continued from old thread.

Something to restart this thread with: The Holiday Inn around which EWT is to be built is officially up for sale now. I wonder if the EWT people will try to buy it to incorporate it into their site or if someone else will surface. Office tower anyone?

yes please an office tower there would be great!!!
good news everyone EPIC HAS ITS FOUNDATIONS READY TO POUR AND GO VERTICAL ill try to get a picture i promise !!! they have the rebars and column bases just waiting for the pour.

IF THE SALE GOES THROUGH THAT SITE WILL BE DEMOLISHED AND 3 NEW TALL TOWERS WILL GOW UP IN ITS PLACE ALONG WITH SOME SORT
OF MEGA RETAIL OR ENTERTAINMENT VENUE..SAD THING IS THE BOA BUILDING WILL BE COVERED AND LOOSE ITS VIEW BUT AT THE SAME TIME THE 100 SE 2ND STREET PARKING LOT IS THE BOA PARKING GARAGE... SO IF A VIEW IS LOST I DONT THINK THEY WOULD CARE BECUASE THEY ARE BUYING THE PEDASTAL OF THIS BUILDING I GUESS... BRICKELL ON THE RIVER WILL HAVE A NEW NEIGHBOR ACROSS FROM IT STARRING DOWN ON IT...


KNIGHT CENTER TALKS: Miami continues to negotiate with consultant Staubach Co. Northeast to help with a sale of money-losing James L. Knight Center. The 5.7-acre city-owned hub managed by Global Spectrum encompasses Miami's Convention Center, the Hyatt Hotel, the University of Miami Conference Center at 400 NE Second Ave. and a parking garage at 100 SE Second St. Lori Billberry, director of Miami's Public Facilities Department, said a contract with Staubach is being negotiating and "a draft was reviewed last week." She said she is unsure when a contract will be final. Once done, commissioners must approve it before Staubach can move forward. Miami is subsidizing the Knight Center by about $1.9 million a year.

Rx, are you a mole at a development company or something? :dunno: It's funny that at any time the BOA Tower might have it's legs cut right under it. Many people have been complaining about the $52,000,000 Knight Center complex since its opening back in 1982. The Herald said that a building of its importance was too bland. At least, it was the basis for the design of the BOA tower. CenTrust & I.M. Pei designed the tower to reflect its neighboor.

yes please an office tower there would be great!!!
good news everyone EPIC HAS ITS FOUNDATIONS READY TO POUR AND GO VERTICAL ill try to get a picture i promise !!! they have the rebars and column bases just waiting for the pour.


ARCH :hi: , your right my friend :righton: , and its going vertical soon, with a Yellow Base Tower construction tower crane :applause: being installed today on the Site, its going up fast :okay: and the extra lane on the Brickell Avenue Bridge Northbound is also in High speed to be completed by the end of this year :hm: :cheers1: ,

wow :rock: ,
I say it again,

2 :cheer: , 4 :cheer: , 6 :cheer: , 8 :cheer: , :speech: Who do we appreicate ??? :gaah:

Cranes !!! :grouphug: , Cranes !!! :grouphug: , Cranes !!! :grouphug:

Go Cranes !!! :banana: :cheer: :pepper:

Could something be happening at our favorite gas station on Biscayne Blvd? Look at item #3 on the agenda for the UDRB. Something is beginning the permitting stages on that site.

http://www.miamigov.com/planning/pages/Boards/UDRB062306.pdf

IF THE SALE GOES THROUGH THAT SITE WILL BE DEMOLISHED AND 3 NEW TALL TOWERS WILL GOW UP IN ITS PLACE ALONG WITH SOME SORT
OF MEGA RETAIL OR ENTERTAINMENT VENUE..SAD THING IS THE BOA BUILDING WILL BE COVERED AND LOOSE ITS VIEW BUT AT THE SAME TIME THE 100 SE 2ND STREET PARKING LOT IS THE BOA PARKING GARAGE... SO IF A VIEW IS LOST I DONT THINK THEY WOULD CARE BECUASE THEY ARE BUYING THE PEDASTAL OF THIS BUILDING I GUESS... BRICKELL ON THE RIVER WILL HAVE A NEW NEIGHBOR ACROSS FROM IT STARRING DOWN ON IT...


KNIGHT CENTER TALKS: Miami continues to negotiate with consultant Staubach Co. Northeast to help with a sale of money-losing James L. Knight Center. The 5.7-acre city-owned hub managed by Global Spectrum encompasses Miami's Convention Center, the Hyatt Hotel, the University of Miami Conference Center at 400 NE Second Ave. and a parking garage at 100 SE Second St. Lori Billberry, director of Miami's Public Facilities Department, said a contract with Staubach is being negotiating and "a draft was reviewed last week." She said she is unsure when a contract will be final. Once done, commissioners must approve it before Staubach can move forward. Miami is subsidizing the Knight Center by about $1.9 million a year.

I love Staubuch's coffee. :)

Could something be happening at our favorite gas station on Biscayne Blvd? Look at item #3 on the agenda for the UDRB. Something is beginning the permitting stages on that site.

http://www.miamigov.com/planning/pages/Boards/UDRB062306.pdf
Thanks Dave, for keeping us informed. You are by far the best agenda/minutes reader amongst the Miami forumers. I don’t have enough time nor patience to deal with all of those pdfs so it’s really helpful to have someone who can keep me updated.

As for the BP, I really want that hole filled up with something substantial so that the wall will look complete. I’ve been working on a Sketchup rendering of the Miami Wall which is pretty much done (photobucket’s giving me trouble again) and it is a very noticeable gap, as is the MDC campus next to the Empire World Towers. This building doesn’t even have to be as tall as Paramount Park or 900 Biscayne as long as it has a decent facade; pretty much anything would be more suitable than a gas station for that location. Someone has to take one for the team and go to that Development Review Board meeting to find out what’s up.

didnt someone say eariler that BP was going to become a cafe and gas station with outdoor seating on biscayne?

yea that Bp isn't building shit, you can't really build much with a special exemption permit, so i guess they're just going to spruce it up.

This is actually Part III. Links to the previous threads can be found here:
Part I (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=160736) (July 2004 - December 2004)
Part II (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=117812&page=1&pp=20) (December 2004 - June 2006)

Dirt is being pushed around on the 600 Biscayne site:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/dave8721/600bisc.jpg

Is this that massive thing behind the Freedom Tower?

Did that project ever get approved? Doesnt the site also include that parking lot behind it?

Did that project ever get approved? Doesnt the site also include that parking lot behind it?

Rider of ROHAN :hi: , my friend :righton: ,
YES :applause: , it was approved by the city , and the Terra Group has been advertising mostly in the latin magazines, I've seen the renderings and pictures in many latin mags :cheers: .
:cheer:
I believe this 600 Biscayne tower will go up earlier than the Paramount Park condo.and Yes, the empty old parking lot in the back of the Freedom tower is part of the 60 plus floor " Freedom 600 biscayne " condo tower. :okay:
:happy: we'll soon find out. :happy:

I believe Paramount Park will be the last one to get built. I'm even going to boldly predict that PP will start getting the site ready after Marina Blue and Ten Museum have finished construction.

Dirt has been being pushed around there for quite some time now. There was a huge hole there for a long while too...

Dirt has been being pushed around there for quite some time now. There was a huge hole there for a long while too...

Maybe they are getting the archeology digging done before they start :)..wish Met 3 would have

PP will be launched 'late year' based on an interview with Prodigy in the latest Ocean Drive.

Full speed ahead apparently.

Met site:

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i102/stratoshpere/Capitol_grille/Met_site.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i102/stratoshpere/Capitol_grille/Met1.jpg



Epic site (the guys lifted the drawbridge just for the pics...je...):


http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i102/stratoshpere/Capitol_grille/Epic1.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i102/stratoshpere/Capitol_grille/Epic2.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i102/stratoshpere/Capitol_grille/Epic_closeup.jpg


Riverfront?:

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i102/stratoshpere/Capitol_grille/Riverfront2.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i102/stratoshpere/Capitol_grille/Riverfront1.jpg


Ship passing TOO close to the opposite side of the drawbridge jeje...

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i102/stratoshpere/Capitol_grille/Miami_river_close_call.jpg

:cheers:

PP will be launched 'late year' based on an interview with Prodigy in the latest Ocean Drive.

Full speed ahead apparently.
I never noticed, but does that area have to conduct any archeological digging b4 construction can commense?

^yes they do

Everglades on the Bay from today.

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/9240/dsc037963fl.png

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/307/dsc038010zd.png

Here are some more photos from today.

The Loft II
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/6062/dsc03800av9.png

50 Biscayne
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/715/dsc037954cs.png

nice updates

Nice photos, thanks for the update. But now that I see the photo of Loft II, it reminds me, that the Metromover station under it, is really dark now, and everytime I go in there, there are always bums on the walkways. Plus, that station is bound to be a haven for drug traffic and bums, it's all dark and covered. What do you guys think they'll do with that station, add brighter lights or what? Anyone know anything?

Fantastic, Im liking these buildings.

dude get over it

its dark becuase of the scafolding which is protecting anything from falling over your head while you go up the stairs or escalator it wont be like that after they finish and take it all down then there will be light....

cause and effect = just put a little thought into it and you will figure it out...

Nice photos, thanks for the update. But now that I see the photo of Loft II, it reminds me, that the Metromover station under it, is really dark now, and everytime I go in there, there are always bums on the walkways. Plus, that station is bound to be a haven for drug traffic and bums, it's all dark and covered. What do you guys think they'll do with that station, add brighter lights or what? Anyone know anything?

When all the new condo towers in this area are completed and occupied it will naturally push any rift raft out from around the metromover station.

Does anyone know anything about this project:lifeatthemadison (www.lifeatthemadison.com) the website shows is in the park west area but it doesn't show any renderings of the building...

^ thats a project by the people doing paramount park, and paramount bay, its going to be two towers, rental. original name was the towers at park place, but now i guess its called the madison. location puts it at the limits between park place and overtown, but the area is changing four new projects are going up in that same area.

^ thats a project by the people doing paramount park, and paramount bay, its going to be two towers, rental. original name was the towers at park place, but now i guess its called the madison. location puts it at the limits between park place and overtown, but the area is changing four new projects are going up in that same area.

unfortunately the address puts it at the location of two existing residential towers that will probably just be refurbished. i saw a truck driving in downtown with a billboard for this project and i knew the address meant it would be these two towers across from the Miami Arena.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h228/archifreese/54.jpg

Met site:

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i102/stratoshpere/Capitol_grille/Miami_river_close_call.jpg

:cheers:


Where do these cargo ships ultimately go on the Miami River? Where do they unload?

Where do these cargo ships ultimately go on the Miami River? Where do they unload?

That's a good question.

I assume it's BEFORE they reload with thousands of stolen bicycles. <g>

a few years back i remember seeing some of those huge boats docked right near the CBD. In particular where Latitude on the River is going up now and by where Brickell on the River is too. There once existed there these long ass factory looking buildings for storage or whatever it was. My guess is they go a little bit further up on the river where such dock/storage buildings havent yet been torn down for these hi-rise developments.

a few years back i remember seeing some of those huge boats docked right near the CBD. In particular where Latitude on the River is going up now and by where Brickell on the River is too. There once existed there these long ass factory looking buildings for storage or whatever it was. My guess is they go a little bit further up on the river where such dock/storage buildings havent yet been torn down for these hi-rise developments.

That building on the site of Latitude & Neo was the Gold Coast Shipping Building. It was one of the first examples of Art Deco in the City of Miami and became well-known because it was the police station on "Miami Vice". After the new S.W. 2nd Avenue bridge was built, the famous entrance was hidden. The whole complex was demolished and the Deco part of the structure will be rebuilt looking S.W 2nd Ave. and Claude Pepper Way (7th Street).

50 Biscayne is going up quickly! Looks pretty good.

That's a good question.

