The area is shaping up real nice, I think. What a difference from a few years back.

Anybody know what's going to happen to the medical building? It's dwarfed by everything else.

The area is shaping up real nice, I think. What a difference from a few years back.

Anybody know what's going to happen to the medical building? It's dwarfed by everything else.

I believe it is coming down to make room for a bigger office building or is that being built in the parking lot in front?

Its part of the land for the "Town Center" develoment, of which Town Center One is the first tower. Its just a question of when or if the developers ever get around to the Office/Hotel tower that is to go on that parcel. I think that would be phase III of the project.

Town Center One

March 25:

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i102/stratoshpere/IMG_0953.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i102/stratoshpere/IMG_0954.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i102/stratoshpere/IMG_0955.jpg

I have recently bought a place in Downtown Dadeland. I love it and i see the future in the area seems bright. I have a couple of concerns and questions that hopefully somebody here might help me out with. First off what ever happened to the development that was supposed to go on on the Citibank parcel right next to West elm. I read previous post a while back about an impressive parking garage with a retail component but have not seen or heard of any progress since. Looking at that parking lot kills me. Also Does anyone know of any of the future retail tenants that will occuppy the not yet completed buildings. Im tired of panera and chilis. There is a sign for blue pizzeria but no activity thus far since i moved in. Also is Stir moon still goign to be here? I was wondering whether a barnes and nobles was in the cards since they recently closed their location next to guitar center

I have recently bought a place in Downtown Dadeland. I love it and i see the future in the area seems bright. I have a couple of concerns and questions that hopefully somebody here might help me out with. First off what ever happened to the development that was supposed to go on on the Citibank parcel right next to West elm. I read previous post a while back about an impressive parking garage with a retail component but have not seen or heard of any progress since. Looking at that parking lot kills me. Also Does anyone know of any of the future retail tenants that will occuppy the not yet completed buildings. Im tired of panera and chilis. There is a sign for blue pizzeria but no activity thus far since i moved in. Also is Stir moon still goign to be here? I was wondering whether a barnes and nobles was in the cards since they recently closed their location next to guitar center

H:):)TERS !!!
is coming soon to your location in about 3 years ANDYcanes :cheers:!!!
Welcome to MIAMI -Dadeland Andy, our newest friend,
The REAL Downtown Dadeland as a whole City,
is the Largest and tallest Southern Most city of the United States, aND THAT'S just in the last 6 years with all the newest towers that surrounds you including the " Metropolis Twin Towers next to your Favorite Publix in the same block !!!
You are so lucky to be in walking distance of EVERTHING ,including the Largest mall in the Miami-Dade County, Bank towers , condos, Rooms to go, Sears, MetroRail,
Starbucks,
Dillards,
Macy's and so many car dealers !!
Congrats on buying a condo in the residentail part of Downtown Dadeland !!!:cheers:

Sorry for the bad news, but I don't believe that Citibank is going anywhere...my dental office was in the dadeland medical building, and is currently building out a new space on the 1st floor of that Citibank building.....I don't blame you, looking at a parking lot is no good.....looks like it will be that way for a long time.

LOL.. Thanks for the welcome chuck.. Im actually a life long resident of miami. Although this is one of my first I have actually frequented this site many times. Like many of you im a big proponent of Urban development and one of my greastests disdains is surface parking lots. Hence why I was so interested in the possible new development on the citibank parcel. Downtowner, I could be wrong but from what i remember the parking garage was actually going to be adjacent to the citi building. The citibank would stay but the surface lot would be conveted into a parking garage. Chuck btw are you serious about hooters?? Because if you are I think my wife my start wanting to move somethere else..lol jk...i hope. Anyways I'm very happy in this areaand am extremely eager to see it undergo even more urbanization. Wouldnt mine a similar type parking structure as i mentioned for the citibank to be built on the OLD NAVY and office depot parcel as well. Also what about parks? I was considering sending the commisioner of the area a letter asking to convert some of the unused land under the metrorail into some greenspace for the residnt of the area.

LOL.. Thanks for the welcome chuck.. Im actually a life long resident of miami. Although this is one of my first posts I have actually frequented this site many times. Like many of you im a big proponent of Urban development and one of my greastests disdains is surface parking lots. Hence why I was so interested in the possible new development on the citibank parcel. Downtowner, I could be wrong but from what i remember the parking garage was actually going to be adjacent to the citi building. The citibank would stay but the surface lot would be conveted into a parking garage. Chuck btw are you serious about hooters?? Because if you are I think my wife my start wanting to move somethere else..lol jk...i hope. Anyways I'm very happy in this areaand am extremely eager to see it undergo even more urbanization. Wouldnt mine a similar type parking structure as i mentioned for the citibank to be built on the OLD NAVY and office depot parcel as well. Also what about parks? I was considering sending the commisioner of the area a letter asking to convert some of the unused land under the metrorail into some greenspace for the residnt of the area.

