. “Some apartment owners who have said they will never sell to a converter are selling.” At some point the prices are so good that apartment owners can't resist, he adds.

Kristol recently sold a 180-unit building built in the 1970s and located in Hialeah, a city in Miami-Dade County. The owners had estimated that the building was worth $35,000 to $40,000 per unit, but it sold for more than $70,000 per unit.

“Prices have been so out of hand that a lot of sellers don't want to price their buildings when they put them on the market,” says Kristol. Instead, they are putting them out for bid. “Deals are selling above their asking prices. A deal listed at $17 million will get offers of over $18 million today.”

There is little land left in Miami-Dade County to build new apartments, says Kristol. “The only new construction you see is in South Miami-Dade, where land is still available, or along the coast in infill locations. But typically, these units are in high-rises and will become condominiums.” Marcus & Millichap estimates that 7,200 units will be completed in South Florida in 2004, up 3.5% over the previous year.

Investors are clamoring for apartments. According to New York research firm Real Capital Analytics, Southern California and South Florida accounted for more than 25% of acquisitions nationally in May 2004.

Cap rates in those two markets average 100 basis points lower than in the rest of the country and prices are appreciating at a faster rate, according to Real Capital Analytics. Cap rates in South Florida averaged 6.4% in May, compared with 7.45% nationally (excluding Southern California).

South Florida's average sales price per unit in July 2001 was $78,642 vs. $102,522 in May 2004, a jump of roughly 30%, reports Real Capital Analytics. In contrast, the average price per unit for the rest of the country (excluding Southern California) rose from $61,642 in July 2001 to $70,913 in May 2004, an increase of about 15%.

A Bright Retail Outlook


About 2.1 million sq. ft. of retail was under construction in Miami-Dade County in the second quarter of 2004, according to Marcus & Millichap. This total includes two large retail components of mixed-use, urban infill developments, but excludes Midtown Miami, which had not yet started construction at the beginning of the second quarter. The square footage includes neighborhood shopping centers, mostly in the far western parts of the county. In addition, two Wal-Marts are under construction.

“There was a lot of overbuilding in the 1990s, but now there is less excess space available, so there are more retail tenants chasing smaller amounts of square footage,” says Michael Fimiani, vice president of Boca Raton-based Woolbright Development, a shopping center owner.

The vacancy rate for neighborhood shopping centers in Miami-Dade registered 4.4% in the first quarter of 2004, down from 4.9% during the same period a year ago, according to Reis Inc. Effective rents averaged $18.36 in the first quarter of 2004 compared with $17.86 a year ago.

One of the most significant retail projects in Miami-Dade County is Metropolitan Miami, because it is in the core of downtown Miami, says Alina Matas, director of research at the Terranova Corp., a Miami-based retail brokerage. “This area had been neglected and tired.”

Lyle Stern, the broker handling Metropolitan Miami's retail component, slated to break ground in June 2005, says Whole Foods Market signed a lease for a 46,000 sq. ft. space at the development, and two more leases are about to be signed.

Mary Brickell Village, a mixed-use complex just south of downtown in the Brickell Avenue corridor, will feature 200,000 sq. ft. of retail development and 350 condos. The project, which has been in the works for years, is scheduled for completion in summer 2005, says Stern, who also is the broker on the project. Among the tenants signed by Constructa Inc., a French company that is developing the project with offices in Miami Beach, are a Publix supermarket, PF Chang's and Bally Total Fitness.

Retail cap rates in South Florida averaged 8.04% in May, compared with 8.53% for the rest of the country, excluding Southern California.

Prices for strip shopping centers in South Florida have been rising faster than any other market, reports Real Capital Analytics. The 15,552 sq. ft. Ratner building shopping center on Miami Beach, with anchors such as Ann Taylor Loft, sold for $812 per sq. ft. in June 2004, one of the highest prices per sq. ft. in the last four years in Miami-Dade.

Office Makes a Comeback


The Miami-Dade office market is showing signs of recovery. Total absorption year-to-date through June was 712,000 sq. ft., compared with 242,000 during the same period in 2003, reports CB Richard Ellis.

The vacancy rate also is on the mend, registering 14.7% for all classes of space, including sublease space, in the second quarter compared with 15.3% during the same period in 2003, reports CBRE. Meanwhile, the average asking rental rate was $23.98 per sq. ft. It has remained virtually unchanged over the past year.

There was 293,839 sq. ft. of office space under construction in the second quarter, with Class-A office completions year-to-date in Miami-Dade totaling 533,000 sq. ft. One building — 2525 Ponce de Leon, a 250,000 sq. ft. Class-A building in Coral Gables — is 41.7% pre-leased and is scheduled for completion at the end of 2004.

Office developers seem to have little appetite for downtown Miami beyond one tower at Metropolitan Miami. “The 500,000 sq. ft. project planned by MDM should satisfy the need [for office space downtown] and that won't be up for three years,” says Michael Klotz, first vice president at CBRE in Miami.

But the office market is improving, emphasizes William Holly, president of Holly Real Estate, a Miami-based brokerage firm. “A couple of large leases are about to happen. Even South Beach, where there was no absorption for 18 to 24 months, is coming back.”

Industrial Grows Stronger


Leasing in Miami-Dade's 192 million sq. ft. industrial market in the first half of 2004 accelerated as the economy began to recover, according to CBRE. The industrial vacancy rate dropped from 8.3% in the second quarter of 2003 to 7.4% in the second quarter of 2004. For the first six months of 2004, a total of 2.7 million sq. ft. was leased.

Rental rates averaged $5.82 per sq. ft. in the second quarter, down from $5.91 during the same period in 2003. Landlords are continuing to offer free rent and extra tenant improvements to lure space users.

“There is more optimism in the industrial market this year than last,” says Michael Silver, first vice president for CBRE in Miami. “Although there isn't much activity in the 50,000 sq. ft. and larger category, leasing activity has picked up for spaces 5,000 sq. ft. to 40,000 sq. ft.”

Codina Development, in partnership with AMB Property Corp., a San Francisco-based REIT, has finished its first spec building at Beacon Lakes, Miami-Dade's newest industrial park. While there are no leases signed, negotiations are continuing with prospective tenants, says Jose Juncadella, senior vice president of Codina Realty Services, which manages and leases the park.

Hotel Fundamentals on the Rise


For the first five months of 2004, the Miami hotel market recorded an average occupancy rate of 74.3%, up 8.8% over last year, while revenue per available room (RevPAR) was $97.55, an increase of 16.5%, according to Hendersonville, Tenn.-based Smith Travel Research. “These increases outperform the average of the top 25 lodging markets in the U.S.,” says Jan Freitag, director of Smith Travel Research.

Several large, full-service hotels for Miami-Dade are in the conceptual stage, confirms Scott Berman, a partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Miami. He notes that Miami International Airport is looking for a hotel developer and operator to build a hotel at the facility, and is expected to put out a request for proposals before the end of the year. Two earlier RFPs were not successful.

The most ambitious hotel development planned for Miami is Island Gardens, a $426 million mixed-use development featuring a marina, a maritime museum and two luxury hotels. However, Island Gardens — which will be located on Watson Island between the city of Miami and Miami Beach — is facing opposition from Miami Beach residents, who fear the development will create more traffic than the already crowded South Beach can handle.

Hortense Leon is a Miami-based writer.

MIAMI - BY THE NUMBERS


POPULATION OF METRO AREA:


2.4 million

Unemployment rate: 6.3% (MIAMI-DADE COUNTY)


LARGEST EMPLOYERS:



Miami-Dade Public Schools
45,886 employees
Miami-Dade County
32,000 employees
Federal Government
20,100 employees

METRO AREA STATS


Office:


14.7% vacancy, 2Q 2004

15.3% vacancy, 2Q 2003

Rent per sq. ft.: $23.98, 2Q 2004

Source: CB Richard Ellis

Multifamily:


6.8% vacancy, 1Q 2004

6% vacancy, 1Q 2003

Rent per unit: $905, 1Q 2004

Source: Reis Inc.

