Jade Beach

$185M Funds Jade Beach Construction, Land Buy
By Marita Thomas
Last updated: May 25, 2005 02:04pm

SUNNY ISLES, FL-Miami-based Fortune International obtained just over $185 million in funding for development of its Jade Beach condominium towers on Collins Avenue. The financing, provided by HSBC Bank USA, consists of a $164-million construction loan for an initial 248-unit building and $21.2 million in land acquisition financing for the proposed Jade Beach Two, a twin tower containing 252 residential units.

Manuel de Zarraga, executive managing director; Robert Kaplan, senior managing director, and Kimberly Flores, associate director of the Miami office of Holiday Fenoglio Fowler represented Fortune in structuring the funding. They worked with Chris Whyte, who heads HSBC’s Miami real estate group, and Mark Nadler, VP. Terms and interest rates were not undisclosed. The two Jade buildings are the fourth Fortune projects for which HFF has arranged financing, and HSBC has also previously provided the developer with funds.

The first tower is expected to reach completion in early 2007. Both buildings are designed by Carlos Ott, an Uruguay-based architect who designed the L’Opera de la Bastille in Paris, among other projects. Miami-based Kobi Karp architects and interior designer Luis Revuelta are also collaborating on the design. All units have ocean views, and, according to published reports, for-sale prices reach to above $6 million. Calls to Fortune were not returned by deadline.

According to a September 2003 report by GlobeSt.com, the city approved zoning for the initial Jade Beach Tower, and Fortune obtained a $17-million land loan to acquire the property. Public records in the Miami-Dade County appraiser’s office indicate that Fortune Beach LLC acquired the site at 17001 Collins Ave. for the first building in June 2003 for $25 million. The records also show that Fortune Ocean LLP bought the adjacent beachfront property in October 2004 for $32.1 million.

Roark,

when is Jade Beach expected to break ground?...or has it already?

It would almost be a shame for them to start construction, that would mean they would have to tear down that multi-multi-million dollar sales center they are building.

Ground breaking was scheduled for August, but it may happen a bit sooner. The sales center will likely be completed in July, the sales center is on the site of Jade Ocean (the art formerly known as Jade Beach II). They won't have to tear it down for a while.

I drove by the sales center for the Jade Beaches yesterday and it looks like the sales center will have a replica of the fin thing that will go on top of Jade Beach I on it. Cool.

http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/050602/fyi.shtml

TOWER APPROVAL: Jade Beach Two received development approval with $21.2 million of land-acquisition financing in Sunny Isles Beach, said Manuel de Zarraga, executive managing director of real estate investment firm HFF LP. He said construction of the 252-unit luxury waterfront condominium tower is set to begin in February. The 52-story tower designed by Carlos Ott is at 17121 Collins Ave. TOWER FINANCING: Jade Beach, meanwhile, gained $164 million in construction financing by HSBC Bank USA, Mr. Zarraga said. The 248-unit luxury waterfront condominium at 17001 Collins Ave. is expected to be completed in two years.

anyone know whats going on with the Sayan Condominium and sole on the ocean

DAVE :) , great news, I read that in the Miami Today newspaper today, that's great,; and Renner :) , the Sayan on the beach has started its foundation, and Sole on the beach has dug a hole on its site, but no foundation work has started yet, I'll let you know later this weekend. :cheers:

RENNER :) , DAVE :) and ROARK :) and STREET :) , Construction on Sunny Isles Beach is now at its highest peak, its HOT, I drove up and down Collins Ave Today, and got so much Info.
#1, The Sole on the Beach has started its Foundation, its got two tall drill pounding cranes knocking away on the site.
#2, The Sayan on the Beach has gone vertical, tall blue Tower Construction Crane already installed, Foundation completed.
#3, The Trump Royale has got two tall Drilling pounding cranes putting huge long rebars foundation structures into the ground.
#4, The Jade Beach I Condo Tower has two drilling cranes and backhoes digging mounds of dirt on site, foundation has started.
#5, The Jade Beach II Condo Tower has almost completed its huge 3 story sales center on site.
#6, The Ocean 4 rising fast to its 45 floor completion in about a year.
#7, The Three Tower Trump Beach Towers have cleared most of the land except for the last Ocean Sands Motel which should close by the end of this year. A huge 20 foot concrete wall is being built from one end to the other on collins ave.
#8, The First Tower of the Turnberry Ocean Colony is almost completed, one Tower Construction Crane still remains. Tower Two has not started yet, but the Sales Center on the site told me their 50 % sold out and ready to break ground in late October, 2005.
#9, The Paramount Beach Condo Tower has built a wooden painted wall along Collins ave. and nothing is on the site, in fact, there's green grass rising knee high.
#10, The LaPerla 50 floor condo tower, up past 12 floors , has got the city of Sunny Isles beach Okay to close the Pier Park Parking Lot for over 6 months starting tomorrow June 13th, 2005 to the end of the year to install a huge entrance to the Condo tower with the new parking lot design, and paying the city each month for the parking fees.
#11, The Trump Palace, almost completed, paint is rising all over the tower, Tower construction Cranes are gone. :cheers:

great update chuck!

good job thanks

Any reason to be concerned about Paramount Beach ? Perhaps they're just waiting on permits ?

about paramount beach i think they want to sell park and bay before selling beach...kinda funny

That is interesting.

Trump Towers 825 foot wide parking podium nixed by Sunny Isles commission:

http://www.miamisunpost.com/thirdstoryfrontpage.htm

You’re Fired

Sunny Isles Commission Rejects Design for Trump Towers

Even if the garage plans came back at 20 feet tall, eliminating the need for a height variance, the site plan would still require commission approval.

By Randy Abraham
Contributing Writer



The Sunny Isles Beach City Commission sent developers of the proposed Trump Towers 1, 2, and 3 back to the drawing board, during its June 9 meeting.

The Commission criticized the plan for the three-tower, 813-unit condo project at 16001 Collins Avenue that featured an 825-foot-wide parking garage with three interconnected 39-story condo towers atop.

The developers got a one-month deferral to resubmit the project.

“You’re fired,” deadpanned Commissioner Dan Iglesias, referring to the tagline from The Apprentice that made Donald Trump, a partner in the condo project, a player in reality TV. “I don’t like this request,” he added. The feeling seemed unanimous on the dais, as each commissioner added to a list of criticisms.

Dozens of residents from the Arlen House and other nearby residential complexes criticized the project as overbuilt and expressed fears of worsening traffic and blocked ocean views.

At issue was the height of the 36-foot-tall garage. City codes limit any building taller than 20 feet to a width of 250 feet. The proposal called for an 825-foot-wide garage structure – almost the combined 900-foot width of the five separate parcels from 15811 to 16001 Collins Avenue assembled for the project.

The rest of the aricle at:
http://www.miamisunpost.com/thirdstoryfrontpage.htm

wow thats plenty of parking an 825 fott garage a 36 feet, that is kind of mall-behemoth. Is the height really so limited there for the garage? it might be better to have a bigger garage under one tower, say the central one, and then have the other towers offer more street-facing residences and/or retail.

but it is trump and his developments are always awkwardly greedy looking. No offense to any trump fans out there.... :)

and whats the deal with the concrete wall i heard of earlier, are they really 'fencing' in the site like that? what negative urbanism (IMO)

Elaborate sales offices build interest in condos in Sunny Isles Beach

by Robyn Friedman, Special to the Sun-Sentinel Posted June 20 2005

A Miami-based developer has begun construction of a $4 million project that will rise 30 feet in the air and will feature a luxurious kitchen and bath as well as spectacular views of the ocean and beach.

And that's just the sales office.

It will be used to sell units at Jade Ocean, a 50-story, 256-unit condominium planned for 17121 Collins Ave. in Sunny Isles Beach. The sales office, being constructed by Fortunate International, will be the most expensive ever built in Florida, according to company President Edgardo Defortuna.

"No one else would be that crazy," Defortuna said.

Architect Carlos Ott designed the 8,500-square-foot sales office, which will feature a full-size kitchen and bath similar to those that will be built in the units at the project. It will contain lots of glass and will mimic somewhat the details of the architecture of the condominium building, at which units will sell at prices ranging from the $650,000s to more than $11 million.

Developer sales offices have come a long way over the past few years, said Arturo Belkind, president of Salini Design in North Miami, an architect who has been designing and building sales offices in South Florida for 23 years.

In the past, developers would spend about $25,000 to set up temporary sales offices in trailers or small rooms, filled with just pictures and floor plans, he said. Now, however, sales centers are lavish, to sell potential buyers on the lifestyle they too can have if they purchase a unit.

"The competition is very tough right now," he said. "And with apartments so expensive, developers are trying to create confidence in the buyers that the building will be built."

Despite all the news reports about the booming condominium market, the long lines of buyers champing at the bit to buy in and the quick sellouts, developers say that elaborate sales centers are necessary to sell units.

"Buyers buy sight unseen," Defortuna said. "Our commitment is to try to show them the quality they will receive once the building is up, and the sales experience -- even if the building is sold out quickly -- continues during the duration of construction."

Defortuna said he doesn't consider a unit sold just because a buyer signs a contract and plunks down a deposit; to him, the unit is sold when the closing takes place two years down the line.

"You need to keep the interest of the buyer all throughout that period," he said. "To some people, it might be a waste of money, but I would certainly spend 1 percent of the cost of the overall project to show people what the building is all about."

The Jade Ocean sales office will open in September, and will be torn down to make way for construction about 18 months later, Defortuna said, as is generally the practice with onsite sales offices.

Other developers are building extravagant sales offices as well. Miami-based The Related Group of Florida Inc. is building Apogee, a 67-unit project on South Beach where units range from $4 million to $15 million. Related spent more than $1.5 million to create what it calls a "living space sales center" that gives buyers a preview of the lifestyle they can have if they purchase a unit there.

The sales center has an actual kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, living room and dining room and features details such as a sunken tub and gas cooking, said Joyce Bronson, Related's senior vice president.

Related even built an 11-foot-wide balcony on the sales center so that buyers can get a feel for life at Apogee. "Our sales center takes a static floor plan and makes it come to life," Bronson said, adding that the developer has held dinner parties in the sales office so buyers can attend with their friends to give them a taste of what life will be like there.

"Buyers are more sophisticated and want to see more before they make purchasing decisions," she said. "There's just no way you're going to be competitive unless you can portray what makes your building special."

does anyone have a picture of it????

I drove by it a few weeks ago and it looked like it still had a long ways to go. It did have that fin thing on top of it like the condo tower has. Pretty cool.

These are just renderings...but pretty nice. It's amazing how Ott could improve on Jade Beach, but here it is. Notice that it is all glass and stainless steel. Every apartment has an Ocean view...and all but a few 1 bedrooms have private elevator entrances.
http://www.restainer.com/jadeocean/r_JadeOcean_day.jpg
This I've never seen or heard of in my life...the valet drop off is on the ocean side under the pool! See how the cars drive into the building on the south and north sides of the structure and then circle around to front again...amazing.
http://www.restainer.com/jadeocean/r_JadeOcean_night.jpg
The swimming pool flows from the front side of the building to the back, allowing you to swim and tan in the Florida sun all day long no matter where the sun is positioned in the sky. The pool flows through the lobby and creates a cascading waterfall the flows down to the street level.
http://www.restainer.com/jadeocean/r_JadeOcean_entrance.jpg
You can see the valet and pool a bit better from this overhead view. Glass ceilings??? Not sure, but it looks like it!!
http://www.restainer.com/jadeocean/r_JadeOcean_overhead.jpg

that is a beautiful rendering. this might become miami's finest scraper.

wow, that's quite the opulent building. love the glass & steel facade, not totally sold on the design yet, though. & i really wanna know if those are, in fact, glass ceilings. that would be something.

anyone else think that the roof looks like a two-sided sydney opera house? not that that's a good or bad thing. just an observation.

wonder what the units in this baby are gonna cost?

Just eyeballing it, it looks to be about, oh, 551 ft. tall. :)

wow, that's quite the opulent building. love the glass & steel facade, not totally sold on the design yet, though. & i really wanna know if those are, in fact, glass ceilings. that would be something.

anyone else think that the roof looks like a two-sided sydney opera house? not that that's a good or bad thing. just an observation.

wonder what the units in this baby are gonna cost?

My guess is a one bedroom will probably run around $750k. Just a guess. I like that third pic and the placing of the 'Roark' logo, makes it look like its really supposed to be there and the name of the tower is "Roark Tower".

i really wanna know if those are, in fact, glass ceilings. that would be something
Well, to be blunt...it's a rendering, and it is, in fact, made of pixels. :)

When the MBDRB saw the renderings of Bently Bay, they thought that the western facade was glass (info direct from a board member), as we all know, the western facade is grey concrete.

The best way to know if the completed building will have glass ornamentation or glass ceilings would be to go inside when it's done!
If I were a betting man, I'll bet that if an architect is crazy enough to put the valet on the ocean side, he's crazy enough to put glass on top! CO is still the man!
wonder what the units in this baby are gonna cost?
One bedrooms are about $915,000
A two bedroom on the 39th floor just sold for $1,590,000.

Well, to be blunt...it's a rendering, and it is, in fact, made of pixels. :)

*cough(bastard)cough* :wink2:

The best way to know if the completed building will have glass ornamentation or glass ceilings would be to go inside when it's done!

see above comment

One bedrooms are about $915,000
A two bedroom on the 39th floor just sold for $1,590,000.

wow, just wow. i know it's a hell of a view, but...wow. this is one building i'd like to check out when it's completed. so posh. & i don't really get into posh.

Roark, has this building broken $1000 per square foot? I don't know of any condo developments breaking that outside of South Beach.

I think that it will be very close to that by the time that they open...for now, it seems to be in the 800's per square.
If you look at the amenities/construction/architecture, this building is leaps and bounds ahead of other buildings in Sunny Isles. It will likely be a revered and important building 25 years from now.
I think that you are right, apart from maybe the Four Seasons, there aren't any $1,000 per sq ft outside of south beach. Sometimes, small apartments that are sold fully furnished hit that number, but not often.
Another interesting note: The Jade Ocean will only be sold to end users (or at least, there will not be a resale program).

whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaa,sweeeet building, i must say roark wasn't lying when he said this building would be great

Roark is like Mr. Roark "welcome to fantasy island", the island being Sunny Isles and the fantasy being Jade Ocean.

Well, here is the answer to the question, are those pieces of glass on the top ceilings. No.
they are ornamental effects that are 3 stories tall of curved curtain wall that covers all the mechanical, elevator shafts, etc.

Here is a little treat for Carlos Ott fans. The decor is just like my apartment!! Uncanny!

Burj Al Arab (http://www.restainer.com/burjalarab.pps) I'm sur it will take a few beats to load up. It's a 1Mb PowerPoint.

i got the new ocean drive today, pretty cool new tower i heard of, only around 30 stories "only" but pretty cool looking, called Davinci on the ocean.

of course theres all the trump tower ads,

ok Roark those people have to be color blind ;-)

I haven't heard much about this building but it's called Regalia. The floorplan looks spectacular and unique. Each floor is its own unit with 360 degree views.

http://www.miamirealestatetrends.com/Pages/RegaliaSunnyIsles.aspx

Logybogy :) , Good news, I was also out there last wek, Fantasy on the Ocean Condo tower at the southern end of Sunny Isles beach Has abandon its Property and the sales trailer is Gone and all the signs are gone, and the site cleared completely. :cheers:
Logybogy :) , pleaae try to meet me aT THE FRONT OF THE FOUR SEASONS HOTEL AND TOWER ON BRICKELL AVE , TOMORROW FROM NOON TO 3PM, I'll be in a golden brown 4 door Ford Expedition, with bottled water and chips, with a greenish yellow sign with " S.S.C. member " on it, with " Chuck Here " on the back.

I haven't heard much about this building but it's called Regalia. The floorplan looks spectacular and unique. Each floor is its own unit with 360 degree views.

http://www.miamirealestatetrends.com/Pages/RegaliaSunnyIsles.aspx

Speaking of which does anyone know what ever became of this? I know the Golden Beach sued Sunny Isles Beach over the approval of this building. It will sit right on the border of Sunny Isles and Golden Beach and be next door to a single family home on the Golden Beach side of the border.

hope it gets built, nice and tall

that is a beautiful rendering. this might become miami's finest scraper.
TRUE JZ :wave: , my friend :okay: Now I know why they are almost finished building a huge two story Sales Center in front of this Jade Ocean Condo Tower, its the Most Beautiful Tower on the Beach. :carrot: :banana2: :cucumber: :applause:

P.S. Anyone :) ,where is this other REGALIA tower going up at, I :| have no clue, any address, I searched all over on Sunny Isles Beach ???

Also, Jade Beach is almost completed on its Foundation, its really getting built !!! :cheers:

Regalia is the very last (most northern) parcel on the ocean before you hit the single family mansions of Golden Beach. I doubt they have done anything since its been stuck in litigation for a while.

ok i finally drove by sunny isles today,

i was really impressed by how trump royale turned out it looks great,also the jade sales office is intriguing(it looked like if it was falling towards collins)the turnberry project is topped off and i really like that 550ft building with the all the detail on the facade i,i forgot its name.

ok i finally drove by sunny isles today,

i was really impressed by how trump royale turned out it looks great,also the jade sales office is intriguing(it looked like if it was falling towards collins)the turnberry project is topped off and i really like that 550ft building with the all the detail on the facade i,i forgot its name.
No Problem Mad Uptown Hatter :) , its the Aqualina Tower, its a beauty, and still the residents are not moving in as of yet. Also Its the Trump Palace that you were impressed about, The Trump Royale is still getting its Foundation put in, but will be completed by the end of 2007 as its twin tower facing each other with a huge entrance into the both towers at 551 feet. :cheers:

:| Did you also notice how fast LaPerla Condo tower is going up at 163 street and collins, Also OCEAN 4 is going up fast , too. Sayon on the Ocean has gone vertical with a blue construction crane, and Jade Beach 1 condo has just started its foundation. :cheers:

News broke a couple of weeks ago of Key International's purchase of the Eden Roc on Miami Beach...The Ivy has broken ground on the Miami River, and now the latest...

Marina To Go Condo With $23M Sale
By Marita Thomas
Last updated: August 17, 2005 01:47pm

SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FL-The Sunny Isles Beach Marina has been sold for $23 million to Urbis & Key International and Sunny Marina LLC, whose principals are from Spain and have recently invested in properties in Miami. The marina, at 400 Sunny Isle Blvd., is located on 2.5 acres with 640 feet of frontage on the Intracoastal Waterway, and the sale also includes 70,000 sf of submerged land.

The sellers are Fort Apache Marina LLC and Alfred R. Chouinard II. According to public records, Chouinard acquired the property for $7.3 million in July 2002, which indicates a gain of $15.7 million on the asset in just more than three years.

Bard Brenner of Miami-based Sam Brenner Inc. brokered the sale. He tells GlobeSt.com the new owners plan to develop the property into a condominium of more than 200 units. “Sunny Isles has just been rezoned,” he says, “and this is in an area that is now called `town center’ and allows for mixed-use development. Currently, zoning allows for 75 residential units per acre with a 14-story height limit.”