I assume it's BEFORE they reload with thousands of stolen bicycles. <g>


HAHA god knows they dont take drugs OUT of Miami

The baloon ride / observation tower thing was approved:

http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/060706/fyi.shtml

UPLIFTING NEWS: Another addition to Miami's skyline has received final permitting approval from the City of Miami and US Army Corps of Engineers. This one is to rise several hundred feet, and for a small fee, you can join in the ascent. Coral Gables company Skylift Holding has won permitting approval from the city and Corps of Engineers to launch a helium-tethered balloon at downtown Miami's Bayfront Park. "The balloon will go 500 feet in the air and will be a great attraction to the park," said Tim Schmand, Bayfront Park Management Trust executive director. The company expects to begin construction this month. Skylift ordered a balloon for $1 million and plans to charge $14 for adults and $7 for children to ride for 15 minutes. The sky ride can hold up to 30 people at once.

^ Will probably get chopped by the FAA and end up being a stepladder with a helium balloon attached.

Did that sound bitter ?

^no

^ Will probably get chopped by the FAA and end up being a stepladder with a helium balloon attached.

Did that sound bitter ?

Hold on your horses, Dale :) , my friend :hi: ,
If " James is GOOD :righton: " can fly a model airplane :omg: over 600 feet into the air over bicennteninal Park without a F. A. A. :bash: permit or restriction , so can anyone else at that height, Its Over 650 feet the FAA :bash: is worried about. :cheers:

Is there any law that says we can't rent space on that balloon and hang a "SCREW THE FAA" banner from its side?

Does anyone know anything about The Madison (http://lifeatthemadison.com/home.html)? The website doesn't provide a floor count or pretty much any other info besides the name and location. There's supposedly a sales center on site with "Models available for viewing." If anyone lives in the area near the Miami Arena, can you please check it out and get some pictures of the model?

unfortunately the address puts it at the location of two existing residential towers that will probably just be refurbished. i saw a truck driving in downtown with a billboard for this project and i knew the address meant it would be these two towers across from the Miami Arena.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h228/archifreese/54.jpg

They are the two buildings across from the arena as shown in Archifreese's post. They are two 22-story buildings built in 1989 and were known as "Arena Towers" for a while but changed the name to "Bayview Towers" somewhere along the way (trying to distance themselves from the fact that the Arena is associated with Overtown) and the "Towers at Park West" some time after that.

^yeah, the banner on the building said starting from 180,000 for 1 bedrooms. Hopefully with some renovations etc this building could be one of the few affordable QUALITY housing locations in downtown, the market could use some lower cost units in downtown.

Sorry guys, and the occasional lady, but would somebody mind telling me where Everglades on the Bay will be/is? I know the area, so a simple street intersection deal would work - then there is always a link to one of the many diagrams on these boards. Thanks in advance.

Sorry guys, and the occasional lady, but would somebody mind telling me where Everglades on the Bay will be/is? I know the area, so a simple street intersection deal would work - then there is always a link to one of the many diagrams on these boards. Thanks in advance.
Everglades on the Bay is on Biscayne Blvd between N.E. 2nd st and N.E. 3rd st. Between Bayfront park and Bayside.

That's what I thought - but I don't seem to see it in any area pictures. Hmm, I guess I am overlooking it with all of the other stuff going on in the area . . . . Thanks!

Drove by Epic today and there is a crane up. :-)

Drove by Epic today and there is a crane up. :-)

YES :okay: !!! Miami Nole :rock: , I have seen the Yellow tower construction crane on the Four Seasons Tower CAM :applause: at herald .com,, Fantastic, its # 53 :cheers2: Tower constuction Cranes now with the " two " NOW up Yellow construction cranes up at the Infinity I :happy: condo tower, ITS wild here in Downtown Miami,

MET 3 :bowtie: is digging a Deeeeeeeeeeeep Hole to start its HUGE up to 6 months Foundation to hold the Next Tallest Tower " SouthEast " :righton: of Atlanta !!! :hm:

Did I mention, Go Cranes !!! :banana: :cheer: :pepper:

Ps.s. Everyone :grouphug: Had to Re Edit this one, Houston is the most tallest towers in the SOUTH :hm: ,, So Miami is the Tallest towers South East of Atlanta :applause: ,, lol. :cheers: :cheers:

YES :okay: !!! Miami Nole :rock: , I have seen the Yellow tower construction crane on the Four Seasons Tower CAM :applause: at herald .com,, Fantastic, its # 53 :cheers2: Tower constuction Cranes now with the " two " NOW up Yellow construction cranes up at the Infinity I :happy: condo tower, ITS wild here in Downtown Miami,

MET 3 :bowtie: is digging a Deeeeeeeeeeeep Hole to start its HUGE up to 6 months Foundation to hold the Next Tallest Tower south of Atlanta !!! :hm:

Did I mention, Go Cranes !!! :banana: :cheer: :pepper:

So they're actually digging at Met3? Great!

Chuck, you brought up an interesting geography question. You hear the quote "tallest south of Atlanta" a lot, but where does that leave Houston (which has a few gargantuan towers in the 1000-foot range)?

I would consider it a Southern city, being that it's nearly on the Gulf Coast...but maybe it's just classified as "Texas" since people there tend to think of themselves as a world apart anyway.

Just wondering...do people consider Houston a Southern city, or something else?

So they're actually digging at Met3? Great!

Chuck, you brought up an interesting geography question. You hear the quote "tallest south of Atlanta" a lot, but where does that leave Houston (which has a few gargantuan towers in the 1000-foot range)?

I would consider it a Southern city, being that it's nearly on the Gulf Coast...but maybe it's just classified as "Texas" since people there tend to think of themselves as a world apart anyway.

Just wondering...do people consider Houston a Southern city, or something else?

WOW !!!, Great Question SPELLBound :) !!!,

I'm looking at the nation map to see which city is the most southern by parallel , lol..
Hold on a minute,, :cheers:

Okay, Spell bound :) , Houston is the most tallest towers in the south,,,,.

So, I have to change the South of Atlanta, to SOUTHEAST of Atlanta, :bash:

^Houston's considerably farther south than Atlanta...I think it's roughly parallel to Orlando, in fact.

I'm just wondering about how people feel about its geographic designation. "Southern" or something else?

OK, since we're on geography...here's a weird quirk about Miami that not many realize.

The city is MUCH further west than people tend to think (obviously because it sits on the Atlantic coast).

But if you drew a line due south from Miami, you'd find that ALL of South America lies to the east of Miami...and that going north you'd find yourself about the same distance west as Pittsburgh!

^Houston's considerably farther south than Atlanta...I think it's roughly parallel to Orlando, in fact.

I'm just wondering about how people feel about its geographic designation. "Southern" or something else?

Yes !!! Spellbound :) , Houston's towers are taller than Atlanta, well the 2nd two, are by over 900 feet each,.,. but the tallest tower is still in Atlanta,
1,023 feet, is the Bank of America Plaza tower. :cheers:

The BOA tower is a cheater! The building's roof lies about the same height as the 54th floor of the WFC. They chose to build a fancy, gold covered pencil tip and steal the title. Not considering any spires, the tallest in the Southeast would be the BOA tower in Charlotte.

Is there any law that says we can't rent space on that balloon and hang a "SCREW THE FAA" banner from its side?
very nice idea lol i like that.We do have freedom of speech.wow maybe some people could put together some money and actually do this who knows but it would be nice :applause:

The BOA tower is a cheater! The building's roof lies about the same height as the 54th floor of the WFC. They chose to build a fancy, gold covered pencil tip and steal the title. Not considering any spires, the tallest in the Southeast would be the BOA tower in Charlotte.

Sorry PABLO :rock: , I have to say that Bank of America Corporate Tower :) Built in 1992 in Charlotte, North Carolina is only 871 Feet at 60 floors :righton: ,
:cheers: Its in my Book here of Facts , the 2006 World Almanac,, It has all the tallest towers in the USA, and their heights, and year completed.

Atlanta's Bank of America Plaza tower is the Tallest in the Southeast, my friend, .. :cheers:

Sorry PABLO :rock: , I have to say that Bank of America Corporate Tower :) Built in 1992 in Charlotte, North Carolina is only 871 Feet at 60 floors :righton: ,
:cheers: Its in my Book here of Facts , the 2006 World Almanac,, It has all the tallest towers in the USA, and their heights, and year completed.

Atlanta's Bank of America Plaza tower is the Tallest in the Southeast, my friend, .. :cheers:

Yeah, your right. I remember the days when people argued whether the title belonged to the Peachtree Plaza or WFC.

Yeah, your right. I remember the days when people argued whether the title belonged to the Peachtree Plaza or WFC.


But PABLO :rock: , my friend :righton: ,
You are right :) about the days people argued about the title of the 1976 built, 73 floor , 723 feet, Peachtree Plaza Tower :cheers: .

Today's renamed Westin Peachtree Plaza :okay: , round tower with a turntable round restaurant at the top of Atlanta skyline is fantastic to eat at, I was there about 15 years ago. :cheer:
its at 210 Peachtree NW :bowtie:

Atlanta's always been a strange town to me.

REALLY good skyline, no doubt...top-notch restaurants...beautiful, leafy residential areas...some damn good schools like Emory and Georgia Tech...near the mountains and gorgeous scenery...good economy, etc...

But for some reason I never took a real liking to it, even after spending a LOT of time there in the 80's and 90's.

It always seemed like a huge rest-stop on the way to something better further up the road...even if that's a TOTALLY unfair assessment of the place. It's just the way it always felt to me.

Maybe it's because it's such a lousy sports town. The Falcons didn't draw flies before Michael Vick arrived and even the Braves are considered an afterthought despite winning an incredible 13 straight division titles.

And...as much as I credit them (with a tinge of jealousy) for even GETTING the Olympics, they made it the most over-the-top commercial one of all. It's a wonder those sprinters weren't passing Coca-Cola bottles instead of batons, y'know? (or jumping over Home Depot piles of lumber at the Hurdles)

I'll take Miami...or Philly...Or NYC, Chicago, San Fran or a dozen other U.S. cities over Atlanta as being more "real" and genuinely interesting.

(God, I hope nobody from Atlanta reads this)

The ONE thing I'd take from Atlanta that Miami needs to do better is to take a page from MARTA and finally---once and for all---fix Metrorail.

Atlanta built the same "train to nowhere" that has bedeviled Metrorail since it opened, but FINALLY has a system that stops at the airport (what a concept) and branches out to the suburbs to capture enough ridership to make the system viable.

But other than that, Miami is better off staking its own path.

And our football (Dolphins and Canes) is FAR superior. <g>

And our football (Dolphins and Canes) is FAR superior. <g>

^ Except when we freakin' lose to Georgia Tech (like last season)... :runaway:

how do i put the picture on here i have a pic of Logik Tower II

On emporis I noticed that Mint (630 ft) and Icon Brickell Tower II (586 ft) are now list as under construction on Emporis. Is that right?? Did counstruction (foundation work) begin??

it says that the north and south towers of icon brickell are u/c .. i hope thats true ! can anyone confirm?

how do i put the picture on here i have a pic of Logik Tower II

You need to first upload it to an online photo hosting site (such as www.photobucket.com) then you can link to it as follows:
(the link to the photo)

today passed by Met 3 and its digging i think we are finally goign to see the foundation begin.

On emporis I noticed that Mint (630 ft) and Icon Brickell Tower II (586 ft) are now list as under construction on Emporis. Is that right?? Did counstruction (foundation work) begin??

Actually construction did begin on Mint. Piling Began.

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/4166/11526302236139713sj.jpg

it says that the north and south towers of icon brickell are u/c .. i hope thats true ! can anyone confirm?
TRUE !!! Hello :) , Jorge Perez is selling the south tower so fast, that he will start the south tower very soon. The first North tower has already sold out and is well underway !!! :cheers:
I heard both towers will rise and complete fast . :)

today passed by Met 3 and its digging i think we are finally goign to see the foundation begin.

Boy that is good news. Glad to hear it.

Boy that is good news. Glad to hear it.

Rider of ROHAN :bowtie: , my friend :righton: , no working traffic lights as of yet on the On-Ramps of I- 95, But I did see some testing one saturday about a month ago. :cheer:

I got this feeling :omg: , Yes its going to be a big mistatke and many tieups into the intersections of regular roads leading to the I-95 both ways during rush hours. :bash:

the traffic lights where working about a month ago while i entered i95 from 103 street entrance heading south....

Oy those lights. I guess Im a firm believer that highways should be light free. But go figure the DOT doesnt.

Plans for the BP Gas Station renovation in the middle of the Biscayne Wall. Looks like they plan to add a "Wild Bean" cafe along Biscayne Blvd.

http://egov.ci.miami.fl.us/Legistarweb/Attachments/26923.pdf

Another good find, Dave! Unfortunately, the plan is a huge disappointment for me. I was expecting another scraper and instead got a one floor cafe... Anyways, for those of you who don't feel like downloading the pdf, the plans still include a gas station but with a cafe bordering tenth st and biscayne blvd. The pawn shop bordering 2nd ave will stay put.

I dunno, it seems like a glorified quick stop to me.

Any improvement to this eyesore of a property that will increase appeal the slightest is positive. I too would rather see a tower there but since that doesnt appear to be happening anytime soon I will try to look at the brightside.

That will look pretty cool once those towers are all built up. A row of 50+ story towers and a gas station right in the center. Quite an interesting contrast i think.

On emporis I noticed that Mint (630 ft) and Icon Brickell Tower II (586 ft) are now list as under construction on Emporis. Is that right?? Did counstruction (foundation work) begin??


Yes both north and south of Icon Brickell are under construction and the north has gone vertical. The south tower already has the two tower crane bases in place. Mint will be a while before it goes vertical.

Movies in the Park:

http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/060727/fyi.shtml

MOVIES IN THE PARK: Hollywood will glitter in Bayfront Park if talks between the Bayfront Park Management Trust and movie company Sunset Cinema succeed. Sunset proposes to show newly released films on a large screen at Bayfront, charging $8 for adults and $5 for children. The company also wants to rent out chairs to watch the movies, which would be shown seven days a week during the winter. Two films would play a night, with the first showing at sunset.

W00t W00t! Miami's riverfront is booming!
Construction Gets Under Way on 54-Story Project
By Natalie Keith

MIAMI-Locally based developers CMC Group, Lionstone Development and Ponte Gadea Group have begun construction on the Epic Residences & Hotel. The 54-story property is rising at 300 Biscayne Blvd. Way.

The architect on the project is Luis Revuelta, of Revuelta Vega Leon. The project will contain both condominiums and hotel rooms. The hotel will occupy 15 of the floors and contain 400 rooms. It will be managed by San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants. Project costs were not released but the value of similar projects ranges from $160 to $200 million.

There will also be 340 one-, two- and three-bedroom condominiums ranging in size from 1,040 sf to 7,840 sf. The units are priced from the $500,000s. The project will contain a rooftop upper penthouse with entertainment rooms and a private terrace atop the tower.

Among building amenities are a 12,000-sf spa and fitness center, restaurants and lounges overlooking the Miami River and Biscayne Bay, a private boat dock, business center and two pools. Residents of the condominiums will be able to purchase amenities on an a la carte basis, Veronica Cervera, president of Cervera Real Estate, the project’s exclusive sales agent, tells GlobeSt.com.

“We’re finding that the building is attracting people who want to live in the city and walk to places,” Cervera says. “The performing arts center will be completed by the end of the year and it’s bringing a lot of energy to that area.”

July 29, 2006
50 Biscayne
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/9126/dsc03927di6.png
Everglades on the Bay
http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/3498/dsc03929df7.png

Movies in the Park:

http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/060727/fyi.shtml

MOVIES IN THE PARK: Hollywood will glitter in Bayfront Park if talks between the Bayfront Park Management Trust and movie company Sunset Cinema succeed. Sunset proposes to show newly released films on a large screen at Bayfront, charging $8 for adults and $5 for children. The company also wants to rent out chairs to watch the movies, which would be shown seven days a week during the winter. Two films would play a night, with the first showing at sunset.

this would be absolutely amazing... this definetly needs to happen, we need things like this to bring large masses of people downtown, cause that will truely bring about change...

im liking 50 biscayne more than i used too... i guess i was just pissed off about the office towe we lost on that site, which i still think wouldve been better, but this isnt bad

and can any1 explain to me what those things are on top of everglades on the bay? chuck? can you help me out? do the architects have their trailors on top to appreciate the views cause before the buildings is done and they cant afford to live in the penthouse?

I'm loving all that glass on the bottom of 50 biscayne..

And nimby you crack my up, construction trailer,lol.

but to answer your question, Everglades on the bay is using a construction method not used in miami very often. Its called core first, which is when the elevator, stairs, and electrical and safety features are built before the actual floor is poured, the thing you see on top of the floor, are your central core the main system of support of the building. the only time that I've seen it happen is when four seasons was built, although many other cities especially asian and austrialian cities prefer the core first construction method.

i suspected it was something like that... i remember seeing something that resembled this on the discovery channel in japan... thanks for the ingo

great pics and news about movies in bayfront park

The Comcast Center here in Philly is also going up core first...which has led to many people thinking the building is really, really, skinny...lol.

Here's a pic of it from a few months ago, along with an image of what it'll look like when completed:

http://www.planetsave.com/ps_mambo/images/stories/news/urinalslg.jpg

http://www.post-gazette.com/images3/20050104ap_ho_comcast_ctrPJ_450.jpg

^^ This will come off the wrong way, but I really mean it with all due respect. What does that have to do with anything?

The ComCast center lacks architecture IMO, it's a long box in the middle with 4 shorter & thiner boxes on the side. The box is clearly visible on the first pic (under construction). The facade is also very boring the dimensions of the facade glass is to large, and they should of made it a darker color to compliment the Philly skyline. Something like the CitiGroup building in Hong Kong. :)


Dont take that in a bad way either man, there are plenty of buildings I hate in Miami aswell *cough* MET1 *cough*. I just wanted to give my opinion over Phillys newest skyscraper.

^^ This will come off the wrong way, but I really mean it with all due respect. What does that have to do with anything?

It had to do with Mad Hatter's comment on "core first" construction in the same thread.

I thought it was a pretty good example of what he was talking about.

Maybe not, though...apparently.

he was giving an example of the core first construction that i asked about and hatter explain to me was being used on everglades...

and dont b hatin on philly's latest... i kind of like it, i like the simplicity of it, and i wouldnt change the color to be darker, that would give it a sort of asian look which i personally dont care for

It had to do with Mad Hatter's comment on "core first" construction in the same thread.

I thought it was a pretty good example of what he was talking about.

Maybe not, though...apparently.

Yeah - you took it out of context. I didn't mean it in a disrepectful way. I was just asking. Thanks for answering.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15214794.htm

DEVELOPMENT
Conflict slows Overtown project
Two years after the city of Miami announced a plan to overhaul a part of Overtown, the project lies dormant.

BY ANDRES VIGLUCCI
aviglucci@MiamiHerald.com

It's been two years since Miami Mayor Manny Diaz unveiled an ambitious plan that would in one swoop transform the long-hollow heart of Overtown, the city's poorest neighborhood.

On four publicly owned blocks that had long lain mostly vacant, a Michigan developer proposed a $200 million project: 1,050 condos -- 160 of them priced for working people, 50 more discounted for poor Overtown residents -- as well as shops and offices. The design: pedestrian-friendly, evocative of the historically black neighborhood's heyday more than 40 years ago.

To Diaz, Crosswinds Communities' proposal -- solicited not by the city but by a nonprofit group, the Collins Center for Public Policy -- was a windfall. Diaz said it would lure middle-class people, and their incomes and tax revenue, back to Overtown, administering a revitalizing jolt to a depressed area.

But today, as luxury condo towers rise along Biscayne Boulevard just blocks away, not a speck of dirt has been turned on Sawyer's Walk, the Crosswinds project.

Prospects for a quick realization are uncertain. What once seemed a slam-dunk for the city has been complicated by new litigation, turnover in the commission seat that represents Overtown, and steadfast opposition from at least part of the community the project was supposed to benefit.

Now a critical deadline approaches: Ownership of three of the parcels would revert to Miami-Dade County, which gave the city the land two decades ago, if construction is not substantially under way by Aug. 1, 2007, a prospect that seems unlikely. A City Commission vote on Sawyer's Walk was postponed from July until the end of September.

Diaz and Crosswinds' director of urban development, Matthew Schwartz, say they're confident the project will go forward. The developers hired architects and have building plans, Schwartz said.

The proposal is advancing, but slowly. The city's Planning Advisory Board in June endorsed Sawyer's Walk by a 6-1 vote after a drawn-out and emotional debate at City Hall.

HELPFUL OR HURTFUL?

Underpinning the debate are sharp differences over whether private, market-rate developments like Sawyer's Walk -- even with affordable housing included -- will help or hurt a poor community like Overtown.

First came a lawsuit from Glenn Straub, owner of nearby Miami Arena, who contends the city should have put the land up for bid. He claims he would have offered a higher financial return to taxpayers and more affordable units.

A second suit came from Power U, a community group led by professional organizers who have rallied considerable neighborhood opposition.

Power U leaders and supporters call Sawyer's Walk ''racist and classist'' because its condos are unaffordable to most Overtown residents. They say redevelopment will spur higher land values that will eventually push out blacks, who would likely be replaced by nonblacks.

Power U also says the city should not be proffering 12 acres of public land to condo developers when many Overtown residents are living in abject conditions. Instead, they argue, the city should team with developers to build rental housing suitable for Overtown's 8,000 residents, whose median household income is barely over $17,000 a year.

''Why are they so hellbent on Crosswinds? It's willful disregard for the community that lives here now,'' said Power U spokeswoman Bernadette Armand.

Both suits are pending, but city officials are addressing a key demand of Power U's suit by conducting a new analysis of the project's potential impact on the neighborhood.

Diaz says he is frustrated by Power U's arguments. If they succeed in blocking Crosswinds, he contends, little or nothing will happen on those parcels for several more years.

''The model there today, vacant parcels, hasn't worked that well,'' Diaz said. ``People in Overtown would love to get restaurants and retail, a CVS, and create jobs, but to do that you have got to have a critical mass of people and buying power.''

Moreover, Diaz said in an interview, Crosswinds' critics overlook city efforts, in tandem with developers, to finance a variety of affordable housing projects in Overtown.

According to city figures, six projects comprising 567 rental and homeownership units are under construction or were recently finished by developers in Overtown, using, in part, nearly $7 million in federal funds allocated by the city.

''And there is more to come,'' Diaz said. ``That's a story you don't get from Power U.''

Diaz said changes in the commission seat have also contributed to delays. Since he announced the plan, Overtown has been represented by three commissioners with differing views on it -- from the late Arthur Teele Jr., whose objections to its scope delayed an agreement for months, to his successor, Jeffrey Allen, who embraced it.

The current commissioner, Michelle Spence-Jones, expressed misgivings as a candidate last year. And while legally she can't speak about the project until public hearings are held, she says she remains concerned by the gentrifying effects of market-rate housing.

But Spence-Jones also sees benefit in private development: Because Overtown is a special taxing district, revenue could be poured back into the area by the city's Community Redevelopment Agency, possibly in the form of bonds, for affordable housing. Those should be primarily rentals, because that's all that most Overtown residents could afford, she said.

''Before we can talk about doing something else, we have to stabilize the people who have been there forever,'' she said.

The Crosswinds lots belong to the city's CRA, which obtained them from the county after substandard apartment buildings were demolished in the 1980s. The city planned to replace the housing with a mix of middle-class and affordable housing. But construction of Poinciana Village, an affordable-condo development, was halted in 1991.

About three years ago, Collins Center advertised for proposals for the land without telling the city. Crosswinds' was one of two responses.

CRITICAL NEEDS

The Crosswinds plan was crafted to meet critical needs, city and CRA officials say: 160 badly needed affordable units would be purchased by people with modest incomes, like police officers, teachers and clerical workers. Fifty more units, indistinguishable from the rest, would be given to the city to sell at sharply discounted prices, with a preference for Overtown residents. The rest would be moderately priced by current standards -- $130,000 to $300,000.

Crosswinds officials say they believe it's the first project in the city that mixes market-rate and affordable housing -- a model that other cities are increasingly adopting. ''The city is not giving anything away. The city struck a good deal,'' said Schwartz of Crosswinds.

City officials believe the project would attract blacks whose families have Overtown roots, as well as downtown workers who simply want to be close to work.

But others say that, inevitably, the project will be more racially and economically mixed than the current Overtown population.

''Most people in Overtown are like me, and I'm afraid the condos will cause the prices to rise and we will have to leave,'' Angela Reeves, a 40-year Overtown resident, told planning board members at last month's hearing.

BOTH TOWERS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AROUND 369FT

THE SAME HIEGHT AS NEOVERTIKA ON THE RIVER
ANOTHER TOWER SIMILIAR IN HIEGHT IS THE BAY PARC CONDOS
WHICH ARE LOCATED NEXT DOOR TO THE OPERA TOWER GOING UP

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/3582/logik01rs5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

RX :wave: , please my friend , update me on these two :dunno: , so many projects now over 75, I'm getting lost :gaah: , lol.
and these two won't make it in my book of facts, World Almanac, because their below 400 like the NEO VERTIKA, really can't see why they are building so many towers now below the 400 foot recorded facts as tall towers.

and RX :) , where are these two going up at ???

and the OLD TRAVEL LODGE :bash: at N.W. 12th Ave , north of the Miami River is GONE !!!, all done and being taken away in huge dump trucks as we type, lol. :cheers:

RX :wave: , please my friend , update me on these two :dunno: , so many projects now over 75, I'm getting lost :gaah: , lol.
and these two won't make it in my book of facts, World Almanac, because their below 400 like the NEO VERTIKA, really can't see why they are building so many towers now below the 400 foot recorded facts as tall towers.

and RX :) , where are these two going up at ???

and the OLD TRAVEL LODGE :bash: at N.W. 12th Ave , north of the Miami River is GONE !!!, all done and being taken away in huge dump trucks as we type, lol. :cheers:

They are going about a block south of the new County Office building just built by the Overtown metrorail station. The Logiks are going at the SE corner of NW 6th St and NW 2nd Ave.

chuck here is the website and here is a picture of the location its going next to the post office in overtown/downtown area near the new courthouse and the arena if you can make out the picture.

http://www.logiktower.com/


http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/3479/logik02sf5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)



http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/3582/logik01rs5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


BOTH TOWERS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AROUND 369FT

THE SAME HIEGHT AS NEOVERTIKA ON THE RIVER
ANOTHER TOWER SIMILIAR IN HIEGHT IS THE BAY PARC CONDOS
WHICH ARE LOCATED NEXT DOOR TO THE OPERA TOWER GOING UP

More "workforce housing" towers going up in the CBD? The city is trying to make it easier by removing the parking requirement

http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/060817/story3.shtml

Parking authority may provide spaces for workforce housing downtown

By Deserae del Campo
The Miami Parking Authority is working on a plan to provide up to 600 parking spaces in a city garage on Northeast Third Street for developers who would build workforce housing in the Central Business District.
Art Noriega, executive director of the parking authority, is working on criteria for developers to get spaces in the College Station Garage, 190 NE Third St., for residents of their buildings. Authority board members approved the initiative last month.
"Workforce housing is an important initiative for the City of Miami, and they enlisted our support since parking is obviously a critical factor in making it a reality," said Fred Bredemeyer, deputy executive director of operations for the authority.
The parking board agreed to make some spaces available for workforce-housing projects in general "subject to certain criteria that have yet to be finalized," said Mr. Bredemeyer.
Mr. Noriega said guidelines will be completed and publicized within two weeks.
Meanwhile, city commissioners last month passed an ordinance that would free developers from providing resident parking for Central Business District developments built within 600 feet of a transit station.
"The intent of this ordinance is to eliminate the parking requirements in the Central Business District area only - and only for residential requirements, not for other uses," said Luciana Gonzalez, special projects coordinator with the city planning department. "If a project is located within 600 feet of a rapid-transit station, it is not going to be required of them to provide parking for residential use."
It doesn't mean parking is not allowed, she said. "It's just not going to be required, so this way, the market is going to determine if a developer can build his project with parking. But he's not going to be bound to any number by the city."
Ms. Gonzalez said the Central Business District provides mass-transit opportunities and is where the city wants to begin encouraging more use of mass transit and less reliance on automobiles.
Mr. Noriega said he is concerned about developers breaking deals with the parking authority, which is why he wants to develop a criteria so developers don't "back out of building workforce-housing projects in the city."
Under the procurement process, the developer would foot the bill for parking for one year before a resident would have to pay $110.75 monthly to use a parking space. The resident would be provided a garage-access card.
"This is a procurement process to open up spaces for developers that meet the criteria as stipulated in the board's resolution," said Mr. Noriega. "The process applies to any development that meets the criteria for the spaces as long as there is supply."

Meanwhile, city commissioners last month passed an ordinance that would free developers from providing resident parking for Central Business District developments built within 600 feet of a transit station.
Why wasn't this posted when it came out a month ago? This is the sort of thing that us SSC forumers drool over. This is great news. Now we have to wait and see how many structures are built without parking pedestals.

Why wasn't this posted when it came out a month ago? This is the sort of thing that us SSC forumers drool over. This is great news. Now we have to wait and see how many structures are built without parking pedestals.

I did post that a month ago (more like 2 or 3 months ago when it went before the planning board for discussion). I guess I was ignored :cry:

I remember it.

[QUOTE=dave8721]I did post that a month ago (more like 2 or 3 months ago when it went before the planning board for discussion). I guess I was ignored :cry:[/QUOTE

Dave :wave: , I'm sorry :tyty: , I'm just getting old :old: :ancient: and Blind, Please
Don't think your being Ignore, Your INFO is Great and
please Keep it up on these GREAT Posts of Yours,
Thanks :righton: ,

I know everyone here appreciates your Updates !!! :dance:

and RX :) , Thanks for those GREAT Picture Updates of LOGIK 2, fantastic growth going on in the Park West areas. :cheers:

Aug 16,2006 Met 1

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/8423/dsc03965qx5.png

8/22/06 The Loft II

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/3640/dsc04006gi8.png

from http://www.gryphonconstruction.net/ (http://www.gryphonconstruction.net/home.html)
(this is a bit dated):

Gryphon Shell has poured the South Tower to the fifth level and the North Tower to the third level. The shear wall cores of the towers dominate the adjacent buildings at the site due to their overwhelming size. This is due to the shear wall jump forms that

loom two levels above the poured floors. Currently, due to the complexity of the garage podium, we are pouring a deck approximately every two weeks. Once we reach the typical floors (level 9), our schedule shows pouring a floor per week per tower up to the 50th floor - all of this while concurrently building the eight-level parking garage, which encompasses the entire site, around the two towers. The site gets tighter and tighter everyday and a main challenge is to find the room to build tables as well as starting the podium areas.

Another recent obstacle is dealing with the city noise ordinance, which is currently not allowing construction activities to begin until 8:00 am. Special pour permits allow us to start earlier, yet are difficult to obtain. In addition, this would require the pulling of a permit virtually every day as we plan to be pouring between 1,000 and 1,500 cubic yards of concrete per day!

Yet, if it were easy, anyone could due it. That's why Cabi Developers hired Gryphon - to tackle the Everglades Monster.

Also, here is a much better webcam of the everglades site:

http://gryphonconstruction.oxblue.com/cam1/

from today:
http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/7403/evergladesonthebay20060822101514ft1.jpg

Nice! I thought those were going to go up one at a time. Oh well they will be done together.

Nice! I thought those were going to go up one at a time. Oh well they will be done together.

Rider of ROHAN :) , could you Imagine 5 months from now on National T.V. for the SuperBowl here in Miami,
All those Tower Construction Cranes at their Heights :cheers: ,
Go Cranes !!!

We could have as Many as 30 Tower construction cranes over the towers already there and all on T.V. for you to view. :scouserd:

Rider of ROHAN :) , could you Imagine 5 months from now on National T.V. for the SuperBowl here in Miami,
All those Tower Construction Cranes at their Heights :cheers: ,
Go Cranes !!!

We could have as Many as 30 Tower construction cranes over the towers already there and all on T.V. for you to view. :scouserd:
Chuck... i got something even juicier for you to think about: In three years from now, the Super Bowl comes back down to Miami. Think of all the buildings that'll be done by then. :cheers:

Awesome photos!! How much more left for Met1, Loft and Everglades?? I'm excited for the area, now if we could only get more retail, restaurants, bars and stores to spruce up the area. I want downtown Miami to be seen as a good area of the city and not a bum's paradise with cheap jewellery and electronic shops.

Chuck... i got something even juicier for you to think about: In three years from now, the Super Bowl comes back down to Miami. Think of all the buildings that'll be done by then. :cheers:

True, Born in the Grove :) , my friend, Met 3 :scouserd: should be half way up by then, maybe higher than we know.
February 1st, 2010 :) , wow :runaway: , another SuperBowl here in the Magic City of MIAMI, Both Infinity towers should be completed by then, LOL. :scouserd:

:eek2: Wow!!!! Finnegan's River is open, and it is spectacular! The place was pretty dead last night, but the views are amazing. The property sticks out on a bend so that you can sit down and look up the river with Skyscrapers all around you. It's a very big piece of land and very, very, cool. It makes you want to buy a boat!
Check out the corner of SW 3rd Avenue and SW 5th Street....or Google Earth
455 SW 3 AVE, this address is pretty close to the huge property... you can see one of the bars being constructed.
Remember, the owners are the guys that bought the Clevelander for $750k back in 1987 just prior to the South Beach rennaisance...I think this is the same formula repeated! :cheers:

Here is Google Earth...imagine at night with Brickell On the River, One Miami, NeoVertika, Lattitude, the Riverfront towers, etc, etc...these guys are ahead of the curve once again.http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n215/restainer/FinnegansRiver.jpg

Flagler Street downtown to convert to two-way traffic
By Miami Herald Staff dadenews@MiamiHerald.com

Two key thoroughfares in downtown Miami will be converted to two-way traffic starting in mid-October, city officials announced today.

Flagler Street between Biscayne Boulevard and Northwest Second Avenue, and Southeast Third Avenue from Third Street to Flagler Street, will be converted to two-way traffic.

New streetlights, traffic signals, landscaping, granite sidewalks, curbs and gutters will be installed throughout the area. Work will begin on Southeast Third Avenue on Oct. 9 and on Oct. 15 for Flagler Street. It should be completed by Thanksgiving.

The changes are part of a downtown master plan aimed at spurring additional retail traffic and economic development and to support the growing residential base in the downtown core.

Is this the answer to help revitalize Flagler St. back to it's glory days???

Naturally, when all these condos our completed it will add much needed residents which in turn will lead to better retail and dining establishments. However, this will also add more cars and SFLA loves there cars.

Will the future combination of more residents in the downtown area with better retail/dining options in the Flagler corridor lead to more congestion with flagler as a two-way street as opposed to a one way street. I know one-way roads are meant to alleviate traffic congestion in the city.

Im curious to know everyone's opinion on the matter of two-way traffic vs. one-way specifically in the Flager coridor downtown.

Miami CBD(9/25/06)
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/umiami305/DSC04337.jpg

Everglades on the Bay(9/25/06)
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/umiami305/DSC04291.jpg
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/umiami305/DSC04333.jpg

Loft II Downtown(9/25/06)
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/umiami305/DSC04332.jpg

Condo Renovation in CBD(Not sure of the name)
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/umiami305/DSC04329.jpg
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/umiami305/DSC04328.jpg

The renovation is Flagler First Condomium...I haven't seen much progress on it in a while. Its suppossed to have an additional building rise behind it but I have no idea what is going on with that either...

Is this the answer to help revitalize Flagler St. back to it's glory days???After spending some years driving in the CBD and having studied the 30-year Master Transportation plan, turning Flagler into a two way street is a no-brainer, that, and coordinating the traffic signals. Resignaling hadn't been done since the 1970's.
Recently, if you were looking for a downtown address, you might have to take a one way street north, stop at a red light for 4 minutes (without one vehicle's worth of cross traffic), drive another two blocks on an one way for another 4 minute traffic signal, and then take another right down a one-way.
For any visitor, it is simply a mess...people (naturally) get frustrated with this and the retail isn't as vibrant as it could/should be.
Naturally, when all these condos our completed it will add much needed residents which in turn will lead to better retail and dining establishments. However, this will also add more cars and SFLA loves there cars. Not all South Floridians love cars, I don't!...well over 50% of people in South Beach don't even own them. In dense places, services and business flurish and the neighborhoods are vibrant with pedestrian traffic. It's my hope that many two car families will move downtown and ditch at least one of their car payments, the car insurance cost, the gas and the maintenance cost.

I think making the downtown more navigible will be a net benefit even if more people drive into downtown. The weather coupled with vibrant choices will entice people to drive down (or better, take the Metrorail/Mover) downtown and walk to outdoor cafes, the Miami River Greenway, and neighborhood amentities like the Gusman Theatre, etc.

Check out this disturbing video of someone breaking into what appears to be the wind construction site and climbing their crane, followed by a bizzare vodou construction dance. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtM0g3KcFWw

its not disturbing its artistic

Related is now releasing The Loft 3. Its to be 32 stories and be at 201 N.E. 2nd Ave which is directly across the street to the north of Loft 2 and adjacent to the west of Loft 1.

http://miamiherald.uscondex.com/propertyImages/10275/md_1160326260.jpg

http://www.globest.com/news/752_752/miami/149657-1.html

Last updated: October 9, 2006 01:16pm
Related Details $130M Work Force Housing

MIAMI-The locally based Related Group is planning to build Loft 3, a $130-million work force condominium project at 201 N.E. 2nd Ave.

The 32-story project will include 496 residential units and approximately 15,000 sf of ground-floor retail space. The units will be priced from $159,000 with 70% of its units priced under $300,000. The project is the third in the company’s Loft series of urban high rises and is being completed by the company’s attainable housing division. Loft 1 is 100% occupied and Loft 2 will open in May 2007.

“We decided to move forward with Loft 3 based on the success of our other Loft projects and also because of the need for workforce housing in the Miami area,” says Oscar Rodriquez, the Related Group vice president of development and head of the attainable housing division, tells GlobeSt.com.
Related will begin selling units within the next two weeks and hopes to begin construction within nine months. Construction will last approximately two years, Rodriquez says. The units will feature one- and two-bedroom units with minimum ceiling heights of 10 feet. Other unit features will include imported white cabinetry, terrazzo countertops and stainless steel appliances. Building amenities will include 24-security, swimming pool and wet bar on the 28th floor recreation deck, spa, sauna and fitness center.

Among project attributes are its downtown location, across from the Metromover mass transit system and Miami-Dade College. It is also within walking distance of the courthouse, Bayfront Park and the American Airlines Arena. “We believe that this will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity due to its location,” Rodriquez says.

Wow, this is a great project. The fact that it's more affordable housing and that it's deeper in the core of downtown are great. We need more life in downtown and the fact that the Loft buildings will do that is awesome.

i remember seeing that plot of land cleared way back in fall of 2004. it's a pretty rectangular piece of land.

that said, this Loft 3 looks like they got Loft 1 and 2, and just mashed them together.

26 floors on one side
pool deck above this roof
on the 28th floor of the S. tower
which is 32 floors in hieght.

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/4127/loft3rooftopwi9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

-1 bedrooms from $159,000
-2 bedrooms from $285,000
-5% down at Contract Signing
-5% at Ground Breaking (mid 2007)
[foreigners and corporations: additional 5%]


Estimated Completion: Mid 2009

This is a Great Project..what do you think the 159k units will be worth in 09', would you invest in a unit here? I love the pricing of this project!

is Loft 1 & 2 sold out? are there any unite left in Loft 1 for sale?

i remember seeing that plot of land cleared way back in fall of 2004. it's a pretty rectangular piece of land.

that said, this Loft 3 looks like they got Loft 1 and 2, and just mashed them together.


Actually, the lot is where the current Loft sales office is, between 2nd and 3rd st. It is directly north of the Loft 2 project and directly east of the parking garage. I spoke with one of the sales people at the Loft office and the building where the office is will be knocked down. The entire block will be knocked down till the chicken resteraunt at the corner of 3rd st and 2 ave.

Looks like Loft III will be using the College Station Garage for parking:

http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/061012/story1.shtml

Related Group only applicant for spaces in city parking garage

By Deserae del Campo
The Related Group is the only developer to respond to a Miami Parking Authority request for applications that would allow developers building workforce housing near downtown transit stations access to parking spaces in a downtown garage.
The Related Group wants to lease 500 spaces for its Loft III project in downtown Miami.
The request for applications was released Sept. 8 for developers interested in leasing spaces in the College Station Garage at 190 NE Third St. The parking authority had 650 spaces available.
Last week, parking authority board members approved the license agreement between Related Group and the authority that would provide about 500 spaces for workforce residents living in Loft III, a workforce housing project to rise at 200 NE Third St. Under the application guidelines, 60% of the project's units must be priced at less than $300,000 and the housing must be within 600 feet of a downtown transit station. The developer also must have built at least 300 condo units in the past three years.
The parking authority is going to accept more applications until the rest of the 150 spaces are leased or until Dec. 8, the application deadline.
Related Group wants to move ahead promptly, said Oscar Rodriguez, Related's affordable housing director. "Time is of the essence when it comes to affordable housing and we will aggressively market this project as a workforce housing project."
Developers still have time to apply, said Art Noriega, executive director of the Miami Parking Authority, during last week's meeting.
"We are optimistic that additional requests for spaces will be submitted by the deadline," he said.

It just occured to me that this thing has no parking pedestal.

It just occured to me that this thing has no parking pedestal.

Just like it should...Its within the new 600 ft requirement of a public transit station...The people who live there will have the option to lease a spot in a municipal garage for a few years...

^^ So I've read. Toucano, what's your take on the downtown G'ville Hotel protests? Im sorry to go off topic but I am sure you guys will enjoy this bit of extreme NIMBYism. In downtown Gainesville there is a fight to stop the construction of a hotel on the main avenue and 1st street because the planned staging area is currently occupied by homeless people. That is a little silly IMO, these people are nomadic, they can go find a bench somewhere else to take a nap, or perhaps the Gainesville could create a homeless shelter. Could you imagine if residents of Miami began spamming the local newspaper editorial sections with pleas to stop the eventual construction of Museum Park because homeless people live there? That would be rediculous. This is why Gainesville was recently ranked the worst city for real estate investment in the US last year (USA Today).

is why Gainesville was recently ranked the worst city for real estate investment in the US last year/

I don't know what USA Today is talking about, but Gainesville had the second highest appreciation in the entire state of Florida during the last year.

http://media.living.net/releases/Aug%2006%20Sin%20Fam%20Ex%20Chart.htm

Everyone, Have ya notice in the Four Seasons Hotel and Condo tower WEBCAM in the www.herald.com Free register website.
MET 1 40 floor CONDO tower,

ITS TOPPED OUT !!!

only the front Spire section almost completed in 2 weeks,

NOV. 1st Total topped off !!!

Go Cranes !!!

Yeah chuck it has 4 more floors to go and the spire a total of 97 FEET LEFT
TO GO VERTICAL SHOULD BE TOPPED OFF WITH SPIRE BEFORE CHRISTMAS


10 FT 37FL
14 FT PH1
14 FT PH2
14 FT PH3
45 FT SPIRE

97 FT TOTAL LEFT TO BUILD

THIS IS WHAT IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE COMPLETED ACCURATE HIEGHT AGAINST SKYLINE

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/9862/11607528978038251copytk7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/3688/1160752897803825bz6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Now that it is nearing completion, can we please knock it down and build something worthy on that site? An 800+ foot office or mixed use complex with great street level interaction would have looked much better...

that's horrible, I'd be pissed if I'd work in one of the lower floors at Wachovia and have that thing right in front of me instead of the bay

Miami had a chance on this one and blew it. Now it will have a collection of drab highrises on the CBD's most prominant point.

TRUE Everyone, Therodore Gould back in 1981 was gonna build his over 850 foot Office tower on this SAME MET 1 site,

SO SAD, it didn't make it back then when the Prime Rate almost reached 19 and 20 percent, It killed it.

WELL CHUCK I HOPE YOUR HAPPY ABOUT THIS ONE

THE DESIGN RANGES FROM (860 FT - 999 FT - 1064 FT)

PICK A HEIGHT ANY HEIGHT ITS THE "MET 3 GUESSING GAME" WE WILL
HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT THIS TOWER ENDS UP BEING IN TOTAL HEIGHT



OLD & NEW

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/8764/100biscayne004af9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/4422/100biscayne005gz7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/6379/100biscayne006jv8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/9/100biscayne007gi9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/9855/100biscayne008mx7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

I'd be very happy with this tower at any of the three heights you listed.

are we assuming the taller building is the one that is on Biscayne Blvd?

Hello, its been a while since my last post. I was in downtown this weekend and looked at the Loft2. It looked amazing from the angle I saw it from. Sorry, I did not have my camera. The last I heard, the Related Group stated the project would be ready early 2007, have you guys heard anything else? For all you experts out there, what do you think the completion date will be?

Thanks.

Is there any actual possibility for 100 Biscayne?

nice, if u look at the first rendering theres a lil part that says "total height" and theres 4 digits so im happy wit dat

YES 4 DIGITS IS A GOOD THING...DID I NOT TELL YOU MIABALLINBOI THIS WOULD BE THE SPOT FOR THE 1K FOOTER 2 YEARS AGO...

OLD & NEW

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/8764/100biscayne004af9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/4422/100biscayne005gz7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/6379/100biscayne006jv8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/9/100biscayne007gi9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/9855/100biscayne008mx7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Rx, what are the odds on this ? It runs rings around Met 3 design-wise.

the smaller tower looks like a malnourished, skiny, stunted underfed little brother compared to the larger tower. don't like it.

Now that it is nearing completion, can we please knock it down and build something worthy on that site? An 800+ foot office or mixed use complex with great street level interaction would have looked much better...

Good idea, Toucano. I'll volunteer to help demolish it!

Met1 is just a complete waste of prime real estate. Not only is it puny height-wise but it isn't even remotely interesting architecturally, imo.. Here's hoping the few remaining parcels where a GENUINE supertall may someday rise without FAA interference don't meet a similar fate.

guess we will have to learn how to love met1 hehe. good thing met2's pretty cool.

Rx, what are the odds on this ? It runs rings around Met 3 design-wise.

DALE:) , I could see this completed in my future dreams of 2016:scouserd: , but remember this is way off , and Time will tell, and I really see this tallest tower along Biscayne Blvd getting done in less than ten years.