LOL.. Thanks for the welcome chuck.. Im actually a life long resident of miami. Although this is one of my first I have actually frequented this site many times. Like many of you im a big proponent of Urban development and one of my greastests disdains is surface parking lots. Hence why I was so interested in the possible new development on the citibank parcel. Downtowner, I could be wrong but from what i remember the parking garage was actually going to be adjacent to the citi building. The citibank would stay but the surface lot would be conveted into a parking garage. Chuck btw are you serious about hooters?? Because if you are I think my wife my start wanting to move somethere else..lol jk...i hope. Anyways I'm very happy in this areaand am extremely eager to see it undergo even more urbanization. Wouldnt mine a similar type parking structure as i mentioned for the citibank to be built on the OLD NAVY and office depot parcel as well. Also what about parks? I was considering sending the commisioner of the area a letter asking to convert some of the unused land under the metrorail into some greenspace for the residnt of the area.


AndyCanes:) !!!
our friend of Dadeland,
I couldn't disagree with you,
There's NO Parks in the Dadeland area, lol.
it's all commercial and condo , residents living in all spots of Dadeland,
Just No room for a park , but under the MetroRail line itself, If any land left there ,???
and for H:):)ters:cheers:
what's wrong with a little of a loud late night place to celebrate away from your woman for an hour or two with Wings and B:):)gs, lol.:cheers:
for instance WWE is free to watch at H:):)ters tonight,
I believe it's Wresthlemania ( Great spelling , I even made the Spelling Bee when I was a kid, NOT !! ) or some special RICK FLAIR night tonight IN DEMAND Special,,:cheers:

Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo !!!!!:lol:

Random, but Dadeland Mall is not the largest mall in Miami. Aventura Mall and Dolphin Mall are larger than Dadeland, and are at par with Sawgrass Mills.

Random, but Dadeland Mall is not the largest mall in Miami. Aventura Mall and Dolphin Mall are larger than Dadeland, and are at par with Sawgrass Mills.

Kevin Kady:),
our Mall friend,
are you sure, ???
last time I checked Dadeland mall has more department store space than the other malls in MIAMI - Dade county ONLY:cheers:,
I'll have to do more reserch,
you could be right with the Aventura Mall ,
but the Dolphin Mall , it's really a discount Mall with now the new Bass Pro Shops , it has gotten bigger.
I'll have to do some homework on this one :ohno:

I dont know about Dolphin Mall but Aventura Mall I know is bigger than Dadeland.

According to Wikipedia (after looking this stuff up, I realized Miami has A LOT of malls):

Aventura Mall: 2.4 million ft²
5th largest mall in the U.S., biggest in Florida

Sawgrass Mills: 2.2 million ft² (6th largest mall in the U.S., 2nd in Florida)

Dadeland Mall: 1.5 million ft²

Dolphin Mall: 1.4 million ft²

The Falls: 810,000 ft²

Bal Harbour Shops: 510,000 ft² (most expensive mall in the U.S.)

Bayside Marketplace: 240,000 ft²

Mary Brickell Village: 200,000 ft²

Also to note, the largest mall in the U.S. is the King of Prussia Mall outside of Philadelphia at 2.7 million ft² and the largest mall in the world is South China Mall in Dongguan, China at a whopping 6.5 million ft²! Makes our big malls look like ants! I wonder how Miracle Mile, Lincoln Road, Washington Avenue, and Flagler Street compare.

Thanks Kevin Kagy:) !!!
our Update MALL Friend,
I had a feeling the Dadeland Mall:banana: was at least the 1st or 2nd Largest Mall in Miami-Dade county,
and YES, there's many Malls in Miami-Dade County:cheers:,
please include more of the sizes you have found there.
for malls ;
such as the Mall at 163rd Street ???
Mall of the America's ( Old Midway Mall ) on West Flagler ???
Westland Mall in Hialeah ???
Bal Harbour Shops Mall ???
The Shops at SUNSET PLACE Mall, South Miami ???
The Cutler Ridge MALL , in now Cutler Bay ???
The Miami International MALL in West Dade ???
The SkyLake Mall on Miami Gardens Drive ???
The Loehmanes Plaza Mall in Aventura ???
The CocoWalk- MayFair Mall in Coconut Grove ???
The Lincohn Road Mall in Miami Beach ???
The Midtown Shops Mall in Edgewater ???
The Merrick Park Shops Mall in Coral Gables ???
The WatersWay Shops mall in North Aventura ???