However, there are transfer development rights in which portions of a property can be donated to the city in exchange for variances, according to Brenner. The marina property now contains two buildings along with a dry storage area and is still in operation. “Plans for the new development have not been submitted yet,” he says, “so the 100%-final plan for the property is downstream. There are big potential variables, and, based on my discussions with the owners, development won’t begin for at least a year.”

Wow ROARK :| :colgate: , great update, IVY Condo tower will be great, now waiting for the WIND condo tower to break ground . this will also be nice and I heard both towers are already 60 % sold out. are we in the wrong thread :soapbox: , LOL, I kill me :guns1: .

Wow ROARK, great update, IVY Condo tower will be great, now waiting for the WIND condo tower to break ground . this will also be nice and I heard both towers are already 60 % sold out. are we in the wrong thread .Yeah...wrong thread...so I won't write that Ivy is way sold out, so is Wind...I'll announce the next tower in the proper forum next week or so...the fourth tower will be announced at the beginning of the year.

woohoo another great revuelta building is going to be released im so excited,that i just can't hide it.....!!!!!

woohoo another great revuelta building is going to be released im so excited,that i just can't hide it.....!!!!!

I'm about to lose control and I think I like it !

Oh-oh-oh !

Some renderings of Jade Beach I came across:

http://www.digitart3d.com/Media/Images_New/J_East.jpg

http://www.digitart3d.com/Media/Images_New/J_West.jpg

http://www.digitart3d.com/Media/Images_New/J_Waterfall.jpg

Solid:)

hot.

Notice the pool in Jade Ocean...when the sun crosses the building at high noon, you simply swim through the lobby to the westside for the afternoon son. I like this Ott fella....
http://www.restainer.com/skyscrapers/JadeOcean_JadeBeach_night_web.jpg

:tyty:
well ROARK :bowtie: , since you own these two towers :hm: , you can build and do whatever you please, lol. :rofl: :jk:

well ROARK, since you own these two towers :hm: , you can build and do whatever you please, lol:jk:don't own the towers...but would like to disuade knuckheads
fRom eXtracting
the photos from posts and sending them all over before their time...so I throw the silly logo there.
Hopefully, the point was taken long ago...but I doubt it.

And by the way...if I were to concieve what would go on these two sites...these two sites would never be as spectactular!!!! I don't have that kind of creative genius in me.
That is why I like sit back, shut up, and let individuals do there very best! I have a lot of faith in people.
Sometimes you get the Club at Brickell, and sometimes you get Jade Ocean...but I'm not the one to knock anyone down who is trying their best to do something good...we should all encourage that...methinks. :cheers:

ever the idealist roark... just theres far to many club at brickells and far to few jade oceans for me to have faith in the average architect... just the pessimist in me

but then again... if i were to ever build anything, it would b a hell of alot uglier than club at brickell (is it possible?! it cant be! but it is!)

so all the shit i give revuelta, hes better at it than me

Sunny Isles Mayoral Canididate wants a 4-year (yes YEAR) building moratorium!!!

http://www.miamisunpost.com/ninethstoryfrontpage.htm

Cohen, who is president of the Winston Towers 700 Association and owner of US America Tile and other tile flooring companies, is calling for a moratorium on new construction “for the minimum of the next four years to determine how further building in Sunny Isles Beach will affect our quality of life.”

“I don’t see a benefit of a four-year moratorium; it’s not feasible,” said Mayor Norman Edelcup. “Almost everything on the east side of Collins Avenue has been built or approved.”

Said local zoning attorney Stan Price, “I think it’s a wonderful idea – if he has the money to pay for the damages. There is no moratorium in the United States that is four years in duration. The limit is usually six to nine months, and there’s a good reason for that: to conduct a planning study. In a moratorium, there are issues of vested rights, property rights and attorney fees to defend the city. I don’t know if he (Cohen) has analyzed these issues.”

Added zoning attorney Cliff Schulman: “I think it would be devastating to the economic well-being of the city, and I believe it would be unconstitutional. It would discourage development that adds to the tax base. The courts have said that a moratorium must be for a reasonable period of time, and most have been limited to six months. Any longer than that and it would constitute a taking for which local government could be required to compensate property owners for infringing on their property rights.”

Cohen said the moratorium would allow all previously approved projects to go forward in the city while the moratorium is in place. He said he chose four years as the duration for a proposed moratorium because many projects take four years from approval to completion. Cohen said that approved projects will eventually house an additional 10,000 city residents, and that city officials need to gauge the impact of those pending projects. “If we do a moratorium for four years, then once all the units are occupied we would make a decision” on whether land-use regulations need to be modified to manage growth in the city, he said.

what an idiot.

^i was about to type that same exact thing jz, u took the words outta my mouth.

anyways,

what an idiot.

If I could, I'd put a moratorium on operations at Opa Locka Airport for four years, so that they would lift the height restrictions in Sunny Isles, allow the approval of about 5 or so 70+ story highrises, and then reopen the airport after those new buildings are grandfathered in.

Why the hell cant planes go around the larger built up areas and come in from the west? Its not like there are skyscrapers poping up in Miami Lakes or anywhere in NW Miami Dade to block there flight path.

lol i like jz's idea

I hadn't seen this one before:

Da Vinci in Sunny Isles. Wow what a nice looking building. I wonder where it will be? Could you imagine this next to Jade Ocean?

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/02-09-05%20DaVinci1.jpg

i remember hearing miaballinboi talking about it awhile back,

I like the design...sunny isles just keeps trucking along.

^it must have been in one of those issues of "ocean drive" and had an ad in it, nice addition to the dense sunny isles!

Here's another pretty picture. They've been advertising in the Herald for a while but I don't think they've ever been posted in here.

Marina Grande in North Miami Beach, just south of Aventura. 2 24-story towers.
http://specialsections.miami.com/imagehandler/ss-ad/410782

Da Vinci in Sunny Isles. Wow what a nice looking building. I wonder where it will be? Could you imagine this next to Jade Ocean?
http://www.kobikarp.com/images/02-09-05%20DaVinci1.jpgThat rendering makes it sort of look like a cheap imitation of Jade Ocean. Jade Ocean is on 300 ft of ocean and parallel to it, DiVinci looks like it's perpendicular to the ocean.
If it were next to Jade Ocean...at least all the residents on the south side (guessing 6 apartments out of 14 per floor)would have unobstructed views of the Jade Ocean!!!!

:) :) Some renderings of Jade Beach I came across:

http://www.digitart3d.com/Media/Images_New/J_East.jpg

http://www.digitart3d.com/Media/Images_New/J_West.jpg

http://www.digitart3d.com/Media/Images_New/J_Waterfall.jpg

Dave :) and Everyone :) , This is the ONE that's on the Rise now,
I'm Serious, I just drove by there Friday, 10/07/05, Jade Beach is going Vertical with two huge :runaway: , I mean 2 Huge Blue Tower construction Cranes completed and spinning at the site, :cheers: now, please take pictures anyone and post them here, you got to see this for yourself, also the Trump Royale is at its almost completed foundation of its 55 floor tower. To be completed in late , 2007 at the sales center there. :cheers:

I'm so excited :grouphug: Everyone, I had to repeat this again, :okay: ., LOL :cool: , Its happening, the Best is yet to come,. The Sole on the beach is rising,. the Sayan on the beach :lol: is rising,. LaPerla m)) is half way up and has 26 floor more to go,.,. , Ocean 4 tower :cool: is almost half way and has 27 more floors to go,. lol, Wow, this motel row beach of the 60's is now a Huge wall of Condo towers ever rising higher every year. :applause:

^^already?? cool!!

r u sure it wasn't the mammoth sales center?

Its been an interesting day at the Trump site I imagine:

http://www.nbc6.net/news/5083403/detail.html

SUNNY ISLES BEACH, Fla. -- Three workers were rescued after a scaffold on which they were working collapsed on the upper floors of Donald Trump's newest building on Miami Beach Tuesday morning.

Officials said the three painters on the scaffold when the right side collapsed. They said either the supporting motor or the cable gave way.

All three workers were wearing safety harnesses. Firefighters arrived at the scene and pulled them to safety through one of the building's windows.

The workers were treated at the scene and are expected to be OK.

http://images.ibsys.com/2005/1011/5083476_400X300.jpg

http://images.ibsys.com/2005/1011/5084347_400X300.jpg

http://images.ibsys.com/2005/1011/5083480_400X300.jpg

http://images.ibsys.com/2005/1011/5083487_400X300.jpg

woah, glad those guys are alright. it's gotta freak you out pretty bad when you're biggest job hazard actually happens.

on the up-side, though, the tower looks great. one of my faves for all of the beaches.

^^already?? cool!!

r u sure it wasn't the mammoth sales center?

Street :) , my friend, the Mammoth three floor sales center is where Jade Ocean is to rise, the sales center will be for both towers, Jade Beach is next the property to the south of Jade Ocean, the two huge tower construction cranes are my proof of Jade Beach rising. I don't have a digital camera , but need someone else to take the pictures of the huge Jade Beach tower cranes. :cheers:

Street :) , my friend, the Mammoth three floor sales center is where Jade Ocean is to rise, the sales center will be for both towers, Jade Beach is next the property to the south of Jade Ocean, the two huge tower construction cranes are my proof of Jade Beach rising. I don't have a digital camera , but need someone else to take the pictures of the huge Jade Beach tower cranes. :cheers:

oh ok...I believe ya!:) thanks!

St. Tropez on the Bay located on the south side of Sunny Isles Beach Blvd (163rd St). A nice improvement to that area which now houses strip clubs and dive shops.

http://www.hansenhomesaventura.com/blogmiamirealestate/archives/St%20Tropez%20Sunny%20Isles.jpg

Developers to Propose Two New Condo Towers in Sunny Isles Beach
By Randy Abraham
Contributing Writer

On Thursday, November 17, the Sunny Isles Beach City Commission will hear two requests for site plan approval for high-rise condo projects and related requests to purchase transfers of development rights (TDRs).
Also on the agenda, the waiving of building permit fees for homeowners on home repairs for six months after Hurricane Wilma, accepting the results of last week’s City Commission election, selecting a project manager to oversee construction of the 181st Drive Active Park, and requiring homeowner associations to provide the Police Department with access codes to mechanical entry points at multifamily complexes so they can enter in an emergency.

The meeting takes place at 7:30 p.m. at the Government Center at 18070 Collins Ave.

Mansiana Ocean Residences LLC is proposing a 51-story high-rise tower comprising condo units and hotel rooms on a 1.31-acre site at 15701 Collins Ave. The top 29 floors of the proposed tower would contain 136 luxury condos, with the lower levels devoted to 140 hotel rooms, said zoning attorney Jeff Perlow.

http://www.miamisunpost.com/ninethstoryfrontpage.htm

Developers to Propose Two New Condo Towers in Sunny Isles Beach
By Randy Abraham
Contributing Writer

On Thursday, November 17, the Sunny Isles Beach City Commission will hear two requests for site plan approval for high-rise condo projects and related requests to purchase transfers of development rights (TDRs).
Also on the agenda, the waiving of building permit fees for homeowners on home repairs for six months after Hurricane Wilma, accepting the results of last week’s City Commission election, selecting a project manager to oversee construction of the 181st Drive Active Park, and requiring homeowner associations to provide the Police Department with access codes to mechanical entry points at multifamily complexes so they can enter in an emergency.

The meeting takes place at 7:30 p.m. at the Government Center at 18070 Collins Ave.

Mansiana Ocean Residences LLC is proposing a 51-story high-rise tower comprising condo units and hotel rooms on a 1.31-acre site at 15701 Collins Ave. The top 29 floors of the proposed tower would contain 136 luxury condos, with the lower levels devoted to 140 hotel rooms, said zoning attorney Jeff Perlow.

http://www.miamisunpost.com/ninethstoryfrontpage.htm

Mansiana will be replacing Fantasy of the Ocean I guess. I had wondered what that "Mansiana" project on the Kobi Karp website was. Here's the rendering:

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/Mansiana1.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/Mansiana2.jpg

Wow...that's really hott...Sunny Isles' making moves!!

http://www.miamisunpost.com/ninethstoryfrontpage.htm

Mansiana (to be called Aja) was approved but one of the best looking projects in recent years IMO Da Vinci was denied by the Sunny Isles Commission due to its not providing enough parking.

one of the best looking projects in recent years IMO Da Vinci was denied by the Sunny Isles Commission due to its not providing enough parking.Really...don't you think that the DaVinci looks like a Jade Ocean Lite? Except for DaVinci is perpendicular to the ocean instead of parallel to the ocean like Jade Ocean.

Dave :) , ROARK :) , STREEEEET :) , and Mileageman :) , the 54 Floor La Perla condo tower has less parking spaces than the 27 Floor Da Vinci tower, the commissioners were not paid enough by the Da Vinci developers, lol. :cheers:

Really...don't you think that the DaVinci looks like a Jade Ocean Lite? Except for DaVinci is perpendicular to the ocean instead of parallel to the ocean like Jade Ocean.

Thats why I said "one of" rather than "the best". Its not on the level of Jade Ocean or any of the top teir projects. But for a smaller scale project (~25 stories) I haven't seen many better designs. Of course that is based on only one rendering.

Really...don't you think that the DaVinci looks like a Jade Ocean Lite? Except for DaVinci is perpendicular to the ocean instead of parallel to the ocean like Jade Ocean.

Roark, why are buildings on your Jade site in Sunny Isles going up in flames?

http://www.miaminewtimes.com/Issues/2005-11-17/news/bitch.html

Deconstructing Construction

Sometimes The Bitch receives press releases so absurd that printing them verbatim is more effective in demonstrating their utter banality than any commentary she could muster. Perhaps only through this metasarcasm can she forgive the offensive puns, the gratuitous use of intercourse-related vocabulary, and, most of all, the numbskulls who are seduced by such verbal plumage into buying a bidet-adorned unit in a glassy phallus — and thinking themselves clever or important in living there and/or flipping the property to other nimrods.

A good example is a piece of promotional literature emanating from the unbuilt development Jade Ocean. The 51-story Sunny Isles high-rise, whose digitally rendered crown is reminiscent of the rigid double curves of contractured breast implants, promotes what is called "an intelligent home environment," boosted with a "new technology-integrated system" including "personal identity fingerprint access in elevators" and a "technogym."

Perhaps Gattaca wasn't appealing enough to potential buyers — Fortune International Realty needed to add "a new dimension," one that goes "beyond sweeping views from sexy oceanfront towers" to "a designer fragrance to match the lifestyle."

"Buyers at Jade Ocean, Fortune's most highly anticipated property in Sunny Isles Beach" receive "Eau de Jade, Armani's latest demonstration of its fashion 'scents.'" Har har! Get it? "Fashion scents?"

Eau de Jade "bottles the elegance and sophistication of Jade Ocean for residents to experience before their condos are even built." No joke. (Indeed, confirms Natalie Bedoya of Zakarin Public Relations in Coral Gables — part of the condo's PR army — "Truth be told, no buyers have received the gift yet, as they will be getting it when they receive their condo docs, which are going out early next week."

In other words, as The Bitch understands it, after "being gifted an opulent custom package" with the "subtle aromas of Calabrian Bergamot and Bourbon Vanilla," she may be physically in the doghouse and financially in the poorhouse. But spiritually she'll be in the technogym, running to nowhere.

The critic is aptly named I would say.

I heard about the fire Mileage, but methinks that was on the lot to the north, no? The Jade Beach and Jade Ocean sites are clear except for the constructioin of the $4 gizzzillion sales center.

:) She really got upset about that one didn't she Dale...I'll bet she has something personal with the PR company, but you didn't hear it from me!!

I've seen the package with the l'eau de Jade...it is pretty incredible. It also includes a membership to Quintessentially Conceirge services of London. I guess people that spend $1.5M for a two bedroom apt in Sunny Isles like to have gifts that are above and beyond their expections!!! The fitness center is pretty nice...you have a personal "key". When ever you move from one machine to another, you put your finger on the fingerprint reader and it remembers your workouts. Every machine knows what you are doing, no adjustments necessary. I think that is worth paying for.

If the Bitch really wanted to get cynical...she should have commented on the brochure that shows a dame in a fur exit her Rolls Royce with her baby pet tigers!!! I'm not kidding.

Did the Ocean Palms Motel sell out to developers yet?

I was passing by the Sunny Isles area for the first time in a while today and that Turnberry Ocean Colony is absolutely unrecognizable from the renderings that were put out.

in a good way or a bad way

The thing is that all the renderings I saw show it from the Ocean angle. From that side the renderings show it as mostly blue-green glass with just a little bit of white. When viewed from the land side in real life, i'd say at almost 50% of the facade is white, plus the glass isn't green. They probably just illustrated it that way in the rendering to show it was reflecting the water and the sky. I haven't seen what it actually looks like from the ocean side. I probably just shouldn't have jumped to the conclusion that the front would look alot like the back. When I was going over the bridge from North Miami to Bal Harbour it actually took me a few seconds to figure out what it was. By the way the Sunny Isles skyline looks pretty impressive these days from that view.

The rendering:
http://www.turnberryocean-colony.com/images/toc_aerial.jpg

yea i get what you mean,i haven't seen them since being completed i did see them during construction....but since it was by turnberry i really wasn't intrested,just look at all the ugly buildings done by them in aventura/

Did the Ocean Palms Motel sell out to developers yet?

Mr Sunny Isles :) , No, not yet, in fact, its staying open all winter-spring 2006, and not closing at all, according to the lobby personnel. that motel is going to be wedged between the Trump Towers and the new 15701 collins ave. " AJA " 51 floor condo tower. :cheers:

The thing is that all the renderings I saw show it from the Ocean angle. From that side the renderings show it as mostly blue-green glass with just a little bit of white. When viewed from the land side in real life, i'd say at almost 50% of the facade is white, plus the glass isn't green. They probably just illustrated it that way in the rendering to show it was reflecting the water and the sky. I haven't seen what it actually looks like from the ocean side. I probably just shouldn't have jumped to the conclusion that the front would look alot like the back. When I was going over the bridge from North Miami to Bal Harbour it actually took me a few seconds to figure out what it was. By the way the Sunny Isles skyline looks pretty impressive these days from that view.

The rendering:
http://www.turnberryocean-colony.com/images/toc_aerial.jpg

the bentley bay of sunny isles....

Trump Towers 1 and 2 on 158th to 160th St. are completely sold out. Trump 3 is about 99% sold out. 2 BR on low floor priced @ 1.57 million. Not too shabby. The south side of Sunny Isles will be far superior than central and the northern side of SIB in my opinion.

A closer look at the retail portion of St. Tropez

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/StTropeznight.jpg

^^ I like that. low rise architecture is going to be really important for Sunny Isles with all these new skyscrapers going up.

The thing is that all the renderings I saw show it from the Ocean angle. From that side the renderings show it as mostly blue-green glass with just a little bit of white. When viewed from the land side in real life, i'd say at almost 50% of the facade is white, plus the glass isn't green.That situation happens all the time. Some people have posted that Reveulta's buildings are all concrete. That isn't close to the truth. Maybe when viewing it from the land side and on the street looking up it appears that way.
The Jade is oriented to optimize the bay/Key Biscayne/South Beach/Port Views. If you view the building from the bay, you can see that it is almost all glass. Further, if you could look at it, not from streeet level looking up (which gives a great view of the bottom of the balconies), but from about 150 ft elevation or so...you can see that Jade is still mostly glass even on the "back side". Not sure if that is the case 100% of the Colony...but definitely for the Jade. As for the Bently Bay, from any angle, that East side is a big blank wall!!

