Empire World Towers

Miami, Florida US
Mixed Use Development

Credit for finding the article goes to "mileageman" who was the first to post information regarding the EWT.

Plans for tallest buildings in Miami gain first endorsement
January 18, 2008 By: Paola Iuspa-Abbott
Empire World Towers
The housing market may be in crisis, but that isn’t deterring developers from seeking approval to build one of the world’s tallest skyscrapers in downtown Miami.
Miami Beach-based Maclee Developments is moving forward with plans to build twin 93-story condominium towers across from Bayside Marketplace.
On Wednesday, Maclee’s proposal won an endorsement from Miami’s Planning Advisory Board. The vote was 8-1 in favor. Miami city commissioners have yet to review plans and vote on the massive Empire World Towers, which would rise at 330 Biscayne Blvd.
Maclee is seeking a major-use special permit, required for large developments. Renowned Miami architect Kobi Karp is the brains behind the oval-shaped towers, which would cost an estimated $1 billion to build. Karp said he wanted the project to resemble a ship because the Empire buildings would be within walking distance of the Port of Miami and Biscayne Bay.
Leon Cohen, Maclee’s chief executive, unveiled the project in May 2005. But resistance from some city’s advisory boards and elected officials a year ago made him to put the plans on hold, he said. Cohen is confident sentiments over his projects have changed. Still, some Planning Advisory Board members voiced reservations before they cast their votes.
“When I first looked at it, I thought the project belonged in Dubai,” board member Ernest Martin said during the meeting and who voted for the project.
Dubai, part of the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East, has experienced a skyscraper boom in the last two decades. By 2015, Dubai is expected to have the most buildings with 100 floors or more than any other city in the world.
Initially, the Miami towers were designed to rise up 110 floors. But to comply with Federal Aviation Administration height regulations, Maclee reduced the height to 93 stories, or about 1,022 feet, said Miami attorney Lucia Dougherty, who represents Maclee.
If built, the Empire towers could be challenged by another lofty Miami project.
Developer Tibor Hollo a few months ago received city approval to build One Bayfront Plaza at 100 S. Biscayne Blvd. Hollo’s glass encased building would have nearly 2 million square feet of office space and hundreds of hotel rooms. It would rise 1,049 feet over Biscayne Boulevard.
The two Empire World Towers would have a total of 1,557 condos, 3,317 square feet of offices and 24,741 square feet of retail space. But the mix of uses could change based on market conditions over the next five years, when construction of the project could start, said Cohen, whose company manages investment groups.
Air bridges are to connect the towers, and the College/Bayside Metromover station would be incorporated into the project. For that reason, Maclee wants to build a 1,321-car parking garage, with about 236 fewer spaces than the number of proposed condos. Dougherty said the city code doesn’t require any parking space at all in downtown because the area is served by mass transit.
Despite Wednesday’s board action, there’s no guarantee Cohen will develop the project, especially since thousands of condos built and under construction in the downtown area have created a condo glut.
The Florida housing market is suffering one of the worst slumps in decades. Condo sales in the state reached 2,375 units in November, a 29 percent decline from a year earlier, according to the Florida Association of Realtors. The statewide median sales price for condos was $186,700 in November, down 9 percent from the same month in 2006. Sales and the median price of single-family homes have also seen declines.
A few months ago, Cohen began looking for buyers for the 2.66-acre site at 330 Biscayne Blvd. He bought the property in May 2005 for $31.75 million, or $270 per square foot.
LoopNet, an online listing service for commercial real estate, advertises the site, including the project’s design plans and in-process permits. Lea Cohen, sister of Leon Cohen, said the family is asking $80 million for the package.
The site, which is located south of Miami-Dade College, covers more than two-thirds of a block. It does not include the block’s northeast corner, which is occupied by a Holiday Inn. The towers would replace vacant office buildings and a parking lot.
Cohen insisted he intends to build the landmark towers and would sell only if his project isn’t permitted.
“If the market doesn’t want it, we need to have a plan B: sell the property,” he said.
Property appraiser Dave Randell, president of Miami-based Hemisphere Real Estate, said permits for future development can add value to a property, but it’s difficult to estimate their worth. The value can be influenced by such factors such as the perceived ease of obtaining city permits and what stage the permitting process of a specific project is in.
“The more steps complied in the development process, the more value it is added to the property and the project,” Randall said. “But there isn’t any particular way to measure it.”
Owners who have been awarded permits or are on the verge of obtaining one may want to recoup the cost of the permit and a share of the profit that they would have made selling out the project, Randell said.
Randall said during the residential construction boom that peaked in mid-decade, some developers obtained permits and shortly after flipped their projects for profits.
“From 2004 to 2006, people wanted to come [into this market] and offered developers crazy money for their permitted projects,” he said.
In the current housing downturn, distressed developers and investors may opt to permit their projects then sell out.
“In a normal market, it is unusual to sell a project in the middle of the development process,” Randell said.