and Please Kevin:), I had to re-edited this one, lol.
found out how huge is the MALL of AMERICA outside Minnenapolis , Minnesota ,
thanks !!!:cheers:

WOW I had no idea A-ventura Mall was so high on the national size list! I would not have put it in the top 30! I just thought of it as the nice mall close by. It's also known as the MILF mall! :colgate:

Also to note, the largest mall in the U.S. is the King of Prussia Mall outside of Philadelphia at 2.7 million ft²

Wow...that place is an unavoidable behemoth out in the burbs here but I had no idea it was the biggest in the country.

Still, I tend to hate malls in general. Sure, they serve a purpose (and generate needed jobs) but I always TRY to give my business to smaller locally-owned shops as much as possible. It's not always easy, admittedly---and usually costs more, too---but I just think it's the right thing to do.

So are they going to build the other towers that are part of the Town Center development, or are they just going to build Town Center One?

I hope they do kevin. I dont know what i would rather see go first though the dadeland medical building or the comp usa. I guess the dadeland medical building because its so atrocious. I also hope they build that city furniture that was proposed it seems like a million years ago in front of the citibank.

I haven't seen any real bussines there in Dwontown Kendall. What kind of bussinesses are they planning to run?

well as we all known lots of companies, financial/ law firms/ corporate reside in datran towers or the newer towers they have just built retail in downtown dadeland is currently limited to chilis, panera, childresn place, west elm, a nail salon, and a mattress place. The other retail hasnt been developed yet but there are signs for Stir Moon, and Blue Pizzeria (they have one next to sunset place as well). I have heard rumors about possible Barnes and Nobles but i dont know how trustworthy those rumors are as I asked the property manager and she had no idea. I remember a while back i saw an article that said Macaronni grill had signed a lease agreement but im not sure if they are still coming. In metropolis the only retail open is a cafe by the name of Sgt Peppers, which by the way is awesome. The area definatley has a lot of potential. the new town center dedvelopement is going to really enhance the area. the only thing that troubles me about the area is that disparity between the surburban and urban sections. for instance the publix, as nice as it is, is completly designed with surburban in mind.

Town Center One is getting pretty tall. Everything above that concrete pedestal will be glass. It seems like the pedestal may be taller than the one seen in the rendering. I think the pedestal is either 10 or 11 floors tall, which will be nearly half of the 25 floor tower. So there may be a lot less glass than originally anticipated.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c275/dmoore305/Towncenterone.jpg

Thanks for the photo update. Do you know if they plan on continuing construction of the other office towers, or are they just going to build Town Center One?

Downtown Dadeland is a wonderful project, considering it is serviced by metrorail and establishes a growing urban area in an otherwise suburban part of town. I know a few people who live there and they easily get around without a car and love the way the new neighborhood is coming out.

whats up with that Kendall drive Light rail or DMU proposal. that would be awesome. With regards to the town center project I will walk by the sales office and let you know the staus of the other projects. Also i think they are about to re-do dadeland blvd. seen a lot of surveys and marling up the sidewalks and streets. I definatley love the vibe around here though. Cant wait for Stir moon to open, never ate their but i heard its decent.

Downtown Dadeland is a wonderful project, considering it is serviced by metrorail and establishes a growing urban area in an otherwise suburban part of town. I know a few people who live there and they easily get around without a car and love the way the new neighborhood is coming out.

As most of the people here know, I live in Kendall, and I really need a car.

From Flickr:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/231/498776694_0a64efdede.jpg?v=0
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/224/498824803_19fcbdc0e5.jpg?v=0
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/200/498826117_ea21303711.jpg?v=0
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/201/498827093_9f1f4474de.jpg?v=0
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2301/2082712250_59d90a85ed.jpg?v=0
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/195/498726555_8ba31e608b.jpg?v=0
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/166/337110948_9a5a36bf10.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3289/2351593962_9a97f22209.jpg?v=0
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2351/1976275495_e1121f6809.jpg?v=0
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2420/2048148602_eaf344dd11.jpg?v=0
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2366/1977060132_a1058afde1.jpg?v=0
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/101/264224969_f1a84ae016.jpg?v=0
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/88/264224887_80696f4ba7.jpg?v=0
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/122/264224947_6709b15a50.jpg?v=0

^^ 2005/ 2006.

THIS...

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/166/337110948_9a5a36bf10.jpg?v=0

...couldn't help but remind me of THIS:

http://www.sptimes.com/News/072101/photos/world-border.jpg

(still like the project, though) :lol:

As most of the people here know, I live in Kendall, and I really need a car.


Kendall and Dadeland is different. Most of kendall you do need a car but downtown dadeland area you don't.

Also great pics! thanks for posting. :)

:cheers:

Kendall and Dadeland is different. Most of kendall you do need a car but downtown dadeland area you don't.

Also great pics! thanks for posting. :)

:cheers:

Yes, I understand, but the reality is that Downtown Kendall is just a 4 block community. It is like an oasis.

Any updated pictures?

i wonder what the furure holds for the parcell just east of downtown dadeland that is occupied by Cointainer store, office depot, old navy and the wachovia. Those projects were built before the new urban code and kind of throw the whole downtown kendall concept out of wack. I also heard they are making a bike path under the metrorail.

i wonder what the furure holds for the parcell just east of downtown dadeland that is occupied by Cointainer store, office depot, old navy and the wachovia. Those projects were built before the new urban code and kind of throw the whole downtown kendall concept out of wack. I also heard they are making a bike path under the metrorail.

I hope they develop it like the west side. I'd like to see the Dadeland South Station hidden behind all the towers, townhouses and businesse lol. :lol:

has anyone seen any progress on this building in the last 4 months or so? It has looked the exact same to me to ages. I haven't seen the crane actually moving in months either.

http://www.globest.com/news/1252_1252/miami/174031-1.html

Town Center One Tops Off 52% Sold

By Crystal Proenza

MIAMI-Town Center One, a 210,000-sf class A office condo building, located on North Kendall Drive in the new Downtown Dadeland area, has topped off. The building is 52% sold and is on track for completion by May 2009, according to developer Dayco. Luis Lumar, president of the development company, says the estimated sell-out of the project is $100 million.

“The Dadeland area’s appeal has been a major selling point at Town Center One,” says Doris Myers, project manager. “Many areas of Miami-Dade are on the way to becoming what we already are—a true urban sub-market with every conceivable amenity, from mass transit (direct access to Metrorail), to shopping (across the street from Dadeland Mall) to multiple residential options ([1200] new units within strolling distance of Town Center One), all within a beautiful, walkable environment.”

The 24-story building will be anchored by BMI Cos., which has purchased two floors of space totaling 35,000 sf to relocate its world headquarters. Other owners include small business owners that live in the Dadeland area and a local private investor that has purchased a 17,370-sf floor to open for lease.
Town Center One has suite options starting at $399,000, with space available from 930 sf to full floors. “This is a huge bedroom community with a huge employee base where professionals are looking for an office close to home instead of driving Downtown,” says Lumar.

According to a Marcus & Millichap second-quarter report, 1.8 million sf of office condos were brought online in Miami-Dade County over the last 12 months, with more than 500,000 sf of for-sale space still being marketed, some as for-lease product. “Right now office condo market activity is very limited and the only real spots you’re seeing any activity is within the medical office sector,” says Alex Zylberglait, associate director of the national office and industrial properties group with Marcus & Millichap. “Even then, only under certain conditions that make sense for the buyers of the units, if they can even get financing. So much of this market was driven by the availability of capital which is now not as prevalent, and transaction activity has decreased significantly.”

Lumar says two floors of Town Center One are dedicated to medical users, and adds that Dayco is confident in the project because of the strong demographics around its location. “This is an evolving area that in the future will be very vibrant,” he tells GlobeSt.com. “There are 100,000 households within five miles of the property with an average annual income of $100,000. For that reason, value is likely to remain high and improve.”

Although many office condo projects have hit a rough patch this year and have turned into rentals, Dayco has seen success with two of its previous projects. The 55 Merrick building in Coral Gables was entirely sold in January and 1600 Ponce de Leon, also in Coral Gables, is 90% sold and will be completed on Oct. 10. Most of the owners at both of the buildings are local Coral Gables businesses that have purchased an average of 1,200 sf, says Lumar.

Now that you mention it...

I live in downtown dadeland and I know for a fact that they are working on that building all day. I have wondered why it has taken so long to put up the glass though. It has been topped off for a couple of months now. anyways seems to be a nice project but it will truly shine when (if) they develop the area around it like the renderings show. I have to believe that the medical building will be demolished next being that CompUSa has just had a "re-opening" of sorts.

Now that we are on the dadeland subject I just wanted to update you guys with some of occurrences happening in downtown dadeland. For one, the project has not yet been turned over. The last building where the pool and gym are located has not been opened. Something seems wrong though. they had to tear up the brick and street around the building because it wasnt waterproofed correctly. Management promised the building would be ready by the beginning of august....so here we are. They claim permits. dadeland blvd on the other hand is undergoing a draining replacement so the street is all tore up. Work continues on stir moon and tropical smoothie. A new OXXo cleaners has opened up in metropolis. Sgt Peppers continues to be a popular eatery.

Now that we are on the dadeland subject I just wanted to update you guys with some of occurrences happening in downtown dadeland. For one, the project has not yet been turned over. The last building where the pool and gym are located has not been opened. Something seems wrong though. they had to tear up the brick and street around the building because it wasnt waterproofed correctly. Management promised the building would be ready by the beginning of august....so here we are. They claim permits. dadeland blvd on the other hand is undergoing a draining replacement so the street is all tore up. Work continues on stir moon and tropical smoothie. A new OXXo cleaners has opened up in metropolis. Sgt Peppers continues to be a popular eatery.

Thanks for the updates on Dadeland. It's nice to hear feedback on the area from an insider's perspective. Do you notice more people walking around Dadeland and using Metrorail? When is Dadeland busier? At night, weekdays, weekends, etc?

The crane started to come down last night at Town Center One.

kevin,

during the weekdays there is a lot of activity in the area. The metrorail is pretty busy weekday mornings and afternoons. The only problem i percieve with the area is its interaction with dadeland mall. Both metro rail stations near the mall are not exactly convinent for shoppers. All the new buildings in the area are being built according to an urban code. I have heard that any future development in the mall will recquire them to adhere to the code as well. Its coming together though. Little by little you see a what was once the poster child to surburbia re-transforiming itself to an urban landscape. Just as important as neccessary mall re-development, in my opinion, is the development on the southside of the metrorail. they really have to do away with the shorty's, subway, strip mall, and strip club.

kevin,

during the weekdays there is a lot of activity in the area. The metrorail is pretty busy weekday mornings and afternoons. The only problem i percieve with the area is its interaction with dadeland mall. Both metro rail stations near the mall are not exactly convinent for shoppers. All the new buildings in the area are being built according to an urban code. I have heard that any future development in the mall will recquire them to adhere to the code as well. Its coming together though. Little by little you see a what was once the poster child to surburbia re-transforiming itself to an urban landscape. Just as important as neccessary mall re-development, in my opinion, is the development on the southside of the metrorail. they really have to do away with the shorty's, subway, strip mall, and strip club.

Just a couple thoughts. Shorty's should not be done away with. It is one of the few landmark eateries that pinecrest has. The second thing that comes into question is the goal of development in Dadeland overall. Yes urbanization has occured, but in a suburban area. While we like to see increased density in residential areas, is this the right place to see it? Also, while this is an example of urbanization, it is also an example of decentralization. Furthermore, should we worry about traffic on US 1 as we continue to build more towards its boarders or should we be encouraged by dadeland's proximity to the metrorail. These are just some questions I wanted to throw out.

Town Centre One made a ton of progress in the last month or so, going from no cladding to almost completely covered in glass now. Only a floor or so of glass left.

^^I saw it Sunday, I really hope they continue with all the proposed towers to cover it. I don't like it too much.

I think it is the only building that looks like a real building.

We desperately need to see a pic of T.C.O. :)

http://www.globest.com/news/1419_1419/florida/178919-1.html

Daily Business Review Last updated: May 28, 2009 12:05pm

Downtown Dadeland Put on Market

By Paola Iuspa-Abbott

MIAMI-Construction lender Goldman Sachs Commercial Mortgage, which foreclosed on the Downtown Dadeland project in southwest Miami-Dade County, has put the massive mixed-use project up for sale. The division of the investment banking giant, wants to unload the project’s 126,920 square feet of retail space on the ground floor of seven residential towers and 158 unsold condo units.

No asking price was set by the lender. The components can be sold together or separately, according to CB Richard Ellis, which is marketing the property.

Goldman Sachs got stuck with the 416-condo and retail complex after taking title to the new development in December. That was the last step in a foreclosure action that it brought against the developer of the project in late 2007.

Downtown Dadeland was the first large development in South Florida to succumb to the housing meltdown. A construction boom fueled by cheap money and rampant speculation collapsed in 2007. Since then, developers have defaulted on construction loans and increasingly faced foreclosure. A frozen credit market has made it difficult for them to refinance existing loans or get new loans for their projects.

South Miami-based Gulfside Development walked away from the unfinished, 590,000-square-foot Downtown Dadeland in November 2007 as the housing market collapsed. Condo sales plummeted, and Gulfside principals, Jackson Ward and Stefan Johansson, could no longer make payments on the $224-million construction loan.

