ArquitectonicaGEO-Designed Canopy Park Opens To Public On Alton Road In Miami Beach

Canopy Park, Miami Beach’s new three-acre community park situated between the 600 and 700 blocks of Alton Road, is now open to the public. Park-goers can enjoy open greenspaces shaded by native tree species, pedestrian trails and bike paths, an outdoor gym and dog run, a MONSTRUM-designed children’s playground, and public art displays. Designed with sustainability in mind, Canopy Park reflects how landscape architecture can serve as a green resiliency solution for coastal communities with a host of environmentally conscious features including a Maritime Hammock, bioswales, and a 25,000-gallon cistern to conserve and manage rainwater.

Additionally, Canopy Park will connect to Miami Beach’s popular South of Fifth neighborhood and complete the Miami Beach Baywalk via a new signature pedestrian bridge designed by Daniel Buren spanning the MacArthur Causeway/5th Street, creating a safe and seamless connection running from South Pointe Park north to the Lincoln Road District and east to the beachfront.

“Instead of a massive wall of rental units, we now have this exquisite greenspace in a neighborhood where no one has a backyard,” said City of Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber. “This park will quickly become a welcomed amenity for nearby residents and a favorite gathering spot for our entire community.”

Canopy Park was developed by TCH 500 Alton, LLC, a partnership between two of Miami Beach’s deepest-rooted real estate developers: David Martin and Russell Galbut. The development team, which is also behind the neighboring Five Park residential tower, constructed and donated the park to the City of Miami Beach’s Parks & Recreation Department as a gift to the community’s residents and visitors.

“Canopy Park will be a gateway for the City of Miami Beach, a destination for visitors, and an everyday amenity for residents, so we’ve taken the time to assemble a team of visionaries who have led some of the most transformational projects in the world,” said developer Russell Galbut of TCH 500 Alton, LLC. “We’ve created a vibrant community asset that brings people together while providing a design experience that rivals public spaces in the world’s greatest cities.”

A major design component of Canopy Park, which was imagined by landscape architect Laurinda Spear’s ArquitectonicaGEO, is a “natural play” playground by Danish design firm MONSTRUM, which is famous for creating artistic and architectural playscapes around the world. A standout element of the playground is an eye-catching slide paying homage to pioneer developer Carl G. Fisher’s cultural mascot Rosie the Elephant, an instrumental historical figure known for putting Miami Beach on the map as a luxury destination and “America’s winter playground” in the early 1920s. Infused with art and design, a distinctive sculpture by Miami-based artist Mark Handforth also enriches the outdoor space.

“Canopy Park was designed with beautiful aesthetics in mind but also serves a broader environmental purpose,” said developer David Martin of TCH 500 Alton, LLC. “The park’s innovative sustainability and resiliency attributes will benefit not only the future residents of the adjacent Five Park tower, but also the entire surrounding neighborhood.”

Canopy Park’s sustainability and resiliency features include:

• Vegetation, Biodiversity and Native Plant Communities: Canopy Park boasts lush, sustainable landscaping comprising nearly 40 different plant and tree species. There have been 221 trees and 121 palms newly planted in the park, of which 80 percent are native, and 100 percent are low maintenance and tolerant of drought. The incredibly varied plant biodiversity not only beautifies the area, but also performs incredibly important roles that will help balance ecosystems, mitigate soil erosion, decrease urban heating effects, provide habitats for threatened animals, and protect watersheds from destructive floods.

• Maritime Hammock and Habitat Restoration: In addition to the extensive tree canopy throughout the park, a Maritime Hammock, consisting of 2.6 times the required ground cover by code, anchors the north end of the park. The hammock offers crucial shade from the year-round sun, captures carbon and toxins from the air, and diminishes the urban heat island effect, cooling the surrounding area. It also restores natural habitats, regenerates roosting areas, and provides feeding opportunities for birds, bats, native bees, and other pollinators. Canopy Park aims to replicate the original tropical forests once found in Miami Beach to reinforce an original and stable ecosystem in the area.