I guess that on a positive note, the project is still alive....

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/ewt01.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/empirenewer001.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/empirenewer002.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/fotomontaje15site.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/fotomontaje11site.jpg

http://www.kobikarp.com/images/EWTBiscayne%204.jpg

Designed by Kobi Karp Architecture

Facts

The two acre site was purchased by Maclee Development for US $31.7 million; the site was purchased by its former owner in April 2004 for $16.5 million.

Aviation Management Associates, Inc. (AMA), who was hired by Maclee Development to conduct studies on the project's compatibility with air traffic, deemed that some aviation problems exist, but also found that the complications could be solved.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will perform studies on the project's heights and longitude and latitude to determine the building's potential interference with air traffic in and out of Miami International Airport.

not sure about those link bridges. would look awesome as twin towers.

W0W these twins look good!! Nice renders too!!!!!

These buildings will suit Vice City good :D

I realy hope that these things will get built.

Cheers :cheers1:

Good to see this project isn't totally dead.

wow! i think they look great! they suit the miami skyline perfectly...lovely towers!

that's going to be stunning to see in miami...better in new york









:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

love this project, hope they'll build it

The design is one of my favorite styles of architecture. And to top it off, they are very monolithic, futuristic, and the skybridges look great.

Overall, an excellent project that I look forward to seeing rise. :cheers:

those are some amazing renderings!!! they just blend right in!!!!

It's funny cause just yesterday I saw renders and info about these towers that I didn't knew a thing about and now you post it.

They look amazing,hopefully they'll get built

Those are awesome renders, and awesome towers! They look a bit too tall though, I'd like to see them closer to other high rises. Are there any other tall buildings planned nearby?

not sure about those link bridges. would look awesome as twin towers.I agree, but they would probably grow on me. isnt Miami's condo market saturated enough? This seems to be adding way more supply than needed right now.

This project are grand
I Love MIAMI

Without the bridges, GREAT!!

I want some of these for NY, too.

WOW i lov eit.

Those are awesome renders, and awesome towers! They look a bit too tall though, I'd like to see them closer to other high rises. Are there any other tall buildings planned nearby?

I agree. The design is great, but I wouldn't want them to be all alone either:lol:

Those are awesome renders, and awesome towers! They look a bit too tall though, I'd like to see them closer to other high rises. Are there any other tall buildings planned nearby?

You bet! The picture used in that rendering is about three years old now so there are about 10-20 new skyscrapers that you should be able to see in those pictures now. There are also several proposed and approved buildings within blocks of the two towers. For more info, you can download a detailed map with all of the proposed, approved and recently completed buildings in downtown Miami here (http://www.miamidda.com/implementation/pipeline/map.html). The Empire World Towers will be located between numbers 79 and 87 on the map.

It would be an awesome project! The renders prove that. I really hope they really can build it. Is there a reasonable chance that the FAA would approve this project at 1200 Ft?

Wow nice renders and desing too

..please please build it

I mean, you went so far as to make it look good, and release hot renders...why stop now MIA?

Woa!!! :eek: :omg: :nuts: Great towers!!!

nice but could a building that tall with stand a cat 5 hurricane ?

wow that is a classy building ^^ im sure it could otherwise they probably wouldnt even have the renders.