The partners stopped paying Goldman Sachs in August 2007 and owed the lender $222.6 million in principal, interest and fees as of November 2008, according to Miami-Dade County property records. In late 2007, Goldman Sachs successfully petitioned to have a court-appointed receiver oversee the completion of the project and collect rent on behalf of the developer.

The last of the seven buildings was completed earlier this year, but sales at Downtown Dadeland remain sluggish. Four units have sold since Goldman affiliate Dadeland Condo I LLC took title to the project five months ago, said Adam Cappel, president of CondoReports.com, a condo research firm.

“There hasn’t been much in the way of recent closed sales,” Cappel says. The asking price for condos at Downtown Dadeland, as in most projects in South Florida, has fallen in the past two years with some units being marketed at $165,000 or $211 per square foot, he says. At the height of the housing boom in 2006, the average sale price there was $258 per square foot, he says.

Goldman Sachs hasn’t set a price for the property, but CBRE says the cost of the land and construction of Downtown Dadeland is about $400 per square foot, or about $70 million for the unsold condos and $51 million for the retail space. About 40% of the retail space is leased out and generates a net operating income of nearly $1.1 million.

Once all the retail space is leased, the net operating income could jump to $4.8 million, according to CBRE. The base rent for the retail space in that area ranges between $25 and $50 per square foot.

Downtown Dadeland, designed as a walkable community, sits across Kendall Drive from the 1.5-million-square-foot Dadeland Mall. The condos being offered in bulk are vacant, and the buyer could rent out the units for about $2 per square foot, CBRE says, and once the housing market turns, the condos, which average 1,100 square feet, could sell for $260 to $300 per square foot.

recent aerial photo of the area:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dgmiami/3458756452/

Anyone got the scoop on foreclosure or preforeclosure properties in the Downtown Dadeland area they can share? Thanks.

Does anyone have pictures of the old Burger King HQ or old pics of the entire Mall area?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704157304574612503396406792.html

Lennar's Land Loss
In 2003, home builder Lennar Corp. bought a nine-acre site in suburban Miami for $15 million. Last month, Lennar sold half of it to a local investor for just $2.3 million. But the company probably feels good that it got anything at all.

Brokers say that most raw land is worthless because of how much it would cost to hold on to it, in taxes and other fees, until demand comes back enough for new development to make sense. But the land in Lennar's deal, in Kendall, Fla., is in a prime location near the high-traffic Dadeland Mall.

"It's an exceptionally strong buy," said Charles Forschini, a CB Richard Ellis broker who wasn't involved in the transaction. "When the market recovers, it'll recover at that location first."

The buyers, local apartment investor Tomas Cabrerizo and developer Maurice Cayon, plan to build a 250-unit apartment complex on the land at some point. Lennar didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Vultures have been circling hard-hit Miami for years. The area ranks behind Las Vegas and New York in Real Capital Analytics' ranking of distressed real-estate markets, with $7.6 billion of property in default, delinquent, in bankruptcy or foreclosure as of November.

Any land out of Lennar's hands is a good thing.

Lennar did a decent job with the Collonade building. I think their intentions were in the right place as far as urbanity is concerned.

A post by "Sniper" @ Urban Planet including a photo tour of the area:

amazing photos

miami world center and miami mall world center :banana::banana:

Some posts on this thread from the 2006-2008 period have addressed walkability and pedestrian access to the Mall and the Metrorail.

Any update, any new infrastructure? If one lives in one of the Downtown Dadeland towers, it is safe (mainly traffic-wise) to walk from S. Dadeland Blvd to the Dadeland South metrorail station on Dadeland Blvd? What about crossing 88th Street to Dadeland Mall? Or walking to Publix?

Also, any update on the health of the condos there, the Metropolis in particular on S. Dadeland Blvd, specifically short-sale/foreclosure rates, any difficulties for the condo associations in paying bills like water, cable, and insurance, and risk of sky-rocketing monthly fees as a result?

As far as life within the condo buildings, are the units relatively well insulated from one another, or are there frequent complaints about neighbors' noises, loud music, conflicts over parking, the gym, pool, etc.?

Finally, any comments/opinions on condo living/schooling/amenities for children, and the possibility of meeting internationally-oriented people for a small internationally-oriented (Latin America and Europe) family (multilingual, Spanish/English/Others), Dadeland vs Brickell?

Thanks

Some posts on this thread from the 2006-2008 period have addressed walkability and pedestrian access to the Mall and the Metrorail.

Any update, any new infrastructure? If one lives in one of the Downtown Dadeland towers, it is safe (mainly traffic-wise) to walk from S. Dadeland Blvd to the Dadeland South metrorail station on Dadeland Blvd? What about crossing 88th Street to Dadeland Mall? Or walking to Publix?

Also, any update on the health of the condos there, the Metropolis in particular on S. Dadeland Blvd, specifically short-sale/foreclosure rates, any difficulties for the condo associations in paying bills like water, cable, and insurance, and risk of sky-rocketing monthly fees as a result?

As far as life within the condo buildings, are the units relatively well insulated from one another, or are there frequent complaints about neighbors' noises, loud music, conflicts over parking, the gym, pool, etc.?

Finally, any comments/opinions on condo living/schooling/amenities for children, and the possibility of meeting internationally-oriented people for a small internationally-oriented (Latin America and Europe) family (multilingual, Spanish/English/Others), Dadeland vs Brickell?

Thanks

It sounds like you might be interested in moving into the Downtown Dadeland area. If you are, my suggestion is to get a place at the Colonnade instead. It's much easier and safer to walk to Dadeland or Dadeland Station from.

Also, it's still very dangerous to get from Metropolis or Toscano to Dadeland south. You have to run across the street during a lull in traffic, which is rare considering how much traffic the area gets.

The Dadeland area experiences a lot of vehicular traffic but all those towers are an easy walk to the Dadeland South Metro Station. Crossing Kendall Drive is a bit of a pain by simple virtue that it's so wide, but it's really not that bad. The Dadeland Publix is suburban in that it has a large surface parking lot, but you could just as easily walk there.

Dadeland has changed a lot, and is much more urban and walkable now than it ever was, and regardless of which tower you live in, the Metro is no more than an easy 5 minute walk away. Brickell and Downtown are both very nice as well (Brickell is safer and cleaner than Downtown), and have great public transit service with both the Metro, the Metromover, and many, many bus lines.

The Dadeland area experiences a lot of vehicular traffic but all those towers are an easy walk to the Dadeland South Metro Station. Crossing Kendall Drive is a bit of a pain by simple virtue that it's so wide, but it's really not that bad. The Dadeland Publix is suburban in that it has a large surface parking lot, but you could just as easily walk there.

Dadeland has changed a lot, and is much more urban and walkable now than it ever was, and regardless of which tower you live in, the Metro is no more than an easy 5 minute walk away. Brickell and Downtown are both very nice as well (Brickell is safer and cleaner than Downtown), and have great public transit service with both the Metro, the Metromover, and many, many bus lines.

My barber ("hair stylist" in Miami speak) was telling me that she is saving up to sell her house and move. She likes the suburban feel that's still walkable. She lives and works within a few miles of the owers. Her friends and neighbors think pretty highly of them.

My barber ("hair stylist" in Miami speak) was telling me that she is saving up to sell her house and move. She likes the suburban feel that's still walkable. She lives and works within a few miles of the owers. Her friends and neighbors think pretty highly of them.

I think the guys still prefer to be called barbers though!:lol::cheers:

Dadeland plans to either add a second floor to the mall or renovate it "to incorporate the existing retail into a walkable community".

http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2011/11/17/dadeland-mall-gets-276m-added-to.html

Dadeland Mall adds $276M to mortgage

South Florida Business Journal by Brian Bandell and Oscar Pedro Musibay

The owner of the Dadeland Mall got its holiday gift a little early – a $275.6 million advance on its mortgage.
The 1.49 million-square-foot mall, at 7535 S.W. 88th St. (Kendall Drive), is owned by Simon Property Group (NYSE: SPG). Tenants include JCPenney , Saks Fifth Avenue , The Limited , Macy’s , Nordstrom and The Cheesecake Factory .
The Nov. 10 mortgage modification with co-lenders Prudential Insurance Co. and New York Life Insurance Co. boosted its mortgage amount to $450 million.
Jeremy Larkin, president of NAI Miami Commercial Real Estate Services Worldwide, said Simon had been talking about adding another floor to the mall, a favorite of tourists, specifically from South America. But whatever Simon might be planning may be a more complex project that would attempt to incorporate the existing retail into a walkable community.
In fact, Miami-Dade County planners envisioned Dadeland Mall and neighboring Downtown Dadeland, which includes residences and retail, as anchors for what could be downtown Kendall. The area was rezoned to require new development be built along sidewalks and tap into Metrorail, which runs along South Dixie Highway, the area's main artery.
If Simon is planning a big project, the timing of the financing package is opportune because the economic recovery may take two years more to gain traction, some analysts predict. A large project will take a couple of years to build, so ideally it would be completed in September 2013, giving tenants time to have a soft opening and be ready for the holiday shopping season.
The financing is coming from life insurance companies because they are easier to deal with, in terms of the application process, Larkin said.