Retail:


4.4% vacancy, 1Q 2004

4.9% vacancy, 1Q 2003

Rent per sq. ft.: $18.25, 1Q 2004

Source: Reis Inc.

Industrial (Miami-Dade County):


7.4% vacancy, 2Q 2004

8.3% vacancy, 2Q 2003

Rent per sq. ft.: $5.82, 2Q 2004

Source: CB Richard Ellis

Hotel:


74.3% occupancy, YTD as of May 2004

68.3% occupancy, YTD as of May 2003

Source: Smith Travel Research

MAJOR PROJECTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION:


The Performing Arts Center of Greater Miami, Two-pavilion complex with opera house, symphony hall, theater and a 57,000 sq. ft. plaza

Cost: $41 million

Developer: Odebrecht U.S., EllisDon Construction and the Haskell Co.

Completion: May 2006

Midtown Miami, 3,000 residential units plus ground-floor retail, 600,000 sq. ft. of retail and 900 apartments

Cost: $1.2 billion

Developer: The Midtown Group and Developers Diversified Realty

Completion: 2011

Metropolitan Miami, 500,000 sq. ft. of office, 1,497 condos and 222,000 sq. ft. of retail

Cost: $800 million

Developer: MDM Development Group

Completion: 2007

One Miami, 896 condos, 20,000 sq. ft. of office and 7,000 sq. ft. of restaurant space

Cost: $250 million

Developer: The Related Group of Fla.

Completion: Fall 2005

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

Very Interresting RX, I'm loving it :) , and little correction on the cost of the Performing Arts Center of Greater Miami its 410 MILLON, instead of 41 millon posted, but anyway its Great. ALSO, in the MIAMI HERALD WED. AUG. 25th, MIDTOWN MIAMI Started breaking ground on its MALL OF SHOPS, included are A SUPER TARGET, LINEN's N THINGs, a Huge CIRCUIT CITY and OFFICEMAX, PETsMART, and other Tenants to fill up the 600,000-square-foot SHOPS AT MIDTOWN MIAMI at the southeast corner of N.W. 36 st. and N. MIAMI AVE. Next to the DESIGN DISTRICT OF MIAMI, wow, TO BE DONE , Summer 2006. :cheers:

[Roark]

Avenue is begining sales of the NW Tower (closest to the Mary Brickell Village. This pov is from the intersection of Miami Ave and SE 1st Ave).
http://www.restainer.com/avenue/rendering_fromwest_w.jpg
Location is excellent and the development/design team is solid. The design concept is Urban with an emphasis on very luxurious Manhattan style living (as opposed to luxurious blue glass that is often typical of Miami's tall buildings). The developer is from Manhattan, the architect is responsible for Fisher Island, the interior designer did the Conrad in the Espirito Santo, and prices are starting in the low $200's.
Today is the first day to take reservations.
If you would like more information please check out my unofficial site
Avenue Information (http://www.restainer.com/avenue/)
Information, renderings and floorplans will be added as they are made available.

[MIAballinboi]

great thanks roark,

but it should be taller!

[Dale]

Phase II is 48st, I think.

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

Your Right DALE, Phase II is Taller at 48 Stories, ITS Definitly OVER 500 Feet and it will SELL OUT because its next to a Metro Mover Station and THE MARY BRICKELL VILLAGE with a PUBLIX at its Doorstep, GREAT LOCATION for LIVING ! This Brickell AREA IS GOING TO BE A 24-HOUR excitement Entertainment LIFESTYLE in 2007, SUPERBOWL YEAR in MIAMI !

[streetscapeer]

I like it alot...I wish both phases were built together...but still, it'll be a good addition by itself :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

[Roark]

My educated guess is that although they are being sold seperately, they will be built together. Both towers are built on the same "parking pad", so it would seem logical that when tower I is sold out, prices will increase the second tower (eastern) will begin sales. Both towers have the same address, 1060 Brickell Avenue.

[SkyDiveJunkee]

Where exactly on Brickell Ave is this located?

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

Where exactly on Brickell Ave is this located?
SKY, :) its on the WEST side of Brickell AVE, and the EAST side of South Miami AVE, at about the 1000 BLOCK of BRICKELL. A huge Cleared LOT of construction progress Southeast of the 10th STREET MetroMover Station. :cheers:

[Rx727sfl2002]

http://www.axiscondos.com

website is up and running check out the pictures 3 on the website

[Dale]

http://www.axiscondos.com

website is up and running check out the pictures 3 on the website

Sexy :)

And the pano's awesome !

[streetscapeer]

^^those are some cool pics

[Roark]

That is a good looking building...note that the empty lot directly accross from the Banco Industrial de Venezula will be the Avenue towers, 35 and 48 stories. Axis will have great view of it! The View to the Water/Avenue (http://www.axiscondos.com/axis2.jpg)

[streetscapeer]

That is a good looking building...note that the empty lot directly accross from the Banco Industrial de Venezula will be the Avenue towers, 35 and 48 stories. Axis will have great view of it! The View to the Water/Avenue (http://www.axiscondos.com/axis2.jpg)


Yup...those gaps will be filled in no time!

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

http://www.axiscondos.com

website is up and running check out the pictures 3 on the website
RX :) , FANTASTIC PICS on that WEBSITE, WOW, Both Buildings FIT PERFECT next to that BRICKELL METRORAIL STATION and METRO MOVER STATION, Perfect Location, they will SELL OUT FAST and One Block from MARY BRICKELL VILLAGE Tower and a New PUBLIX, This area again will be a 24/7 Alive area in 3 years, Great Website, THANKS. :cheers:

[SkyDiveJunkee]

I'll post one because these are fantastic:
http://www.axiscondos.com/axis1.jpg

[SkyDiveJunkee]

anyone know what is being built on the empty lot directly to the right of Axis in this pic?>

[Roark]

there is a skinny lot to the immediate south of the lot, then the school, and Brickell View cover the remainder of the block. The skinny lot was part of the same assemblege that the Brickell View is now occupying. It is likely large enough to have the same type of structure as the Brickell View Apartment building.

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

anyone know what is being built on the empty lot directly to the right of Axis in this pic?>
SKY and ROARK, :) That Lot with the trailers still on it, belongs to the BOVIS Construction Group and I talked to them while they were building the Brickell View Apartments and they told me their saving that LOT for Brickell View 2 when the first one is full, which Brickell View 1 is filling REAL FAST with Leases. Resisdences are moving in Fast in this Brickell area. ITS a HOT MARKET, even for RENTING at 2,000 A MONTH for a nice size Apartment. I'LL BET THAT second Tower will be annouce SOON. :cheers:

[renner01]

REAL ESTATE

More condos for Brickell

The developer that built the W Hotel Times Square in New York City plans to construct a 35-story, mixed-used condominium at 1060 Brickell Ave. in Miami.

The New York-based Intell Management and Investment Co., which has yet to develop property in Miami, has announced plans to build a 570-unit, two-tower condo to be called, simply, Avenue.

The move adds another condo project to a stretch of Brickell Avenue that was previously almost exclusively office buildings. The Related Group of Florida, for instance, now has plans for condos at 500 Brickell Ave. and 901 Brickell Ave., to be called The Plaza.

Avenue is to have 24,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space and a 12-story parking garage. The price of condo units would start in the low $200,000's and climb above $1 million. Intell Management plans to break ground on the first tower in the first quarter of next year and finish by early 2007.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/9836103.htm?1c

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

GREAT NEWS RENNER, :) I know ALL 4 CONDO TOWER Projects will be SOLD OUT Before Construction Starts because the INTEREST RATES are still Holding STEADY at www.interest.com CHECK this site out, IT ALSO has a 6 month Graph Table and updates every hour, and These will be built ! :cheers:

[Roark]

Don't you love it! We in the forum were lucky enough to know about Avenue 3 weeks before the Miami Today!! The first tower (West) has 262 apartments available for reservations, and they will likely be reserved by end of the day that they open to the public. There are many nice lofts with views into the Brickell Village. This is a very elegant building.