Just unvailed a couple of days ago, the Jade Beach scale model (in the 1300 Brickell Ave Fortune Office). Notice the size of the worker guy putting the finishing touches on the model kitchen...he's about 6 ft. The model is about 9 ft and sitting on a 3.5ft pedestal.
http://www.restainer.com/skyscrapers/jadebeach_scalemodel.jpg
The detail of this model is the best that I've ever seen....these photos were taken the day they took the dust cover off.
http://www.restainer.com/skyscrapers/jadebeach_scalemodel2.jpg

:cheer: :laugh:

ROARK :bowtie: , my friend, so your saying this is the " Jade Beach " condo tower model in the Brickell sales center, and the " Jade Ocean " condo tower Model will be :soon: in the new 3 floor Sunny Isles Beach Sales center. Sounds Great !!! :banana: :applause: :pepper:

p.s. I still say ROARK has to be in charge of these beach towers, lol. :jk:

That situation happens all the time. Some people have posted that Reveulta's buildings are all concrete. That isn't close to the truth. Maybe when viewing it from the land side and on the street looking up it appears that way.
The Jade is oriented to optimize the bay/Key Biscayne/South Beach/Port Views. If you view the building from the bay, you can see that it is almost all glass. Further, if you could look at it, not from streeet level looking up (which gives a great view of the bottom of the balconies), but from about 150 ft elevation or so...you can see that Jade is still mostly glass even on the "back side". Not sure if that is the case 100% of the Colony...but definitely for the Jade. As for the Bently Bay, from any angle, that East side is a big blank wall!!

Someone really needs to explain to there architects that these buildings are meant to be looked at from the outside by a small portion of the population that cares about these things, not lived in.

http://www.miamisunpost.com/fifthststoryfrontpage.htm

City to Discuss Park Land
Incentives for Developers
Overlay Zoning District to Be Discussed at Workshop

“They want some extra building height and I want a road that cuts through.”—Sunny Isles Beach Mayor Norman Edelcup

By Randy Abraham
Contributing Writer

Before its regularly scheduled 7:30 p.m. meeting on Thursday, December 8, the Sunny Isles Beach City Commission will hold a 5:30 p.m. workshop to discuss a proposal for a cultural and educational zoning overlay district.
The purpose of the proposed overlay district is to promote cultural, educational, government, residential and business uses in the northeast portion of Sunny Isles Beach. The overlay is also intended to improve pedestrian and vehicular access by encouraging property owners to dedicate land for a public right-of-way that would extend North Bay Road so that it connects 183rd Street to 185th Street. The incentive would include allowing a developer to exceed the area’s 190-foot building height limit by 75 feet, to a maximum of 265 feet, but would not allow increasing residential density.

Mayor Norman Edelcup said city officials have been approached by representatives of development firm Stiles Corp., which is exploring redeveloping the current Publix grocery store at 183rd Street and Collins Avenue into a project that includes condos and possibly a new Publix.

Edelcup’s proposal would give the developer the right to add an additional 1.5 feet of building height for every one-foot width of right-of-way it dedicates for a public road.

“They want some extra building height and I want a road that cuts through,” said Edelcup. “Hopefully we’ll reach a compromise.”

Afterward, at their regular meeting, the mayor and commissioners will hear a proposal by Edelcup designed to encourage property owners to donate land for city parks. Based on incentives approved two years ago to promote donations of park land in the Town Center district, Edelcup wants to offer property owners citywide a maximum density of 80 dwelling units an acre as well as a Public Land Enhancement Bonus, which provides a Floor Area Ratio of 3.75.

“The Town Center Park has been well received by the city,” said Edelcup in a memo to fellow commissioners, “therefore I am proposing an amendment to the TDR (transfer of development rights) ordinance that will provide incentives to property owners abutting Collins Avenue to convert these properties to park.” The Town Center Park, which opened in October, was made possible by a donation of three acres of land on the west side of Collins Avenue just north of 172nd Street.

Two years ago, city officials enacted the TDR ordinance to provide incentives to property owners considering donating their vacant land for city public parks. The TDR ordinance allows property owners to give their land while transferring the parcel’s development rights to another property. The TDR system would allow a developer to build up to 30 percent more than what is otherwise permitted on a receiver site. The ordinance was enacted when the city was seeking to redevelop the oceanfront strip of older hotels and motels with modern high-rises.

Edelcup also requested a discussion on development of a pedestrian bridge at 172nd Street that would enable students of the public school planned for the area to walk to school without traveling on busy Collins Avenue. He said the bridge, coupled with an extended North Bay Road, would also connect interior streets and provide an alternative to traveling on Collins Avenue.

City officials will also deliberate on a revised application by developers Mully SB LLC, which is requesting TDRs and permission to provide 100 percent tandem parking, often used by valet parkers, except for required handicap parking. City code currently requires that only 20 percent of parking be tandem. The parking variance would allow for the development of a 27-story condo tower with 69 dwelling units on a 102–foot-wide lot at 17141 Collins, former site of the burned- down Desert Inn.

Mully SB LLC also wants to purchase TDRs worth 42,368 square feet of development rights and two dwelling units for the project, to be called the Da Vinci.

Cliff Schulman, representing the developers, noted in a memo to city officials, “Due to the narrow shape of the property and the (January 1, 2005) requirement of the Fire Prevention Code to provide for a second staging area along the north or south of the property it becomes necessary to use 100 percent tandem parking.”

Schulman claimed the county requirement for multiple staging areas for life-saving operations does not provide for variations, and he noted the developers would provide 24-hour valet parking to supplement the tandem parking arrangement. Schulman also noted both the Sole and Meridien high-rise projects feature 100 percent tandem parking and that when the applicant acquired the property the city had not yet reduced the maximum amount of tandem parking from 100 to 20 percent.

At last month’s hearing, Da Vinci representatives had also requested the city waive the requirement of a 15-foot-wide beach access easement. City officials balked at that request and granted the applicant a continuance. At the time, project architect Kobi Karp said he might be able to make room for the beach access by reconfiguring the lobby area.

The property is zoned for 50 units an acre, but the applicant wants to go up to 80.8 units an acre by purchasing TDRs and boosting the FAR by paying $776,230 into city accounts. Based on an appraisal that puts the property’s value at $13.2 million, the TDRs requested would cost the applicant $3,959,713; a 10 percent deposit would be required within three business days of the city’s acceptance of the TDR transaction.

In other business, city officials will discuss a proposal to construct a public restroom facility at Town Center Park.

The 7:30 p.m. City Commission meeting and the 5:30 p.m. workshop discussion on the proposed zoning overlay district will be held Thursday, December 8 in the first-floor Commission Chambers at the city Government Center located at 18070 Collins Ave.

Rendering of DaVinci with Ocean4 and Jade Ocean included from Kobi Karp site:

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/NewDaVinci4.jpg

sweet! pack 'em in!:)

Posted on Thu, Dec. 15, 2005
SUNNY ISLES BEACHPedestrian bridge OK'd amid protestsThe Sunny Isles Beach Commission has decided to move forward with plans to build a pedestrian bridge south of Winston Towers. Residents of Winston Towers expressed concern the bridge would eventually be opened to full-time car traffic.BY BEN TORTERbtorter@herald.comThe Sunny Isles Beach Commission met with opposition from residents of Winston Towers over plans to build a bridge that residents fear would eventually be opened to full-time car traffic.
Led by Sunny Isles Beach Citizens Coalition President Henry Kay, about 20 Winston Towers residents heckled the commission until Sunny Isles Beach Mayor Norman Edelcup threatened to have them removed from the commission meeting Thursday.
''There is no doubt in anybody's mind that if there is a vehicular bridge that Winston Towers will become a through street with hundreds and hundreds of vehicles with immense traffic,'' Kay said.
After listening to the objections, the commission decided the bridge was necessary and will move forward with making it a reality.
The commission said the bridge -- which will connect North Bay Road over the canal between 172nd and 174th streets -- will be used for foot and bicycle traffic and opened to vehicles only during emergencies when Collins Avenue is impassible.
The commission sited a Nov. 23 fire at the former Desert Inn Club One at 17141 Collins Ave., which shut down the northbound lanes of Collins Avenue for eight hours, as a reason they need the bridge.
The majority of the time the bridge would serve as a way for children to walk or ride their bikes to the future K-8 school -- expected to be open in two or three years -- without having to travel on busy Collins Avenue. It would also be a way for residents to get into the Town Center park without using Collins Avenue, commissioners told residents.
Edelcup explained that the bridge would be closed to traffic by a gate, and the keys would be kept by the police and fire departments.
The mayor asked objectors to take into account their fellow residents' safety.
''You can't take someone's life away because you feel you don't want to have a vehicle come down that street,'' Edelcup said.
``Do you want someone's life on your hands?''
Commissioner Lewis Thaler said the bridge could never become a full-time road because it would be about 12 feet wide, allowing only one vehicle in one direction to pass at one time.
Despite the protest, the commission decided to move forward with research into what it will take to get the bridge built.
''Sometimes you have to do the unpopular thing to keep people alive,'' Edelcup said. The commission expects it will be at least two to three years before the bridge can be built because of necessary permitting.

Sunny Isles puts out a development report as well. It lists the properties from North to South. Gotta love that stretch of talls that is going up on property #17 through #36.

http://www.sibfl.net/pdf/NewpropertiesCollinsAve2005.pdf

Trump Dezer Development Cements Florida as First in Southeast with Colossal Concrete Pro“Pour”tions

Trump Royale Begins New Year with Real Estate First

The first week of 2006 will mark another first for Trump Dezer Development and for Florida’s history as Trump Dezer Development commissions the largest foundation concrete pour ever to occur in the Southeastern United States. The feat will take place January 7-8 at the future site of Trump Grande Ocean Resort & Residence’s final phase residential tower, Trump Royale, a 55-story $180 million oceanfront condominium in Sunny Isles Beach.

This “first” is one of many set by Trump Grande as the residential development also marks Donald Trump’s first foray into the South Florida residential real estate market. Father and son duo, Michael and Gil Dezer, were the first in Florida to partner with the real estate mogul three years ago. Dezer Development owns more than 45 acres of prime oceanfront property in Sunny Isles Beach and they have been largely credited with the area’s revitalization.

Coastal Construction Group has been awarded the contract to orchestrate the pour, which includes a crew of 700 workers and 150 Rinker concrete trucks. The foundation will contain enough concrete to make a four-foot wide pathway from Miami to Atlanta, GA! That entails more than 13,500 cubic yards of concrete, which altogether weigh more than 54 million pounds. The foundation measures 138 feet by 270 feet by 11 feet deep. “This achievement is the beginning of a vision being brought to reality,” explains Gil Dezer, president of Trump Dezer Development.

Not really Sunny Isles news but Aventura is next door:

Lincoln Pointe developers who proposed a new 40-story tower look like they will be settling for a 28-story condo instead.

http://www.miamisunpost.com/forthstoryfrontpage.htm

City Commission to Settle
With Developers
Lincoln Pointe Compromise Subject of Special Meeting

In September, scores of Williams Island residents attended an Aventura City Commission meeting and cheered the elected board’s decision to deny the developer’s vested rights application.

By Randy Abraham

The Aventura City Commission is expected to put an end to a year-long dispute over vested rights when they consider a settlement offer with the developers of the proposed Lincoln Pointe condominium project near Williams Island.

A special Aventura City Commission meeting will be held at 6 p.m. February 2 in the second-floor Commission Chambers.

The meeting was originally scheduled for February 1, but some announcements went out with an incorrect date and that meeting was postponed, said city officials.

The meeting could attract a standing-room audience of interested residents Thursday evening, said Commissioner Michael Stern.

The proposed settlement was discussed at a City Commission workshop meeting and received favorably by elected officials.

The developers, Shefaor Tarragon LLLC, in December 2004 had submitted a site plan application for approval of a 40-story condo tower with 526 residential units to be constructed on a parcel located at 17900 NE 31 Court. In February 2005 the developers submitted a revised application, but city officials were soon focusing on establishing a temporary building moratorium while the city began revising its comprehensive plan and, eventually, its land development regulations.

A six-month moratorium was first approved in June 2005 and commissioners granted second approval in July. A few months later, city officials extended the moratorium to this month to allow the completion of new land development regulations. The LDRs are expected to receive final approval on February 7, at which point the moratorium will expire.

In the first legal challenge to the moratorium, city commissioners in September agreed to support City Manager Eric Soroka’s decision to deny Shefaor Tarragon’s claim of possessing vested rights to redevelop a rental complex into the proposed 40-story condominium complex, and attorneys for the proposed Lincoln Pointe complex filed a lawsuit.

Litigation can prove costly and time-consuming, said zoning attorney Stan Price, representing the developers, and the two parties appear willing to accept a compromise of allowing a 28-story tower with 460 units instead of the 40-floor condo with 526 residences.

Price said his clients can live with the compromise, “obviously, since the agreement has been signed. We hope the city abides by the terms of the settlement we have worked out. We have met their requirements, and we have negotiated in good faith,” he said.

Developer Gilbert Benhamou added, “Nobody likes a settlement, but sometimes a settlement is better than a lawsuit. It’s not everything that we wanted, but we will make it work.”

At issue was whether Lincoln Pointe had ever received site plan approval or been granted vested rights when the city developed its own land-use regulations. Soroka has said he found no evidence that Lincoln Pointe was ever granted the right to build the complex, proposed for the western end of the Williams Island neighborhood.

In September, scores of Williams Island residents attended an Aventura City Commission meeting and cheered the elected board’s decision to deny the developer’s vested rights application. One Williams Island resident, who lives in the Biscayne Cove complex, said traffic already backs up on two-lane Williams Island Boulevard during peak hours, and she feared the proposed project would negatively impact the area.

Price had previously argued that Lincoln Pointe received development approval from Miami-Dade County in 1968 – decades before Aventura came into being – which allowed it to build 526 dwelling units at a density of 60 units an acre. The apartment project currently on the site was built in 1991.

“The city is acting, and has been acting, in bad faith, manufacturing reasons to delay our client’s proposed project,” wrote attorney Price in a memo to the city during the dispute.

“The city has, intentionally or unintentionally, delayed the processing of our application,” Price told city officials. He claimed the city took more than 60 days to produce traffic and police reports in processing the application, whereas such reviews normally take just a few days. He said that several months before he submitted an application for the project in December 2004, he asked city officials to confirm whether the proposed project had development rights. He said he was told at the time that the project was permitted for 60 units an acre. Since then, said Price, the developers took out a $47 million mortgage and sold about $85 million worth of units, only to find out earlier this year that a “Zoning in Progress” was in effect. “The city is using a Zoning in Progress to create illegal moratoriums,” Price had claimed.

Attorney Cliff Schulman, co-counsel for the developers, added last fall that they had already spent more than $2 million in preparing for the project, and have already lost $1.2 million in lost rental revenues. Schulman claimed the property had already received vested rights when the city imposed its moratorium in June.

A few months ago, the city settled a dispute with another developer who sought to build a high-rise condo tower. As part of that settlement, the developer submitted plans to build five freestanding homes with five accompanying boat docks on a nearby waterfront lot.

The Aventura City Commission meeting will be held Thursday night at 6 p.m. in the second-floor Commission Chambers. The City Commission will hold its next regularly scheduled meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, February 7 in Commission Chambers.

http://www.miami.com/images/miami/miamiherald/13786/190067112276.jpg

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/classifieds/real_estate/13786799.htm

SEA CHANGE: Low-rise condo on Sunny Isles Beach, facing major repairs, sells its piece of paradise for development

BY DONNA GEHRKE-WHITEd
gehrke@MiamiHerald.com

Dozens of windows are boarded up at the '50s mom-and-pop motel turned condo. Walkways are propped up by scaffolding. Some of the siding is gone with the wind, while tarps cover some of the roofing.

The 172-unit Seashore Club South in Sunny Isles Beach looks bombed out after Hurricane Wilma and years of decline that led to 30 feet of walkway collapsing last March.
Still, its owners may get top dollar for their million-dollar view of the ocean. A New York-based real estate investment firm is proposing to give owners $441,000 each for a unit the size of a motel room, about $76 million for the complex.

In a novel move that may be repeated elsewhere, the owners have banded together to sell their deteriorating property -- on three oceanfront acres -- en masse rather than wait for a developer to buy individual units.

Thanks to South Florida's oceanfront building frenzy, the Seashore owners may emerge the lucky ones while others in older Wilma-damaged condos face thousands of dollars in special assessments for repairs.

When Wilma blew off old roofs and shattered old windows, it exposed many condos' lack of maintenance.
''There is no free lunch in owning any real estate,'' says real estate analyst Michael Y. Cannon, managing director of Integra Realty Resources.

Seashore owners might not have felt such pressure to sell if they had properly maintained the building over the years, he says.

However, many condominium owners still do not realize the costs and responsibilities involved in sharing an older building, Cannon says. Oceanfront buildings especially have to be protected from salty air and water intrusion, but many condo owners balk at making repairs or doing routine maintenance.

At the Seashore, many owners took pride in their low monthly maintenance fee. Owner Dottie Iavarone says Seashore's fee is $172 a month, cable and water included.
She can remember only two special assessments in the 16 years she and her husband, Stephen, owned their unit: $250 per unit for new stairwell banisters and $450 to improve the oceanfront patio.

''People don't have the money,'' Iavarone says. Or, she adds, ``They don't want to spend the money.''

NICELY PAINTED

Seashore owners John and Kathy Colatrella say they thought past condo boards were properly maintaining the complex. The buildings were always nicely painted and the grounds had lots of flowers, she says.

Association attorney César Sordo adds that he is not sure any repairs could have helped, given the ocean's destructive force -- and the fact that beachfront prices have escalated to the point that mom-and-pop condos or motels don't make economic sense any more.

The current board ''is one of the best boards I have ever seen,'' he says.

Nevertheless, the Seashore's deteriorating condition became apparent last March when about 30 feet of a second-floor walkway in the rear of a building toppled.
Colatrella, in another building, heard the crash. If anyone had been under them, they'd have been crushed,'' he told The Herald after the accident. No one was injured.
Sunny Isles Beach inspectors blamed the collapse on spalling, which occurs when the steel rebar that runs through concrete to reinforce it rusts, causing the rebar to expand and chunks of concrete to fly off.

Owners of buildings -- particularly older ones -- are supposed to check for signs of spalling and to replace bad concrete and the rusting steel.

Miami-Dade County requires owners of buildings to hire experts to inspect for structural problems once they turn 40 and then pay for 10-year check-ups.

Built in 1953, the Seashore should have had its first structural inspection in 1993 and a follow-up in 2003.
But the city of Sunny Isles Beach, formed in 1997, does not have any county records to show the county oversaw the 1993 inspection.

SLIPPED THROUGH
As a newly incorporated city, Sunny Isles Beach was in charge of making sure the Seashore hired an engineer or architect to inspect its buildings in 2003. But Clayton Parker, building official/administrator of the Sunny Isles Beach building department, says the city didn't receive county notice that Seashore was up for the inspection.
''It slipped through the cracks,'' Parker says.