It was at least 2005 when I first heard that they wanted to add a second floor, maybe earlier.

From Miami Property Sales (http://miamipropertysales.com/dadeland-mall-renovations-kendall-wing/):

Dadeland Mall Construction Renovations – Kendall Wing
15. April 2012 · Comments Off · Categories: PineCrest/South Miami

http://miamipropertysales.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dadeland-mall-renovations-construction-2012.jpg

The Dadeland Mall is undergoing major changes as a large portion of the front of the mall has been demolished in order to be rebuilt as a two story expansion to the Kendall Wing section of the mall. One of the ultimate goals of the renovations is to give the mall a Lincoln Road feel. The owners (Simon Property Group) of the mall plan on achieving this goal by adding 102,000 square feet of new retail space to the mall. The retail space will be housed in the modern two story wing featuring an elevated catwalk. In the front of the newly designed Kendall Wing will be new restaurants with outdoor dining. The Simon Property Group will also be adding new landscaping and artwork to top off the renovations. In the end the Dadeland Mall will have a completely different look and feel along with many new high-end retail stores and restaurants. Plus, it will be more pedestrian friendly and eye appealing for the drivers on Kendall Drive.
The work is expected to be completed by May of 2013 with 320 new jobs expected to be created in the Dadeland area as a result of the new retail stores and restaurants. The below photos were released by Simon Property Group and show how the renovations will look upon completion. This is great news for property owners in the area as all these enhancements will most likely bring added value to the surrounding properties.

http://miamipropertysales.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dadeland-mall-renovations-modern-walkway.jpg

http://miamipropertysales.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dadeland-mall-kendall-wing-renovated-shops.jpg

http://miamipropertysales.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dadeland-mall-completed-renovations-outside.jpg

^ I've been hearing all about the World of Beers that just opened at Dadeland. I hear they are having a Cinco de Mayo block party too.

^ I've been hearing all about the World of Beers that just opened at Dadeland. I hear they are having a Cinco de Mayo block party too.

They are openning another one in Midtown Miami, nice.

^^ where did you hear this?

^^ where did you hear this?

I live in Midtown there is a sign of coming soon at Midblock building, just saw it Yesterday

^^ where did you hear this?

http://www.shopmidtownmiami.com/go/fb/guide/store.cfm?storeID=2137042263&CFID=60573188&CFTOKEN=e1cee110d148ddce-C37004E7-C451-0773-99412395700AFD73

Nice! I am glad midtown is getting something like this! I really think Brickell needs something like this also though. Either a World of Beers or an Ale House or a Yard House would be huge in Brickell.

What Miami truly needs is its own craft brewery and not just some half-assed micro-brew like Titanic but a full-scale brewery that makes beer for beer drinkers rather than for the casual Corona and Heineken drinkers that make up so much of Miami.

At the Hogtown Beer Festival last weekend, there were at least 12 breweries from Florida with no less than four craft breweries from Jacksonville alone. Yet not one brewery was there to represent Miami. I think it really makes Miami look bad that we have the biggest market in the state and still can't get a good craft brewery off the ground.

[/rant]

Gordon Biersch?

Dunno I'm more of a wine and Liquor fan myself.

What Miami truly needs is its own craft brewery and not just some half-assed micro-brew like Titanic but a full-scale brewery that makes beer for beer drinkers rather than for the casual Corona and Heineken drinkers that make up so much of Miami.

At the Hogtown Beer Festival last weekend, there were at least 12 breweries from Florida with no less than four craft breweries from Jacksonville alone. Yet not one brewery was there to represent Miami. I think it really makes Miami look bad that we have the biggest market in the state and still can't get a good craft brewery off the ground.

[/rant]

Funny, I live in Tallahassee and was thinking the same thing. They just opened up a new microbrew behind my place here, and I was wondering when South Florida would get some places. Atlanta has a bunch too. I think a micobrew might not appeal to the Heineken and Corona tourists on South Beach and Brickell, but Midtown or somewhere West would be a great spot.

Tequesta Brewery in Jupiter is pretty good but they're on the wrong end of SoFla. Also, the demographics of Tampa are similar to Miami and yet they have Florida's best brewery in Cigar City.

Gordon Biersch?
Gordon Biersch is one of my favorite places, they made a great IPA last month.

Also, for that last 17 years or so, The Abby on South Beach has served up some great craft beers. Sadly, they have added windows and expanded in size.