[nimbyhater]

thats cause we got connections! *wink wink

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

TRUE Roark and Nimby :) , We in the Forums HAVE the Know HOW on how to get INFO before some of the Newspapers GET, WE ARE LUCKY. These Projects WILL GET BUILT, Sooner or Later, Larger or Smaller, Taller or Lower, And Screw The FAA, because MIAMI Will Get a 1,000 FOOT TOWER by 2020, and I'm gonna BE HERE to SEE it, I Hope, lol !!! :cheers:

[nimbyhater]

depending on how long this boom lasts... if miami keeps blowing up the way it is right now, that 1000 footer could come sooner that youd think...

alot depends on how the office market responds to this crazy condo market... if it start building too, then theyll feed off of each other, and just keep expanding and expanding and expanding...

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

TRUE NIMBY, :) and EVERONE Check OUT Today's MIAMI HERALD, SUNDAY's HOME and DESIGN SECTION H, turn to the CENTER PULL OUT 10 H and 11 H, ITS DOWNTOWN MIAMI at NIGHT WITH THE 50 BISCAYNE CONDO TOWER all LIGHT UP , ITS the Best Rendering PIC I've seen in the MIAMI HERALD, any comments, Check IT OUT, Now! :cheers:

[nimbyhater]

no!!! my hearld subscription ran out and parents waited like 3 weeks to redo it, they sent in the check today

can any1 scan it or something?

[streetscapeer]

TRUE NIMBY, :) and EVERONE Check OUT Today's MIAMI HERALD, SUNDAY's HOME and DESIGN SECTION H, turn to the CENTER PULL OUT 10 H and 11 H, ITS DOWNTOWN MIAMI at NIGHT WITH THE 50 BISCAYNE CONDO TOWER all LIGHT UP , ITS the Best Rendering PIC I've seen in the MIAMI HERALD, any comments, Check IT OUT, Now! :cheers:


Too Bad, it's not online...the special section is online..but for some reason the rendring isn't there! :(

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

NIMBY, Sorry, ITs TOO BIG to be scanned, ITS the Size of Downtown MIAMI with BAYSIDE in FRONT on Two Complete Pages, ITS a HUGE Picture , But go and buy iy, its worth the Dollar.

[streetscapeer]

Mary Brickell village....any more renderings?


http://www.preconstruccion.com/images/mary_brickell_village.jpg

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

WOW STREET, Awesome !, :) THATS it all 35 -STORIES, Truly a State of Art CONDO TOWER behind a PUBLIX SUPER FOOD MARKETPLACE, A double COCOWALK Building and South Miami Avenue right through the middle of the whole VILLAGE. The Stores will be GREAT and Resturants will be OUT of this World . Like I said BRICKELL Area will be a 24 Hour / 7 Days a week SOUTH BEACH TWIN, lol. :cheers:

[Rx727sfl2002]

Condo Tower Breaks Ground
By Melissa Bogdany
Last updated: Friday, October 8, 2004 09:47am

MIAMI-DH Griffin Construction Co. has begun construction on Solaris at Brickell Bay, a 22-story, boutique condominium project slated to rise in the city.

H&H Development Co. is the project’s developer. The 138-unit project, located at 186 SE 12 Terrace off Brickell Avenue, is scheduled to be delivered in late 2005.

“[DH Griffin] has built thousands of units in the area, including the residential component of the Village of Merrick Park, so we are quite confident that the build-out will be one that meets H&H’s standards,” says Harvey Hernandez, president of H&H Development Co.

Cohen, Freedman, Encinosa is the architect of Solaris, which will have 138 one-, two- and three-bedroom units ranging in size from 770 sf to 1,685 sf and priced from the $300,000s. Amenities will include a high-tech fitness center, a landscaped sun deck with a pool, a spa with a whirlpool and a sauna overlooking the bay. The clubhouse will include a lounge, a bar, a billiards table and an entertainment center.

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

RX, thanks for that INFO :) , I wish SOLARIS was taller, its a very short Tower for all the towers going Up higher than that one in that are. I see they did preserve that Old House next to SOLARIS, but it needs Finishing Touches, But anyway, a Nice Condo.

[SkyDiveJunkee]

The Mary Brickell condos seem a bit drab compared to other things going up, but the complex on a whole should really help to fill a gap in the Brickell retail aspect, and hopefully promote more.

[Rx727sfl2002]

i think the mary brickell condos complement the summit brickell 15 storie building and the commercial building to the noth of it in style. when completed it should look great in its current place...

now if someone developed another similiar style behind summit brickell about the same hieght there would be 3 similiar styles in that small pocket and they would look like theyve been there for years.

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

The Mary Brickell condos seem a bit drab compared to other things going up, but the complex on a whole should really help to fill a gap in the Brickell retail aspect, and hopefully promote more.
TRUE SKY, :) Thats Because THE MARY BRICKELL VILLAGE CONDOS are being done by THE Same Architectures that did FISHER ISLAND, Believe Me, Sky, these CONDOS will be worth THE MILLION DOLLAR Treatment and Looks, ITS Perfect for Tourists and ART-Watchers, as Well as Apperance. This CONDO will LIGHT UP at Night as a STAR of BRICKELL ! :cheers:

[Roark]

The Mary Brickell Village is different from most of our urban neighborhoods. The architecture is certainly different. It has an old traditional feel to it. Slight correction, the architect at Skyline at Mary Brickell Village is Wolfberg, Alvarez (http://www.wolfbergalvarez.com). The architects of Avenue are the same as Fisher Island, SB (Sandy Babcock) (http://www.sandybabcock.com) . This entire neighborhood is alive at lunchtime and Happy Hour, and it will continue to get even better in the coming months. The trees are there, the river is there, the businesses are there, the transportation, is there, the jobs are there, and with more residential projects, even more people will be there to enjoy it!

(Shameless plug...) The Avenue has a new website, and is is full of information. Avenue (http://www.avenuemiami.com) Please e-mail me if you would like personalized assistance with our project!

The idea behind Avenue is to be a bit more low key/elegant than most new construction, and of course beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but if you walk into the Espirito Santo and go up the elevator to Noir for a drink, you get the kind of feeling of design that Getty's Group will be bringing to Avenue. If you walk on Fisher Island you get the idea that Sandy Babcock is bringing.

[SkyDiveJunkee]

The Skyline at Mary Brickell is more of that "Florida" style which reminds me a lot of the West Palm Beach area (CityPLace), which is just fine, but projects like Avenue, Everglades, Coral Way, etc, seem to have a bit of an edge architecturally.

[south florida dave]

Gys, I haven't been able to post much lately but I wanted to let you all know to check out the virtual tour for the Plaza at Brickell (http://www.theplazaonbrickell.com/). It's in the bottom left corner of the main page (just after the intro). It really shows the effect these 2 towers will have on the skyline. Very nice!

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

WELCOME BACK DAVE, :) we missed ya, and YES , THE PLAZA ON BRICKELL will DOMINATE Brickell Ave with those two Sleek Towers. ITS Gonna be Great, I still heard one tower is still at 53 stories and the Other is a 49 stories, IS THIS STILL TRUE , DAVE ? :cheers:

[MIAballinboi]

news updated:

i was just in brickell the yesterday,

i walked into ESP, took the elevator to the 25th floor lobby and WOOOW, they get telescopes pointing at various locations, all windows, you can see miami beach and south and north and lool all the construction cranes

i also noticed:

directly south-east of esp, theres not one but 2 towers u/c i think one is the sail on brickell, and im not sure of the other

then directly to the west-northwest of esp, theres another massive crane, i think it might be solaris,

then theres that parcel of land nxt 2 jade on the water, that hopefully will develop into villa magna, as tall as possible

i have pics, acouple,

i took my digi cam to the top with me, snuck acouple of pics, then
I RAN OUT OF BATTERIES!!! dayumm that really sucked, but at least i gotta couple of good shots and i will go back and finish off the pics nxt time

thats my report,

ill post the pics and ALOT of pics and updates i got, when i clean up my slow computer

[streetscapeer]

does anyone know when Axis and Avenue are going up!