After the 2005 walkway collapse, the city ordered the inspections.

Sunny Isles Beach also decided to condemn the entire complex. The city posted notices giving people an hour to vacate their homes because of the danger.

However, the Seashore's board of directors begged for a reprieve and quickly hired crews who shored up the walkway and made other emergency repairs.

The city then allowed most residents to stay, with only the owners near the crashed walkway forced to evacuate.
Rey Aguirre was one of those. Nearly a year later, he and several other owners are still shut out.

In October, he complained at an association board meeting that he had not even been able to get inside to remove the rotting food in his refrigerator. Board members then arranged for him to be able to clean up.

Later that month, Hurricane Wilma brought more damage to the Seashore with shattered windows and leaking roofs.
Aguirre, for one, is ready to sell and leave the mess.
The luxury condo boom in Sunny Isles Beach, he says, makes it only a matter of time, before the Seashore's modest two-story buildings will be torn down for million-dollar digs.

''I know we are sitting on a piece of gold on Sunny Isles Beach,'' he says. ``It's only obvious we will get out when you see the skyscrapers.''

''It's the best investment I have ever made,'' adds Aguirre, whose main home is in Kendall.
He bought his unit for $57,000 in 1997 as a vacation home. Like many others, he has rented to snowbirds during the winter.

Now he stands to make a nearly $390,000 profit from the sale to New York-based Property Market, a real estate investment firm that has other property in Miami Beach. (The company declined to comment.)
Still, others are sorry to sell.

WANT TO STAY
Many owners, particularly the elderly, would rather stay. Some are in their 80s and don't know where they will go. Others blame the city for demanding the costly repairs that are forcing them to give up their share of surf and sand.

''The city is harassing us,'' says owner Colatrella. ``We don't want to go.''
Sunny Isles Beach Mayor Norman Edelcup says he sympathizes but the city has a responsibility to keep its residents safe.

''If they maintain it,'' Edelcup adds, ``it's not a problem.''
Meanwhile, others, such as the Iavarones, are trying to keep things in perspective.

''I absolutely love this place,'' says Dottie Iavarone. ``The ocean is just so calming. That was my back yard.''
She and Stephen have bought a house on Florida's west coast, although not on the ocean.

Attorney Sordo says officers of several other older oceanfront condos -- with the same maintenance problems -- have consulted him about taking a similar route.

''I want to protect these homeowners,'' Sordo says.
Owners may not receive as much for their property if they sell units to developers individually.

A year ago, when a catwalk first collapsed, developers were offering individual Seashore owners about half of what they now expect to receive, says board member Edmond Turcott, who lives six months in Canada and six months at the condo.

''I love this place but we have no choice,'' he adds

Is it me, or is that guy wearing an anarchy shirt? How ironic lol

hahahaha...I didn't notice that.

Lincoln Pointe strikes a deal with Aventura that will let them build 35 stories. It will be the last building in Aventura built over 25 stories as they passed a law banning them that tall.

http://www.miamisunpost.com/seventhstoryfrontpage.htm

35-Story Settlement
Williams Islanders Furious After City Approves
Legal Settlement With Developers

The general sentiment on the island can be described in one word: betrayal.” — Carlos Vidueria, president, Williams Island property owners association

By Randy Abraham

In a settlement reached in a special February 2 meeting, the Aventura City Commission approved terms of an agreement with developers of the proposed Lincoln Pointe condominium project on Williams Island.

Shefaor Tarragon LLLC will end its legal battle with the city for approval of a 40-story condo tower with 526 residential units, and instead construct a 460-unit project on an 8.77-acre parcel located at 17900 NE 31st Court, subject to city site plan approval.

But a site plan the firm submitted on January 23 on behalf of a request for a waiver of the city’s building moratorium will be set aside, said Shefaor Tarragon attorney Stan Price. That design, said City Manager Eric Soroka, featured a squat, 900-foot-wide building, 28 stories tall. “It will not be built; it will not be sought,” said Price, who said the developer preferred a tower to preserve views.

The city’s agreement gives Shefaor Tarragon until March 15 to submit alternative plans for a 460-unit building no larger than 35 stories and 400 feet wide.

City commissioners voted 6-1 in favor of the settlement, with Mayor Susan Gottlieb opposed, as a means to avoid a potentially costly lawsuit. Gottlieb said she was concerned about additional traffic from the future Lincoln Pointe and other projects under development nearby.

Gottlieb said she wanted to see the building’s height and density reduced further. “I’m concerned we have not mitigated the situation,” she said, adding she was not convinced by a traffic report commissioned by the developer that projected minimal additional traffic from the complex.

Commissioner Bob Diamond said the city was facing the risk of litigation and he was taking the advice of the city attorney to avoid a legal battle.

Under new land development regulations approved on first reading in January, the firm could only build up to 25 stories and 45 units an acre on the site. The settlement allows about 52 units an acre – fewer than the 60 units an acre permitted under the previous building codes.

The firm will also contribute $350,000 to install sidewalks, landscaping and other improvements, and deposit $100,000 into an escrow fund to help the city purchase land. Also, the city will work to obtain easements to convert private roads to public roads near Lincoln Pointe. Any road improvements would then be funded by Shefaor Tarragon.

Also, in a private, separate agreement , reached just hours before the City Commission meeting with the adjacent Biscayne Cove condominium complex, the developers promised to provide a 75-foot buffer with its neighbors to maintain a view corridor, install a fountain and landscaped areas, allow an easement area for parking, and contribute money to extend Biscayne Cove’s fencing, said Price.

City Attorney David Wolpin, however, said the private agreement between Shefaor and Biscayne Cove is outside the scope of the city’s decision. Price, though, argued that deal was relevant.

The settlement ends a year-long dispute between the city and the developers.

Some residents were opposed to the plan and were outraged over the last-minute deal the developers reached with Biscayne Cove. Many Williams Island residents filled the room to speak against the proposal.

“The community is in turmoil,” said resident Burton Young, who last year had pushed for an across-the- board building moratorium and opposed the 12 exceptions city leaders had granted developers.

“The general sentiment on the island can be described in one word: betrayal,” said Carlos Vidueria, president of the Williams Island property owners association. “We weren’t going to exchange our rights for some cash and landscaping.”

Added resident Joel Hillman, “You’re overdeveloping; to build 460 units on this tiny site is insane.”

Patricia Robinson-Bethuel presented city leaders with a 19-page petition she said had been signed by numerous residents.

Price defended the private agreement, saying he had an obligation to work with neighboring residents to resolve issues.

Madeline Giardello, president of Biscayne Cove’s homeowners association, said the agreement had not been formally approved by the association’s board, but would be considered at a meeting to be held this week. She said she and other residents met with representatives of the developer to iron out issues with the proposed project. “I think we made the best settlement for Biscayne Cove at this time,” she said.

The developers in December 2004 had submitted a site plan application for approval of a 40-story condo tower with 526 residential units and argued that city officials had dragged their feet on the application before imposing a temporary building moratorium that prevented them from going forward.

Its stupid to impose a height limit shorter than existing building unless you are trying to protect a city icon (ex St. Louis)...I`m against these stupid NIMBY referendums.

If there is going to be a height limit it should be as high as the tallest building...

Have you ever driven through Aventura?

Next time try it around 5pm on biscayne blvd. near the Aventura Mall and while you are in traffic think of more 40 story towers popping up all over Aventura adding thousands of more cars to the roadways. Cause that's what the NIMBY's are doing...

Aventura isn't Downtown Miami. There is no public transportation to speak of that residents would want to use.

^ it isnt downtown miami, but neiter is kendall drive near town and country and the trafffic there is the same as aventura w/out a SINGLE 40 story tower.
i dont think the density is the prob, in fact if it got more dense you would have a more legitimate proposal for transit even if it were just local to aventura, plus government funding for transit is based on need which is often justified by density, this is one of the main reasons baylink was so heavily supported by national legislation because that corridor could justify it.

Have you ever driven through Aventura?

Next time try it around 5pm on biscayne blvd. near the Aventura Mall and while you are in traffic think of more 40 story towers popping up all over Aventura adding thousands of more cars to the roadways. Cause that's what the NIMBY's are doing...

Aventura isn't Downtown Miami. There is no public transportation to speak of that residents would want to use.


Once again, I point out...we need to stop worrying about cars!!!

Who cares, its not our priority, we should be building cities and towns around people and not vehicles...

Until Miami-Dade gets a workable public transit system to the northeast end of the county, they have to worry about cars cause that's what the vast majority of people in their city use to get around.

So..it is their priority.

Until Miami-Dade gets a workable public transit system to the northeast end of the county, they have to worry about cars cause that's what the vast majority of people in their city use to get around.

So..it is their priority.

Granted, but it should have never been an option... Mass transit in Miami-Dade was incredible during the roaring 20s and 30s with many Trolley and Bus lines...The city was fairly compact and it was easy to navigate.

We should never have departed from this type of city, thus preventing the urban sprawl which is so prevalent in Miami and all cities across America. Urban Sprawl began after WWII and has yet to stop in most cities, however with recent congestion problems; the issue is finally starting to get some attention.

The Point I am trying to make is that we need to start changing the way we think, thus changing the way we build our cities. We need to get our minds off of the automobile dependency, because we have already proven that in high density areas, the automobile is not a viable form of transportation. By changing how we think, we can also change legislation to allow for more mass-transit oriented project to occur rather than the seemingly endless road widening and improvement.

If Aventura had 10 lanes roads, it would be wonderful now, but give it 10,15, 20 years and those roads will be just as congested as the 3 lanes there are today...Its just not practical and we need to find a better solution. Imposing height limits to reduce density is a short term fix for a long term problem and in the end will not do anything to address the so-called issues Aventura is facing.

Granted, but it should have never been an option... Mass transit in Miami-Dade was incredible during the roaring 20s and 30s with many Trolley and Bus lines...The city was fairly compact and it was easy to navigate.

We should never have departed from this type of city, thus preventing the urban sprawl which is so prevalent in Miami and all cities across America. Urban Sprawl began after WWII and has yet to stop in most cities, however with recent congestion problems; the issue is finally starting to get some attention.

The Point I am trying to make is that we need to start changing the way we think, thus changing the way we build our cities. We need to get our minds off of the automobile dependency, because we have already proven that in high density areas, the automobile is not a viable form of transportation. By changing how we think, we can also change legislation to allow for more mass-transit oriented project to occur rather than the seemingly endless road widening and improvement.

If Aventura had 10 lanes roads, it would be wonderful now, but give it 10,15, 20 years and those roads will be just as congested as the 3 lanes there are today...Its just not practical and we need to find a better solution. Imposing height limits to reduce density is a short term fix for a long term problem and in the end will not do anything to address the so-called issues Aventura is facing.

Actually there is a 10-lane road in Aventura, its called Biscayne Blvd...lol

Not the point, but a great example of a road that needs to see something other than widening...(LRT,BRT,Heavy Rail, FEC Commuter...)

I know, that was my point as well. Aventura has the widest surface road in Miami-Dade County and yet that road is always clogged with traffic...i.e. widening wont reduce traffic.

The problem with Aventura is that they built all these highrise condos in a really bad location. Its far from anything and not even close to any expressways. Its a 2 mile trip on narrow east-west surface roads to get to I-95. Now if they were to build the North-South metrorail along Biscayne rather than NW 27th AVE then that would be a useful (and very much needed) metrorail line.

i believe there is a line that will go down biscayne all the way to aventura... buts its part of phase two or w/e... basically wont get built till 2030

This is a little shocking. You don't normally hear about such crime in Hallandale Beach!

HALLANDALE BEACH

Grandfather slain in parking lot

A 63-year-old Aventura man was shot to death in the parking lot of a Hallandale Beach restaurant.

BY JENNIFER LEBOVICH

jlebovich@MiamiHerald.com

Albert Avenaim dropped his wife off in front of a Hallandale Beach restaurant Friday night and drove around to the side, looking for parking.

But the 63-year-old grandfather didn't make it to dinner with friends and family.
He was shot to death in the parking lot of Padrino's, a Cuban restaurant at 2500 E. Hallandale Beach Blvd.
Police believe robbery was the motive but won't say whether anything was taken.
Avenaim, of Aventura, had parked his silver BMW convertible in the lot Friday night when a dark-colored Nissan Altima blocked his car in, police said.
''It appears he was confronted as he was getting out of the vehicle,'' said Hallandale Beach police Detective Ron Beukers.
Avenaim's wife, Joan, had gone inside the Cuban restaurant after seeing a performance of Cirque du Soleil in downtown Miami, police said.
Avenaim, who ran a successful postage meter and office furniture business for nearly three decades, retired five years ago and moved to South Florida from Kansas.
''He was just the kind of person that if you just met him in a grocery store, you would like him,'' said Colleen Avenaim, his sister-in-law. ``I don't think there's one person in the world, except the sick person who did this, who would hurt him.''
Avenaim, who was born in Egypt, enjoyed spending time with friends and traveling with his wife. He stayed active, golfing, fishing and boating, and in the kitchen he loved to whip up dishes, like phyllo dough stuffed with spinach, from scratch.
Padrino's was bustling at 8 p.m. Friday, when a man in the parking lot heard gunshots.
The witness told police he thought the suspect was struggling with the victim, police said. Avenaim was shot twice.
''It's just a shocker,'' Colleen Avenaim said. ``Our family is trying not to look at the picture of life without him. We're just trying to get through the next 30 minutes or 10 minutes or five minutes.''
The suspect got in the Altima and headed west on Diana Drive, a street directly behind the parking lot.
Police are looking for a black man between 20 and 30 years old, 5-foot-10 to 6 feet tall. The Altima has dark-tinted windows and five-spoked chrome rims.
Padrino's sits at the corner of a nondescript strip mall, with tall windows lining the front of the eatery.
A restaurant and doctor's office share the space, with parking in the front and additional spaces around the side and back.
The din of the busy restaurant kept Padrino's staff from noticing the gunshots, shift supervisor Nicole Khabbaz said Saturday.
''We didn't hear anything from outside,'' said Khabbaz, who was working in the restaurant at the time of the shooting.
Avenaim's family asked anyone who may have heard or seen the crime to contact police.
''Every piece of information is part of the big puzzle, and if you could help us in some way, we would be so grateful,'' Colleen Avenaim said.
''We would hate for another family to have this person on the loose and do this again,'' she added.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Beukers at the Hallandale Beach Police Department, 954-457-1400, or CrimeStoppers, 954-493-8477.
Miami Herald writer Angela Tablac contributed to this report.

This is the most amazing building that I've ever seen...for many reasons. Check out the website. http://jadeoceanmiami.com/
It just launched today. Not finished but still pretty sweet.

This is the most amazing building that I've ever seen...for many reasons. Check out the website. http://jadeoceanmiami.com/
It just launched today. Not finished but still pretty sweet.

Any groundbreaking date yet? It's twin Jade Beach is coming along nicely.

Hello,
Can someone please post some photos of
the construction stage of the Jade Beach Project in Sunny Isles?

also wouldn't mind seeing the sales center

Thanks!

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/classifieds/real_estate/14068312.htm

DA VINCI TO RISE IN SUNNY ISLES

Waterbrook Developers has begun selling units at Da Vinci on the Ocean, a waterfront condo at 17141 Collins Ave., Sunny Isles Beach.
The 27-story building will house 69 two-and three-bedroom condos with 2,128 to 2,859 square feet and penthouses that start at 4,300 square feet. Prices for condos start at $1.3 million and penthouses begin at $5 million. Construction is set to begin in December, with completion expected in 2008.

For information, call 305-940-0022.

Saw this one in the Herald today:

Solis Sunny Isles (15701 Collins Ave):
http://specialsections.miami.com/imagehandler/ss-ad/527079

http://solissunnyislesresidences.com/

Sunny Isles Beach Commission Says Yes to 51-Story Condo, No to 27-Story Building
51-Story Tower Did Not Need Variances,
Commission Says

“I believe you’re trying to force a building into that spot.”—Vice Mayor Lewis Thaler

By Randy Abraham
Contributing Writer

The Sunny Isles Beach City Commission approved plans for a 51-story high-rise and turned down a variance request for a proposed 27-story condo project, during a meeting on November 18.

Mansiana Ocean Residences LLC received site plan approval for the 51-story high-rise tower, to be named Aja, with 134 condo units and 140 hotel rooms on a 1.31-acre site at 15701 Collins Avenue. The top 29 floors would contain 136 luxury condos with the lower levels devoted to 140 hotel rooms.

The city also approved the necessary application to purchase Transfers of Development Rights (TDRs) for 68,694 square feet and 31 dwelling units.

The city in 2003 established an ordinance allowing the transfer of development rights (TDRs) from one site to another as an incentive for developers to donate needed land to the city for use as public parks, schools or other city needs. The intent was that the city would benefit from the donation of land and the redevelopment of the eastern side of Collins Avenue, while the developers would receive an incentive to build larger buildings than normally allowed on the beach by city code.

Mansiana Ocean Residents, owned by New York-based developer Alex Forkosh, also agreed to pay $1.1 million into city accounts earmarked for beach enhancement, streetscape, public parking and other public purpose uses in exchange for increasing the maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of the building.

Several residents from the nearby Tropicana condo complex came out to express concern over potential impact from the project, which will include a restaurant, spa, ballroom and other amenities. Daniel Samet, the president of the Tropicana homeowners association, said, “The quality of life at the Tropicana is going to be greatly diminished.”

Tropicana resident Charles Rosner told city officials the tower’s nine-story garage would bring excessive noise, lights and fumes to his building. “Every one of our windows will face the garage,” he said.

Zoning attorney Simon Ferro and project architect John Jenkins of Arquitectonica said the garage’s design would utilize crash walls and other design elements to buffer noise and block lights. When asked about the distance between the proposed project and the Tropicana, however, Jenkins admitted he didn’t know the distance and didn't seem aware that the Tropicana was already there, an admission that scandalized some of the residents who came to oppose the project.

City leaders pointed out that no variances were being sought, and that the project is within the guidelines of city codes.

However, city leaders rejected two variance requests by Mully SB LLC to waive a required beach access easement and to permit 100 percent tandem parking (where a car or cars have to be moved in order to allow other vehicles—a system often used for valet parking) where 20 percent is the maximum allowed, to permit a 69 unit, 27-story condo tower at 17141 Collins Avenue, the current site of the Desert Inn. The city also deferred a related request to purchase TDRs worth 42,368 square feet of development rights and two dwelling units for the project, to be called the Da Vinci.

Zoning attorney Simon Ferro and the project’s architect, Kobi Karp, representing developers Nathan Benson and Raymond Gottlieb of Mully SB LLC, said that the 100-foot parcel was too narrow to provide a 15-foot easement for beach access and avoid the need for a tandem parking variance. The developers cited a county requirement passed in January to set aside more than one staging area for Fire Rescue personnel for lifesaving operations.

Ferro also said that a 24-hour valet service would be in effect.

City leaders objected to the requests. Vice Mayor Lewis Thaler said, “I believe you’re trying to force a building into that spot. You’re coming in with a building that is oversized, with tandem parking, and you’re asking for TDRs for a building that is too big to start with.”