• Irrigation, Water Conservation, and Rainwater Management: A weather-based irrigation controller and rain sensors limit watering during the rainy season. A 25,000-gallon cistern captures excess runoff during major storm events and irrigates plantings throughout the year, with a capacity to irrigate the park completely on collected rainwater for one week before needing replenishment. Green infrastructure solutions like bioswales and rain gardens allow for proper site filtration and management for all of the rainwater that enters the site. The resulting effect is that 90% of the stormwater is captured and diverted before it ever reaches Biscayne Bay, protecting wild grasses and native species from harmful debris and pollutants.

• The Million Orchid Project: In addition to the stunning greenery, Canopy Park is home to hundreds of vibrant, native orchids as part of The Million Orchid Project. Once an abundant, natural flower proliferating across Miami Beach, orchid numbers have dwindled as the City of Miami Beach has developed and expanded. To address this problem, The Million Orchid Project, the National Orchid Garden, and the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden – alongside local volunteers and the park’s development team – joined forces to propagate and plant over 600 wild orchids throughout the park grounds to reinstate the majestic flower in Miami Beach.

• Next door, development is currently underway at Five Park, an iconic 48-story luxury residential tower that will offer unparalleled five-star amenities, including Miami Beach’s premier resident-only members club, The Canopy Club. The project is estimated to be completed in 2024.

• Approved plans for the site also include The Miami Beach Canopy Bridge, a signature pedestrian bridge spanning 5th Street designed by international artist Daniel Buren. The Miami Beach Canopy Bridge – subtitled Walking Under, Along, and On the Colors: work in-situ by Daniel Buren – will complete the Miami Beach Baywalk, creating a safe and seamless connection running from Southpointe Park North to the Lincoln Road District and East to the beachfront. The Miami Beach Canopy will become an instant landmark for Miami Beach and a beloved work of public art that guides pedestrians along a rainbow of colorful shadows. Construction of the pedestrian bridge is expected to get underway in 2023.

Images via World Red Eye

Melo Group's Aria Reserve Luxury Condominium Exceeds 60% Sold In Less Than 6 Months As Groundbreaking Nears

As travel restrictions lift, foreign buyers have begun to return to Miami’s luxury real estate market, adding another layer to the already red-hot demand in South Florida. In the latest example of this international comeback, Melo Group, the developer behind Aria Reserve, a dual tower luxury condominium development situated on five acres of Biscayne Bay waterfront land in Miami’s Edgewater enclave, has pre-sold more than 60% of its 383-residence South Tower in less than six months since its summer 2021 sales launch. Approximately half of the tower’s buyers hail from domestic markets across the country, with an almost equal number of international buyers.

Aria Reserve’s 62-story towers will mark the tallest waterfront dual tower residential development in the United States. Construction of the project’s South Tower is expected to begin in early 2022, with completion slated for 2024.

“When we launched sales at Aria Reserve over the summer, the majority of our buyers were coming from the domestic market – New York, California, Boston,” said developer Carlos Melo, Co-Principal of the Melo Group. “While we’re still seeing an incredible amount of domestic demand, we’re now seeing some competition coming from overseas as international buyers return to the market. Buyers from Latin American countries like Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Chile and Peru are relocating to Miami following the implementation of Covid-19 vaccines, continued political instability, and a recent rise in international tourism.”

Residences at Aria Reserve will include impeccably finished units with one- to four-bedroom floorplans measuring between 1,100 and 2,600 square feet in size. A limited collection of penthouse residences, ranging from 3,500 to over 9,000 square feet, each come with its own one-of-a-kind personal three-car garage vault – of which five trilevel penthouse mansions will also feature private rooftop decks with pools and summer kitchens. Residences are priced from about $850,000 to over $2 million, and up to $12 million for penthouses.

Every residence will include two private or semi-private elevators, a dedicated office/den, at least 10-foot-high ceilings, and open flow-through layouts with up to 11-foot-deep expansive terraces boasting unparalleled sunset views to the west and bay and ocean views to the east.

“Buyers are attracted to our waterfront location and our abundance of amenities,” said Martin Melo, Co-Principal of the Melo Group. “With a two-acre resort-style deck, home to an indoor/outdoor wellness center, a variety of sports courts, and multiple pools for the entire family, along with spacious residences, and some of the best bay and ocean views in Miami, Aria Reserve is appealing to end-user buyers looking to take advantage of the city’s cosmopolitan lifestyle.”

Aria Reserve has been architecturally designed by Bernardo Fort-Brescia of Arquitectonica, with interiors by MORADA Haute Furniture Boutique, and lush landscaping by ArquitectonicaGEO.

The development will boast over two acres of amenities, with standout features including a semi-Olympic sized lap pool and whirlpool spa, a children’s splash pad, playground area, teen lounge and gaming center, a theater, tennis courts, basketball courts, paddle courts, a golf putting green, and an indoor/outdoor wellness center with spa/steam/sauna facilities, massage rooms, a state-of-the-art gym, yoga lounge and meditation garden.

The building will also feature a double-level 25-foot lobby, a signature waterfront restaurant and café, two additional pool and lounge areas with two Jacuzzis and poolside daybeds, a fire pit, a dog park, and a telescope observatory area looking out over the bay. Residents will also have access to a custom-designed watersports dock with available paddleboards, kayaks, and inflatables.

On the ground floor along 23rd Street, Melo Group is developing a public park with open green space that will connect to the Miami Baywalk, providing direct access to the 5-mile-long pedestrian and bicycle-friendly waterfront promenade which runs along Biscayne Bay from Edgewater, around Brickell Key, and all the way to Brickell Bay Drive in Brickell.

Situated along the bayfront just north of Downtown Miami, nestled between the Venetian and Julia Tuttle Causeways – the two main arteries connecting the City of Miami and Miami Beach – Edgewater has fast-emerged as the epicenter of the new Miami. The surrounding neighborhoods of Downtown’s Arts & Entertainment District, Miami Design District, Wynwood Arts District, Midtown Miami, and Miami Beach put residents within blocks of dozens of luxury retail shops, high-end restaurants and world-class arts and culture venues.

Aria Reserve benefits from the development expertise of the Melo Group, one of South Florida’s preeminent residential development firms with a portfolio of more than 6,000 total luxury condominium and high-end multifamily units completed throughout Greater Downtown Miami. The firm is one of Downtown Miami’s most prominent long-term investors and landowners, having found success by investing early in prime real estate and building for market demand. Over the last two decades, Melo has delivered more than a dozen residential towers across Miami’s Central Business District, Edgewater, Miami River, and Arts & Entertainment District neighborhoods.

For more information about Aria Reserve, private showings or purchasing/ leasing information please fill out the form below:

Melo Group Completes $40 Million In Penthouse Sales In Past 90 Days At Aria Reserve

As penthouse demand skyrockets across South Florida, Melo Group, the developers behind Miami’s Aria Reserve twin tower luxury condominium development, have completed $40 million in penthouse sales at the project’s South Tower over the last 90 days. All 12 of the tower’s single-story penthouses are now under reservation, with only five soon-to-be-released tri-level penthouse mansions remaining available for purchase. More than 40% of the first tower’s 391 residences have already been sold since sales launched in June, with more than half of its buyers hailing from domestic markets within the United States. Situated on five acres fronting Biscayne Bay in Miami’s Edgewater enclave, Aria Reserve’s 62-story towers will mark the tallest waterfront dual tower residential development in the United States. Construction of the project’s South Tower is expected to begin in early 2022, with completion slated for 2024.

Aria Reserve’s limited collection of penthouses residences each come with its own one-of-a-kind private three-car garage vault. The 12 now-sold single-story penthouses, which range between 3,500 to 3,800 square feet in size, captured prices between $3 million and $3.5 million. Five remaining tri-level penthouse mansions, which measure between 5,000 and over 7,000 square feet, all feature private rooftop decks with pools and summer kitchens and are priced up to $12 million.

“Aria Reserve’s penthouse collection includes everything Miami’s most discerning buyers are looking for – privacy, space, access to an abundance of outdoor amenities, and, of course, some of the best waterfront views in Miami,” said Carlos Melo, Principal of the Melo Group. “One of the major selling points for our penthouses is our unique ‘garage vault’ which gives residents access to their own private climate-controlled and secure three-car garage within the building’s larger parking facility – a distinctive feature that has been especially popular among homeowners who are transitioning to condo living.”

Non-penthouse residences at Aria Reserve will include one- to four-bedroom floorplans measuring between 1,100 and 2,600 square feet in size. Prices range from about $850,000 to just over $2 million, at an average of approximately $850 per square foot.

Every residence will include two private or semi-private elevators, a dedicated office/bonus room, at least 10-foot-high ceilings, and open flow-through layouts with up to 11-foot-deep expansive terraces boasting unparalleled sunset views to the west and bay and ocean views to the east.

“Over the last few months, we’ve seen incredible demand for our penthouse residences, as buyers look to downsize from large houses and upgrade to amenity-rich and convenient luxury condo living,” said Martin Melo, Principal of the Melo Group. “Aria Reserve’s spacious penthouses are like waterfront homes in the sky designed and built for residents to live in and utilize year-round. Although we’ve already sold the entirety of our lower penthouse inventory, some of the most beautiful residences in the building – our five tri-level upper penthouse mansions – will be released to the market very soon.”

Aria Reserve has been architecturally designed by Bernardo Fort-Brescia of Arquitectonica, with interiors by MORADA Haute Furniture Boutique, and lush landscaping by ArquitectonicaGEO.

The development will boast over two acres of amenities, with standout features including a semi-Olympic sized lap pool and whirlpool spa, a children’s splash pad, playground area, teen lounge and gaming center, a theater, tennis courts, basketball courts, paddle courts, a golf putting green, and an indoor/outdoor wellness center with spa/steam/sauna facilities, massage rooms, a state-of-the-art gym, yoga lounge and meditation garden.

The building will also feature a double-level 25-foot lobby, a signature waterfront restaurant and café, two additional pool and lounge areas with two Jacuzzis and poolside daybeds, a fire pit, a dog park, and a telescope observatory area looking out over the bay. Residents will also have access to a custom-designed watersports dock with available paddleboards, kayaks, and inflatables.

On the ground floor along 23rd Street, Melo Group is developing a public park with open green space that will connect to the Miami Baywalk, providing direct access to the 5-mile-long pedestrian and bicycle-friendly waterfront promenade which runs along Biscayne Bay from Edgewater, around Brickell Key, and all the way to Brickell Bay Drive in Brickell.

Situated along the bayfront just north of Downtown Miami, nestled between the Venetian and Julia Tuttle Causeways – the two main arteries connecting the City of Miami and Miami Beach – Edgewater has fast-emerged as the epicenter of the new Miami. The surrounding neighborhoods of Downtown’s Arts & Entertainment District, Miami Design District, Wynwood Arts District, Midtown Miami, and Miami Beach put residents within blocks of dozens of luxury retail shops, high-end restaurants and world-class arts and culture venues.

Aria Reserve’s preconstruction sales model allows for 30-percent-down deposits for domestic U.S. buyers, and 40-percent-down deposits for international buyers. Under this model, payments are staggered with 10 percent deposits made at varying stages throughout the course of the development’s construction, from the reservation/contract stage all the way to top-off, with the remainder of the unit’s value due upon completion/closing.

Aria Reserve benefits from the development expertise of the Melo Group, one of South Florida’s preeminent residential development firms with a portfolio of more than 6,000 total luxury condominium and high-end rental units completed throughout Greater Downtown Miami. The firm is one of Downtown Miami’s most prominent long-term investors and landowners, having found success by investing early in prime real estate and building for market demand. Over the last two decades, Melo has delivered more than a dozen residential towers across Miami’s Central Business District, Edgewater, Miami River, and Arts & Entertainment District neighborhoods.

City Of Miami Approves Wynwood Streetscape Mater Plan Designed by ArquitectonicaGEO

City of Miami Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the ArquitectonicaGEO-designed Wynwood Streetscape Master Plan. The approval follows over two years of public hearings and community workshops. The construction will begin immediately and is funded by the Wynwood Business Improvement District (BID) as well as local property owners. The streetscape will feature the conversion of three streets to Woonerfs, which open up space for pedestrians while also allowing car access. It will also feature a green half-mile pedestrian and bike trail; landscaping designed to help combat climate change by capturing stormwater runoff, as well as reintroduce native plant species and provide shade via tree canopies; additionally, the installment of safety and mobility improvements such as new crosswalks, widened sidewalks, updated signage and protected bicycle lanes.

Terra And Crescent Heights Break Ground On Canopy Park In South Beach

Terra and Crescent Heights, along with development partner New Valley, have broken ground on Canopy Park, located at the gateway to South Beach at after winning approval from the Miami Beach City Commission last year. The developers are building a three-acre public park, named Canopy Park, alongside a new residential tower at 500 Alton Road. Terra is led by David Martin and Crescent Heights is led by Russel Galbut, both longtime local Miami-based developers.

The three-acre park, located between the 600 and 700 blocks of Alton Road, will include open green-spaces shaded by native tree species, pedestrian and bike paths, an outdoor gym and dog run, a MONSTRUM-designed children’s playground, and public art displays. Canopy Park will be connected to the South of Fifth neighborhood and the Miami Beach baywalk via a new pedestrian bridge over I-395. The pedestrian bridge was designed by artist Daniel Buren and has been dubbed the Miami Beach Canopy. Construction of Miami Beach’s newest world-class city amenity is now underway, with completion estimated for Summer 2021. Canopy Park is located at the site of the former South Shore Hospital which the developers recently demolished.

“Canopy Park will be a gateway for the City of Miami Beach, a destination for visitors, and an everyday amenity for residents, so we’ve taken the time to assemble a team of design, art and planning visionaries who have led some of the most transformational projects in the world,” said David Martin, President of Terra. “The end result will be an active park and design experience that rivals public spaces in the world’s greatest cities.”

“World class cities and neighborhoods are defined by their public spaces, and Miami Beach is home to some of the most desirable parks and open spaces anywhere,” said City of Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber. “Our City’s newest public green space, Canopy Park, will quickly become a welcomed amenity for nearby residents and a favorite gathering spot for our entire community.”

The development team has enlisted an ensemble of artists, designers and architects who will bring the park to life, including architects Bernardo Fort-Brescia & Raymond Fort of Arquitectonica; landscape architect Laurinda Spear of ArquitectonicaGEO; design advisors Daniel Vasini of West 8, Anda Andrei of Anda Andrei Design, and Michael Gabellini and Kim Sheppard of Gabellini Sheppard Associates; and art advisor Lisa Austin. 

A major design component of Canopy Park will feature a “natural play” playground by Danish design firm MONSTRUM, which is famous for creating artistic and architectural playscapes around the world. Standout elements of the playground will include a giant butterfly, a mangrove forest and a caterpillar slide enabling children to jump, climb, balance, and express their inner imaginations.

The Miami Beach Canopy pedestrian bridge, subtitled Walking Under, Along, and On the Colors: work in-situ by Daniel Buren, will complete the Miami Beach Baywalk, creating a safe and seamless connection running from Southpointe Park north to the Lincoln Road District and east to the beachfront. The Canopy will become an instant icon for Miami Beach and a beloved work of public art that guides pedestrians along a rainbow of colorful shadows. Completion of the Miami Beach Canopy pedestrian bridge is anticipated for 2022.

Plans for Canopy Park also include an array of sustainability and resiliency features, including habitat restoration, vegetation, biodiversity, native plant communities, irrigation, water conservation and rainwater management. The park will also serve as an educational resource to inform and inspire the public about resilience and sustainability efforts being made by the city.