RX:) , thanks for this INPUT, Me Johnny 5 Appreciates it, It looks great and at a height of 900 feet , the FAA will permit this one as long as it don't go any higher than 900, It seems that's the FAA:nono: Limit:dunno: of any Tower in Downtown MIAMI !!!>(

DALE:) , I could see this completed in my future dreams of 2016:scouserd: , but remember this is way off , and Time will tell, and I really see this tallest tower along Biscayne Blvd getting done in less than ten years.

RX:) , thanks for this INPUT, Me Johnny 5 Appreciates it, It looks great and at a height of 900 feet , the FAA will permit this one as long as it don't go any higher than 900, It seems that's the FAA:nono: Limit:dunno: of any Tower in Downtown MIAMI !!!>(

I get the same sense of the FAA's limits, Chuck, but does anybody know with CERTAINTY what they would allow (and where)?

900 ft. would be great, but disappointing as well since it would preclude any possibility of Miami ever having a genuine supertall (1000' or more)---especially since there's so many places (even Nashville, for crissakes) putting up or planning buildings that tall.

So, if anybody knows for SURE what the deal is (not hypothetically) I'm curious. It'd be good to know if we can still dream about real supertalls in Miami or if the idea just needs to be shelved (sigh) in the face of reality with the stinkin' FAA.

Damnit, lets move the airport haha!! That building looks pretty nice, but I agree the shorter tower is well..strange. Just add that to the top.

the shorter tower is around 450-500 ft tall
its glass also curves outwards so it gets fatter towards the middle
its about 75ft wide also which is alot the larger tower is about 220ft wide

Another step forward to Crosswinds:

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/states/florida/counties/miami-dade/cities_neighborhoods/northeast/15777492.htm

OVERTOWN
Study riles Overtown development's foes
A recent environmental report, which came from an Overtown grass-roots organization's lawsuit intended to block the construction of Crosswinds, may instead bolster the developer's case for the project.

BY TANIA VALDEMORO
tvaldemoro@MiamiHerald.com

A long-awaited environmental assessment study has endorsed Crosswinds, Overtown's largest mixed-use development, two weeks before the City Commission decides whether to approve the controversial project.

The study, conducted by the consultants Gannett Fleming, at a cost of $126,636, concluded:

``Crosswinds would provide much needed economic stimulus and employment opportunities to the Overtown neighborhood. It would also provide a mix of housing types including affordable and workforce housing units which are desired by the city.''

Matthew Schwartz, Crosswinds' director of urban development, said the study validated his company's work with the city.

''It's about time we got development going. We've wasted years,'' he said Monday.

Members of the Power U Center for Social Change, which forced city officials to conduct the study, expressed disappointment at the study's conclusions. ''I think the report was severely biased,'' said Bernadette Armand, a Power U spokeswoman.

In July 2005, Power U sued the city, its redevelopment agency and Sawyer's Walk, the original developer of the area. The lawsuit argued city officials should not proceed with the proposed development because they had not examined Crosswinds' impact on the surrounding environment.

The group will submit its criticisms of the study Saturday at a public hearing at Frederick Douglass Elementary School, said Charles Elsesser, the group's attorney.

Meanwhile, a separate lawsuit filed by Miami Arena owner Glenn Straub against Crosswinds and the city of Miami is pending. A judge is set to decide the case on Nov. 9, Schwartz said.

The Crosswinds project, expected to cost at least $200 million, would create 1,050 condos, shops and offices in a 9.1-acre, four-block stretch of Overtown that has remained largely vacant. The majority of units would be ``workforce housing, priced for people making between $45,000 and $100,000, Schwartz said.

Meanwhile, 210 units would be set aside for people earning less than that, with 50 units expressly reserved for current Overtown residents. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the median household income in Overtown is $13,211.

According to the study, Crosswinds would create 740 full-time jobs during the four years it will take to build the development, another 80 jobs in the initial and end stages of the project and at least $200,000 in economic benefits to the city stemming from those jobs.

Already, there are 567 rental and homeownership units under construction or recently completed in Overtown, which used nearly $7 million in federal funds allocated by the city, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz told The Miami Herald in August.

Jim Villacorta, director of Miami's Community Redevelopment Agency, could not be reached for comment Monday.

City Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones, whose district includes Overtown, said Monday she could not discuss the project before the Oct. 26 vote. But, when she ran last year for her District 5 seat, she expressed some misgivings about Crosswinds.

Power U disputed two other findings of the study, namely that Crosswinds would not induce the displacement of Overtown residents from the area because of anticipated higher property values, and that it would not drive up housing costs by boosting the neighborhood's housing supply.

''I think they are throwing out red herrings. If you build condos whether on public or privately owned land, there will be indirect displacement of people,'' Armand said.

Power U is also concerned with the study's finding that Crosswinds is located within a quarter-mile radius of 19 potentially contaminated sites. In particular, three sites need further environmental review, the study said.

They are the city's chilled limewater project at 721 NW First Ave., where groundwater and soil has some hydrocarbon contamination; the city's Sawyer Site at 801 NW Second Ave., which has petroleum contamination; and the Odessa project at 250 NW Sixth St., whose groundwater is contaminated by diesel.

The developer would remediate the contaminated sites, Schwartz replied.

I personally put the chances of this 100 Biscayne going up at close to 0%, similar to the chances of Empire World Towers, which I put at slightly closer to 0%. But hey, there's still hope!

http://www.fecr.com/bayfrontPark/index.htm

Check this out...another twist in the 100 SOUTH BISCAYNE tower.
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/umiami305/BayfrontPark-lg.jpg

PROPERTY TYPE:

A 70 Story Office Tower, reaching a height of 1,180 feet.
With 2 million plus of Class A office space and 650 room Hotel
LOCATION: 100 South Biscayne Boulevard
Miami, FL 33131 tel: (305) 358-7710 - Phil Dahan ext# 107


Every major global city has a site with the potential and location to be that city’s epicenter; where the city’s most identifying landmark or trophy building should be found. One Bayfront Plaza is that site and will become Miami’s signature building.

This premier location, located at 100 South Biscayne Boulevard, is situated at the south end of the widest section of Miami’s main thoroughfare, Biscayne Boulevard, overlooks both Biscayne Bay and Bayfront Park.

The site, encompasses two full city blocks containing approximately 100,000 square feet of net lot area, is bounded by Biscayne Boulevard, SE 1st and SE 2nd Streets and SE 3rd Avenue. It is directly across from the main Metromover station and is one block from I-95 entrance and exit ramps.

It is the ideal location is for redevelopment of what will become Miami’s largest and most prestigious office tower. The project will rise 70 stories and will reach a height of 1,180 feet to the top of the decorative spire. The views will be unparalleled.

One Bayfront Plaza project will encompass approximately four million square feet and will include 2,100,000 square feet of Class “A” office space in one tower, a 650 room hotel in a second tower. Additionally there will be 120,000 square feet of retail space and a parking garage with nearly 3,000 spaces in the pedestal base that takes in two full city blocks.

The development will serve as a catalyst to attract new investment activity and is the ideal project in size, scope, location and amenities to attract national and international business. The office tower will have large open and flexible floor plates with 35,000 square feet each. The floors will have spectacular direct bay views.

The 650 key, world class, full service hotel tower, will serve not only the needs of the office and the retail component; it will increase the existing central business district hotel room inventory by more than 20%. This hotel component is obviously needed in the center core of Miami’s business district inasmuch as the last major hotel was developed in 1982. It will be the first new hotel built north the Miami River in 25 years.

The project will also provide two full levels of premium retail mall space in addition to the ground level retail areas, for a total 120,000 square feet of retail space. This is a key element as The Miami Downtown Development Authority projected a need for 400,000 additional square feet of retail space to service only the current downtown office and residential needs and One Bayfront Plaza’s retail component will provide 30% of that need. The project’s retail mall will also create a parallel destination for the 12 million annual visitors to Bayside Marketplace as well as for the more than 4 million annual cruise ship passengers.

:dance2: Oh yeah baby. Now that is what i'm talkin' about! I prefer that design over the other any day of the week! This design will certainly put Miami on the map as far as 'scrapers go! Now, what are the chances of this actually getting done?

Maybe if we all keep quiet about it the FAA wont notice?

That second design is much more sophisticated, definetly different and eye-popping for Miami. But unfortunately, at over 1000 feet, it sounds very unlikely.

niice, maybe if its a spire its not that threatening to the faa?

it would tooower over met1 and those little towers around there

anything thats taller than wachovia is threatening to them hehe

http://www.fecr.com/bayfrontPark/index.htm

Check this out...another twist in the 100 SOUTH BISCAYNE tower.
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/umiami305/BayfrontPark-lg.jpg

PROPERTY TYPE:

A 70 Story Office Tower, reaching a height of 1,180 feet.
With 2 million plus of Class A office space and 650 room Hotel
LOCATION: 100 South Biscayne Boulevard
Miami, FL 33131 tel: (305) 358-7710 - Phil Dahan ext# 107


Every major global city has a site with the potential and location to be that city’s epicenter; where the city’s most identifying landmark or trophy building should be found. One Bayfront Plaza is that site and will become Miami’s signature building.

This premier location, located at 100 South Biscayne Boulevard, is situated at the south end of the widest section of Miami’s main thoroughfare, Biscayne Boulevard, overlooks both Biscayne Bay and Bayfront Park.

The site, encompasses two full city blocks containing approximately 100,000 square feet of net lot area, is bounded by Biscayne Boulevard, SE 1st and SE 2nd Streets and SE 3rd Avenue. It is directly across from the main Metromover station and is one block from I-95 entrance and exit ramps.

It is the ideal location is for redevelopment of what will become Miami’s largest and most prestigious office tower. The project will rise 70 stories and will reach a height of 1,180 feet to the top of the decorative spire. The views will be unparalleled.

One Bayfront Plaza project will encompass approximately four million square feet and will include 2,100,000 square feet of Class “A” office space in one tower, a 650 room hotel in a second tower. Additionally there will be 120,000 square feet of retail space and a parking garage with nearly 3,000 spaces in the pedestal base that takes in two full city blocks.

The development will serve as a catalyst to attract new investment activity and is the ideal project in size, scope, location and amenities to attract national and international business. The office tower will have large open and flexible floor plates with 35,000 square feet each. The floors will have spectacular direct bay views.

The 650 key, world class, full service hotel tower, will serve not only the needs of the office and the retail component; it will increase the existing central business district hotel room inventory by more than 20%. This hotel component is obviously needed in the center core of Miami’s business district inasmuch as the last major hotel was developed in 1982. It will be the first new hotel built north the Miami River in 25 years.

The project will also provide two full levels of premium retail mall space in addition to the ground level retail areas, for a total 120,000 square feet of retail space. This is a key element as The Miami Downtown Development Authority projected a need for 400,000 additional square feet of retail space to service only the current downtown office and residential needs and One Bayfront Plaza’s retail component will provide 30% of that need. The project’s retail mall will also create a parallel destination for the 12 million annual visitors to Bayside Marketplace as well as for the more than 4 million annual cruise ship passengers.


I just wanted to repost this since we went to another page already.

Wow! I Like...

If Tibor Hollo is behind this, and has already gone public with it and is advertising it on his website, it is very likely that it will be built.

OFF COURSE HE WILL BUILD IT IM SURE FINANCING IS ALLREADY SECURED THE REASON WHY ITS POSTED IS TO LAND TENANTS ONCE HE HAS ONE NAMING RIGHT TENANT OR TWO GOOD SIZE TENANTS HE CAN LAND FINANCING FOR CONSTRUCTION...

I THINK THIS WILL BEGIN DEMOLISION BY MARCH OF 2007 AND CONSTRUCTION BY JUNE.

Maybe if we all keep quiet about it the FAA wont notice?
lololol... or if not... lets invite all of them to a party, spike their drinks, and get them to sign off on the project..

Hey RX, who is the architect? I know that the original design you posted earlier was from the Kobi Karp website...

good strategy hehe

Yes, this is a completely different design that the one Rx has been showing us.

