$94.5M Construction Loan Secured for Excel Miami in Arts & Entertainment District

Clearline Real Estate has secured $94.5 million in construction loans to advance the development of Excel Miami, a 24-story multifamily tower situated at 1550 NE Miami Place in the Arts & Entertainment District. This financing is crucial for the completion of the high-rise, which aims to offer modern urban living while embracing the artistic culture of downtown Miami.

The loan package is anchored by a $68.5 million senior construction loan from Centennial Bank, spearheaded by Jay Brito. In addition, Southern Realty Trust Inc. (SRT) provided a $26 million subordinate loan, arranged through an affiliate of the company.

Excel Miami is being developed by Clearline Real Estate, a New York- and Miami-based firm led by Jenny Bernell. Clearline specializes in multifamily real estate investments across emerging markets in the United States, focusing on projects that align with population and economic growth.

The tower, designed by Arquitectonica, is set to bring a contemporary and sophisticated architectural style to Miami’s multifamily housing landscape. Excel Miami Apartments will cover 214,183 rentable square feet and offer 427 residential units. The diverse lineup of living spaces includes studios, one- and two-bedroom apartments, and 13 unique townhouse lofts, catering to a wide range of lifestyles and preferences.

Residents of Excel Miami will have access to an impressive array of amenities housed on a dedicated floor with 18-foot ceilings. The amenity package includes a pool, a yoga deck, a fitness room, co-working spaces, a screening room, and podcast suites—providing a balanced blend of relaxation, wellness, and productivity.

Strategically located near the Metromover School Board Station, the tower promotes a transit-friendly lifestyle that appeals to professionals and urban dwellers seeking both convenience and connectivity in the heart of Miami. Excel Miami is poised to elevate the standard for multifamily living, offering residents a seamless blend of modern design and accessibility to the city’s dynamic cultural scene.

Revolutionizing New Development Sales: A Conversation with Tim Ng, Founder of Blackline

Blackline is a cutting-edge real estate sales platform designed to streamline new development sales through technology. Founded by industry veteran Tim Ng who has over 16 years of experience, the platform has already facilitated the sale of 80,000 units in Canada and is now expanding into Miami. Blackline offers tools like interactive floorplans, inventory management, and custom reporting, helping developers and sales teams work more efficiently and make data-driven decisions.

Give us your background, how did you get involved in the real estate industry?

I come from a real estate family… literally. Both my parents were in the industry on the brokerage and developer side, so it’s been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Watching them navigate the market and sell real estate was an inspiration and it felt natural to follow in their footsteps. What I didn’t want to do was go the traditional route. I wanted to combine my passion for technology with real estate. So 16 years ago, straight out of university, I started our parent company, Adhoc Studio, which focused on creating award-winning renderings and building interactive sales gallery software.

Why did you decide to set out on your own to launch a real estate software?

Working closely with developers and sales teams for over 16 years, I saw firsthand the challenges and inefficiencies within the new development sales and marketing process. These experiences sparked my interest in finding solutions that could streamline operations and create efficiencies that will bring this segment of the industry into the digital age. My process for the research phase was anything but Adhoc. I conducted focus groups with industry change-makers and thought leaders, and after a year of listening and understanding the needs of my future clients, I realized what we can offer is going to be a game-changer.  

Tell us about Blackline? Who is it for and what services does the Blackline offer? 

Blackline is an industry-leading sales platform built to accelerate new development sales. Ideal for developers, sales agencies and brokerages, the platform brings a very antiquated process of new development sales into the digital age. Utilizing robust features like the interactive floorplan module, inventory management, custom reporting and suite stacking plans enables our clients to sell faster and more efficiently, resulting in higher profits and data driven insights.

What inspired you to expand Blackline to Miami? What factors did you consider when choosing Miami as the next market for expansion?

After establishing Blackline as a market leader selling over 80,000 units across Canada on the platform in our first 4 years, I wanted to strategically expand to the US. South Florida, particularly Miami fit the bill as their sales and marketing programs are similar to Toronto. Additionally, Miami’s dynamic and diverse real estate landscape, combined with the lifestyle appeal of condo living, made it an ideal entry point that aligned with our mission to provide cutting-edge tools that meet the needs of a fast-paced, evolving market.

What value does Blackline add for the developers and sales teams?

The Blackline platform combines innovation and sophistication to deliver features developers and sales teams can utilize to propel their new development sales programs. From the realtor portal to writing up final contracts, everything is branded and customized to the specific project. The platform has been built for realtor engagement, maximizing operational efficiency while also capturing the highest revenue. By using Blackline, clients also get access to real-time insights on their projects that show demand, activity and over 100 reports that can help inform them in making data-driven decisions. This data can help inform marketing strategies and planning of multi-phased selling programs. With all the tools you need, developer and brokerages save time and money while maximizing revenue.