The Grand Hyatt Selected as Flag for New Miami Beach Convention Center Hotel

The development team behind Miami Beach’s new Convention Center hotel announced today that the 800-room property will be operated by Hyatt under the luxury Grand Hyatt brand, when it opens to guests in 2023. Grand Hyatt Miami Beach will create a new hospitality option for visitors attending events at the adjacent Miami Beach Convention Center, which underwent a $600 million renovation that was completed last year, and will anchor the Convention Center District.

The new hotel will become the second Grand Hyatt property in Florida, joining Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay. Grand Hyatt hotels are designed to connect guests with iconic experiences, landmarks and cultural touchstones in captivating destinations around the world. Hallmarks of the brand include bold and vibrant design and architecture, elevated amenities and welcoming service that creates moments of more.

The hotel development is being led by David Martin of Terra and Jackie Soffer of Turnberry, whose plans for the hotel were overwhelmingly approved by Miami Beach voters in 2018. The 17-story hotel will be situated at the intersection of 17th Street and Convention Center Drive, within walking distance of the beachfront, Lincoln Road Mall, New World Symphony, The Bass Museum and The Fillmore Miami Beach.

“For years, Miami Beach has served as a global destination for arts, culture, shopping, dining and entertainment, but the City has lacked a true headquarters hotel for top-tier conventions and meetings,” said Martin and Soffer. “South Florida’s first Grand Hyatt hotel will maximize Miami Beach’s investment in its re-imagined Convention Center while bridging the physical gap that exists between the Convention Center District and surrounding neighborhoods.”

 Grand Hyatt Miami Beach will be designed by architect Bernardo Fort-Brescia and his firm, Miami-based Arquitectonica. The development team also includes partner Craig Robins of Dacra, who is the visionary behind the Miami Design District and helped revive Miami Beach’s Art Deco District in the 1990s; Stonehill Taylor, which is designing the hotel’s interior lobby and lounges, ballroom and meeting rooms, hotel rooms and all common areas; EOA, which is designing the pool deck hospitality features of the hotel; and Arquitectonica GEO, which is creating lush pedestrian promenades and landscapes.

Hotel features are expected to include 12 floors of guest rooms offering views of Miami Beach, two floors of meeting spaces and ballrooms that will complement the Convention Center, a resort-style pool deck with panoramic views, and limited retail space that will activate the district at street level. An elevated skybridge will enable event attendees to move freely between the hotel and Convention Center in a climate-controlled, art-filled corridor. 

Plans also include landscaped pedestrian promenades on surrounding streets, bike sharing stations, connectivity with public transit routes, dedicated ridesharing pick-up and drop-off zones, and direct access between the Convention Center and Lincoln Road. The project’s resiliency and sustainability measures include storm water management and reuse, flood risk mitigation, and the use of solar power – all of which are designed to ensure operational continuity during weather events.

“The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) joins Terra, Turnberry and The City of Miami Beach in welcoming the Grand Hyatt Miami Beach as the newly named brand for the 800-room headquarter hotel connected to the Miami Beach Convention Center,” said William D. Talbert, III, CDME, President of the GMCVB.  “Grand Hyatt Miami Beach makes it possible to better compete for citywide conventions which fuel jobs in our community and generates business for all of Greater Miami’s hotels and merchants. We look forward to the hotel ground-breaking which once completed will finalize the Miami Beach Convention Center District.” 

By Katya Demina

CONTINUUM Reveals New Multi-Million Dollar ArquitectonicaGEO-Designed Grounds Renovation

South Florida’s award-winning architectural and branding firm, ArquitectonicaGEO, has been appointed to spearhead a multi-million dollar renovation project for the grounds of Continuum on South Beach, starting in May and anticipated to last between 18 and 24 months. This is the first renovation undertaken by Continuum since it was built 19 years ago. ArquitectonicaGEO will redesign the exterior of the property, from the South of Fifth public roadway leading to the entrance of the property, through to the Upper Rotunda situated between the two towers. The design incorporates the latest in local Florida plant life, trees, landscaping and water fixtures to further embellish the pedestrian neighborhood in and around the South Pointe corner.