“You’re trying to squeeze too much into too little,” said Commissioner Roslyn Brezin. “I want to ensure that no signs read ‘No Beach Access’.”

Mayor Norman Edelcup said other projects on lots just as narrow have been able to meet the city requirements. “Beach access is paramount and the tandem parking is a concern,” said Edelcup. “Can you come back with a revised plan?”

Ferro said that he didn’t know if the parking issue could be resolved, and said that the development team had been working on it for several months.

Commissioner Gerry Goodman noted that without the extra tandem parking being requested, the proposal would provide only 54 parking spaces for a 69-unit condo. He said that despite the valet parking amenity, resident owners expect to be provided with their own parking space.

Karp denied that the project was about putting as many units on the market, and said that the condo would have only three units per floor. “I think there is a solution to the beach access,” said Karp. “I don’t have a solution for the tandem parking.”

Planning and Zoning Administrator Jorge Vera suggested Karp consider creating a wider building pedestal and asking for a setback variance. He also suggested a multi-level garage be placed in the building’s rear, and recommended the applicant ask Fire Rescue to identify a staging area halfway toward the rear.

Ferro said the developer would redesign the project and resubmit a request for a hearing for its December or January meeting.

The city also passed an ordinance that requires all multifamily building complexes to provide the Police Department access codes to entry points into the complex and to notify them within 24 hours of the change. Police Department Captain Michael Grandinetti told the mayor and commission that police officers in several recent incidents were delayed in responding to a call because they did not have the access code to the building complex’s mechanical entry point.

Comments? E-mail letters@miamisunpost.com.

http://www.guardianfire.com/tools/jobmanager/jobImages/thumb_Mansiana1.jpg

I believe this is the second time they've slapped down Da Vinci.

I believe this is the second time they've slapped down Da Vinci.

No, that was still the first, the article was dated November 18th. I wonder why they changed the design of Mansiana/Aja/Solis? I liked the old one better.

No, that was still the first, the article was dated November 18th. I wonder why they changed the design of Mansiana/Aja/Solis? I liked the old one better.

Oops ! I skipped right over the date.

The thing is that all the renderings I saw show it from the Ocean angle. From that side the renderings show it as mostly blue-green glass with just a little bit of white. When viewed from the land side in real life, i'd say at almost 50% of the facade is white, plus the glass isn't green. They probably just illustrated it that way in the rendering to show it was reflecting the water and the sky. I haven't seen what it actually looks like from the ocean side. I probably just shouldn't have jumped to the conclusion that the front would look alot like the back. When I was going over the bridge from North Miami to Bal Harbour it actually took me a few seconds to figure out what it was. By the way the Sunny Isles skyline looks pretty impressive these days from that view.

The rendering:
http://www.turnberryocean-colony.com/images/toc_aerial.jpg

I finally found a picture of the back side of the building, as you can see its tough to figure out what building this is if you have only seen the rendering of the front side:

http://www.ewm.com/photolib/wyld/M1040811_007.jpg
by the way, thats the Trump Towers doing ground work to the right.

^^

http://www.ewm.com/photolib/wyld/M1040811_007.jpg
by the way, thats the Trump Towers doing ground work to the right.[/QUOTE]
^^ Nice Dave :hi: !!!, the southern part of Sunny Isles Beach is coming along great :okay: , and to the left of the First " Ocean Colony " :cool: tower is the " Savan on the beach " :cool: tower with the crane on top.
And also let everyone :grouphug: know that the crane drilling to the left of the one you mentioned is the Second " Ocean Colony " :cool: Tower getting its foundation the same time as Trump Tower 1 :applause: , which all are sold out, WOW !!! :righton:

I say :speech: ,

Go Cranes in Sunny Isles Beach !!! :banana: :cheer: :pepper:

Does anyone have information why the Acqualina still isn't open?I heard rumours that the building was sinking!!

This one shows a little farther North with the massive looking La Perla climbing its way to up over 500 feet:

http://www.ewm.com/photolib/wyld/M1036544_000.jpg

Dave :rock: , my friend, great pic :righton: , now that looks more like Downtown Sunny Isles Beach :okay: .

Everyone :grouphug: , I do believe the Acqualina is sinking :omg: , I thought I saw it 1 foot higher last year :omg: , but Now their setting the height at 550 feet :omg: , instead of 551 feet , which it was over a year ago :omg: :dunno: :badnews: .

New 35-story tower for Aventura to be H shaped with one floor connecting two towers:

http://www.miamisunpost.com/sixthstoryfrontpage.htm

Some of the article:

City Commission Prefers ‘Dual Tower’ Design for Lincoln Pointe
Segmented Lincoln Pointe Tower Gives More View Corridors, Officials Say

“This was a project that was going to be built.” — Tucker Gibbs, attorney for Biscayne Cove

By Randy Abraham

The Aventura City Commission expressed a preference for an alternate dual-tower-like design to developers of the proposed Lincoln Pointe condominium project on Williams Island, during Tuesday’s meeting.

The developers, Shefaor Tarragon LLLC, must still formally present a detailed site plan proposal for approval before building permits can be issued and construction can begin.

The design features a tapered, H-shaped, segmented and curved tower that appears to be two separate towers with a single pedestal and lobby area. A floor halfway up connecting the two segments will either be used as recreational space or as a dwelling unit.

City leaders agreed that they preferred the seemingly dual-tower design. Mayor Susan Gottlieb, however, said she wanted to be certain that both segments would be built together so the first residents would not be overly impacted by ongoing construction of the second segment. “My concern is the impact of the construction on adjoining property owners,” she said.

The other design featured a single tower that was four feet wider and would have presented a more massive appearance to adjoining properties.

Both designs would soar to 35 stories and include 460 units. The preferred design also has 38 town home units atop a 60-foot parking garage that also features a rooftop tennis court....

Three-Tower Trump Project Gets Additional $345M
Tuesday, April 11 2006
By Marita Thomas

SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FL-Through Wachovia Bank, a syndicate of 12 banks has provided developers of Trump Towers with a $345-million construction loan for Towers II and III of the three-building condo complex on Collins Avenue. The developer is a partnership among the Trump Organization and Dezer Development, which are both based in New York, and the Miami-based Related Group of Florida.

According to a spokeswoman for the partnership, this funding follows a loan of nearly $150.5 million that was secured from Wachovia in September 2005 for Tower I. Ground has broken for Towers I and II, both of which are 100% pre-sold, she says, and Tower III will break ground this summer. “It is substantially sold out, with a few unit sales pending,” she tells GlobeSt.com. The partnership declined to disclose a construction cost, and Wachovia declined to disclose terms of the loan.

The complex contains 813 units, split evenly among the three 45-story towers, which are located along 900 linear feet of beachfront at 16001, 15901 and 15801 Collins Ave., flanked by the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. Units range in size from 1,500 sf to 3,000 sf under air. Prices begin in the mid-$600,000s and reach to above $3 million. The architect is Miami-based Sieger Suarez, and Hirsh Bedner Associates is the interior designer.


http://www.globest.com/news/514_514/miami/144661-1.html

Does anyone know if a new condo tower has been announced
just adjacent to south of Ocean III building at 18911 Collins Avenue?
There is a 50-year old two-story/4 building condo complex there now
which is in various stages of abandonment or repair. Last I heard a few months ago, Rosewood had planned to make an announcement about a condo-hotel project. Can't say if they have pulled out for now because of softening market conditions. However, one can bet that eventually there will be a condo tower replacing condos now in condemnable condition.

Does anyone know if a new condo tower has been announced
just adjacent to south of Ocean III building at 18911 Collins Avenue?
There is a 50-year old two-story/4 building condo complex there now
which is in various stages of abandonment or repair. Last I heard a few months ago, Rosewood had planned to make an announcement about a condo-hotel project. Can't say if they have pulled out for now because of softening market conditions. However, one can bet that eventually there will be a condo tower replacing condos now in condemnable condition.

According to the City of Sunny Isles Beach the complex just to the South of Ocean III is Varadero, a 350-unit condo. There are plans to replace it with a 420-unit condo though I haven't heard anything specific.

http://www.sibfl.net/pdf/NewpropertiesCollinsAve_2006.pdf

Assuming no hurricanes (i know, big assumption), La Perla will start delivering units in mid to late September. All the glass in place had to be replaced due to Wilma. Though none of the glass broke, it was extremely pitted due to flying debris.

This one shows a little farther North with the massive looking La Perla climbing its way to up over 500 feet:

http://www.ewm.com/photolib/wyld/M1036544_000.jpg

progress of Jade Beach and the crazy sales center next door:

http://b.im.craigslist.org/MG/VT/l0WMXJAci2Ml5To8ryEb9bqVA4DD.jpg

I was in Aventura and Sunny Isles today so I decided to take a little drive around and look at the developments. Aventura Marina is topped off or nearly so. Uptown Marina lofts looks about done as well. Over on the Sunny Isles side of the bridge I was surprised to see Ocean4 topped off and nearly done. Ditto with La Perla. Jade Beach and Sayan are looking good. Sole (I think thats what it was) was well on its way up as well.

Some cell phone pics:

Aventura from the bridge:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/dave8721/05-20-06_1804.jpg

Aventura Marina
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/dave8721/05-20-06_1755.jpg

Approaching the Sunny Isles Wall:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/dave8721/05-20-06_1758.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/dave8721/05-20-06_1759.jpg

Ocean4 topped off and (I think) Sole:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/dave8721/05-20-06_1801.jpg

Jade Beach & La Perla:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/dave8721/05-20-06_1802.jpg

Good ass cell phone pictures!

progress of Jade Beach and the crazy sales center next door:

http://b.im.craigslist.org/MG/VT/l0WMXJAci2Ml5To8ryEb9bqVA4DD.jpg

Nice Picture Dave :) , and,
Yes, that crazy sales center to the left is for the Jade Ocean tower, and
the empty site to the right of the Jade Beach is for the Paramount on the Beach tower.
p.s. to add Aqualina tower has finally opened to the public just this past week, Its about Time !!! :cheers:
Wow !!!
I say,
Go Cranes on Sunny Isles Beach !!! :cheers:

St. Tropez has started advertising and has a website out:

http://www.sttropezcondominiums.com/

From this weekends Herald (couldn't help but to notice its lists itself as "now under construction"):
http://img.travidia.com/rop-ad/3052465

^^^
If she comes with the unit I will take one :D

^^^
If she comes with the unit I will take one :D
LOL, Rider of ROHAN :hi: , if she has a twin sister :righton: to go with a unit, I'll double that option of buying a St.Tropez Condo :) , Oh Yeah !!! Baby. :rock: :okay: :cheer:

Shes Beautiful, WoooooooooooooooooW !!! :cheers:

^lol ill take a unit also,

Artech in Aventura (the one that looks like a cruise ship) got its financing:

http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/060629/fyi.shtml

CASH IN HAND: Construction financing is in place for ArTech, a nine-story, 232-unit waterfront condominium complex in Aventura. The project was given a $130 million construction loan by Corus Bank. "Corus is very pleased to be working with ArTech, which will be a landmark property for Aventura," said Brian Brodeur, the bank's senior vice president. "The strong presales and excellent design allowed the bank to provide the loan on a non-recourse basis and without participants." The Fortune International and Shefaor Development project is slated for completion in late 2007.

Pictures of the topped off (but still U/C) La Perla from the Kobi Karp site:

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/laperla002.jpg

(a little earlier)
http://www.kobikarp.com/images/laperla001.jpg

^nice, looks great the 1st pic looks fake at the top

^nice, looks great the 1st pic looks fake at the top


MIAballinboi :rock: ,, LOL, but its REAL :nocrook: ,

:okay: I went by there a week ago, Wow, Sunny Isles Beach is Booming BIG Time, Trumps Towers are underway Both the Trump Royale and Trump - Perez Towers I well started !!!
:banana: :cheer: :pepper:
all moving along with construction, :cheers:
Sole on the Beach, Sayan on the Beach, JADE BEACH, and soon JADE OCEAN, Turnberry Colony On the Beach, OCEAN 4 almost completed ALSO<, its Awesome here , Go Cranes !!! :dance:

how come "soon jade ocean" ...isn't it already under construction?

^nice, looks great the 1st pic looks fake at the top

LOL I was thinking the exact same thing.

The building looks real but why did they air brush the ocean like that? Maybe it was an overcast day and the ocean didn't look the right shade of blue or something?

No information on when construction will begin but at least it moved one step closer. Does anyone know for sure how many floors this building will be? Emporis says 44 floors at 544 ft but GlobeSt.com (http://www.globest.com/news/614_614/miami/147009-1.html) says 55.
Trump Project Receives $210M Construction Loan
By Natalie Keith
http://www.flacondodirectory.com/images/buildings/trumproyale/photos/TrumpRoyale.jpg
MIAMI BEACH-The 391-unit Trump Royale condominium project has received a $210-million construction loan. The 55-story project is at 18201 Collins Ave. in Sunny Isles.

The borrower in the transaction was Royale Florida Enterprises Inc., whose principals include Michael and Gil Dezer, of New York-based Dezer Development. The financing was arranged by Bilzin Sumberg’s Real Estate Group partner Carey Stiss and associate Jason Myers on behalf of the lender Merrill Lynch Capital, a division of Merrill Lynch Business Financial Services Inc. Kevin Rostowsky, who leads Merrill Lynch’s southeast division in Atlanta, was the principal lender contact for the transaction. The closing date of the loan was June 28.

Bilzin Sumberg Real Estate Group partner Carey Stiss tells GlobeSt.com that the financing will pay for the majority of the construction of the project. The developers obtained a $40-million loan from Bank of America to cover land acquisition costs and begin construction in fall 2005. Merrill Lynch purchased the existing loan. Stiss adds that Merrill Lynch began offering construction loans about a year ago. “This is one of the largest loans issued by them,” Stiss says.

Developers of the project are Dezer Development and New York-based Donald J. Trump Organization. The Trump Royale is the third phase of the $700-million Trump Grande Ocean Resort & Residences project. The first phase consisted of the 372-unit Trump International Sonesta Beach Resort condo hotel which opened in April 2003. The second phase consisted of the 55-story, 278-unit Trump Palace which opened recently. Occupancy at the Trump Royale is scheduled for 2007.

No information on when construction will begin but at least it moved one step closer. Does anyone know for sure how many floors this building will be? Emporis says 44 floors at 544 ft but GlobeSt.com (http://www.globest.com/news/614_614/miami/147009-1.html) says 55.

They probably just say "55 stories" to mean its around 550 feet (you can't go any higher than that in Sunny Isles). Many sources do that. With those big fins on the roof it would have to be in the low 40's (like say 44) in actual floors to get in under 550 feet.

Trum Royale is already a few floors off the ground and yes its 44 floors with the giant fins making it 550' ft

does anyone have pic of the construction progress on jade Ocean :) actually is it under construction yet?
i'd really appreciate it!

thanks in advance
-hello345

These are just renderings...but pretty nice. It's amazing how Ott could improve on Jade Beach, but here it is. Notice that it is all glass and stainless steel. Every apartment has an Ocean view...and all but a few 1 bedrooms have private elevator entrances.
http://www.restainer.com/jadeocean/r_JadeOcean_day.jpg
This I've never seen or heard of in my life...the valet drop off is on the ocean side under the pool! See how the cars drive into the building on the south and north sides of the structure and then circle around to front again...amazing.
http://www.restainer.com/jadeocean/r_JadeOcean_night.jpg
The swimming pool flows from the front side of the building to the back, allowing you to swim and tan in the Florida sun all day long no matter where the sun is positioned in the sky. The pool flows through the lobby and creates a cascading waterfall the flows down to the street level.
http://www.restainer.com/jadeocean/r_JadeOcean_entrance.jpg
You can see the valet and pool a bit better from this overhead view. Glass ceilings??? Not sure, but it looks like it!!
http://www.restainer.com/jadeocean/r_JadeOcean_overhead.jpg

Stylish and Smooth.

If the renderings prove accurate, that will be an interesting and notable addition. I like it.

I just wish Sunny Isles could have kept one or two of those old, funky motels with concrete camels or pseudo colonial motifs around. y'know?

Tacky as they were, they represented something that was uniquely Miami...and had an element of humor and lowbrow appeal that a sleek condo just can't capture.

Wait a minute...how can Jade Ocean be u/c if the sales center is on the site? :?

Wait a minute...how can Jade Ocean be u/c if the sales center is on the site? :?The sales center is situated very close to Collins and the lot is plenty deep. and the pilings are being done right now behind the sales center. Jade Beach next door is on the 16th floor or so.

When is paramount beach suposed to start connstruction?

thanks in advance
-hello345

Here's another Sun Post article. This one on the takeover by the developers of the Aqualina of the small hotel/condo next door.

(talk about living in the shadow of another building)
http://www.miamisunpost.com/images/j2_Playa-6737.jpg

http://www.miamisunpost.com/secondstoryfrontpage.htm

Trumped Building
As Investor Seeks Demolition, Unit Owners Fight to Save Building

“The contractors see it as a joke, that you could fix that building.”—Jules Trump, developer of Acqualina

Some Playa Varadero condo owners, like Leo Macias, said they felt they were being pressured by to sell. File photos by Mitchell Zachs/MagicalPhotos.com



By Randy Abraham

At the July 6 Sunny Isles Beach City Commission meeting, unit owners scrambling to repair damages to La Playa Varadero condo-hotel at 17749 Collins Ave. squared off against Jules Trump, developer of the adjacent Acqualina complex and the Williams Island community in Aventura, who wants the building demolished as unsafe.

Trump (no relation to Donald Trump) two years ago bought out a majority of unit owners. Today he owns 55 to 60 of the 101 residential units in the complex, he told the SunPost after the meeting. The Playa Varadero board, which Trump now controls as a majority owner, has already requested a demolition permit from the city. City Attorney Hans Ottinot said the city told Trump’s representatives that it would not issue a permit as there could be appeals from other unit owners.

La Playa Varadero unit owners opposed to demolition said they plan to appeal any demolition permit issuance to the county’s Unsafe Structures Board.

City officials couldn’t take action on the matter, said Mayor Norman Edelcup, because of procedure.

“It was mainly to let the different sides air their frustrations, and for the City Commission to strongly suggest to city management to do whatever it takes to bring the issue to its conclusion,” Edelcup said. “The city can’t take action; the building official is the only one that can declare a building unsafe.”

However, Edelcup did opine that La Playa Varadero should be razed. “The city has to allow the process to be exhausted; that’s my frustration,” he said. “The city and its residents have become victims of two warring factions that are holding the city hostage in a money game.”

Among other disputed issues is the magnitude of needed repairs. If repairs required to bring a building that has been declared unsafe up to code represent more than half the building’s value, the building must be demolished, according to county building code. Trump said the buildings were built inexpensively in the 1950s, do not meet current codes, and could not be repaired economically. He added that parts of the La Playa’s roof blew off and damaged a balcony at the Acqualina. He scoffed at unit owners’ claims that the buildings could be fixed inexpensively. “The contractors see it as a joke, that you could fix that building,” he said.

Attorney Rebecca Henderson, representing unit owners opposed to demolition, said those owners’ attempts to make repairs have been stymied by Trump’s board members, who she said have stalled on performing needed maintenance and post-hurricane repairs. She said engineers hired by the unit owners stated the building could be fixed for less than 50 percent of its value. “We appreciate the city’s strong stance. If we had the opportunity we could get this building back to shape,” she said.