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

does anyone know when Axis and Avenue are going up!
Yes STREET :) , THE AVENUE WILL Break Ground on its First TOWER in Late February, 2005, and for the AXIS 1 TOWER , at Least LATE MAY, 2005. BUT I got some good News, STREET, By switching my Car Insurance to GIECO, I SAVE at least 15 %, LOL. :cheers:

[south florida dave]

I still heard one tower is still at 53 stories and the Other is a 49 stories, IS THIS STILL TRUE , DAVE ? :cheers:

I dunno. I haven't heard much about this project in a while. Last I heard it was supposed to start construction by the end of this year. You seem to be able to get that kind of info, Chuck. What have you heard?

[streetscapeer]

Yes STREET :) , THE AVENUE WILL Break Ground on its First TOWER in Late February, 2005, and for the AXIS 1 TOWER , at Least LATE MAY, 2005. BUT I got some good News, STREET, By switching my Car Insurance to GIECO, I SAVE at least 15 %, LOL. :cheers:

LOL....you got a chuckle out of me!!

[streetscapeer]

Gys, I haven't been able to post much lately but I wanted to let you all know to check out the virtual tour for the Plaza at Brickell (http://www.theplazaonbrickell.com/). It's in the bottom left corner of the main page (just after the intro). It really shows the effect these 2 towers will have on the skyline. Very nice!


Wow great find dave...these buidings are going to Be Massive...in the VR..they look really tall...in the ranks of wachovia and millenium...I'm always forgetting these building timelines....does anyone have any info of when these will will be a reality??!! Again... Wow!

[Dale]

I believe they break ground in January.

Chuck ?

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

I believe they break ground in January.

Chuck ?
THAT's TRUE DALE :) , JAN.18th, 2005, The Parking Lot Closes and The BACK-HOLES start Tearing up the Parking Lot, These two PLAZA on Brickell Towers WILL be Awesome !!! :cheers:

[streetscapeer]

Awesome!!!

[streetscapeer]

here's the retail and Publix portion of Mary Brickell


http://downtownmiami.photomachine.net/tour/albums/DDA/abj.jpg



The Sail


http://downtownmiami.photomachine.net/tour/albums/DDA/aax.jpg


Gotta love the Setbacks


http://downtownmiami.photomachine.net/tour/albums/DDA/aaz.jpg

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

AWESOME PIC STREET, :) and thats WITHout the 35-story CONDO Behind it, RIGHT ?, SO MANY CRANES there, today at the site, ITS ALL BOVIS Construction TOO. Fantastic, I can't wait till This Opens in less than 2 years.YES> :cheers:

[nimbyhater]

i cant help but think, that with mary brickell village, met square, and the regular amount of retail thats downtown, it might be overkill i mean, theyre gonna be alotta people moving into this region, but will there really be enough to justify all of this new retail? and arent there already three publixes in the brickell/downtown area?

i guess people from all around miami will come to these developments, i just hope its enough to keep these alive, i got a bad feeling about this

[streetscapeer]

i cant help but think, that with mary brickell village, met square, and the regular amount of retail thats downtown, it might be overkill i mean, theyre gonna be alotta people moving into this region, but will there really be enough to justify all of this new retail? and arent there already three publixes in the brickell/downtown area?

i guess people from all around miami will come to these developments, i just hope its enough to keep these alive, i got a bad feeling about this


well you have to take into account that the retail that is downtown now isn't upscale or even midscale..lol...alot of electronic shops, flee-market type clothing stores, and jewelry shops. The only thing downtown has is Bayside really!

[nimbyhater]

still, can the number of residents that will move in in the next few years really absorb that much new retail? i dont think demand from the rest of the city is gonna b that great

[Rx727sfl2002]

The numbers where done before mary brickell village was built and the demand is there event without the new contruction going on now. you have to take into account the amount of workers in the brickell area

[Rx727sfl2002]

Developer plans 700-unit condo project in Brickell

By Marilyn Bowden

An Israeli investment and development firm is planning a two-tower residential complexwest of Miami's Brickell Avenue. "We think this is an exciting time for Miami," said Brack Capital Group partner Greg Altshuler, overseeing the firm's first venture in Miami-Dade County. "We see Brickell as full of existing amenities, and it has proximity to centers of employment."

Axis at Brickell Village, with more than 700 units, is planned for a 2-acre lot on Southwest First Street between 11th and 12th streets.

Mr. Altshuler said that Brack, which purchased the site in July, plans to spend a little less than $200 million to develop it. He said the twin 40-story towers will be designed by Arquitectonica and will include about 20,000 square feet of retail fronting First Avenue.

"We are in a unique situation," Mr. Altshuler said, "because we are one block from Mary Brickell Village, which has national retailers going in. We hope there will be a great synergy with them."

Mr. Altshuler said the buyer profile is evenly split between international investors and local end users but "our ultimate goal is to create housing for the Brickell area."

Plans have been approved by the City of Miami.

According to Yami Roa of Miami's Downtown Development Authority, about 3,100 new condo units are under construction in Brickell, with close to 4,000 more on the drawing board.

Mr. Altshuler said the area has not fulfilled its potential."We see Brickell as full of existing amenities and proximity to centers of employment," he said.

Brack has projects in New York, London, Budapest and China."This is our first venture in Miami-Dade, but so far, we like the market and are looking for more opportunities," Mr. Altshuler said.

[Rx727sfl2002]

GOING VERTICAL: Solaris, a 138-unit condo, is rising at 186 SE 12th Terrace. "We're done with the foundation and have started going vertical," said developer Harvey Hernandez, president of H&H Development Co. Solaris is to feature 770- to 1,685-square-foot units starting at $275,000. It's to open in late 2005 and is 95% sold, he said, with about nine units remaining. Proximity to major hotels, restaurants and office centers helped, he said. "We target single professionals and couples that work hard and play hard." Details: www.solariscondos.com.

[Roark]

i cant help but think, that with mary brickell village, met square, and the regular amount of retail thats downtown, it might be overkill i mean, theyre gonna be alotta people moving into this region, but will there really be enough to justify all of this new retail? and arent there already three publixes in the brickell/downtown area?

i guess people from all around miami will come to these developments, i just hope its enough to keep these alive, i got a bad feeling about this
My take on the addition of retail goes a little bit like this...First of all, there is a tremendous amount of density addded north of the river to support the 45,000 sq ft Whole Foods. One Miami, Met, Ivy at Riverfront (2,000 units), DuPont, Everglades, 50 Biscayne, etc...that is a lot of mouths to feed. Whole Foods folks aren't stupid. They chose the downtown over the Buena Vista/Biscayne Corridor for a very good reason. Secondly, people working downtown will frequent these businesses for lunch and after work for the drive home.
If you use South Beach as a guide (of course, CBD and SoBe are very different) you can see that there is a Publix store on Dade Ave(19th Street-ish) and another on 18th Street only 3 blocks away from each other. Both are very busy. South Beach also has two Gaps, and two Bannana Republics (say what you will) within 20 blocks of each other. True, tourism and day trippers to SoBe help support the later two, but with such a large influx of residents, in the next few years, it is pretty safe to say that people will prefer to walk than to drive to spend their dollars, and that businesses near the rooftops will flourish.