Good to know that this project is still alive after all this time:)


when will it start construction?

they're still proposed, so i don't think there's already any date for construction start

nice! Great towers! Would make the skyline much better! I hope it becomes a reality

i think it looks too massive to stand there all alone ... just my opinion ...

^^ Earlier in the thread it was explained that other tall buildings are now being built. Paul305 did that nice post and gave a link. So the Towers wouldn't be all alone. I think it would blend nicely with the skyline.

i think it looks too massive to stand there all alone ... just my opinion ...

There are several other tall towers built, proposed or under construction in that area. That old Picture of Miami is used in order to Showcase the towers and not have many distractions from the surroundings.

This tower is nice but it wont happen the florida real estate market isnt doing good enough.

This tower is nice but it wont happen the florida real estate market isnt doing good enough.

Especially the Miami condo market, and I have to agree, unless they presold nearly all the units, it has a zero to none chance of being built.

This tower is nice but it wont happen the florida real estate market isnt doing good enough.

It might still be built as more mixed-used rather than residential with retail and office space. The real estate market has flattened out here, but there is still a strong interest in developing Miami by the more powerful developers. You never know who might get behind a project on any given day. Who is to say what the market will be doing in the time it takes to complete those towers?

Very Nice...:)

crazy never will happen

Crazy!! naaa! Crazy is the fact that Miami's skyline more than doubled it's size since that photo was taken three years ago...that's crazy!!! and to think there are still so many other projects still pending..not just residential but offices and mixed use projects...this will fit in nicely now!!

ouhh sorry, i was just too shocked by the first view and had to share my opinion immediately ... thanx for the info!

This will be great for Miami in my opinion.

Beyond words! Thanks

Looks very nice :)

Looks great!

Not sure about the dark color glass, doesn't fit in Miami's style. I like light tinted glass buildings. Anyway, great news for Miami, I always try to vist the city when possible...

how can this witch stand huricanes ?

not sure about those link bridges. would look awesome as twin towers.

Yeah I think it would be better without the bridges.

how can this witch stand huricanes ?

how do skyscrapers in other cities that have hurricanes/typhoons stand up as well? Just look to them and you may answer your own question!

how do skyscrapers in other cities that have hurricanes/typhoons stand up as well? Just look to them and you may answer your own question!

Come to think of it, has a hurricane or a typhoon ever blown down a skyscraper ?

^ not that I know of!

its just a beauty no doubts.

lovely building....is there any date for news to look forward to?

nice

not sure about those link bridges. would look awesome as twin towers.

Yeah, they shoud at least ditch the highest skybridge, if not the 2 highest ones.

Then it would look pretty good.

any recent shots of the site?

any recent shots of the site?

There are currently other buildings sitting on the site. Its to go where the 2 squat buildings (white building with the holes in it and the reddish striped building) are on the right of this picture. It was originally to wrap around the red striped building (a Holiday Inn) but the new renderings look like they now plan to demolish that building incorporate into the site:
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n81/DarkSky_2084/IMG_5618.jpg

cheers dave8721 for the update. the building to the left of that looks quite tall, but how tall?

Proposals have been put forward for what if given the go ahead could see the rise of the world's tallest concrete structure in an era where steel framed buildings are becoming increasingly common.

The project named the Empire World Towers is the brainchild of MacLee Development and designed by local Miamian architectural firm Kobi Karp Architecture and Interior Design, is a twin tower design which if approved will stand at an imposing 366 metres / 1200 feet or 106 floors.

Of course such a height has raised concern over interference to air traffic but a study done by Aviation Management Associates Inc suggested that although the towers would create some problems for aviation they were not so big they couldn't be resolved.

The towers will stand on approximately 2 acres of L-shaped land located at 330 Biscayne Boulevard, an area of down-town Miami that is seeing a lot of development of late.