Moshe Weitz, of the Weitz Group, hired by the unit owners to do an inspection, described damages to the buildings as “minor” and said the buildings could be repaired for about 16 percent of their value. He added that the commercial condo unit that houses Grandma’s Restaurant could be fixed for about five to 10 percent of its value.

John D’Arpino, owner of the commercial unit featuring the restaurant, said Trump and his representatives used “intimidation and rock-bottom prices” to buy up the units. Since then, the complex of five residential buildings has begun to deteriorate. “This property did not look like this two years ago,” he said. “After the hurricane, the board did nothing to repair the property and did not even put tarp on the roof. If you let this one developer do this, there will be a bandwagon of developers coming in and buying up units.”

He said he repaired the roof of the restaurant building last June, and was thankful work was completed before hurricanes Katrina and Wilma struck. “It took forever, and I had to threaten to sue the association,” said D’Arpino.

He added, “The unit owners are more than willing to fix the buildings, but that’s not in Jules Trump’s vision.”

Raisa Fooksman, who runs Grandma’s Restaurant, said she has lost a lot of business, when she was first shut down on March 31 and then on June 30.

However, La Playa unit owner and board member Alex Fusco said the buildings’ condition poses a safety hazard and countered, “These conditions were not caused by the present board.” He said unit owners holding out for more money is causing the dispute, since the condo units are not primary residences but vacation or weekend getaways. “This is not their home. This is strictly a dollars-and-cents issue,” said Fusco, who added that the buildings ought to come down before the next hurricane strikes the area.

Two buildings in the complex were closed after Hurricane Wilma, but part of the Playa Varadero had already been evacuated prior to the storm, said Building Official Clayton Parker, because of problems uncovered when the complex underwent its 40-year building recertification.

Trump said it would take less strength than Wilma’s to cause further damage. “It’s not going to take a major hurricane to have pieces of that building flying. There’s a very real danger to life and property if the building were to remain standing,” Trump said.

Jad Shor, condo association president of the adjacent Pinnacle, said he felt the La Playa was a derelict building four or five years ago.

Afterward, Trump described the building as an “utter wreck” when he began buying units. He denied the claim that he low-balled unit owners to buy them out. “We made pretty good offers to the owners, up to the $200,000s.”

Attorney Jeff Berlowitz, representing LPLA Partners, the entity that acquired the units for Trump, noted that unit owners opposed to Trump’s plans and hoping to challenge the elected board have twice lost in court. “The city needs to look at liability issues; the city could be deemed liable if they don’t issue a demolition permit,” he said.

Once a building is declared unsafe, property owners have 30 days to either apply for permits to make repairs, demolish the building, or file an appeal with the county’s Unsafe Structures Board. After hearing an appeal, the board must rule within three days; if it upholds building official Parker’s decision, the building then must be either repaired or demolished.

Parker told city officials of several other damaged or abandoned properties, including the Seashore Club at 18975 Collins Ave., the Blue Grass Club at 18325 Collins, the Miami Beach Club at 19051 Collins, the abandoned International House of Pancakes at 300 Sunny Isles Beach Blvd. and the Colonial Bank building at 290 Sunny Isles Beach Blvd.

Edelcup said Parker’s efforts to identify problem properties were a good start in the city’s efforts against deteriorating buildings. “Unsafe structures need to get fixed up or torn down. We’re going to go after every one,” he said.

Comments? E-mail letters@miamisunpost.com.

The Jade twins, Da Vinci, Solis ... who would have thought that podunk Sunny Isles Beach is getting the most distinctive designs in the metro ?

^ don't forget paramount beach, i think its a great design! when is it supposed to start constrcution>?

^ don't forget paramount beach, i think its a great design! when is it supposed to start constrcution>?

In an Ocean Drive interview of a couple of months ago, the CEO of Prodigy said 'launch this summer'.

^ cool

In an Ocean Drive interview of a couple of months ago, the CEO of Prodigy said 'launch this summer'.

DALE :) , my friend :scouserd: , Please don't count on this tower starting this summer.
This group :bash: building the Paramount on the Bay, Paramount on the Beach, and Paramount Park, is having problems selling their units. They barely sold most of their units in Paramount on the Bay, I amazed they started building the tower there., and for Paramount on the beach, its slow sales, I say a late Fall, 2006, after the Hurricane season is almost over, a December start for sure. :cheers:

Chuck, I thought that by 'launch' they meant starting to sell units. Are you saying that they've been selling units and that it's been slow ?

In any case, I'm fine with this Fall. That's not far off ! :)

it'll probably get cancelled in that case...

Chuck, I thought that by 'launch' they meant starting to sell units. Are you saying that they've been selling units and that it's been slow ?

In any case, I'm fine with this Fall. That's not far off ! :)

Right DALE :) and HELLO :) , they have been advertising about all 3 huge projects, and YES , sales are slow, even at the Paramount on the Bay, I'm very supprised they started building there. Have you been by there, the Bayfornt is a broken sea wall with trash and garbage in the water with whole lot of dirty looking seaweed :bash: .

If they start construction on the Paramount on the beach before the end of this Year , I will be supprise !!! :cheers:

The slowing down of the BOOM :) is strating Big Time !!!

Its the rising Interest rates and Gasoline prices are going to kill many nore projects soon. :bash:

Chuck ! You've been the GOOD NEWS GUY !!! Don't join the dark side just yet !!! :bash: :)

In an Ocean Drive interview of a couple of months ago, the CEO of Prodigy said 'launch this summer'.Yeah...okay. This is the same guy that "sold" the Lynx downtown, and the same guy that couldn't sell out the Beach House in Bal Harbour and had to have Turnberry come in and bail him out. Not sure that there is much credibilty in the "launch this summer" comment.

Are you sure it's the same guy ?

In any case, the Bay's going up. Maybe the Beach is next ?

The guy they interviewed is Rodrigo Nino of Prodigy, which controls nearly 3,000 units and $1.5-billion in inventory. Now they do partner with (and presumably bail out) Lynx International.

The guy they interviewed is Rodrigo Nino of Prodigy, which controls nearly 3,000 units and $1.5-billion in inventory. Now they do partner with (and presumably bail out) Lynx International.

Dale :rock: , this guy :) , Is he the CEO or head president of Prodigy ??? :dunno: , or just a developer ??? :dunno:

The guy they interviewed is Rodrigo Nino of Prodigy, which controls nearly 3,000 units and $1.5-billion in inventory. Now they do partner with (and presumably bail out) Lynx International.Rodrigo Nino is the President and founder of Prodigy International, around two years ago, he was a sales director at Fortune Development, and, as the Sun Post reports the story, "he left with just a laptop".
They did not say whose laptop it was that he left with...
Controlling 3,000 units is some decent marketing spin. Prodigy is a sales and marketing company. Saying that they have the listing on 3,000 units is truthful.

It's my understanding that he has and equity interest in Lynx Development. They were trying to sell AND develop Richard Meier's Beach House. The latest press release is that Turnberry is now the developer, and Prodigy is the sales and marketing firm (has the listing to sell).
The Lynx project downtown was a big Public Relations splash with some catchy renderings, but as I wrote at the time, it wasn't going to happen, and was probably set up to be sold to someone else. That someone else came along, they had a disagreement and now Lynx/Prodigy are battling it out in the courts with that buyer.
It looks like the track record for Lynx is 0-2. As for Prodigy, they are finishing up the Brickell on the River second tower (Fortune sold out the first tower in record time), Solaris (the little Brickell Bay condo), Sole (24 stories in Sunny Isles) a project in Panama City, a Coconut Grove project, and they are spending tons of marketing dollars on the Paramount projects. I think they are doing alright. It'll be interesting to see how many of the $1.5Billion in listings they will sell!! I hope all it!

So ROARK :rock: , this hopefully means that Prodigy :) or Turnberry :) will build " Paramount on the Beach " :okay: by year's end, and Maybe " Paramount Park " :cheers: Tower in Downtown Miami in about a year and a half from now :righton: .
everyone :grouphug:
I hope this is Reality, we just have to keep our fingers crossed and hope all three Paramount Projects get completed . :cheers1: :applause:

Paramount Beach, Paramount Bay, and Paramount Park are all developed by Royal Palm Development. They had various marketing firms, notably Majestic and International Sales Group. Now, I think that Royal Palm is sticking with Prodigy on all three.

St. Tropez is now under construction.

http://www.multi-housingnews.com/multihousing/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002800986#

J. Milton Breaks Ground On Condo Towers in Up-And-Coming Florida Market

By Matthew Marin, Associate Editor

JULY 06, 2006 -- Sunny Isles Beach, Fla. -- J. Milton & Associates, a Miami-based real estate company, recently broke ground on its latest project, St. Tropez, a trio of condominium towers with 298 units located here, joining other residential projects in the area.

In recent years, Sunny Isles Beach has flourished into an upscale neighborhood with high-rises and premier hotels on both sides of Collins Avenue. Sunny Isles Beach is located on a barrier island in the northeast corner of Miami-Dade County, with the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Intracoastal Waterway on the west. The city is situated between Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

“St. Tropez addresses the matter of convenience in its location between major area ‘hotspots’ as well as in the development of the new City of Sunny Isles Towne Center intended for the base of its three towers,” Gina Milton, director of marketing and advertising of J. Milton & Associates, told MHN. “This highly-anticipated Towne Center will cater to the social palates of residents and visitors alike with an entourage of upscale retail shops, cafes, business centers and trendy recreational points.”

Inspired by contemporary Italian design, the project is being built at 200 Sunny Isles Blvd., just west of Collins Ave. and east of the Intracoastal Waterway in Sunny Isles Beach. The 234 two and three-bedroom condos, 24 penthouses, 22 custom-designed waterfront suites, and 18 lanai units will have views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal. Completion date for St. Tropez is expected in February 2008. The Kobi Karp-designed project is already 70 percent sold.

Floor plans range in size from 1,600 to 3,700 square feet. Prices for remaining units—lanais, water suites and penthouses, start at $750,000. Additionally, Sunny Isles Beach is bolstered by exclusivity and privacy on the north and south with landmark communities like Golden Beach and Bal Harbour.

In one year, the assessed value of Sunny Isles has increased from $3.9 billion to $4.87 billion according to the Miami Sun Post (http://miamisunpost.com/eightstoryfrontpage.htm). The increase in taxable property has added $3 million in revenues to Sunny Isles' budget.
Billions and Billions of Dollars
Rising Property Values Give Sunny Isles More Money,
but Revenue Hikes Already ‘Spent’

It was the city manager’s suggestion to provide a five percent across-the-board salary increase to city workers that drew criticism from some elected officials.

By Randy Abraham

The $1 billion note with Sunny Isles Beach Mayor Norman Edelcup’s portrait where a U.S. president normally would appear was an obvious fake, but the $1 billion increase in the assessed value – from $3.9 billion to $4.87 billion – of all taxable property in his city really happened this year, fueled by rising property values and new construction.

That increase will yield an additional $3 million in revenues for the city in the coming year, City Manager John Szerlag said Tuesday during the first of two budget workshops.

That’s the good news. The bad news: The money is already spent on contractual obligations, rising personnel, pension, fuel and other recurring costs, he said.

For the first time in its 10-year history, the city is holding nonbinding budget workshops this month to gather input from elected officials before final decisions are made on the tax rate and budget in the two September hearings, said Edelcup. “This is giving us the opportunity to participate in the budget process in a more preliminary manner, and the commission is pleased to participate,” he said.

Edelcup also praised the draft budget document for being more detailed than previous efforts in past years. “It’s more detailed and more complete … more information, more goals, more narrative,” he added.

Szerlag described the budget document format as a “significant departure” from previous formats and said it was inspired by recommendations and guidelines from the Government Finance Officers Association. Having only been in Sunny Isles for four months, Szerlag said the draft document does not completely conform to GFOA principles, but added that in time the process he is introducing will.

Szerlag described details of his proposed $20 million general budget and defended his recommendations to restructure some departments and suspend some costly initiatives. But it was his suggestion to provide a five percent across-the-board salary increase to city workers that drew criticism from some elected officials.

“Everyone?” asked Commissioner Lewis Thaler. “It’s taking away initiative.”

Vice Mayor Roslyn Brezin concurred, saying she felt that giving all city workers, regardless of performance, the same pay increase would be unfair to staff members that did outstanding jobs. “I’m not happy with that; it isn’t fair.”

Szerlag, who officially began his duties in March after a long stint in Troy, Michigan, municipal government, explained that while he has long been a proponent of a pay-for-performance system based on the merits of individual workers, he doesn’t have the criteria necessary to perform such a review. He said a study begun by The Mercer Group before he was hired was never finished and he wants the consultant firm to complete the study. Without the findings from the study, “How do I justify giving (one worker) a bigger raise than another?” he asked.

Thaler said he realized Szerlag couldn’t be familiar enough with all city employees after being on the job for four months, but said, “That’s what you have department heads for.”

Edelcup said he wants to see a plan for some form of pay-for-performance pay increases based on merit by September. “He has 60 days to do that,” he said.

Edelcup and Thaler also said they want to see at the next budget workshop a detailed profit-and-loss accounting of the city’s parking lot functions. Thaler noted that at its July 20 meeting, the City Commission will consider the purchase of two meter systems to automate revenue collections at city parking lots.

Szerlag also drew praise for his proposal to establish an Engineering Department. Currently, that function is performed by the consulting firm Calvin & Giordano, whose services cost the city up to $200 an hour. Among other functions, he said, a city engineer could also serve as a project manager on the city’s upcoming capital improvement plans.

“It’s something the city definitely needs with all the projects on the drawing board,” Edelcup said. “There’s so much going on and we’re relying too much on outside firms, that it would be advantageous to bring at least some of it in-house.”

Commissioner Dan Iglesias, a professional engineer who said he has sometimes criticized cost estimates from the city engineering consultants, agreed. “It’s nine years overdue, and it could pay for itself by looking at the consultant’s hourly estimates.”

Added Thaler: “It’s the benefit of having someone there working for you and only you full-time.”

Szerlag also recommended transferring park maintenance from the Parks and Recreation Department to Public Works, adding a financial services administrator.

The city of Sunny Isles Beach will hold its second budget workshop 8:30 a.m., tomorrow when officials will discuss the city’s long-term capital improvement plan.

The city’s budget hearings, when the finalized budget and property tax rate for the 2006-07 fiscal year will be approved, are scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Thursday, September 14 and 6:30 p.m., Thursday, September 28.

In addition, the City Commission will hold its regular meeting 7:30 tonight in the Government Center at 18070 Collins Ave., before going on its August recess.

Another building to add to their tax revenue: I found this on the Kobi Karp website. Its called "Ocean Beach Resort", looks to be about 32 stories tall and judging by its location on the park its to go on the site of the current Ocean Beach Resort Motel (built in 1950) at 17475 Collins Ave.

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/oceanbr001.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/oceanbr002.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/oceanbr004.jpg

That's a sweet building...

Another building to add to their tax revenue: I found this on the Kobi Karp website. Its called "Ocean Beach Resort", looks to be about 32 stories tall and judging by its location on the park its to go on the site of the current Ocean Beach Resort Motel (built in 1950) at 17475 Collins Ave.

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/oceanbr001.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/oceanbr002.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/oceanbr004.jpg

The Ultimate in Luxury Cool.

Pictures of the topped off (but still U/C) La Perla from the Kobi Karp site:

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/laperla002.jpg

(a little earlier)
http://www.kobikarp.com/images/laperla001.jpg
Nice pictures Dave.

I have a unit under a contract in La Perla building.
If you or anyone is interested in buying it at below market price I will
be happy to arrange it.

This is an interesting and informative forum.
Keep it going.

The 42-story Regalia was finally approved for Sunny Isles Beach. The buildings northern property line is the Sunny Isles/Golden Beach border and on the other side of the property line/border there is a single family home.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/states/florida/counties/miami-dade/cities_neighborhoods/aventura/15115578.htm

SUNNY ISLES BEACH
Condo 'not neighborly to build' approvedSunny Isles approved plans for a 42-story condominium on the border with Golden Beach. The project has been the center of a lawsuit arguing the project doesn't comply with the single-family feel of Golden Beach.

BY BEN TORTER
Miami Herald Writer

Despite opposition from Golden Beach and some of its residents, the Sunny Isles Beach commission unanimously approved a high-rise condominium to be built on the city's border with the tony town.

Sunny Isles Beach city attorney Hans Ottinot said the developer can now apply for permits to begin construction if he chooses, even though the battle that has pitted the neighboring communities against each other continues in court.

Plans call for Regalia, 19505 Collins Ave., to be built in Sunny Isles Beach, right next to a single-family home in Golden Beach.

Opponents say the 42-story, 40-unit building will clash with the look and feel of Golden Beach, an affluent community of 370 single-family homes with a 2005 average assessed value of $1.37 million.

''It's not neighborly to build a 42-story building five feet from a single-family home,'' Golden Beach resident Scott Schlesinger said.

Sunny Isles Beach commission said it feels for the affected homeowners, but that Regalia has 19 fewer units than the city's zoning allows.

''I think what we are doing here is in character with our city and most of the surrounding cities,'' said Commissioner Danny Iglesias, who noted that from the tip of South Beach all the way into Broward County, most of the coastline is dotted with high-rise condominiums.

Regalia was originally approved in July 2003 but stricter Florida Department of Environmental Protection regulations implemented since last year's damaging hurricane season require it to be built further from the erosion control line.

The change in law called for new site plans. The new plans put Regalia 20 feet further from the ocean.

The size of the building has also been reduced by 16,000 square feet, to make up for a clerk's error in the original resolution in 2003.

John Shubin, the attorney representing Golden Beach and some of its residents, is fighting Sunny Isles Beach in court over the error.

Ottinot said the developer reduced the size of the building by 16,000 square feet rather than continue to fight with Shubin, that the claim is ridiculous and the city will prevail in court.

The reduction is mostly in common area.

Shubin said the reduction constitutes more than a modification, meaning the zoning hearing was improperly noticed.

Stanley B. Price, the attorney for Regalia developers Jerry Kaufman and Paul Murphy, shared Ottinot's sentiment.

''We've won everything in court; we are just playing games here,'' Price said.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/classifieds/real_estate/15199089.htm

• Fortune International and Shefaor Development have secured a $130 million construction loan with Corus Bank for ArTech, a nine-story, 232-residence condo at 18821 NE 29th Ave. in Aventura. The waterfront project is scheduled to be completed in late 2007.

Info: 305-466-2700; www.artechmiami.com.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/classifieds/real_estate/15199089.htmGreat news...Corus is one of the biggest banks for pre-con lending. It looks like banks are still lending, developers are still developing, and builders are still building the right projects in the right places.
Carlos Ott is amazing! http://www.artechmiami.com/ I love the virtual tour.

Progress photos from the Kobi Karp site:

Sole:
http://www.kobikarp.com/images/soleuc001.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/soleuc002.jpg

Uptown Marina (& other neighboring projects):
http://www.kobikarp.com/images/uptownnewer001.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/uptownnewer002.jpg

Thats Artech getting under way across the street right?
http://www.kobikarp.com/images/uptownnewer003.jpg

I'm telling you, Sunny Isles Beach is setting the pace for the region in terms of distinctive architecture. Elsewhere in the region there are plenty of projects going up that I would characterize as elegant. But SIB is on another level.