I love it!! Let's keep filling in with tall ones!!! We've got several parking lots to go. How about the
12 million annual visitors to Bayside MarketplaceThat's like 3 x's the number of visitors to the entire country of Dominican Republic.

I love it!! Let's keep filling in with tall ones!!! We've got several parking lots to go. How about the
That's like 3 x's the number of visitors to the entire country of Dominican Republic.


I hope with that many people Bayside fixes the bathrooms.They need more of them and have someone in them cleaning all the time.

OFF COURSE HE WILL BUILD IT IM SURE FINANCING IS ALLREADY SECURED THE REASON WHY ITS POSTED IS TO LAND TENANTS ONCE HE HAS ONE NAMING RIGHT TENANT OR TWO GOOD SIZE TENANTS HE CAN LAND FINANCING FOR CONSTRUCTION...

I THINK THIS WILL BEGIN DEMOLISION BY MARCH OF 2007 AND CONSTRUCTION BY JUNE.


Can it get through approvals and permitting that quickly ?

I will sign off on this baby right now :)

Rx -

So the design has been radically changed ?

I hope with that many people Bayside fixes the bathrooms.They need more of them and have someone in them cleaning all the time.That's a great fifth post Theme Park Nut...keep up the good work.:|

That's a great fifth post Theme Park Nut...keep up the good work.:|

Go easy on the poor kid, Roark. This is pretty rigorous stuff we toss around on this forum. Takes awhile to hit your stride. ;)

Hey guys, I posted a link in the central america forums to a Panama project my company is launching. I posted in spanish, I did not know where else to show it. I don't want to be rude since this is the Miami downtown forum but check it out if you can.

I was in downtown again today, quiet still but I can't wait until it gets busy there. Loft2, which is where I purchased is coming along. I still can't figure out the Inner Loop & Outer Loop from the metromover. I hope by the time I move in I have it down packed. I see all 2 bedroom units at loft3 start at $289k. I purchased a 1/1 but the same sq. footage as the 2/1 at loft3. Pretty good!!!

OK SO WHAT MODERATOR IS GOING TO CLEAN UP THIS MARLINS MESS
YOU FIGURE THE GUY WOULD LEARN TO POST IT ONCE AND LEAVE IT ALONE
THAT PETITION ISNT GETTING MY SIGNATURE SPORTS SHOULD BE PAID ITS OWN FRANCHISE OR THEY SHOULD SEEK SPONSORSHIP THROUGH BIG BUSINESS BUT TAX PAYERS DOLLARS WILL NOT PAY FOR ANOTHER STADIUM IN MIAMI

I BELIEVE THAT THE SALE OF THE MIAMI ARENA AND NOW THE SALE OF THE JAMES L KNIGHT CENTER AND THEN THAT OTHER BIG ELEPHANT WE HAVE OUT IN HOMESTEAD WILL LEAVE SOME CASH IN THE CITY COFERS TO PAY FOR MUCH NEEDED ATTRACTIONS LIKE SEAQUARIUM AND BOAT RACING STADIUM REPAIRS.

I still can't figure out the Inner Loop & Outer Loop from the metromover.Think of the Loop as a circle with two sets of train tracks and three trains...one train goes round and round in the inner circle. One of the other trains goes on the loop then leaves that loop at 12 o'clock Northbound to Omni, and the third train circles the loop then leaves the loop at 6 0'clock SouthBound to Brickell/Financial district.
The Inner loop always moves counterclockwise, and the outerloops always go clockwise around the loop.

The Ivy, from last month (9/06):
http://www.mosscm.com/projects/progress-photos/ivy-2006-09.jpg

THAT'S (Bayfront Plaza) the type of building that Miami SHOULD have in its downtown core. But don't anybody get too excited, we've all been led on before.

Can someone please take a updated picture of 50 Biscyane?

EPIC LIVE CONSTRUCTION CAM

http://epicmiami.com/html/livecam/index.php

http://img271.imageshack.us/img271/7742/img1qg2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)






MORE PICTURES OF EPIC

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/3460/epic09di9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/2333/epic01en5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/7969/epic02hu9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)




http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/5875/epic03kg7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/2813/epic10pc4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/5766/epic11qt4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

RX, my friend, Your On the GO !!!

Your Hot with this Great rendering of EPIC 's Future looks

Thanks for these Pics and The Live WebCam Site.

P.S. Also, RX , this is the first webcam I've ever seen that refreshes every 3 seconds, That's Cool !!!

watch the cars coming down off the Brickell ave Bridge ,
to the right of the LIVE Pics !!! and Great Sunset in the background,
with the Brickell on the River 2 south tower rising on the left of the Live Pic,
FANTASTIC !!!, Thanks again

ChannelsideTitle this was taken last month by Don Pacho, it's already taller than 1 Biscayne Tower to it's left:

http://img451.imageshack.us/img451/7249/downtownmiami2006053smi4.jpg

Rx727 thanks for posting the renderings of EPIC they look great.

WOW RX!!! Man I didnt really like the looks from the old renderings, but this looks really good. I love that night pictures. Also the shot from above..note how it has Met 3 but not Met 1 lol, many here dream that was the case. :)

EPIC LIVE CONSTRUCTION CAM

http://epicmiami.com/html/livecam/index.php

http://img271.imageshack.us/img271/7742/img1qg2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)






MORE PICTURES OF EPIC

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/3460/epic09di9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/2333/epic01en5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/7969/epic02hu9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)




http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/5875/epic03kg7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/2813/epic10pc4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/5766/epic11qt4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful.

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/5994/magiccityme2.png (http://imageshack.us)

TALK ABOUT A MAGIC CITY!!!!! I CAN'T WAIT TO MOVE!!!!!

A proposed downtown Miami condo by the Related Group called Loft 3 with one-bedroom unit prices starting at $159,000 enjoyed brisk sales this week.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/15848422.htm

^^ with prices like that, its easy to understand. Arch that is a fantastic picture. Thanks for posting it.

the related loft 3 condos started at 220k and not even 50 percent sold they where selling all other at 320k or better the article about starting prices at 159k was false advertising and 70 percent of the units for under 300k was also a lie ...

at that price you are better off buying in little havana or upper east side or even near midtown and you get a larger unit , a view, and a parking spot that isnt leased or across the street....

totally dissapointed with relateds schemeing i thing there will only be one more project from them in about 6 months near jackson but you wont be hearing any more buzz out of them until they finish building what they got now... expect brickell station tower to go for sale probably middle of next year unless he launches it now in november when sales are supposed to be strong...

Another article on the brisk sales of Loft3, which Related said should be sold out by the end of the week:

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/15859499.htm

Mid-priced condos are selling fast

A proposed downtown Miami condominium is demonstrating that there is life in the low- to mid-priced end of the housing market, despite the overall slowdown.

BY MATTHEW HAGGMAN
mhaggman@MiamiHerald.com

This year the sales centers for many proposed housing developments have been quiet as a library. Not at Loft 3.

Last weekend, the downtown Miami project aimed at middle-income buyers had to keep its doors open to sales past midnight. The 33-story project is on track to be sold out by the end of this week.

Amid the ongoing slump in the housing market, there appear to be pockets of strong demand for well-located housing at prices middle-income buyers can afford. In Loft 3, for example, one-bedrooms start at $159,000 and two-bedrooms at $293,000.

''This has been a very, very underserved market,'' said Oscar Rodriguez, who heads the attainable housing division of Related Group, the Miami developer building Loft 3.

After a five-year housing boom left prices way out of reach for many buyers, the demand for projects like Loft 3 is drawing more builders into the ''workforce'' or ''attainable'' housing niche.

Canyon-Johnson Urban Funds of Los Angeles, co-led by former NBA star Earvin ''Magic'' Johnson, recently announced an investment in a condo in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood, where buyers put 5 percent down on units starting at $250,000. G.L Homes in Sunrise reported brisk sales for Boynton Beach houses starting at $312,000.

The starting numbers are lower than the September existing-home median prices of $270,800 for condos in Miami-Dade and $370,300 for houses in Broward, according to the Florida Association of Realtors.

BUYERS IN AND OUT

At Loft 3's sales center this week at Northeast 2nd Avenue and Northeast 2nd Street, dozens of buyers filed in and out -- county employees, city police officers, a Miami-Dade College professor.

It felt like 2004 all over again, right down to the investors who have otherwise largely disappeared from the market. Two real estate agents from Swire, a developer that has built much of Brickell Key in Miami, came in to each buy units.

''I am buying a unit for myself and for a client who lives in Spain,'' said Samira Ramirez, who was joined by her colleague, Susanne Rohatynsky. Both said they already own condos on Miami's Brickell Avenue. ''My clients think the price points are very good. I will try to resell my unit,'' Ramirez said.

One prospective buyer, who works for Miami-Dade County government, said he was tired of commuting from South Miami. Another, a dance professor at Miami-Dade College's Wolfson Campus in downtown Miami, said her kids are moving out of their Kendall house.

''I want to be able to walk to work, to go to the Carnival Center,'' said Diane E. Brownholtz, who has lived in South Florida for 31 years. ``I grew up in Chicago, so I know what it is like to live in a city.''

The project is Related Group's third in downtown Miami that is largely focused on middle-income buyers. Related, headed by developer Jorge Perez, previously built Loft Downtown and is building Loft 2, a building that vaults the Metromover line. Both are on Northeast 2nd and 3rd streets.

As the market turned, Related has refocused part of its efforts on building lower-priced condos near employment centers and mass transit hubs, such as a large development it is proposing near Jackson Memorial Hospital.

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

Yet many developers say land and construction costs so much that they can't sell for lower prices without government support. For example, the city allowed Related to use a city-owned garage across the street for resident parking. Also, Related bought the land several years ago, when prices were better.

And Related's size often allows it to strike better deals with contractors and for construction materials. Related Group is among the biggest in the country.

The formula is paying dividends this week, despite an overall challenging market. By Thursday afternoon -- less than a week after opening -- Rodriguez said 415 units were sold with 80 left. The activity prompted the kind of statements not heard in months.

Said Frantz Cesar, a buyer in his 50s, as he walked out the condo's sales center: ``You feel like you have to buy something before prices start going up again.''

SO I READ IN THE HERALD THAT CROSSWINDS HAS FINALLY GOTTEN APPROVAL AND CAN BEGIN CONSTRUCTION, BUT I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANY RENDERINGS FOR IT. HAS ANYONE ELSE? CAN SOMEONE POST RENDERINGS OF CROSSWINDS OR A WEBSITE ADDRESS

http://www.miamiinvest.com/imagez/future/crosswindsproject.jpg

the related loft 3 condos started at 220k and not even 50 percent sold they where selling all other at 320k or better the article about starting prices at 159k was false advertising and 70 percent of the units for under 300k was also a lie ...

at that price you are better off buying in little havana or upper east side or even near midtown and you get a larger unit , a view, and a parking spot that isnt leased or across the street....

totally dissapointed with relateds schemeing i thing there will only be one more project from them in about 6 months near jackson but you wont be hearing any more buzz out of them until they finish building what they got now... expect brickell station tower to go for sale probably middle of next year unless he launches it now in november when sales are supposed to be strong...

RX, didn't you say that they were working on Loft 4? If Loft 3 sold out so fast they will probably want to move on it as soon as possible.

IVE NEVER HEARD OF A LOFT 4
I DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE ALOT OF OTHER PROJECTS IN THE CBD

Do you mean lots of other projects yet to be announced ?