“We are very excited to open the next chapter in our progressive journey to establish a new and improved identity,” says Rishi Idnani, Managing Director of Continuum On South Beach. “For almost two decades Continuum On South Beach has become established as the crown jewel in South of Fifth. The brand has grown to become recognized on an international scale, well beyond Miami Beach. We therefore thought it necessary to reflect this growth and reputation in our logo and corporate identity. We are also pleased to be working with one of today’s leading brand architects, ArquitectonicaGEO, for the outdoor renovation and transformation of our grounds that will ultimately mark a new beginning for the entire aesthetic of the Continuum and its surrounding neighborhood.”

ArquitectonicaGEO designed the exterior renovation around the theme of “Infinite Wellbeing” in-line with the resort-style philosophy of the property. The brief was to transform and embellish the outdoor space at the Continuum so residents and visitors utilize it to its maximum potential over time. Tree species currently being selected for the project include the Autograph Tree, Pigeon Plum, Green Buttonwood and Gumbo Limbo. The existing water fountain fixture in the Lower Rotunda will be replaced with a “Specimen Tree” to establish a more interesting and statuesque aesthetic during the arrival experience. The large water fountain within the Upper Rotunda will be replaced with a smaller, more tranquil water fixture, together with green foliage and plants that will encourage pedestrians to sit around. Multiple pathways will also be formed through the center of the rotunda, creating a walkway that does not interfere with arriving vehicles or valet.

“Our aim is to entice homeowners and their guests to be outside as much as possible,” says Michelle Cintron, Vice President of ArquitectonicaGEO. “If we increase the lushness for the pedestrian and bring them closer to nature, they are more likely to use their grounds and even arrive by foot instead of by car. This can be achieved by introducing some tropical plants and trees that are native to Florida and more recognizable to everyone. The end goal of this transformation is also functionality, performance and to establish long-term maintenance of the property as a whole. Part of the project will naturally result in beautifying the surrounding neighborhood to make it more pedestrian friendly,” adds Cintron. “This will potentially activate the nearby retail area to a larger extent.”

Other changes at Continuum include a name change as the building, formerly known over the last 19 years as “Continuum on South Beach,” has decided to change the corporate identity of the luxury property to now be simply known as “Continuum.” Fully established and recognized across the country by global homeowners, Continuum is re-positioning itself as an international property, owned by international residents.

“For more than 18 years, the Continuum has enjoyed widespread recognition as one of the nation’s market leaders in elite luxury living,” says Keith Marks, Board President and Chairman for the Continuum On South Beach Master Association. “To strengthen our position as pioneering among residents looking for the preeminent lifestyle offered, we thought it necessary to open a new chapter for the identity and aura of the property, that will ultimately enhance our unique appeal in contemporary design and serenity.”

ArquitectonicaGEO's Wynwood Streetscape Master Plan Presented To Wynwood Business Improvement District

The ArquitectonicaGEO Wynwood Streetscape Master Plan is moving closer to fruition after ArquitectonicaGEO’s Michelle Cintron and John Hutchens presented the proposal at a meeting of the Wynwood Business Improvement District in later February 2019. The proposal calls for transforming Wynwood into a pedestrian-oriented streetscape with public spaces and more tree canopy for shade. The Wynwood BID expects to have the final plans, of which they are considering the public’s input, completed by Summer 2019. The initially proposed plans were first introduced in December 2018. The Wynwood BID has not yet identified a source of funding for the master plan.

Check Out WynwoodWalks, ArquitectonicaGEO's Newly Proposed Addition To The Wynwood Streetscape

ArquitectonicaGEO, the landscape design arm of architecture powerhouse Arquitectonica, has proposed WynwoodWalks as part of the Wynwood streetscape master plan. The proposal was commissioned by the city and first publicly presented at a community meeting on December 11. WynwoodWalks will activate the Wynwood outdoors, bringing walking paths, park, woonerfs and a wellness loop. Woonerfs are living streets and will be located on NW 3rd Avenue, NW 1st Avenue and NW 1st Place. The landscaped parks will flank Wynwood and will offer wellness amenities while the street designs will focus on adding shade.