The St.Topez complex is adding a 4th tower.

http://www.miamisunpost.com/sixthstoryfrontpage.htm

St. Tropez Boulevard
City Officials Praise High-Rise Project for Transforming SIB Boulevard

Commissioner Dan Iglesias asked Milton if he would be willing to consider taking on the Sunny Isles Beach Boulevard road improvement project.

By Randy Abraham

The Sunny Isles Beach City Commission approved a site plan for St. Tropez II, a single-tower addition to a mixed-use high-rise community planned for the corner of Collins Avenue and Sunny Isles Beach Boulevard.

During the July 20 meeting, developer Joe Milton requested and received site plan approval for a 12-story, 78-unit condominium tower and a setback variance for the penthouse portion. The San Tropez 2 tower will rise from the same pedestal parking garage facility that will also support three towers to the west that comprise the original 283-unit San Tropez project approved in the past year — two 20-story structures and one 19-story building at 150-260 Sunny Isles Blvd. The original garage design is being extended to accommodate the fourth tower. Milton’s attorney Cliff Schulman said his client acquired the parcel after the city approved the original St. Tropez project.

The addition would use the same entrance and exits as St. Tropez I, Schulman said. St. Tropez II will feature a strip of ground-floor retail and restaurants. Assistant City Manager Jorge Vera said the city had been encouraging developers to present such a project for several years, and believes St. Tropez II will trigger additional redevelopment on the boulevard.

“This is something we told the development community we wanted to see in that location,” said Vera.

The project may also usher in another initiative close to the city’s heart: a road improvement project that was awarded $3 million in funding by the Florida Department of Transportation. During discussion of St. Tropez II, Commissioner Dan Iglesias, an FDOT engineer, noted that funding for the Sunny Isles Beach Boulevard road project, originally slated to begin in the year 2010, has recently moved up in priority: $2 million will be available in a year, and $1 million the following year.

Dan Iglesias asked Milton if he would be willing to consider taking on the road improvement project, which will be located almost entirely in front of St. Tropez I and II. Iglesias noted that if Milton made the road improvements while constructing St. Tropez, the area would be torn up only once, not twice.

“It just makes good economic sense for the guy who’s going to be there and who needs to pull an FDOT permit – we should let him finish the job,” said Iglesias, who noted that the road project is itself a product of city/FDOT collaboration. Several years ago, FDOT informed city officials of their plan to resurface and make drainage improvements to the road. The city offered to contribute to the project if it also included traffic calming beautification, and in 2003 the two parties signed an agreement. The project will now include narrowing lanes to 11 feet, adding seven-foot sidewalks on each side of the road, planting trees and landscaping, and installing brick pavers. “It’s going to be a much more pedestrian-friendly corridor than initially envisioned,” said Iglesias.

Schulman said his client could implement the road project “quicker, better and cheaper” than the public sector could since there are not the same restrictions. “Generally the private sector can do a better job since they don’t have to go through the same kind of process that government has to,” he said. “A lot of developers do road projects in conjunction with the public sector, and anything that is good for Sunny Isles Beach Boulevard is also good for us.”

Schulman said Milton would consider taking on the project, and attended a preliminary August 8 meeting with city officials and consultants to discuss a number of projects planned for SIB Boulevard. However, said City Attorney Hans Ottinot, it’s not a done deal: The city will request bids and review all applicants before making a decision, probably by year’s end.

If the parties do agree to terms that would allow Milton to implement the roadway project, FDOT would reimburse the city $3 million. The city would then pay Milton for handling the road project. The total road project is estimated to cost about $4.5 million, said Iglesias.

Milton also offered to enclose a nearby city sewage pump station to the south to obscure it from buyers and residents of the project, an offer that drew praise from elected officials. Schulman said he did not have an estimate of the cost of enclosing the sewer facility.

Oceania 5 resident Teresa Lewis, though, objected to the city allowing additional units that would contribute to traffic congestion in the area.

However, Vera, formerly the city’s planning and zoning administrator, said the city scrutinizes project modifications, and gives notice of them to as wide an audience, as requests for approvals of original site plans.

City officials conditioned their approval of St. Tropez II on Milton enclosing the city sewer pump station and placing no entrance or exit on Collins Avenue. Commissioner Roslyn Brezin also requested that a waterfront promenade feature a decorative railing to address safety concerns.

Afterward, Milton said St. Tropez has been selling well, despite the recent slowdown in the condo market, and he is confident the second phase would also do well. He has acquired other parcels on the street, but said his plans for those sites aren’t yet finalized.

Comments? E-mail letters@miamisunpost.com.

Updated La Perla photos from the Kobi Karp site:

You can see Aventura Marina going up to the left of Hidden Bay to the top right of La Perla as well:
http://www.kobikarp.com/images/laperlanew003.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/laperlanew002.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/laperlanew001.jpg

La Perla is on schedule to start delivering units in October.

Rendering showing some of the new 4th tower for the St. Tropez complex in Sunny Isles and the bay walk area to be constructed along the little section of water that separates the Sunny Isles Blvd (163rd Street) from Oceanea Island.

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/tropezupdated01.jpg

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/classifieds/real_estate/15639596.htm

St. Tropez condos coming to Sunny Isles BeachDevelopers J. Milton & Associates recently broke ground for a 280-unit condo development called St. Tropez at 200 Sunny Isles Blvd. in Sunny Isles Beach.

The project consists of two towers with 234 two- and three-bedroom condos, 24 penthouses, 22 custom-designed waterfront suites and 18 lanai units. Each floor on the 19- and 20-story residential towers will have six residences.

Floor plans range from 1,600 to 3,700 square feet. About 80 percent of the units already are sold. Prices for the remaining condos go from $750,000 to more than $2 million.

Designed by Miami-based architect Kobi Karp, the towers sit on a common base that will house the new City of Sunny Isles Towne Center, with shops and restaurants.

The Howard Design Group is responsible for the project's interior design. The towers are scheduled to be completed in February 2008.

The off-site sales center is at 330 Sunny Isles Blvd. Info: 305-692-8500; www.sttropezcondominiums.com.

http://www.multi-housingnews.com/multihousing/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003188147

SEPTEMBER 28, 2006 -- Boca Developers Breaks Ground on Marina Grande North Miami Beach

Boca Developers announced today that it has celebrated the groundbreaking of the newest addition to Marina Grande's line of signature waterfront properties in North Miami Beach, Fla. Marina Grande North Miami Beach (pictured) will be comprised of two 24-hour towers with 468 luxury residences and a 100-slip private marina. The amenities will include heated swimming pools and spas, a clubroom and a fitness center.

http://www.multi-housingnews.com/multihousing/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003188147

THANKS DAVE:) , for this important Update, '
Its about time these 2 - 24 floor Towers finally got started, Right off U.S, 1 and N.E. 171 street on the bay. Its already been cleared for a couple of months now.
Keep up these great updates DAVE, especially Sunny Isles Beach.:cheers2:

The strip of land at the entrance to Sunny Isles continues to gentrify. Urbis & Key International is seeking approval tomorrow for two 200 foot tall condo towers with 230 total units at 400 Sunny Isles Blvd at the sight of a current marina/boat yard.

(item 6a)
http://www.sibfl.net/pdf/Agenda_20061019.pdf

the site:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/dave8721/md_prop_S014101536041388893.jpg

a 41-story tower consisting of 38 dwelling units? http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/states/florida/counties/miami-dade/cities_neighborhoods/aventura/15804414.htm
Posted on Sun, Oct. 22, 2006
email this
print this
SUNNY ISLES BEACH
'Zen' condo to replace avant-garde motel
Owners of the landmark Ocean Palm Motel have won city approval to tear it down and build a luxury condominium tower.
By WENDY J. MENGA
Special to The Miami Herald

The City Commission of Sunny Isles Beach has given the green light for developers to tear down the Ocean Palms Motel, once the pride of the neighborhood, and erect a 41-story tower for an entirely different class of customer.

At a special meeting Tuesday night, commissioners unanimously approved Ocean Palm Development LLC's request to build Chi, a luxury condominium tower consisting of 38 dwelling units, at 15795 Collins Ave.

Reminds me of Hong Kong.

That was the last of the old 50's era hotels south of the causeway in Sunny Isles. That would complete the wall from Sunny Isles Blvd down to Haulover Park.

A more detailed article on Chi. Each unit will have its own swimming pool plus there will be an underground parking garage with the cars brought to the owners via an automated lift system.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/states/florida/counties/miami-dade/cities_neighborhoods/aventura/15804414.htm

Reminds me of Hong Kong.

LOL, DALE:righton: , my friend, Your so funny:applause: ,
and Yes , its the Last oceanfront Motel standing and still open, south of Sunny Isles BVLD, in Sunny Isles Beach, with the three TRUMP Towers going up on the north side of the Motel, and the Huge Condo " AJA " at 51 Floors on the South side of the Motel, Its going to be a WALL of Condo Towers all the Way to Haulover Beach !!!:rock:

I say it again DALE !!!

Go Cranes !!!

on Sunny Isles Beach :applause:
:banana: :cheer: :banana:

Is Da Vinci under construction? This List (http://www.mosscm.com/partners/subcontractor-info.php) shows a contractor bidding deadline of July. Icon Las Olas in Ft. Lauderdale is also on that list. Also on the list is the ultra-cool Lincoln East (http://www.lincolneast.com/) project by Enrique Norten.

The strip of land at the entrance to Sunny Isles continues to gentrify. Urbis & Key International is seeking approval tomorrow for two 200 foot tall condo towers with 230 total units at 400 Sunny Isles Blvd at the sight of a current marina/boat yard.

(item 6a)
http://www.sibfl.net/pdf/Agenda_20061019.pdf

the site:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/dave8721/md_prop_S014101536041388893.jpg

I believe these are renderings for these towers. They are listed on the Kobi Karp site as "Sunny Isles Beach Marina"

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/sunnyislesbm001.jpg

THOSE ARE REALLY NICE, AND LOOK LIKE 3MIDTOWN THAT WAS DROPPED INTO A GLASS OF WATER AND STIRRED WITH A SPOON UNTIL IT DISSOLVED.

I believe these are renderings for these towers. They are listed on the Kobi Karp site as "Sunny Isles Beach Marina"

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/sunnyislesbm001.jpg

An article on the Marina project:

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/states/florida/counties/miami-dade/cities_neighborhoods/aventura/15861234.htm

SUNNY ISLES BEACH
Sunny Isles Beach agrees to variances for marina project

The City Commission has approved a two-tower condominium and marina project to replace the old Fort Apache Marina.

BY CARLI TEPROFF
cteproff@MiamiHerald.com

After Hurricane Wilma destroyed Fort Apache Marina, the owners were left trying to figure out what could be built on the oddly shaped parcel of land.

The site, at 400 Sunny Isles Blvd., is nearly 2 ½ acres, but the property is narrow and lies right next to a bridge ramp, making it difficult for the architect to meet all of the city's zoning requirements.

At a meeting Oct. 19, Stephen Helfman, attorney for landowner Urbis and Key International LLLP, presented a two-tower project -- Sunny Isles Beach Marina -- that will include 230 condo units, a restaurant, shops, spa and marina.

''The site has been a challenge, to say the least,'' Helfman told the Sunny Isles Beach City Commission. ``But we are very proud of how this came out.''

Commissioners unanimously agreed to the variances the owners needed to be able to go ahead with the plan.

''The commission is delighted that this property will give the entrance of the city a new look,'' said Mayor Norman Edelcup.

Helfman said the modern design they were hoping for could not meet city codes that require a wedding cake-style building with a pedestal, tower and penthouse cap. Instead, Helfman used a diagram to show which variances they needed, including reducing the pedestal on one side to leave way for a fire lane and building the tower straight up instead of having a penthouse.

The buildings meet the city's height requirement and will still be tall and narrow, Helfman said. A corridor between the two buildings will prevent obscuring views of the Intracoastal Waterway.

The restaurant, spa, shops and some slips in the marina will be open to the public.

The approval also allows the developers -- including the Ardid family, owners of South Beach and Miami River properties -- to buy 83,490 square feet or 46 units of Transfer of Development Rights from the city, gaining the density needed to meet a target profit.

Two metal boat sheds at the marina had stored about 300 boats. Both collapsed during the storm. The site has been cleared and Helfman said while there is no specific time frame, the developers intend to proceed with the project quickly.

''I see the reasons you are asking for the variances you are asking for,'' said Vice Mayor Roslyn Brezin. ``This will be a beautiful addition to the city.''

http://static.flickr.com/51/139990370_da3b7d395c_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/75/159116103_b5a730f600_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/52/139997775_6ad8073d74_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/75/159116432_f19dd32a58_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/71/195263041_2cc3c11114_b.jpg

La Perla is done. The first closings occurred last week.

topped out Atrium at Aventura towers, Artech in the background:

http://www.atriumaventura.com/pics/progress01.gif

http://www.atriumaventura.com/pics/progress02.gif

Dave, Again, my friend, Thanks for these Great pics of Aventura's then old boat hangers and working on old boats Island years ago when Avetura was just old Ojus town of northeastern Dade County in the late 70's. and all the pics you supply us and the Great INFO !!!

Thanks !!!

Dave:) , Again, my friend:banana: , Thanks for these Great pics of Aventura and all the pics you supply us and the Great INFO !!!^^

Thanks !!!:cheers:

Another building to add to their tax revenue: I found this on the Kobi Karp website. Its called "Ocean Beach Resort", looks to be about 32 stories tall and judging by its location on the park its to go on the site of the current Ocean Beach Resort Motel (built in 1950) at 17475 Collins Ave.

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/oceanbr001.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/oceanbr002.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/oceanbr004.jpg

This 32-story, 107 unit building goes before the SIB commission on the 16th for approval.

http://www.sibfl.net/pdf/111606_Agenda.pdf

That's amazing, it looks like it is 60 stories, from the perspectives, go Kobi

New mixed use building for Aventura (Hotel/Residential/Office/....Bowling Alley)

Of course with any new project, leave it to the Sun Post to only harp on the negative aspects and only interview those who are against the project. How about this great quote:

Auerbach was against the bowling alley. He said he did not see the city as a tourist/leisure-type place like Miami Beach, and did not want to see “night life” brought to the area. “I don’t see the benefit to the community,”

The article:

http://www.miamisunpost.com/seventhstoryfrontpage.htm

Perfect Game
Commission OK’s Site Plan That Includes 16-Story Hotel and Bowling Alley

“It would appear to me … that this would be the highest structure in the whole area.”

By Evan Berkowitz

Last week, the Aventura City Commission passed a resolution clearing the way for a large mixed-use project called City Place at Aventura.

Located on the south side of Northeast 207th Street between Northeast 29th Avenue and Northeast 30th Avenue, the project, to be designed by Bernardo Fort-Brescia of Arquitectonica, will include a four-star hotel and the city’s first-ever bowling alley. The resolution, approved Nov. 8, granted conditional use approval to permit 16 stories and 180 feet in height for the hotel portion of the project — this in a B2, community business district, which allows only 12 stories and 120 feet in height by code.

The resolution also granted approval for indoor commercial recreation use consisting of a bowling alley with limitations on the times it can serve alcohol. Moreover, the resolution granted an extended time limit, three years, from the date of site plan approval for the developers to obtain a building permit. City guidelines stipulate that developers have 12 months to get a building permit after site plan approval.

According to an Oct. 26 memorandum from the city’s Community Development Department, Aventura Land Trust, LLC and Aventura Land Trust 2, LLC, owned by Yizhak Toledano, submitted an application for administrative site plan approval to develop part of their 7.391-acre site. The eastern portion of the site will have 36 three-level townhomes and a 68-unit, seven-level, mid-rise building that also contains townhomes and loft apartments. The commercial development on the western portion of the site will consist of the hotel; an eight-level, 90-foot-tall parking garage; and an eight-level, 120-foot-tall office building. The hotel, office building and garage will contain ground-level retail, recreational and restaurant uses along a landscaped main street. The mid-rise building in the residential portion was designed around the garage to screen the parking facility from the residential area. Landscaped open space fronting on Northeast 207th Street will be maintained by the owners and will include benches, walkway and fountain, according to Community Development Department memo.

Toledano told the commission he paid almost $35 million for the land, and the project would cost approximately $230 million-$240 million to build. He said his lender for the project is Merrill Lynch.

Planning Director Joanne Carr recommended approving the applicant’s three requests, but only allowed them three years to obtain a building permit instead of the five years they initially asked for. She said the hotel was required to be an upscale four-diamond or four-star-type facility. The 18-lane bowling alley, planned to be within a 23,130-square-foot commercial/retail space on the first level of the parking garage, must also be an upscale place “similar in design to the themed bowling alleys in the Lincoln Road area in the city of Miami Beach and in the Dolphin Mall, with high-tech video screens and gourmet foods,” stated a city memo.
Commissioner Bob Diamond expressed concern over the height of the hotel and said he did not think the neighborhood was a good place for a bowling alley. To the south of the site is the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center, to the west is the Promenade Shops Plaza, to the north is the residential Aventura Lakes subdivision and on the east is Villa Dorada Condominiums. “It would appear to me … that this would be the highest structure in the whole area,” he said.

Carr said the developers would be mitigating the visual impact of the tall building, and that the hotel was being placed as far west as possible from the residential area and as far north as possible from the synagogue. Commissioner Zev Auerbach said he was concerned about problems arising from serving alcohol at the bowling alley’s outside dining area during school hours.

Stanley Price, Aventura Land Trust’s attorney, said that the developers agreed to erecting residential-use buildings on the eastern side of the site, rather than placing commercial-uses there, to better accommodate and buffer the already existing residential elements in that neighborhood. In addition, Price said Aventura Land Trust had devised a traffic plan that, by using separate entrances, would keep all commercial traffic off Northeast 30th Avenue. “There is no cross traffic whatsoever between the residential component and the commercial component,” he said. Price said they were asked to build a “mini Mizner Park,” with a roadway, which would bisect the retail component of the project.

In regard to the hotel’s height, Price said that a high-end, four-star establishment would require certain amenities. “In order to get appropriate financing for that type of facility, you need certain basics,” he said. These include a ballroom, a spa or gym, a pool and a minimum number of planned rooms (the hotel is slated to have 198). He also said it was necessary for the hotel to be visible from a major roadway, in this case Biscayne Boulevard, and noted that the hospital building across the street was of a similar height.

Diamond was not convinced of the necessity of the requested hotel’s height. “Something can be done to accomplish all the things you have here, but not at 16 stories,” he said. Price answered that the 35 percent open space requirement that Aventura city code demands makes lowering the structure difficult. In regard to the building-permit time frame, the lawyer said it was “impossible” to build a development of this type in one year, and that four or five years are likely needed, although the suggested three years was acceptable to them.

Auerbach was against the bowling alley. He said he did not see the city as a tourist/leisure-type place like Miami Beach, and did not want to see “night life” brought to the area. “I don’t see the benefit to the community,” he said. Auerbach also opined that serving alcohol so close to local schools was not a smart idea. Diamond agreed, saying the bowling alley was “inappropriate for the area.”