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

WOW ROARK, NIMBY, RX, STREET, :) YOU Men ROCK this Forum, I"m STILL Counting The TOWER Construction CRANES here in MIAMI in SEPTEMBER, 2005, 2,4,6,8,10,12,14,16,18,20,22,24, Should I go on ? THIS CITY is the FUTURE CITY , Here in just 5 years, WOW ! :cheers:

[renner01]

From the October 18, 2004 print edition
New developer emerges in Brickell area
Susan Stabley

Brack Capital Real Estate Group plans a pair of 40-story towers called Axis at Brickell Village, replacing the previously announced Brickell Station project.

The 718-unit project is expected to cost less than $200 million to build and sell out for about $260 million.

Operating partner and project director Greg Altshuler said his company is budgeting conservatively because of concerns over the ever-increasing cost of construction materials.

Still, Altshuler said he isn't too worried.

"We have very deep pockets," he said, adding that the site, at 1101 S.W. First Ave., was bought with cash.

Brack purchased the property in June for $21 million from developer J. Kevin Reilly, according to Miami-Dade County records and Altshuler. Reilly had assembled the site and proposed a $150 million twin condo project totaling 359 units in 2001, but the project stalled.

Altshuler said the acquisition was ideal for his company's first entry in the Florida market because Reilly had already leaped over government hurdles to ready the property for development.

Altshuler said his company is looking at several other possible developments in South Florida, once this one progresses. Brack has offices in New York, Tel Aviv and London, with projects under construction as far away as Budapest, he said.

In the last decade, Brack acted as principal in $3 billion worth of investments in the United States and United Kingdom. Today, the company has developed 3,000 residential units and is developing 7,000 more.

Axis contains 718 units, for now. That number is in flux because of strong demand for three-bedroom units, Altshuler said.

That might be another indicator for a trend Tory Jacobs said he's started to observe.

The head of the Brickell Homeowners Association - which represents 16,000 residents along Brickell Avenue from the Miami River to the Rickenbacker Causeway - said he's seeing more families with children.

"I didn't notice it five years ago," he said. "It's an evolving demographic."

Jacobs said the increase of retail, including a pair of Publix supermarkets in the Brickell area, mixed with frustrations over commutes, is encouraging families to live in the area.

Brack chose the Brickell area because it is close to centers of employment and Mary Brickell Village, a retail center that is under construction, he said.

Brack may begin building both towers if sales continue to be strong, with current reservations for more than 60 percent of the units. Altshuler said he expects to start converting to contracts in 30 days and break ground by January or February.

Units are selling at about $340 to $350 a square foot, he said. Prices begin at $220,000 for one-bedroom units of 730 square feet and range to $340,000 for two-bedroom units of about 1,100 square feet and $650,000 to $675,000 for three-bedroom units of 1,900 square feet.

Three levels of penthouses will be built.

Designed by Miami-based Arquitectonica, Axis is to include 25,000 square feet of ground-floor retail. No deals have been signed, but Altshuler said he is looking for a gourmet market.
http://www.bizjournals.com/industries/real_estate/construction/2004/10/18/southflorida_story4.html?f=et178

[streetscapeer]

^^Great news renner....keep em coming...the axis towers look like there gonna be architectural jewels!

[nimbyhater]

man... god bless Arquitectonica... theyre designing half of downtown... they must be swamped

i found out recently that i no the owners of Arquitectonica... their kids go 2 my skol... and i just never new it... i gotta become better friends wit that kid *wink wink

in reference to my earlier comments about their being a glut of retail... i didnt take into account the workers that would go there during the day, but still, i also didnt take into account the extra ground floor retail that every building will have, i guess well just have to wair and see, but these national corporations probably know a little more about wat their doin that i do... so i hopeuflly itll work out, and this place will be AMAZING in the years to come

[MIAballinboi]

woow, they go to ur school??? what school are u @?

get to know them,

also i also found out that a leading worldwide architect goes to my church,

his website is www.borgesarchitects.com

i tried asking him some questions a while back but he was busy, but he did tell me infinty was about 630 feet :cheers:

[nimbyhater]

wow, such a great site

theyres so many projects on there that ive never seen b4, did they fall through? or wat?

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

woow, they go to ur school??? what school are u @?

get to know them,

also i also found out that a leading worldwide architect goes to my church,

his website is www.borgesarchitects.com

i tried asking him some questions a while back but he was busy, but he did tell me infinty was about 630 feet :cheers:
MIAballinboi, :) Thats a FACT, JACK, lol j/k, ITS TRUE and already recorded in the City of Miami Records, 632 Feet TOTAL, 7 Foot Taller than the World Famous Different Color Lighted BANK OF AMERICA TOWER in Downtown MIAMI at 625 Feet at 47 Stories in the WORLD ALMANAC book of Facts, 2004 Edition. This INFINITY at BRICKELL is going to BLOSSOM this Area Of Brickell, Its going to be Awesome, AND Guess What , Interest Rates are down again :) at www.interest.com Good News Men, Keep Building MIAMI !!! :cheers:

[MIAballinboi]

woow looks like u know all the heights, anything over 800 feet on?? prolly only met3 maybe but how about over 700 feet? 900 biscayne bay, and the hojo site? how bout over 600 feet? this will be intersting

share wit us chuck!

[nimbyhater]

i think hes been sharing plenty, stop pressuring him, hell cut us off, shut up miaballinboi! lol, jp

chuck, u r truelly a great, great man!

[Rx727sfl2002]

www.borgesarchitects.com

theres 1050 brickell office tower

theres a 50 and 40 storie tower infront of mark on brickell and next to the barclays mellon financial

theres the renderings for the new miami arena and the new pro player stadium

and the list goes on.

[Dale]

i think hes been sharing plenty, stop pressuring him, hell cut us off, shut up miaballinboi! lol, jp

chuck, u r truelly a great, great man!

Yeah, it's like asking for 4, 5, 15, 25 wishes from the genie ! It just isn't done ! :lol:

[streetscapeer]

www.borgesarchitects.com

theres 1050 brickell office tower

theres a 50 and 40 storie tower infront of mark on brickell and next to the barclays mellon financial

theres the renderings for the new miami arena and the new pro player stadium

and the list goes on.

which one is the Miami Arena rendering, I didn't see it on their site!

[Rx727sfl2002]

right next to the flat iron building

[renner01]

I heard the flat iron building is not going up or the project has been abandoned. Anyone have news?

[MIAballinboi]

lol sorry chuck, were spoiled having you here to enrichen us with all ur info lool

hey check out that site, its awseomse the borges architects those projects are amazing

theres so many 40 and 50 story towers and that brickell luxury hotel,

woow

[MIAballinboi]

Anyways heres some renderings sent from Rx, these are the ones that involve the brickell area, i have more renderings but ill post them in the appropriate thread

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/BallinBoi316/1019/brickell.bmp http://mywebpage.netscape.com/BallinBoi316/1019/brickell2.bmp

[streetscapeer]

sweet renderings...can't wait for the real thing!

[south florida dave]

cool, a different angle of axis. where'd you find this, rx?

i think it had been thought that the taller tower for avenue would have a peaked crown, or at least a slanted roof, but from this pic it looks like it'll be flat. i know that it's mostly condos that are being built down here, but can't at least a couple of them have something other than a flat roof? axis looks like a freakin visionary design with it's slanted roofs.

[MIAballinboi]

^in the rendering it looks see throught lol'

great lookin buildings though

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

woow looks like u know all the heights, anything over 800 feet on?? prolly only met3 maybe but how about over 700 feet? 900 biscayne bay, and the hojo site? how bout over 600 feet? this will be intersting

share wit us chuck!
LOL, MIAballinboi, :) VERY Close to 800 is ONLY MET3, and Its because of MET 3 will be built on top of its own Parking Garage which will include Retail at the Bottom Floor. BUT Everyone, take a good look at the Upper Floors of MET 3, Those are the Higher ceilings of the Penthouses and the upper floors are going to be higher built to include a SPA and Health Club in the same Building, THE Special Top of MET 3 will be more that 50 feet HIGH, so wer'e talking close to a 770 foot tower, NOT TALLER Than THE FOUR SEASONS, BUT Taller than the WACHOVIA FINANCIAL CENTER by ONLY 6 Feet, That TOWER is 764 FEET at 55 Office Stories. BUT Anyway, MET 3 is still the tallest one in the future being built over the NEXT 5 years, BY 2010, MET 3 Should BE ALMOST Completed. :cheers:

[MIAballinboi]

^darn we were thinking it would be well over 800 feet and a new city's tallest, well we first gotta see what design is gonna get built,

[Dale]

Anybody want to guess where an 800 footer might be built, given that downtown is running out of space, and other parts of downtown have a height limit ?