How has the software evolved since you first launched? What new features or services can users expect in the near future?

Part of our corporate mission is to always be innovating. We stay closely connected to industry trends and experts to inform us of new pain points and the evolving needs. We recently launched two new features, Blackline Cast and Blackline Realm. Both cater towards enhancing the experience for realtors and buyers in sales galleries and tie into the Blackline software seamlessly. At the five year mark for the company, we are working to launch Blackline V2 which will have a lot more customization and control for clients while further creating efficiencies for their sales programs. Also, we are excited to be working on building a CRM into the platform which will make Blackline a front to back, full-service solution for New development sales.

What sets Blackline apart from other real estate sales software or CRM systems? 

We pride ourselves on Blackline being a platform that is built for the industry, by the industry. We spent over a year meeting with leading developers and sales companies to deeply understand the complexities, needs, and pain points of the sales and marketing process. Our mission was clear: to digitize and streamline the manual processes that sales teams, realtors, contract administrators, and marketing teams handle daily, making their workflows more efficient and seamless. 

How do you plan to integrate Blackline into the Miami market and what unique opportunities do you see there?

Miami is an exciting market right now. With the plethora of branded residences and high profile projects, Blackline is ideal for developers looking to maintain brand value through the sales process while being efficient and easy to use. Our platform is being utilized by CMC Group and Fort Partners for the Four Seasons Coconut Grove and we are excited to have other branded residences adopt the platform for their sales programs.

What challenges do you anticipate facing when expanding Blackline to Miami and how do you plan to overcome them?

The localized nuances of a new market will always be one of the biggest challenges. Each real estate market has a tried and true way of doing things and not everyone is open to change. Blackline also has an educational component to understanding how it can take your sales program to the next level. The challenges we face right now are trying to introduce it on a large scale to the Miami industry players. We’ve been fortunate to develop close relationships and align with some of the industry’s top sales and marketing leaders early on in our expansion and they have been mentors to us providing their invaluable guidance as we expand into the South Florida market. 

You have built out quite a team at Blackline, tell us about the team and how you plan to expand in Miami?

Our product, engineering, and customer success teams are made up of seasoned vets who have been at the forefront of real estate technologies and innovation for the past 16 years. Many of our team members have firsthand experience working for developers and new development brokerages, so they truly understand the industry - we really ‘get it’. Before we decided to expand into the Miami market, we spent 6 months learning the local market - engaging with new development realtors, listening sessions with sales managers and contract administrators at sales galleries. We also have our team there monthly, meeting with developers and brokerages, educating about the product whenever possible and attending industry events to stay connected to our clients. 

How do you envision Blackline making a positive impact on the Miami community?

Miami is ready for change and I feel Blackline is perfectly suited to complement the current lineup of large residential projects in the pipeline. Miami real estate is also being watched on a global stage and using Blackline gives developer and sales team the ability to connect with clients anywhere, anytime. The ability for everyone involved with a pre-construction transaction (developer, sales team, outside realtor, purchaser, lawyer) to interact with a single ecosystem will streamline their experience, maintain brand value and result in a more efficient sales process. 

What long-term goals do you have for Blackline in Miami and beyond and how do you plan to achieve them?

Miami is a primary market we’re focused on in the US but we have our sights set on going global. There is a real appetite to integrate technology into the new development sales process and Blackline is suited ideally for those looking to accelerate their sales, achieve efficiency and make data driven decisions for their projects. We are offering a product that has proven itself with over 80,000 units sold on the platform and we continue to innovate to meet industry needs. Through targeted education of the product, and exposure from marquee projects looking to adopt the platform, we believe Blackline will soon become the industry standard for new development sales, not only in Miami but globally.

Australia’s Plenary Group Submits Plans For Miami-Dade CivilCourthouse in Downtown Miami

Plenary Group, a Melbourne, Australian real estate development firm who was awarded the contract to build the new Miami-Dade Civil Courthouse in Downtown Miami, has submitted plans to the FAA for review. The proposal calls for a 435’ tower rising 23-stories and the developer plans to break ground by this May, 2020. In 2019 The Plenary Group was awarded a $267 million contract to design, build and operate Miami-Dade’s Civil Courthouse at 73 West Flagler Street on county owned land, replacing the 1928-era courthouse that was also the location of the infamous Al Capone trial. The courthouse will feature 46 courtrooms and 59 parking spaces.

Miami-Dade County has called the partnership between Miami-Dade County and the Plenary Group to be the first public-private partnership by the County. Plenary Group will use private funds and will both built and operate the facility with a 30-year contract which could be valued at nearly $27 million per year. The annual payments are performance based and Plenary Group must hit hurdles for operational and maintenance standards. Plenary Group will not start receiving payments until the courthouse is open and operational. HOK is the architect for the project and Tutor Perini is the contractor. Completion is expected in 2024.