Mayor Susan Gottlieb and Commissioner Luz Weinberg both said they had gone to the Lucky Strike Lanes in Miami Beach, the establishment that the Aventura bowling alley was said to be modeled on, and found it to be upscale and very “kids-friendly.” Price said the Aventura Police Department made inquiries about Lucky Strike and did not find it to be a trouble site.

The commission decided not to allow alcohol to be served in the establishment’s outdoor area, and to restrict alcohol sales overall to after 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The bowling alley component was approved 5-2, with Auerbach and Diamond voting no.

The height of the hotel of City Place at Aventura was approved by a vote of 6-1, with Diamond dissenting.

Gottlieb noted that the recent changes to the city’s land development regulations and the neighborhood’s new zoning kept the height of the hotel structure down. “This could have been 20 stories before we did the new LDR,” she said.

The three-year time extension for the building permit passed unanimously.

Finally, the formal resolution on the agenda, which included all three elements, passed 5-2, with Auerbach and Diamond dissenting.

Oh No! Not Nightlife!!!

Maybe I'm getting too old, but bowling as nightlife? That congers up images of Al and Peg Bundy going for a night on the town.

Maybe I'm getting too old, but bowling as nightlife? That congers up images of Al and Peg Bundy going for a night on the town. Hey it's also good enough for Fred Flinston and Barney Rubble. What else are you going to do in Sunny Isles Beach after "Murder She Wrote" finishes?

^^ lolololol

More renderings of Ocean Beach (which was recently approved):

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/oceanbr006.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/oceanbr007.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/oceanbr008.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/oceanbr011.jpg

A new 15-story, 243 unit condo will go before the SIB commission tomorrow. The building is to go on 17190 Collins Ave (the west side of Collins ave across from the Jade's).

http://www.sibfl.net/pdf/121406_Agenda.pdf

A new 15-story, 243 unit condo will go before the SIB commission tomorrow. The building is to go on 17190 Collins Ave (the west side of Collins ave across from the Jade's).

http://www.sibfl.net/pdf/121406_Agenda.pdf

On the same project:

http://www.miamisunpost.com/murmur.htm

Jerry’s Project

By the time you read this, judgment will be passed on Isaac “Ike” Starkman’s latest business interest — being a developer.

Starkman, an Israeli-born entrepreneur who owns Epicure Market and the Jerry’s Famous Deli chain, submitted an application to the city of Sunny Isles Beach to build a mixed-use tower containing 243 dwelling units, 77,400 square feet of office space and 20,500 square feet of retail at 17150 Collins Ave. The new building just happens to be where the landmark Wolfie Cohen’s Rascal House Deli, also owned by Starkman, now stands.

The application will be taken up by the Sunny Isles Beach City Commission this evening.

hi everyone! I've got some good news regarding PARAMOUNT beach ! if look at the construction progress pictures from December of JADE BEACH on their website www.jadebeachmiami.com , you can see that the site next to it has a backhoe on site and it has dug up some dirt :)! Also , I can see that Jade ocean is progressing nicely as well as jade beach!

Yes, that is the site for Paramount Beach, and they have hired Moss Construction to start groundwork.

Great news! With Paramount Bay and now Paramount Beach under construction, it is only a matter of time before Paramount Park is added to the list.

http://www.jadebeachmiami.com/progress/photos/dec06/dec0601.jpg

http://www.jadebeachmiami.com/progress/photos/dec06/dec0602.jpg

A new 15-story, 243 unit condo will go before the SIB commission tomorrow. The building is to go on 17190 Collins Ave (the west side of Collins ave across from the Jade's).

http://www.sibfl.net/pdf/121406_Agenda.pdf

Here is the project that is rasing the big stink over the closing of the Rascal House:

http://www.mady-pdi.com/project_20.html
http://www.mady-pdi.com/images2/EpicureB1.jpg

Also, the 42-story Regalia is to start selling units this week with construction scheduled to begin in June. The price? How about starting at over $6 million.

http://www.miamisunpost.com/groundwork.htm

New renderings of the commercial/baywalk portion of St. Tropez from the Kobi Karp site:

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/tropezrend001.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/tropezrend002.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/tropezrend003.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/tropezrend005.jpg

New renderings of the commercial/baywalk portion of St. Tropez from the Kobi Karp site:

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/tropezrend001.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/tropezrend002.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/tropezrend003.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/tropezrend005.jpg
Great Pictures

Maybe it's just me but does anybody else ever find the "people" in these computer-generated renders vaguely creepy?

Everyone smiling blissfully and doing "productive" things like having business meetings on the sidewalks. Even the dogs look like they're on Xanax.

It's all very "Stepford Wives-ish." Sometimes you wish they'd put in a guy taking a leak in the shrubs or two girls having a cat fight after a fender-bender.

But a real nice project, anyway...:cheers:

THAT ONE CLINCHING HER PURSE SEEMS LIKE SHE IS A BIT PARANOID...

Maybe it's just me but does anybody else ever find the "people" in these computer-generated renders vaguely creepy?
Hillarious! The sailboat with half the mailsail open at the dock is pretty nice.
Do you guys remember the classic (Touzant Studios for the 79th street vision project I think) where the people seem to be running towards a pond like the Starbucks was on fire??? That's a classic.

Redisigned Regalia (by Aquitectonica):

http://www.miamisunpost.com/groundwork.htm

http://www.miamisunpost.com/images/j2_regalia%20high%20res%20rendering.jpg

Regalia looks Sweet! Kind of like that building thats planned or being built in Chicago. Aqua i think its called.

damn yes regalia looks just like aqua in chicago, boo i hate copycat designs.

Damn...Sunny Isles...
I wish we could take that and Jade Beach/Ocean and plop them down in Sobe or even next to the Blue and Green Diamonds!
That is a hot design...
True, very similar to Aqua in Chicago (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=99367) but better than copying the Club in Brickell!!!!

Hillarious! The sailboat with half the mailsail open at the dock is pretty nice.
Do you guys remember the classic (Touzant Studios for the 79th street vision project I think) where the people seem to be running towards a pond like the Starbucks was on fire??? That's a classic.

Of COURSE I remember that, Roark...although my recollection is more along the lines of well-dressed people calmly and purposefully strolling through a thicket of weeds into the pond. No panic.

Maybe Starbucks had a special on "Grande Caramel Valium Chai" that day??

(nice job noticing the sailboat faux pas, btw. looks pretty windy that day...:cheers: )

THAT ONE CLINCHING HER PURSE SEEMS LIKE SHE IS A BIT PARANOID...

She ALSO appears twice...in the exact pose...in different locations (in render #4 she's about to get flattened by a Porsche exiting the garage).

Who IS this paranoid Mystery Woman of Sunny Isles who has conquered the time/space conundrum?

I'm betting she has black candles, "eye of newt," and ground-up toads in that handbag.

Xanax is a gift my friend, not as good as ativan, but a gift still :)

Sounds like she is talking about LaVogue (from Sun Post Groundwork):

http://www.miamisunpost.com/groundwork.htm

Developer change — expect to see a new developer and new name for a prestigious Aventura project when a sales deal for the property is finalized next week. Two years ago, a 24-story, 70-unit, boutique-style condominium was announced for the waterfront site but never came out of the ground. Stay tuned for future plans….

Sounds like she is talking about LaVogue (from Sun Post Groundwork):

http://www.miamisunpost.com/groundwork.htm

Developer change — expect to see a new developer and new name for a prestigious Aventura project when a sales deal for the property is finalized next week. Two years ago, a 24-story, 70-unit, boutique-style condominium was announced for the waterfront site but never came out of the ground. Stay tuned for future plans….



LaVogue was bought by Beillini Associates and is being rebranded as "Bellini at Williams Island"

http://www.miamisunpost.com/groundwork.htm

Last week Groundwork mentioned changes for a prestigious project still on the drawing board. As of last Monday, developer Martin (Marty) D. Margulies of Bellini Associates is the new owner of the former LaVogue condominium in Aventura. Margulies purchased the land and plans (estimated price about $10 million) from Broward developer Minto Communities. The 24-story, 70-unit, boutique-style condominium will be renamed Bellini at Williams Island and feature über-luxurious residences and exotic signature redesigns of the common areas. The Bellini at Williams Island sales office is scheduled to open within six to eight weeks.

In North Miami Beach:

http://www.miamisunpost.com/sixthstoryfrontpage.htm

http://www.miamisunpost.com/images/j4_Blue%20Palms%20%20-%20North%20Miami%20Beach.jpg
An October 2006 rendering of the future Blue Palms condominium. A different-looking building was approved on Jan. 16 but details on the project’s design are still being worked out.


A River Runs by It
Over Objections of Environmentalists, Neighbors, City Council OKs Twin High-Rise Projects

“Respect the coastal management element of your own master plan; direct this away from the river.”


By Evan Berkowitz

The North Miami Beach City Council passed two pieces of legislation clearing the way for the Blue Palms condominium project, which, when built, will consist of two 19-level towers at 16385 Biscayne Blvd., by the Oleta River.

The resolution, which passed 5-2 at the NMB Council’s Jan. 16 meeting, granted rezoning and site plan approval to construct two 210-foot-tall towers that will each have 18 stories and one mezzanine level. Blue Palms will bring a total of 314 units to a parcel of land comprising 192,143 square feet (4.41 acres). A related ordinance rezoning this now-vacant real estate also passed with the same vote count.

“This has been a very difficult but rewarding process, but now we’ve made it to the finish line,” said Judith A. Burke, from the law firm of Shutts & Bowen, representing Blue Palms Development LLC.

According to Tom Vageline, the city’s community development director, the project will have parking facilities within the complex. It will also have three-story townhouses along the perimeter of the project on the north and east sides, to screen those sides of the parking garage.

The issue of bringing increased traffic to Northeast 163rd Street/Sunny Isles Boulevard, a hurricane evacuation route, was raised during the discussions, but Vageline said the South Florida Regional Planning Council was working with the city and had approved the project. He also said the developers would pay impact fees of $450,000 to NMB and over $2.4 million in one-time permit fees, with $1.4 million in taxes coming to the city annually.

“Since the December hearing where you approved our application at first reading, we worked very closely with your staff to address all your comments at that hearing,” Burke said. The lawyer also said they had agreed to all the recommendations advised by the City Council and would contribute $350,000 to NMB to help improve certain community assets. She said that in addition to $53,223 volunteered for landscaping around the Blue Palms area, her clients agreed to alterations in the designs for balconies, hurricane shutters and other items.

Attorney Frank Wolland, representing the Friends of Oleta River organization, said that for the sake of the local environment and the Oleta River, the City Council ought to send the project back to the Planning and Zoning Board, which had rejected the project, for further review.

“This developer wants you to up the density from 32 units per acre to 75 per acre,” he said, specifically referring to the ordinance that officially changed the property’s zoning classification from “residential high-rise multifamily high-density district” to “Type A Planned Unit Development zoning district.”

For more than 20 years, the city’s maximum building height was 15 stories and its highest allowable density, 32 units an acre. But then about two years ago city staff presented recommendations for large-scale projects, called Planned Unit Developments, that would allow up to 24 stories on several parcels abutting Biscayne Boulevard and up to 15 stories on properties along West Dixie Highway, with a maximum of 125 units an acre. The premise was that PUD sites would attract new investment to targeted redevelopment sites.

Wolland said the council was rushing the approval process unnecessarily. He noted that currently the market for residential condominiums is not right for building, and as a result there is likely to be no construction for several years. A smaller structure, set back further from the river, would be preferable, Wolland said, and he called the current design plans a “monstrosity.” “Respect the coastal management element of your own master plan; direct this away from the river,” he urged the City Council.

Bill Borkan, from the North Miami Beach Citizens’ Coalition, said approving the project without knowing its impact on roads and the environment was “imprudent.” Both Wolland and Borkan also agreed that the impact fees the developers were offering would not be nearly enough to offset the new road construction needed to accommodate large-scale improvements, such as flyover lanes, which the lawyer estimated could potentially cost tens of millions of dollars.

Wolland cited statistics from the Florida Department of Transportation regarding the high crash rates of the Biscayne Boulevard and 163rd Street intersection. These figures were disputed, however, by an expert from the engineering and land-planning firm of Kimley-Horn, whom the developers brought to the meeting. City Manager Keven Klopp described hurricane evacuation as a region-wide problem, not specifically a NMB problem. He said that in an evacuation scenario it is more likely I-95 would be clogged, than NMB streets.

Allison Robie, who ran unsuccessfully for a City Council seat in the last election, spoke in favor of Blue Palms, saying the millions in tax revenue and fees would be good for the community. She said the money would positively impact city recreational facilities, police, etc. She also said NMB’s economy in general would be helped. She credited the development team, including architect Kobi Karp, for working with city staff to make appropriate changes in the project’s design. The development was “molded and refined into what you see today,” she said.

Councilman Jay R. Chernoff and John Patrick Julien said they were uncomfortable voting for a project that the city’s Planning and Zoning Board had rejected. They cast the two dissenting votes on the ordinance and the resolution. Councilman Philippe Derose noted that the city had already approved other developments in that area and was concerned about potential traffic problems. Residential projects include the controversial Marina Grande high-rises to be located at 17201 Biscayne. This project was held up for years by a lawsuit by Borkan’s organization. Marina Grande will consist of two buildings: one 24 stories tall and the other, 18. A second project, Keystone Grand, located at 16375 Biscayne Blvd., will include two 12-story towers, according to a recent Miami Herald article.

The city’s Web site says a 15-story building with 218,000 square feet of office space and 20,000 square feet of retail has also been approved, for 15801 Biscayne Blvd.

Photo from Kobi Karp site showing topped off 3030, Eastside, Uptown Marina Lofts, Artech, & the Atriums:

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/3030aventura02.jpg

^^

Dave:) , my friend, Thanks for these great Updates and Pics of Aventura and Sunny Isles Beach.

Its hard to believe just 15 years ago on that pennisula there was Boat Hangers:bash: and boat overhaul:bash: workers.

Artech:banana: was completed due to the great boom and interest rates still around 6 percent.
I'm very surprise it ever got started. Very Interesting !!!:cheers:

The 52-story Solis Resort is expected to break ground this month.

http://www.miamisunpost.com/images/f2_Rendering%20reduced.jpg

http://www.miamisunpost.com/groundwork.htm

A Sunny New Resort

With all the talk of cutbacks in condo construction, it’s good to note that a new Sunny Isles Beach project, Solís Resort, Spa & Residences at 15701 Collins Ave., is due to break ground later this month.

Developer Alex Forkosh, president and CEO of New York-based Forkosh Development Group (which created the Spiaggia Ocean Residences in Surfside last year), is partnering with Horst Schulze, CEO of Solís Hotels and Resorts, on a 52-story tower of 132 private residences and 140 hotel suites on 150 feet of oceanfront. With Schultz, a former CEO of The Ritz-Carlton Group and vice chairman of Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, on board it appears that Solís will target that level of sophisticated traveler and buyer (a big step up from the Hilton, Fantasy on the Ocean, originally proposed by another developer for that site.) Solís is also planning hotel developments in Chicago, Atlanta, San Antonio, Orlando and Frankfurt, Germany.

Solís Resort, Spa & Residences is designed by Arquitectonica, which has cleverly camouflaged the entrance lobby and nine parking decks with a façade of metal tree branches. Amenities such as the spa, fitness center, ballroom and conference rooms plus pool deck and restaurant occupy floors 12 to 14, and the hotel suites are above on the next 10 floors. Following the trend of tall high-rises to elevate residential units to the uppermost floors, the two- and three-bedroom residences ranging from 1,300 to 2,100 square feet are on the 25th to 52nd floors, facing south for unobstructed views of Haulover Park and the ocean, all the way to South Beach in the far distance. All the expected amenities and services will be offered. Prices start at $1.2 million. Solís is slated to open in summer 2009.

On North Miami Beach's high rise aspirations:

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/states/florida/counties/miami-dade/cities_neighborhoods/northeast/16659451.htm

NORTH MIAMI BEACH
State rejects plan for city development
More hurdles arise for condominium development in North Miami Beach as the state rejects the city's comprehensive plan.

BY ROB BARRY
rbarry@MiamiHerald.com

Controversial plans to bring new development to North Miami Beach have hit another snag: a comprehensive plan allowing construction of several high-rises throughout the city has been rejected by the state.

The comprehensive plan, hammered out as terms of a settlement agreement between the city and a citizens group, was approved by the City Council in November. It would allow for certain areas of the city, where the height limit is 15 stories, to be zoned for projects higher than allowed under city code.

But first the plan must be approved by the state's Department of Community Affairs.

The agency rejected the plan in late January, citing hurricane evacuation plans proposed for two nearly adjacent condominiums on Biscayne Boulevard near Northeast 163rd Street.

In a letter dated Jan. 23, the department said the city provided ''no additional data and analysis or evaluation of hurricane evacuation impacts'' for the 12-story Keystone Grande and the 18-story Blue Palms Condominiums.

City Manager Keven Klopp said the rejection was a technicality, and was confident that the plan would be approved once a more thorough evacuation analysis was performed.

''We feel that it is simply a desire on DCA's behalf for some additional information,'' Klopp said. ``The information is available and we think it is going to be perfectly acceptable by DCA, so it is just a matter of putting it together and submitting it and we think that will satisfy their concern.''

But some community advocates are crying foul play. Bill Borkan, president of the North Miami Beach Citizens' Coalition -- the organization that filed suit against the city in an effort to bring the issue of development to vote in a referendum -- said at Tuesday's City Council meeting that the rejection was an indication of something more nefarious.

''We are concerned that the city and city staff are so desperate to obtain approvals from the state that they sent factually inaccurate information [to the DCA] in a desperate attempt to prove their point,'' Borkan wrote in a statement that he read at Tuesday's meeting.

The construction of the two developments is projected to generate a total of $8 million in revenue for the city, and resulting taxes are expected to be $2 million yearly.

The city's coffers could really use that money, particularly after this year's $500,000 loss with the sale of Parkway Regional Medical Center to Public-Health Trust of Miami-Dade County, a nontaxable entity.

Also looming on the city's economic horizon: a proposal by Gov. Charlie Crist to double the homestead exemption. It would be a boon to taxpayers, but depending on the timing, some officials warn it could mean a shortfall of about $1.5 million in yearly property taxes, compared with projected revenue now.

In a telephone interview Wednesday, Councilman Myron Rosner said the potential economic shortfall could result in the curtailing of some city services.

''Although the taxpayers are going to see and feel relief, ultimately something is going to have to happen,'' Rosner said. ``We obviously do not want to raise taxes, that's for sure. It's going to be a tight year.''

Cool Oppenheim-looking (its actually Seiger-Suarez) building for Sunny Isles. Its called Chi and each unit is an entire floor and each unit has its own pool.

(click on location & floorplans for rendering)
http://www.chimiami.com/

That is a hot looking building! Is it south of Trump Towers threesome but North of SOLIS? It is amazing how many buildings they are cramming into Sunny Isles, I love it, but it is kind of unbelievable.

its nice to see how they increased the maximum hieght above 550' ft

Hey, look! It's Roark!

Why do you say that How tall is CHI going to be, more than 550'?