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

Anybody want to guess where an 800 footer might be built, given that downtown is running out of space, and other parts of downtown have a height limit ?
GOOD Question DALE :) , and I might have that answer, There's a Rumor I heard from a Miami Policeman Protecting the Area around the MIAMI CITY HALL, which is in Coconut Grove at DINNER Key Marina, He talked with me there for a while about tall buildings being built in Miami, AND Guess What, The Developer UGO COLUMBO, I hope I spelled that right is Planning a CONDO TOWER at a Record Height with NO LIMITS on WATSON ISLAND, and this Police Man heard its in the works of ALMOST 80 FLOORS. COULD THIS BE TRUE ??, According to him, Its going to the City Commission This Month, we'll have to wait and see. UGO COLUMBO is Developing the TALLEST Building in COCONUT GROVE Called the GROVENOR HOUSE at 33 Stories, well over 350 Feet and thats a record for the GROVE ! :cheers:

[MIAballinboi]

^^^^^

WOOW thats amazing news!!!!

but isnt there already some stuff goin on in watson island,

but that would be great 80 floors,

this is the closest thing to 1000 we can get !!!!

[south florida dave]

80 floors on watson island? not only do i think it won't happen, i don't think it should happen. a building that tall would overwhelm an island that small. i can't imagine what it would do to traffic. yeesh.

now fisher island, that's a different story :colgate:

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

But Remember DAVE :) , Almost 20 Years ago , THE CITY of MIAMI wanted to build a 1,000 FOOT LOOK-OUT Observation TOWER Needle with a Resturant at the TOP with High speed elevators going to the top. And this was years after the GoodYear Blimp Was Told To Leave for another HUGE Project that was suppose to be BIG on Watson Island, But LOST Financing and Folded. :cheers:

[Rx727sfl2002]

BRICKELL SPACE: The Related Group of Florida says construction is to start this year on the 1,000-unit Plaza on Brickell, 901 Brickell Ave. Roberto S. Rocha, executive vice president, said hospitality design specialist Hirsch Bedner Associates will do interiors while Emilio Fuster handles landscaping for the 56- and 43-story two-tower residential project. He said it would feature a 26,000-square-foot mixed-use outdoor plaza. "We're confident," Mr. Rocha said, of "an original and exclusive design that will further identify Brickell as a premier destination." The project will mean taking "innovative approaches to effectively utilize space while maintaining a chic yet subtle vibe," said Greg Bates, a Hirsch Bedner associate.

[Rx727sfl2002]

Brickell Office Market Sees Strong Leasing, Lower Vacancies
By Melissa Bogdany
Last updated: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 04:49pm

MIAMI-The desirable Brickell office submarket of Miami-Dade County is experiencing strong leasing activity and lower vacancy rates, as the percentage of sublease space has declined dramatically, according to a new CB Richard Ellis report.

The area has seen 363,140 sf in leasing activity year to date, mostly class A space, which has contributed to positive absorption of 200,837 sf year to date, the report states. The vacancy rate, which held steady at 16.8% the last quarter of 2003 and the first quarter of this year, started to drop in the second quarter, to 16.5% in the second quarter. Declining vacancies are expected to continue.

“With no new construction and strong leasing activity, we expect vacancies to decrease,” says Calum Weaver, CBRE. “As such, average asking rates may gradually start to increase.”

Less sublease space also should have a positive impact on asking rates. In the past 18 months, the percentage of sublease space has dropped from approximately 34% to 9% of all available space in the Brickell submarket. Companies such as BDO Seidman, Sterling Financial, Pacific Credit, Squire Sanders and Guggenheim Investments have taken discounted sublease space there, and they are “saving significant amounts of money by having the sub-landlords underwrite a portion of the lease cost,” Weaver says.

“The lower subleases also means the submarket does not have to absorb any significant underutilized sublease space, and any future expansions and relocations will have an immediate affect on the submarket,” he says. “Though not a panacea, the decrease in sublease offerings reduces any potential downward pressures on average direct asking rates.” Since asking rents typically lag behind market trend changes by three to six months, “with the amount of sublease space decreasing, it may possibly lead to higher average asking rates in the coming months.”

Sublease space has been popular also because in some cases, the space includes significant tenant improvements, CBRE adds.

With vacancies and rental rates, Weaver says he doesn’t “anticipate any great change overnight, but all indications are for a very positive and dynamic submarket.”

[Rx727sfl2002]

Brickell Avenue continues to dominate the CBD, the company said, noting leasing activity and a decline in the overall vacancy to 16.7 percent compared to 19.3 percent posted 12 months ago.

[streetscapeer]

Here's a rendering of Brickell on the River


http://img98.exs.cx/img98/2853/rend7.jpg

[dave8721]

80 floors on watson island? not only do i think it won't happen, i don't think it should happen. a building that tall would overwhelm an island that small. i can't imagine what it would do to traffic. yeesh.

now fisher island, that's a different story :colgate:

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/9972327.htm

Buried in this Miami Herald article on a tunnel from Watson Island to the Port of Miami it says Island Gardens was approved at 53 stories.

"Watson Island is now home to Parrot Jungle Island and a children's museum, and city commissioners recently approved the 53-story Island Gardens hotel and marina project."

[streetscapeer]

WHOA..I suggest everyone watch the 2-minute animation of the rendering of what the tunnel might look like...it's the last link in the related links section rieght under the picture of the proposed route.....please everyone vote yes for this to happen!!


Yay for the height of Island Gardens!

[the_1_and_only_cuban]

On that site, www.borgesarchitects.com I saw renderings for Heat Street is that really gonna happen. What stage is it in now? Has it been proposed?

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

STREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET, :) GREAT PICTURE of the BRICKELL ON THE RIVER, How did you DO THAT, !LOL!, I WANT Your Camera NOW, Keep those Pics Coming , and GO MIAMI CANES # 1 :cheers:

[nimbyhater]

street, ur rite, that animation is great, every1 go see it, its only 2 minutes long, our own little BIG DIG, but about 10 billion dollars less, its all good, lol

1 and only (btw, greatest sn ever! u see castro fall 2day? hopefully the fukr will break his hip soon enough and cuba will b free soon enough, in my lifetime, its gonna happn, and man will it b sweet, my grandparents never got to see their nation bak tot he glory it once was, but i will! aite, sry, little off topic)... heat street is dead, thats not gonna happen, they decided to not develop that land... my guess is the porposed just werent that big a benefit to them, and theyre just holding out, in a few years, the market will prob warrant something much more worthy of this great piece of land

that brickell on the river pic is kinda disapointing... looks kinda stumpy... still great, luv watchin it go up, should top off soon shouldnt it?

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

STREET, :) I was in that SALES OFFICE, too, Right Off Brickell AVENUE, and the Ladies in there told me last week, THAT the Second TOWER to the SOUTH in that SAME PIC is HALF SOLD OUT, I couldn't believe Them at first, But they say its going up very soon next to the North tower thats almost Topped OUT next Month. :cheers:

[streetscapeer]

you're really a strict on only having ultra-tall buildings in downtown, huh nimby?

idk..I like it...I like height, but it's not necessarily a requirement for me liking a buildind, I just like the density that it adds!!