Four Seasons Hotel & Private Residences Fort Lauderdale Tabs Coastal Construction As General Contractor

Following the announcement that Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Fort Lauderdale is more than 50% sold, Miami-based development company Fort Partners celebrated the success and progress of the luxury development at an exclusive luncheon announcing their selection of Florida-based construction company Coastal Construction as the general contractor for the project with premier construction management company Lehrer Cumming overseeing construction of the luxury tower. Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis also addressed the audience, speaking to the state of the city’s real estate market, highlighting the growth and transformation of Fort Lauderdale into an international destination. Upon completion, Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale will be one of Fort Partners’ iconic properties within the Four Seasons portfolio and Fort Lauderdale’s first true five-star destination.

“Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Fort Lauderdale is making incredible strides to help redefine this city as an international destination, and we are pleased to celebrate our recent success as we progress towards completion,” said Nadim Ashi, Founder of Fort Partners. “We’ve selected the best industry leaders to oversee this monumental development throughout each stage of development, and are thrilled to welcome both Coastal Construction and Lehrer Cumming to our team.”

Coastal Construction is one of the Southeast’s preeminent construction companies and is ranked in the top 100 construction management companies in the country. The firm has a distinguished roster of clients including Fort Partner’s distinguished development, The Surf Club in Miami, as well as Porsche Design Tower and Miami Beach’s Faena District. Led by Chairman and CEO Thomas P. Murphy, Jr., Coastal Construction was founded in 1988 and has been under the Murphy family’s leadership for four generations.

“Coastal Construction is honored to have been selected by Fort Partners as the general contractor of record for Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Fort Lauderdale. It is a privilege to once again work with the Fort Partners development team, on this transformative tower which is setting a new benchmark for luxury living in Fort Lauderdale,” said Thomas P. Murphy, Jr., Chairman and CEO of Coastal Construction.

The 22-story hotel and condominium development will offer 130 guest rooms and 90 residences ranging in size from one- to four-bedrooms, with each residence offering sprawling living spaces and generous outdoor terraces with unparalleled views of the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway. Residents will receive special courtesies at Fort Partner’s premier portfolio, including Four Seasons Hotel and Residences at The Surf Club in Surfside, Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach, and Norman’s Cay, an exclusive island in the Bahamas. Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale broke ground in spring 2018 and construction remains on schedule. Pricing for two- to four-bedroom private residences begins at $3.795 million.

For more information about Four Seasons Hotel & Private Residences Fort Lauderdale, private showings, availability or purchasing/ leasing information please fill out the form below:

The Trump Group & Coastal Construction Announce $600 Million Construction Contract For The Estates At Acqualina

The Trump Group, led by Eddie and Jules Trump, and Coastal Construction have signed an agreement for the construction of the second tower and completion of The Estates at Acqualina, the $1.6 billion residential development in Sunny Isles Beach scheduled to open in late 2020. The $600 million contract ranks as the largest ever for a condominium project in South Florida. Construction crews have been making significant progress with the foundation and site work as they prepare to go vertical.

“With strong pre-sales, commitments from our buyers and clients, and our recent $558 million construction loan announced last month, we are now building both towers and the entire residential development all at once. This assures future residents of a hassle-free move-in, particularly in light of the fact that residences at the Estates are built out to a furniture-ready standard,” said developer Jules Trump. “This is an incredible time for us and we are offering a unique lifestyle that will set it apart from the rest of the world.”

“We are absolutely thrilled to be working with the Trump Group once again after the successful completion of the Mansions at Acqualina,” said Sean Murphy, co-president of Coastal Construction. “The Estates at Acqualina is the most exciting construction project in South Florida right now.”

The Estates at Acqualina will be home to approximately 245 ultra-luxury residences and will feature common areas created by fashion and design icon Karl Lagerfeld. In addition, The Estates at Acqualina will feature three single family homes and three, two-story penthouses, all with private pools within a private gated community. Residences at The Estates at Acqualina are priced from $4.2 to $14 million with penthouses priced up to $35 million.

The Estates at Acqualina will feature the 50,000+ SF amenity center Villa Acqualina. Amenities will include a spa with salt room, fitness center with boxing ring, one of a kind dining with a world renowned restaurant and Circus Maximus, an ice skating rink, a Formula One simulator, a golfing simulator, bowling lanes, a movie theater, a speakeasy, and a Wall Street Trader’s Club room where residents will have access to ticker tape, computers and a boardroom. Residents of The Estates at Acqualina will have access to the neighboring Forbes Five Star and AAA Five Diamond Acqualina Resort & Spa, TripAdvisor’s #1 Beachfront Hotel in the United States and #1 Resort in the Continental United States by U.S. News & World Report.

Check out the drone construction flyover and photo construction update below:

For more information about Estates at Acqualina, private showings or purchasing/ leasing information please fill out the form below: