MG Developer Locks Down $67.5 Million Construction Loan For The Village at Coral Gables

MG Developer, led by Alirio Torrealba, announces it has secured a $67.5 million construction loan from Churchill Real Estate to build the highly anticipated Village at Coral Gables development, with groundbreaking expected this July.

Exclusively sold by One Sotheby’s International Realty, The Village at Coral Gables, located at 535 Santander Avenue, is a 48-residence collection featuring: Townhomes, Lofts, Villas, and Flats. The assembly of the project will pay homage to the aesthetic beauty and lifestyle of Seville, Spain, and continue the legacy of the dreamer and founder of Coral Gables, George Merrick, and his vision for “The City Beautiful.” This new enclave is being created to honor the city’s past while building for discerning buyers looking for modern-day luxurious comforts.

“We are truly excited to now be entering the construction phase of The Village at Coral Gables”, said Alirio Torrealba, CEO of MG Developer. “It’s been a true labor of love, from the initial planning phase to now. I couldn’t be prouder to be partnering with Churchill to provide the financing for this highly anticipated community. We are looking forward to a fruitful and long-term relationship for more projects in the future that will continue to elevate the City of Coral Gables.”

The Village at Coral Gables will be set throughout 17 lots, bordered by Malaga Avenue, Santander Avenue, Segovia Street, and Hernando Street. The townhomes, lofts, villas, and flats will vary in style and size, from the sophisticated flats of two bedrooms with a study room and a balcony to the charming four-bedroom townhomes that range from 1,750 square feet to 3,100 square feet. Inspired by Merrick’s seven villages, The Village at Coral Gables will be built in a Mediterranean Revival-Style Architecture, designed by De La Guardia Victoria Architects & Urbanists, and integrate gardens, courtyards, and fountains inspired by the alcoves in the Plaza de España.

“We are thrilled to partner with MG Developer for the financing of The Village at Coral Gables,” added Jeff Rosenfeld who, along with Sean Robertson, Co-Heads Originations at Churchill Real Estate. “MG Developer has a strong track record of delivering exceptional projects, and we are excited about MG bringing this highly anticipated development to life. We are excited to support MG Developer in their commitment to elevating The City Beautiful and look forward to our continued partnership and future projects."

The classic yet modern village will also feature thoughtful recreational amenities that emanate a contemporary and tropical ambiance, and a color scheme that blends natural tones with lush green foliage, and hints of gold décor accents. Featuring a wellness clubhouse of nearly 4,000 square feet, an indoor and outdoor terrace lounge that is ideal for events and gatherings; a fitness wing; a luxurious plunge pool as well as a library and conference center; perfect for residents who enjoy working remotely and are looking for all the office amenities like high-speed wi-fi and a large monitor screen to host virtual meetings and more. The impeccably designed amenity spaces elevate the standard for modern living in historic Coral Gables.

The verdant canopy streets that surround The Village at Coral Gables evoke the serenity of quiet countryside and it feels like living in the suburbs, but residents will enjoy living within walking distance of Downtown Coral Gables. The development is close to the new Plaza, South Florida’s most sought-after golf courses, the new Lowe’s Hotel, the Biltmore Hotel, cultural attractions, and the best dining venues in Miami. With everything The Village at Coral Gables has to offer, combined with its stunning design and lifestyle, it is poised to become the most desired living destination in South Florida.

The stunning, state-of-the-art, showroom for The Village at Coral Gables provides a sneak preview into the curated interiors and furnishings that were selected from RH (Restoration Hardware), which have proven their design leadership in the luxury lifestyle market. The showroom is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Sundays from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. Located at 2990 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, Suite 101. For more information, please visit www.mgdeveloper.com.

MG Developer, led by Alirio Torrealba, is one of South Florida’s most active residential developers having completed its newest project, Althea Row, which nearly sold out in less than 90 days. MG will soon wrap up its Biltmore Square community, as it completes Biltmore Row, the 10 exclusive townhomes featuring a total of 5,561 square feet each, with elaborate coralline-stoned entryways that trace back to the heritage of classical design elements found in Spanish colonial architecture.

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Renderings via MG Developer

Neology Life Development Group Locks Down $57.5 Million Construction Loan For 'Fourteen Residences Allapattah'

Lissette Calderon’s Neology Life Development Group has locked down $57.5 million in construction financing for Fourteen Residences Allapattah, a two tower, 237-unit apartment community located in Miami, Florida. Senior Managing Director Charles Foschini, Managing Director Chris Apone and Senior Analyst Shannon Wilson of Berkadia Miami secured the financing on behalf of Neology Life Development Group, a lifestyle-driven residential and commercial real estate firm led by Lissette Calderon. The property is located in a Qualified Opportunity Zone in the historic Allapattah section of downtown Miami.

Churchill Real Estate’s direct originations platform, led by Jeff Rosenfeld and Sean Robertson, originated the 24-month loan with two extension options.

“Our client Neology continues to dominate the Allapattah skyline with an innovative team and projects whose ‘attainable luxury’ concept serves the needs of the community and integrates nicely within it,” said Foschini. “While the market continues to be extremely volatile, the lender recognized the strength of the sponsor, Neology’s track record in Allapattah, where this is its third project, and Lissette Calderon’s personal vision for the evolution of the Allapattah community.”

“This deal further solidifies Churchill’s commitment to support the development of workforce housing in Miami,” added Robertson, Churchill’s Director and Co-Head of Originations. “We are thrilled to execute this deal with Neology amid unstable market conditions.”

“Churchill continues to build on, and augment, its presence in the greater South Florida market,” added Rosenfeld, also Director and Co-Head of Originations at Churchill. “Despite macro headwinds, South Florida continues to benefit from favorable factors that give us the confidence to double down in this market.”

Located at 1470 NW 36th Street, Fourteen Allapattah Residences will consist of a 14-story building with 180 apartment units connected via a pool deck to a five-story building with 57 apartments including ground floor walk ups. It will offer studio, one- and two-bedroom units ranging 450 to 900 square feet. Apartments will feature European-inspired cabinetry, quartz countertops, energy efficient kitchen appliances, in-unit washer and dryer, energy efficient AC and heating systems, and smart home technology adaptors. Lifestyle amenities will include curated original artwork, a multipurpose lobby, media lounges and living rooms, a rooftop pool and clubhouse, poolside cabanas, coworking spaces, conference rooms, outdoor movie screen, an indoor and outdoor fitness and wellness center, with a yoga and cardio studio, dog park with dog wash area, bike storage, virtual concierge and smart package lockers, and a parking garage with electric car charging stations as well as a ride share lobby.

The property, which will open in early 2024, enjoys a highly visible location on NW 36th Street just 5 minutes west of Wynwood and 10 minutes east of the Miami International Airport, close to the health district, which is the country’s largest concentration of medical and research facilities after Houston. It is just a short walk from the Allapattah Miami Metrorail Station, the Rubell Museum, and SuperBlue.

Neology’s portfolio now consists of more than 1,500 apartment units completed or under construction in Miami’s urban core, including The Julia, an upscale apartment community that will open in 2023, and Neology’s flagship Allapattah project, No. 17 Residences Allapattah, which opened in 2021 and leased up in record time.

Omega Real Estate Locks Down $100 Million Construction Loan For North Miami Multifamily

Omega Real Estate has locked down $100 million in construction financing to develop The Gardens Residence, a 358-unit mid-rise apartment community with 1,100 square feet of ground floor retail in North Miami, Fla. The financing was provided by Churchill Real Estate and was arranged by Berkadia. Located at 1155 Northeast 126th Street, just off the Biscayne Boulevard corridor at the gateway to Bay Harbor Islands and Bal Harbour, The Gardens Residence is the first phase of Omega’s plan to transform seven contiguous acres in North Miami into a live-work-play community called “The Gardens District.”

The project, which will break ground on July 11, was supported by the North Miami CRA which provided $15 million in subsidies. The project is expected to create an estimated 828 jobs, and 10 percent (38) of the units are set aside for families earning at or below 80 percent of area median income (AMI).

Senior Managing Director Charles Foschini, Managing Director Christopher Apone and Senior Analyst Robert Ludice of Berkadia Miami secured financing on behalf of Miami-based Omega Real Estate Management, a collection of seasoned real estate investors whose principals include Sebastien Scemla (CEO), Juan Carlos Lago (COO), Shawn Chemtov (Director of Finance), John Carlos Lago Jr. (CFO), and Anthony Hodes (Director of Risk).

Churchill Real Estate’s direct originations platform, led by Jeff Rosenfeld and Sean Robertson, provided the two-year, floating-rate loan, with two one-year extension options, interest only for the full loan term including extensions.

“The principals of Omega each have extensive experience as early investors in some of Miami’s most sought-after neighborhoods, and we came together as a result of a shared vision and belief that downtown North Miami represents Miami’s greatest future opportunity for growth,” said Omega’s CEO Sebastien Scemla. “Over the last several years, our team has quietly assembled several contiguous parcels of land in the heart of the neighborhood that will enable us to develop a true live-work-play community we’re calling ‘The Gardens District,’ anchored by this new Class A apartment community. We’re deeply grateful to the City of North Miami, including the Mayor, the Commissioners and the North Miami CRA for their ongoing support of our vision.”

“The Gardens Residences will offer the best Class A multifamily product in North Miami-Dade County, in a submarket that is currently underserved,” said Foschini. “The project will be a transformational anchor to North Miami and serve as a catalyst to the Garden’s community that will develop around it. The team’s extraordinary vision in creating The Gardens district will bring new life into one of Miami’s oldest communities.”

Added Jeff Rosenfeld, Co-Head of Originations at Churchill Real Estate, “This is precisely the kind of project Churchill is doubling down on in today’s capricious investment climate. The quality of the sponsorship team, coupled with the strength of the project, produced a compelling narrative, and we are excited to collaborate with Omega on this transformative development.”

Located on a four-acre site at 1155 Northeast 126th Street, The Gardens Residence will be a nine-story property offering studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments averaging 511 square feet to 1,270 square feet. Individual apartments will feature stone countertops, luxury kitchen cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, floor-to-ceiling windows, SPC wood floors in the bedrooms and ceramic tile in the wet areas and living room spaces. Community amenities will include a ground-floor café with outdoor terrace seating and public sculpture art, a rooftop pool with rentable poolside cabanas, a gym, yoga studio, bike lockers and workshop stations, and structured parking with 528 stalls. As previously mentioned, 10 percent of units will be set aside for families earning at or below 80 percent of AMI.

Situated in North Miami, the proverbial “hole in the doughnut” in Miami-Dade County, The Gardens Residences is located halfway between downtown Miami and Aventura, and has immediate access to the beaches via 123rd Street, along with on-ramp access to I-95, 826 and the Florida Turnpike just four miles away. It is just three blocks away from a planned Brightline commuter rail on Northeast 123rd Street that will connect Miami with Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Orlando.

Recent zoning changes have made North Miami an incredibly attractive redevelopment area with attractive land basis. The property is close to Aventura Mall, the Florida International University Biscayne Bay Campus, Gulfstream Park, Oleta River State Park, the Jackson North Medical Center and Barry University. There are two Publix supermarkets and a Whole Foods within one mile of the property.

Omega also owns adjacent sites at 1075,1111 and1125 Northeast 125th Street that it will transform into a Class A, 28,000-square-foot office building called The Gardens Corporate Center, an 8,000-square-foot-office building called “The Creative Center”, and a new 12,000-square-F&B focused center called “The Hall” that will feature four restaurants and a gourmet grocery. The entire community, which spans seven acres, will be called The Gardens District.