The towers will form part of a complex which will include residential, parking and commercial space with the towers themselves housing 1000 condominiums and 500 serviced hotel apartments. The condominiums will range in size from 1 bedroom 1 bathroom layouts of approximately 90 square metres to 2 bedroom 2 bathroom layouts of 130 square metres in size. Prices range from $550,000 to a cool $3.8 million for penthouses.

The towers, which will be made of concrete due to hurricane risks, will have a glass, balconied façade. They are a slim almost oval shape and the two towers will be linked together by three sky bridges, opinion appears to be divided on whether the tower would look better without these.

Developers hope to have the towers completed by 2010 dependant on approval and possible design changes that may be necessary due to airspace issues giving Miami an Iconic trump card to play in the world of architecture game.

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/1097EmpireWorldTowersToRuleMiamiSkyline_pic1.jpg

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/1097EmpireWorldTowersToRuleMiamiSkyline_pic2.jpg

Source: http://www.skyscrapernews.com/news.php?ref=1097

new thread?

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=499673

It is a stunning design and 2x366m!!! Extremely huge...

Proposals have been put forward for what if given the go ahead could see the rise of the world's tallest concrete structure in an era where steel framed buildings are becoming increasingly common.

Isn't the Burj Dubai the World's Tallest Concrete Structure?

so this things not completely dead? cool!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Buyckske Ruben
Proposals have been put forward for what if given the go ahead could see the rise of the world's tallest concrete structure in an era where steel framed buildings are becoming increasingly common.

Isn't the Burj Dubai the World's Tallest Concrete Structure?

I think they mean for the both towers 336mx2... but idd not real correct.

additional info:

Location 330 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, Florida
Status Proposal
Estimated completion 2010 (est.)
Opening 2010 (est.)
Use Residential
Height
Roof 365.8 m (1,200 ft)
Technical details
Floor count 106
Companies
Architect Kobi Karp Architecture
Developer Maclee Development

I doubt this will be built

I agree. The design is great, but I wouldn't want them to be all alone either:lol:

"If one is built, they will follow."

Yeah the design is perfect for Miami.

maybe its me but isnt 106 floors much for a 366 m building ?

btw the design is wonderfull I hope it will get built

no, the John Hancock Center in Chicago is 344m tall with 100F or the hotel in Pyongyang with 330m and 105 floors

Did the developer settled it's problems with the FAA?

I heard they lowered the height, but not sure by how much.

Interesting! Let's hope it's aprooved!

maybe its me but isnt 106 floors much for a 366 m building ?

btw the design is wonderfull I hope it will get built

It was interesting to see EmpireWT and the proposed Bayfront Tower side by side in the SSP diagram of Miami. At 70 stories Bayfront was just about as tall as Empire World Towers.

I like the buildings, just not crazy about the location. Miami has no density. i wish they would build this where the old miami heat arena is.

similar to planned 101 storey units for Surfers paradise in Australia
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2232/1572437887_d46a57edc4_o.jpg

maybe its me but isnt 106 floors much for a 366 m building ?

btw the design is wonderfull I hope it will get built


No it isn't, at least for a condo with a flat roof...

similar to planned 101 storey units for Surfers paradise in Australia
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2232/1572437887_d46a57edc4_o.jpg

In which city they are building this towers?

In which city they are building this towers?

Surfers Paradise, a town close to Brisbane in Australia.

I Like the Structure without a doubt, but i agree that it's still Short for 106 floors regardless of what any1 else has 2 say, now if this is a mixed use with half being Tall Floors not just ALL short Floors then ok im Happy. But until then over-all 7.5/10.

:bash: The FAA Strikes Again!! :bash:

Apparently, the Building is now 1,022 feet versus the proposed 1,200 feet * 93 stories versus the proposed 106 strories. :poke: :crazy2: :rant:

Credit for finding the article goes to "mileageman" who was the first to post information regarding the EWT.

Plans for tallest buildings in Miami gain first endorsement
January 18, 2008 By: Paola Iuspa-Abbott
Empire World Towers
The housing market may be in crisis, but that isn’t deterring developers from seeking approval to build one of the world’s tallest skyscrapers in downtown Miami.
Miami Beach-based Maclee Developments is moving forward with plans to build twin 93-story condominium towers across from Bayside Marketplace.
On Wednesday, Maclee’s proposal won an endorsement from Miami’s Planning Advisory Board. The vote was 8-1 in favor. Miami city commissioners have yet to review plans and vote on the massive Empire World Towers, which would rise at 330 Biscayne Blvd.
Maclee is seeking a major-use special permit, required for large developments. Renowned Miami architect Kobi Karp is the brains behind the oval-shaped towers, which would cost an estimated $1 billion to build. Karp said he wanted the project to resemble a ship because the Empire buildings would be within walking distance of the Port of Miami and Biscayne Bay.
Leon Cohen, Maclee’s chief executive, unveiled the project in May 2005. But resistance from some city’s advisory boards and elected officials a year ago made him to put the plans on hold, he said. Cohen is confident sentiments over his projects have changed. Still, some Planning Advisory Board members voiced reservations before they cast their votes.
“When I first looked at it, I thought the project belonged in Dubai,” board member Ernest Martin said during the meeting and who voted for the project.
Dubai, part of the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East, has experienced a skyscraper boom in the last two decades. By 2015, Dubai is expected to have the most buildings with 100 floors or more than any other city in the world.
Initially, the Miami towers were designed to rise up 110 floors. But to comply with Federal Aviation Administration height regulations, Maclee reduced the height to 93 stories, or about 1,022 feet, said Miami attorney Lucia Dougherty, who represents Maclee.
If built, the Empire towers could be challenged by another lofty Miami project.
Developer Tibor Hollo a few months ago received city approval to build One Bayfront Plaza at 100 S. Biscayne Blvd. Hollo’s glass encased building would have nearly 2 million square feet of office space and hundreds of hotel rooms. It would rise 1,049 feet over Biscayne Boulevard.
The two Empire World Towers would have a total of 1,557 condos, 3,317 square feet of offices and 24,741 square feet of retail space. But the mix of uses could change based on market conditions over the next five years, when construction of the project could start, said Cohen, whose company manages investment groups.
Air bridges are to connect the towers, and the College/Bayside Metromover station would be incorporated into the project. For that reason, Maclee wants to build a 1,321-car parking garage, with about 236 fewer spaces than the number of proposed condos. Dougherty said the city code doesn’t require any parking space at all in downtown because the area is served by mass transit.
Despite Wednesday’s board action, there’s no guarantee Cohen will develop the project, especially since thousands of condos built and under construction in the downtown area have created a condo glut.
The Florida housing market is suffering one of the worst slumps in decades. Condo sales in the state reached 2,375 units in November, a 29 percent decline from a year earlier, according to the Florida Association of Realtors. The statewide median sales price for condos was $186,700 in November, down 9 percent from the same month in 2006. Sales and the median price of single-family homes have also seen declines.
A few months ago, Cohen began looking for buyers for the 2.66-acre site at 330 Biscayne Blvd. He bought the property in May 2005 for $31.75 million, or $270 per square foot.
LoopNet, an online listing service for commercial real estate, advertises the site, including the project’s design plans and in-process permits. Lea Cohen, sister of Leon Cohen, said the family is asking $80 million for the package.
The site, which is located south of Miami-Dade College, covers more than two-thirds of a block. It does not include the block’s northeast corner, which is occupied by a Holiday Inn. The towers would replace vacant office buildings and a parking lot.
Cohen insisted he intends to build the landmark towers and would sell only if his project isn’t permitted.
“If the market doesn’t want it, we need to have a plan B: sell the property,” he said.
Property appraiser Dave Randell, president of Miami-based Hemisphere Real Estate, said permits for future development can add value to a property, but it’s difficult to estimate their worth. The value can be influenced by such factors such as the perceived ease of obtaining city permits and what stage the permitting process of a specific project is in.
“The more steps complied in the development process, the more value it is added to the property and the project,” Randall said. “But there isn’t any particular way to measure it.”
Owners who have been awarded permits or are on the verge of obtaining one may want to recoup the cost of the permit and a share of the profit that they would have made selling out the project, Randell said.
Randall said during the residential construction boom that peaked in mid-decade, some developers obtained permits and shortly after flipped their projects for profits.
“From 2004 to 2006, people wanted to come [into this market] and offered developers crazy money for their permitted projects,” he said.
In the current housing downturn, distressed developers and investors may opt to permit their projects then sell out.
“In a normal market, it is unusual to sell a project in the middle of the development process,” Randell said.