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

you're really a strict on only having ultra-tall buildings in downtown, huh nimby?

idk..I like it...I like height, but it's not necessarily a requirement for me liking a buildind, I just like the density that it adds!!
I AGREE STREET :) , and 900 BISCAYNE CONDO TOWER is HEAVY Density, THE TOTAL CITY BLOCK is 900 Biscayne, NO ROOM For Trees or a Flower Garden, lol.
And NIMBY :) , GO CANES !!!, MIAMI is #1, I don't care what the POLLS say, Miami came back from a 17-POINT BEHIND HALF-time and WON, GO MIAMI !!! :cheers:

[nimbyhater]

HELL YA CHUCK!!!! GO CANES!!!! i was at that game, standing about 10 feet from the endzone when he ran that punt return back for the touchdown, one of the greatest nites of my life... hows this for luck, the two games ive been to this year were the fsu game and the louisville game

you're really a strict on only having ultra-tall buildings in downtown, huh nimby?

idk..I like it...I like height, but it's not necessarily a requirement for me liking a buildind, I just like the density that it adds!!

not at all, ill just take an ultra tall over a mediumly tall any day, let the density get filled in all by ultra-talls! lol, though not in all cases, i wouldnt trade espirito santo or maina blue for anything

let the mid high rises get built in the gables, or on the fringes of downtown or brickell, the center of downtown and brickell warant the tallest we can get, i still luv these two towers, just would much prefer if they were larger

[streetscapeer]

oh ok gotchya

[Roark]

Well here is the lastest on Avenue...
As you read here first, we offered the first 262 Avenue units to the public last week and received over 300 reservations almost immediately! A tremendous success. Of course these are reservations and not hard purchase agreements, but contracts should be out soon. This is very rapid action in the case of the deep pocketed developer, Intell Management.
The website is up now www.avenuemiami.com (http://www.avenuemiami.com )
The website refects floor plans for the North/West tower. The taller tower of the two, the South/East, should be offered in the near future.

I'd be happy to get you a good deal if you are interested!

[south florida dave]

roark, or anyone else who has access to this sort of info, what % of the units for the projects you're involved with are reserved or under contract as investnment properties? ballpark, not exact #'s, unless you happen to know that. the initial response when these buildings start selling is too incredible for me to beileve that the majority of the buyers aren't real estate investors. i'm becoming more worried that we're gonna have a crapload of new towers that are half empty 6-9 months out of the year.

is that a realistic scenario or am i off base here?

[Roark]

roark, or anyone else who has access to this sort of info, what % of the units for the projects you're involved with are reserved or under contract as investnment properties? ballpark, not exact #'s, unless you happen to know that. the initial response when these buildings start selling is too incredible for me to beileve that the majority of the buyers aren't real estate investors. i'm becoming more worried that we're gonna have a crapload of new towers that are half empty 6-9 months out of the year.

is that a realistic scenario or am i off base here?
No... you are thinking correctly, and you aren't off base. That is the common wisdom. Many of the buyers are from out of the country and many of the buyers are not end users. The Herald has that right. That is the way it goes.

But in my opinion, that is just scratching the surface of the thought process.

If you look at the way people (end users) buy property, the guy/gal from Boston/NY/Detroit/Buenos Aires/London/Caracus/Santo Domingo/Bejieng won't say, "Honey, I'm thinking about taking this job offer 30 months from now with the FTAA/Johnson&Johnson/Miami Dade Co/Jackson Mem/etc. let's put a deposit down on a pre construction project."

Why is anyone surprised that there are investors/"speculators" are buying preconsruction properties?

Speculators speculate because that they believe that the area/project is good and people will come to buy the project/apt. from them or they can get rental income to cover their costs and put money in their pocket.

End users buy because they want to live in a place.

The top dollar wage earners have a Brickell/CBD address. If your attorney or accountant doesn't have and address like that, then you better get yourself into bigger trouble!!!

Walk down Brickell Ave on Friday at 5pm. Have cocktail at Gordon Beirsch, or if your pacemaker can handle the caliber of women at the Four Seasons, then stop there. If you need to be more mellow, then walk two block to Mosaic for tapas and a drink. (NOTE: The car has not moved.) If it is a home game, then take the MetroMover to the American Airlines Arena to see Shaquille O' Neal take on whoever.....

Ian Schrager rehabed the Delano before he had one single "end user" and the place has been packed since 1995!!!

Pre-construction investment is risky! Schrager could have lost his money. South Beach could have gone down the tubes!

There is risk. 1st price list Brickell on the River buyers are up over 200% cash on cash. No risk....no reward. By the way, 200% is better than my mutual funds...good to know that you can use your IRA $ to invest in Real Estate.

I'm a Realtor selling pre-construction properties. I'm also buying them. After many years in the business and after sitting on a lot of government/developement meetings, I'm totally comfortable with what I'm doing. Of the multitude of projects available, there are only a few "no-brainers" and there are a bunch that will do just fine and there are a few that will crash and burn. Check out a bell curve.

My personal story is that nearly everyone in 1992 said that the real estate market was at the top!!! (True, it was.) They also said that, "No one would live south of 5th street, that place is dangerous". In 1995, they said, "that the real estate market was at the top!!! (True, it was.) In 1998, they said, "that the real estate market was at the top!!! (True, it was.) You get the idea...

Again, my personal thing, the automotive industry is not providing me the type of job/pay that my father had in Michigan (plus MI has a 5.7%-ish state income tax).
Gee...do I stay in Michigan or do I move next door to Tobacco Road/Tennis Facility/Riverwalk/Metromover/Four Seasons/Conrad/My office for a job with better pay.

It really takes some people to take the risk to invest in pre-construction with the idea that end users will come at completion to buy.

Plus, compared to other places in the US, Miami has the best diversity! IN fact, the Malbec is the reason for my long windedness. Argentina is a great trading partner with Miami, which reminds me of another reason why people will move here.... :)

[nimbyhater]

are both towers gonna go up at the same time?

[streetscapeer]

Awesome Brickell



http://img74.exs.cx/img74/1905/Brickell6.jpg


http://img74.exs.cx/img74/2663/DowntownMiami4.jpg

[ZuluKingOfTheDwarfPeople]

Brickell is very modern, home of the national bank of Colombia :D, buisnessmen everywhere at noon, but it's pretty empty in the weekends. Most people think it's all tourism, but no this is major buisness ;)

[south florida dave]

this thursday (10/28) will be the next miami commission meeting & there's a bunch of projects (opus, 50 biscayne, avenue etc...) that are to go before the commission that day. so i took a look at the meeting agenda that's posted on the city's website (http://www.ci.miami.fl.us) & found a nice little surprise on page 32-a project called "premiere towers brickell village." the plans call for 2 52 story mixed use towers. the address is 824-850 s. miami ave. & 29-59 sw 9th st. how about that?!

today's turned into a pretty good news day with this & the pei sons/oppenheim/karp towers downtown. very nice news, indeed!

oh, here's the link to the agenda (pdf): http://www.ci.miami.fl.us/Agendas/Commission/04-10-28.pdf

[Dale]

Another day, another twin 52 story tower scheme. This is getting boring. :)

[miami1]

Great news dave, do you have any renderings? The developer is BAP Developments Inc. I went to their site but they don't have them. :)

[MIAballinboi]

hhahaha, same news another day another tower loool i love this

[south florida dave]

neh, i don't have any renderings miami1. believe me, if i did, i wouldn't hesitate to post 'em.

i do, however, have a rendering of another project that i'm sure you'll all enjoy. i took some pics today & i'm gonna upload & post them & the rendering sometime this evening.

[Hisma]

brickell is so damn beautiful.
The skyline in and of itself trounces any other skyline in Florida, and that's not even including downtown.

[MarkyMark]

On the site www.borgesarchitects.com .......look under their portfolio under architecture 1........and scroll through the photos.......they show two new brickell projects.

Brickell Office tower...at 1050 Brickell Ave........has some amazing lighting effects on this one.