DOWNTOWN AREA THESE ARE SOME OF THE INFILL PROJECTS

GALARDI SOUTH RESTAURANT NIGHTCLUB WITH 10 FLOOR GARAGE

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/1073/courtsmn5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

MIRASOL ELDERLY COMMUNITY BUILDING WITH 24 FLOORS 244 FEET TALL

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/3366/mirasolho5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

MORDALIS PROPERTIES "LOT INCLUDES THE ONE BEHIND IT ALSO" 12 FLOORS 120 FEET

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/2218/mordalisuo1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

PALM HOLDINGS OFFICE TOWER 60,000 SQ FT 300 PARKING SPACES "LOT INCLUDES 3 MORE LOTS BEHIND IT"
NOTE:: THIS TOWER WILL BE AROUND 30 STORIES BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF SQ FT, LOGIK HAS 100,000 SQ FT IN COMPARISON

http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/9248/palmholdingssa9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

OLD PROJECT 1001 OFFICE CONDOS LOCATED BEHIND THE OTHER OFFICE WHICH WILL BE GOING UP "INCLUDES THE SMALL LOTS TO THE RIGHT & LEFT"

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/9653/1001ks8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/8496/c2aeaad08e144b80af4059dsa3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

That's the kind of stuff downtown needs. Lots and lots of it.

YEAH DALE GLAD YOU LIKED THOSE PROJECTS ON THE OTHER PAGE
THEY ARE THERE ON THE DEVELOPMENT REPORT

HERE IS AN OLD RENDERING OF ONE MIAMI WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/5110/onemiamilandscape03il8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Damn.

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/6651/cimabyneomj0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Wow, RX you are on a roll....

lol for real. Rx, thank you for all these great renderings. But please, it's not even November yet, save some for Xmas :D :D :D

ok i will save the columbus centre, city centre, omni plaza, and beacon I & II
for xmas

on that note, i would like to mention that xmas can come early :D

so rx can you promise us another 1000+ footer for xmas 2 :)

I WANTED A PONY!!! :)

A 1,000 foot tall pony! :)

what moderator is going to clean up that mess:toilet: :toilet: :toilet:
it will go in perfect with the zoos new exhibit about poop

Hah! I'll take that as a compliment as I hear the exhibit is very well done. Hopefully, my posting of a cool pic I found on Wiki will distract people from my last post (which in my defense was a result of excessive studying of thermodynamics)… Anyways, the picture was taken from the Carnival Center on 10/8/06 by Marc Averette (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Averette).
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8c/Miamimanhattanization.jpg

sweet pic... i wish i had $3 million bucks.. prob be doing something better then posting on a forum @ 2am

Looking at that picture it makes me wonder what they are going to do with the site formerly known as OPUS. The city won't let anything block the PAC views so they should at least turn it into a Park where you can look at the PAC, like maybe it should have been planned to be finished when the PAC opened. Anyone have any info about what might happen to that site?

I'm not exactly sure which site you are talking about but eventually 395 will be straightened and submerged so that the two blocks that are currently between the Carnival Center and 395 will become 395.

Sorry if this has been mentioned recently and I missed it, but is the new height of Met 3 down to 786 feet now? That's what is showing on the current Miami Planning Department website. That would be disappointing...

We were told awhile back that that was old info. However, we've heard since then 866, 828 and between 797 and 803. Although the ads keep billing Met 3 as the 'tallest residential south of NYC'.

Thanks, Dale. Guess it'll be Miami's equivalent of Burj Dubai..."You'll know how tall it will be when we finish building it."

Does anyone have any info on this project 'The Gateway'? Its on Flagler and here is an add from the owner of the land:
Buy/ Build Miami's namesake Signature Building - MAJOR ANCHOR RE-DEVELOPMENT SITE! Miami's BIGGEST LANDMARK and most spectacular Project; The GATEWAY. Over 1.25 acres in Down Town Miami's Central Business District and fronting West Flagler. Zoned SD-6 with over 1 Million Sq.ft. buildable of multi-use High Density Development. This is one of the most unique and visible sites in S. Florida with over 220,000 communters passing by daily. Will Consider Sale, Joint Venture and or all other forms of participation.


http://listing.loopnet.com/14858829

http://www.loopnet.com/Attachments/4/4/2/4424EAD0-7879-4F66-A0C5-BA29D58172A3.jpg

http://img286.imageshack.us/img286/9214/forumtenmuch0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

I think this is beginning of the promise of Miami. I can't wait to see 3Midtown, and I really really hope that Park Lane Tower comes back on line.

Sweet pix

DOWNTOWN MIAMI
College aims to share prime siteShort on cash and holding a nice piece of land, leaders at Miami Dade College are hoping to share property with a developer to save money on building classrooms.
BY NOAH BIERMAN
nbierman@MiamiHerald.com
One of the last pieces of prime downtown Miami land will be available for developers beginning next month -- with a catch.

Any interested developer must agree to build five or six stories of community college classrooms, offices, labs and an auditorium.

Miami Dade College owns the land and is trying to get a piece of whatever is left of the building boom to enlarge its downtown Wolfson Campus.

College officials figure to save as much as $50 million to $60 million if they can persuade developers to build a 250,000-square-foot arts and humanities center in exchange for air rights on 2.6 acres that the college owns along Biscayne Boulevard.

''We really do have an unmet need for classroom and auditorium and office space,'' said Meredith Gibbs, MDC's provost for operations.

Gibbs, who came to MDC in January, used the same strategy at her last job at Wayne State University in Detroit. There, the college has joined forces with a developer to mix retail, residential and student housing. It's happening in pockets around the country.

''Nationally, there has been a decrease in state support for higher education and that's really forced us to look for creative ways to meet so many of our capital needs,'' Gibbs said.

The property is now used as a parking lot just south of the Freedom Tower. It is zoned to allow for skyscrapers, though the project would be subject to federal aviation height rules. Developers are free to dream up their own configurations and uses for the property -- retail stores, offices, movie theaters. High-end condominiums seem less likely, given the number of projects under construction in the area.

''Even though there's a perception that the a market is overbuilt, people might be planning for the future. We might get a hotel operator,'' said Hank Klein, a residential real estate agent who is vice chairman of MDC's board.

MDC bought the land in 2004 for $24.9 million. A committee will begin soliciting letters of interest Dec. 1. It's possible developers will ask the school to pay part of the construction costs.

''We won't know until we see it,'' Klein said. MDC can abandon the idea if officials don't like any of the proposals.

Edie Laquer, a downtown commercial real estate agent, said potential bidders will have to analyze the site, with particular attention to how much parking fits.

''It's an outstanding piece of property. If the numbers work, it would be wonderful for downtown Miami and obviously great for the college,'' said Laquer, who is also the broker for 10 acres being sold by The Miami Herald's owner, The McClatchy Co.

That would in effect finish off the Biscayne wall at least in as much at it would have a "proposed" building for every empty parcel along Biscayne (even if one of them is EWT).

Great news. I would love to see that happen and also to support the local downtown education factor. I think it's a great idea, but I'm curious to see what happens and what gets proposed.

Anyone know what is happening at the 600 biscayne site?
http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/6776/1162223508732979bw2.jpg

Is that the lot where the Freedom Tower condo project is planned?

Is that the lot where the Freedom Tower condo project is planned?

yes, the orange building on the bottom right is the Freedom Tower.

Ok lets hope that this isnt like the Met 3 site where they start and then stop work.

Ok lets hope that this isnt like the Met 3 site where they start and then stop work.

Probably, considering they've been doing work back there for over a year now, plus they haven't started selling the units yet.

Actually I called Terra Group and they have started selling units quite some time ago, no website, no sales pitch, in Miami anyway, I think they were pushing it in South America first.

Anyone know what is happening at the 600 biscayne site?
http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/6776/1162223508732979bw2.jpg

MileageMan:) , This looks GREAT !!!, It has to be the start soon:cheers:

Everyone:) , I'm back from a long weekend trip to Clermount Florida, where the Citrus tower is, and still plenty of orange groves around that area, also a great area to retire in the future, lol:nuts: , Open Space !!!, and Hills, lot's of trees and farmland near the interchange of U.S. 27 and S.R. 50, but growing fast in commercial in that area:ohno: .

My first car died in Clermount so I had to sell it to a local mechanic and never saw it again. It is a really bad place to have your car break down by the way (It took several hours to get a cab and almost a day to get a tow-truck since my car was not on the highway when it broke down). I also had to walk over three miles on the side of a road/highway with no sidewalks to give my keys to the towers. I guess it could be a good place to retire if you have a functioning car and plenty of time to kill but I shudder every time I pass it on the highway.

Ten Musuem Park's the best UC there simple but very unique!

welcome back chuck!

welcome back chuck!
^^
Thanks my friend MIAballinboi:) ,
its great to be back in the " Magic City ":banana:

Like driving down the turnpike singing, " Going back to MIAMI, Going back to Miami, Going back to my girl, Yeh, yeh, yeh !!!:cheers:

yeah chuck... been longing for one of ur emoticon filled posts.

yeah chuck... been longing for one of ur emoticon filled posts.

Thanks Born In the GROVE:) ,

I knew you all missed me:lol: , but I'm back with some better icons :cheers:

What's the latest news on the Miami Riverfront towers , Is Mint still piledriving its foundation ???, What about CIMA, any groundbreaking news yet ???:nuts:

What's the latest news on the Miami Riverfront towers , Is Mint still piledriving its foundation ???, What about CIMA, any groundbreaking news yet ???:nuts:Mint had it's groundbreaking ceremony today as a matter of fact!
The best place to have a dusk time drink is Finnegan's River (Friday happy hours are packed!) where you can see all the cranes and the skyscrapers. you can also see the Riverfront towers filling in.
The Miami River is going to be similar to the wall on Biscayne Blvd in no time!

Can someone please take a updated picture of 50 Biscyane?
Channelside, I took some pics of 50 Biscayne for you today. I will try to post them later this evening.

Channelside, here you go buddy, 50 Biscayne pics taken 11/14/06

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/umiami305/DSC04722.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/umiami305/DSC04724.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/umiami305/DSC04725.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/umiami305/DSC04728.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/umiami305/DSC04731.jpg

You know I really expected 50 biscayne to change the character of that area more than it appears to be doing. How far from topped off is it, because it only looks to be a couple of stories taller than either of the two buildings flanking it. I was counting on 50 to cause a real apparent transformation,, will I get my WISH??

As per usual...I was in the minority when love was professed for Fiddy Biscayne. It's still hot...and just like the Carnival Center...Naysayers will come around to love it.

You know I really expected 50 biscayne to change the character of that area more than it appears to be doing. How far from topped off is it, because it only looks to be a couple of stories taller than either of the two buildings flanking it. I was counting on 50 to cause a real apparent transformation,, will I get my WISH??
Arch, maybe this pic will answer your questions
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/umiami305/img_50biscayne.jpg

That's what I thought, I love that rendering, I hope it is not deceitful.

compared to the original proposal, this building is horrible...the city of miami dropped the ball approving this crap design, we needed an all glass mix use building like Spiritu Santo or Four Seasons for this location...does anyone have renderings of the old design for comparison purposes... Oh well, I'll always look at it and think of what could have been...:ohno:

I love 50 Biscayne! That is a great addition to the skyline. Is that little space directly north of Wachovia Tower going to be the Tibor monter building? Gotta love that too!! That should satisfy your need for glass office Miami1, one million square feet of office and a 1,000 footer.

compared to the original proposal, this building is horrible...the city of miami dropped the ball approving this crap design, we needed an all glass mix use building like Spiritu Santo or Four Seasons for this location...does anyone have renderings of the old design for comparison purposes... Oh well, I'll always look at it and think of what could have been...:ohno:

Here was the original design:

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/9419/columbus_main_04.jpg

http://img16.exs.cx/img16/215/columbus_main_03.jpg

Arch, maybe this pic will answer your questions
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/umiami305/img_50biscayne.jpg

It's deceitful in height. It's 544' last I checked, and the building to the left is 456' last I checked.

Sorry, I'd take the original Office scraper over 50 biscayne any day...

Sorry, I'd take the original Office scraper over 50 biscayne any day...

Absolutely.

At least it's better than Met1...but still...yawn.