I guess that on a positive note, the project is still alive....

not sure about those link bridges. would look awesome as twin towers.

I agree. The design is great, but I'm guessing it would be even better without the skybridges. The height is very nice, and twins look better than just one.

at least they're still over 300m tall

nice, this would ive Miami a good skyline for once.

Nice design, but I doubt this thing will be built, and if it does, below 1,000 feet.

How on earth is anyone contemplating building condos in Miami. Is this guy living in an alternate reality?
An office and hotel tower, sure, the market in that area is pretty strong. But twin 93 story condo towers in Miami?:lol:

nice, this would ive Miami a good skyline for once.

Whadda you mean "for once"???? Miami has a great skyline. One of the best in the country (#3 according to Wikipedia). Better than Dallas I assure you!

:baeh3:

The render looks nice but I'm not sure it really fits the Miami skyline

A few months ago, Cohen began looking for buyers for the 2.66-acre site at 330 Biscayne Blvd. He bought the property in May 2005 for $31.75 million, or $270 per square foot.
LoopNet, an online listing service for commercial real estate, advertises the site, including the project’s design plans and in-process permits. Lea Cohen, sister of Leon Cohen, said the family is asking $80 million for the package.

The developer is just a flipper, looking to nearly triple his money and get out.
This is just a fantasy at this point.

I love the rendering of Empire World Towers!!! Hope it will get built!!!

Whats the latest on EWT!??

They pretty much ripped off NYC for the name! Hahaha.

Empire State Building, World Trade Center Twin Towers.

Love this project!

Hum, I am the only one who doesn't like it,.... :|

Nice height, but looks bland if not uninspiring.

Nice height, but looks bland if not uninspiring.

Thank you! Now I am no longer alone,... :D

The design for these towers is among my favorite of current projects. Hopefully this project will be ok'd.

UPDATE PLEASE

Nice height, but looks bland if not uninspiring.Buildings this large can be bland and get away with it. They impress with their size, the force of their presence. Buildings like this don't need to be ornamented like Christmas Trees.

The render looks nice but I'm not sure it really fits the Miami skylineIf it's built it will grow into the skyline, the way the twin towers in NYC did. This proposal is so huge - if it's built it will be impossible to imagine the Miami skyline without it. (not that it will actually be built)

Great design!

Yes, build it.....................

This is awsome and this could be the best thing that happens to Miami development.I hope this is built but the bridges I am not so sure about...it makes it a little odd unless you keep the bridges for like evacuation routes if there is a fire.And the round shape of it is an awsome design that can reduce the risk of windows breaking during hurricanes.But can the bridges withstand the winds when the 2 buildings are swaying that can possibly damage the bridges between?

I don't see this happening, there has'nt been an update since January of last year.


Nice Concept though.

Nice design, deserves to be built in a city with cool skyline... !

by far one of my favourite projects. I say build it

I don't want to hurt anybody feelings, but I think this will soon become a stale proposal. I want to see it built, but I just don't think it will happen.:ohno:

edit

and what happen about a hurricane, when it start to build, and hurricane to come and destroy, is so hard to built, but make to built fast

so i love this tower

:nuts::nuts::nuts:

I don't want to hurt anybody feelings, but I think this will soon become a stale proposal. I want to see it built, but I just don't think it will happen.:ohno:

Agreed

Miami got overbuilt in 1987 and very little happened until 2000. This latest cycle will takes years for the area to absorb. I wouldn't expect any announcements before 2015 at the very earliest.

I love this building! Its magnificent........
I never expected this from Miami....
Turning away from a project like this. :(