And.......right after it........Brickell Condo Towers.........the data says it is twin 50 and 40 story towers. These could be the same one developed by BAP.......or maybe yet another development around brickell.

I tried to copy the photos...but can't seem to.......is a macromedia flash presentation.

[Rx727sfl2002]

2 towers Height will be 579 FT at 52 stories each tower

markymark use snagit a program to grab pics of the web

[south florida dave]

Here's some of the pics I took today around the downtown area today:

The Emerald & the Sail
http://img96.exs.cx/img96/8007/Picture458.jpg

The little office building that will soon be gone to make way for 1390 Brickell
http://img96.exs.cx/img96/2545/Picture459.jpg

Jade front
http://img96.exs.cx/img96/7222/Picture461.jpg

One Miami
http://img96.exs.cx/img96/6499/Picture462.jpg

Met 1 site w/part of the Carbonell site in the foreground
http://img96.exs.cx/img96/3972/Picture463.jpg

The Loft Downtown
http://img96.exs.cx/img96/3336/Picture464.jpg

Marinablue site
http://img96.exs.cx/img96/3029/Picture465.jpg

Ten Museum Park site
http://img96.exs.cx/img96/5553/Picture466.jpg

Blue
http://img96.exs.cx/img96/8236/Picture467.jpg

http://img96.exs.cx/img96/4903/Picture468.jpg

Brickell on the River
http://img96.exs.cx/img96/5669/Picture479.jpg

The Club at Brickell-never cared much for the "design", or lack thereof, of this one, but the paint job sure does add some color to the area.
http://img96.exs.cx/img96/124/Picture480.jpg

Park Place
http://img96.exs.cx/img96/7015/Picture481.jpg

I also checked out a couple sales offices & took some pics of a couple models...

The Plaza on Brickell-receptionist said breaks ground in January, although when I called them a couple of weeks ago they said next month so who knows.
http://img96.exs.cx/img96/8306/Picture473.jpg

http://img96.exs.cx/img96/9474/Picture476.jpg

http://img96.exs.cx/img96/666/Picture021.jpg

http://img96.exs.cx/img96/7266/Picture477.jpg

http://img96.exs.cx/img96/2448/Picture478.jpg

Opus-sales guy said should break ground in March.
http://img96.exs.cx/img96/7343/Picture469.jpg

http://img96.exs.cx/img96/1677/Picture470.jpg

And last, but definitely not least, I give you the first rendering (at least to my knowledge) of Opus 2:
http://img96.exs.cx/img96/6326/Picture472.jpg

The Opus sales office, which was literally one room in what I think was Arquitectonica's office, had a bunch of pics hanging on the walls & this was one of them. I asked the guy what it was, & to my surprise he said it's Opus 2. So I snapped a pic. That's why I like checking out the sales offices. You never know what you're gonna find. :)

[ZuluKingOfTheDwarfPeople]

They'd have to get a tower over 870 feet to top the fourseasons tower. They just keep growing!

[Dale]

OPUS 2 looks to be close to 70 stories !

[streetscapeer]

Wow...great...stupendous photo tour, everything seems to be progressing quite quickly...opus 2 seems very innovative...I hope it fits in with its surroundings however, I wonder what properties they're thinking of. Hopefully it's at a triangular corner, to perfectly fit the buildings triangular base!....wow...amazing find, dave, glad your on SSC!

[streetscapeer]

The Plaza on Brickell looks tall... can't wait...does anyone know how tall it'll be?


also is that the parking garage structure that's being constructed next to Park Place, does anyone know if/when the second phase goes on the market!

[streetscapeer]

Skydive, did you happen to pass by Mary Brickell Village, what's that looking like?

[Dale]

The Plaza on Brickell looks tall... can't wait...does anyone know how tall it'll be?


also is that the parking garage structure that's being constructed next to Park Place, does anyone know if/when the second phase goes on the market!


street, I believe The Plaza is 56 and 45.

[streetscapeer]

what about height in feet?...anyone?...Chuck?..lol

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

Fantastic DAVE :) , NICE PICS, now we got More pics from STREET, MIAballinboi, and NOW DAVE, Wow, I need a Camera, lol. GOOD NEWS, about the 1390 Brickell building , The Newest DESIGN is completed with the Addition of the Little building Missing from the New 1390 Building. BAD NEWS, The Gas Station Next to the TEN MUSEUM PARK Condo Tower Site , STAYS, thats NOT good, it sells beer cheap to the homeless men that hang out at the corner, you can see the homeless there in the PIC of the Ten Musem site. :)

[south florida dave]

you know, dale, it never even crossed my mind that opus 2 was about 70 stories. it didn't hit me how tall it is til you pointed that out. the floors look fairly short, though. but even if they're 9' floors then it would still be at least a 630' tower.

here's a pic of the site around the pac:
http://img91.exs.cx/img91/8818/Opussite.jpg

opus 2 would be in the empty lot in front of the pac building on the left, or just across biscayne blvd. to the west. the sales office had a pic on the wall showing the lots where each project would be. i wish i would've taken a picture of it (or at least paid enough damn attention to it) cause i'm pretty sure there's plans for an opus 3. but that's down the road a ways so i'm not too worried about that at this point.

construction at mary brickell village is in full swing, street. i snapped this pic but didn't post it cause there's not much to it:
http://img93.exs.cx/img93/3601/Picture351.jpg

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

what about height in feet?...anyone?...Chuck?..lol
LOL, STREET, No Problem, Plaza On Brickell 1 is 56 Stories at 610 Feet, and Plaza On Brickell 2 is 48 Stories at 525 Feet, according to people who worked with Jorge Perez, Both buildingd will be very bulky and big , should fill in the parking Lot completely with the parking garage.

[south florida dave]

610' & 525'. wow, that's pretty good for that site. should fiil it in really well.

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

TRUE DAVE :) , and INFINITY AT BRICKELL will be the FUTURE Highest of the ones being built within the next two years at 632 Feet. I'm waiting to find out about PARK PLACE 2, which also should be pretty high when it starts early next year, 2005. :cheers:

[south florida dave]

hey, chuck, any chance i could talk you into putting together a list of projects & their heights & est. start dates for us to have as a reference? actually, i could do the project list, but i don't have the height #'s & start dates.

btw, how do you get that info again? you work for the county doing what exactly?

[Bobdreamz]

great pics Dave...it really is incredible to see so much activity going on in Brickell & downtown...thanks for the tour.

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

hey, chuck, any chance i could talk you into putting together a list of projects & their heights & est. start dates for us to have as a reference? actually, i could do the project list, but i don't have the height #'s & start dates.

btw, how do you get that info again? you work for the county doing what exactly?
LOL DAVE :) , Driving in circles, like most county employees do, the Men working at the sites are standing there in the streets blocking traffic for their trucks to get in to their sites, :) SO I ASK them many Questions , like HOW HIGH?, WHAT FLOOR ARE THEY On?, How many feet is that one going?, What floor are they pouring today?, how many floors is that one going ? AND on and On , I go site to site , Building to building I go, the CONSTRUCTION IS Everwhere I drive, There's NO stopping, LOL. :cheers:

[MIAballinboi]

amazing pics dave thanks a million, i walked around brickell also, part iii of my pics are coming soon,

woow opus 2 is tall

thanks for the heights chuck!

[ChuckScraperMiami#1]

ANYTIME MIAballinboi :) , Can't wait for those PICS of Brickell PART III, should be Great, My Favorites of PICTURES are filling my computer up of PICS, lol. I save all yours and everyone's else PICS, Thanks. :cheers:

[MIAballinboi]

lol thnk u chuck

in that opus 2 rendering, that shorter tower on the left is that opus 1 or is that just a part of opus 2, cuz if that building on the left is opus 1, how tall is opus 1, chuck should know, then we can determine the height of the taller tower on the right ,

[SkyDiveJunkee]

There is an amazing rendering of the Plaza on Brickell in this month's Ocean Drive. I believe its a night rendering, because the lighting scheme was amaz