CI Financial Expands Office Lease At 830 Brickell Which Now Rises Above The Brickell Skyline

Canadian asset and wealth management firm CI Financial Corp has doubled the size of its planned office space at 830 Brickell, a Class A-plus office tower under construction in the heart of Miami’s Brickell Financial District. Just months after signing a 20,000 square-foot lease that will house the firm’s U.S. headquarters, CI Financial has expanded with an additional floor. The new office will total approximately 40,000 square feet. The firm’s expansion further solidifies 830 Brickell as the address of choice for financial, professional services, and global firms looking to establish or grow their presence in South Florida. The 55-story tower, which is being developed by a joint venture between OKO Group and Cain International, is slated for completion later this year.

CI Financial will join other notable tenants at 830 Brickell including private equity firm Thoma Bravo, which recently announced plans for a 36,500 square foot office in the tower, and global tech company Microsoft, which signed a 50,000 square foot lease for its Latin American regional headquarters.

“830 Brickell already enjoys a reputation as Miami’s most desirable and best located trophy office tower, and CI Financial’s commitment to expand its space at the building reinforces the confidence we’ve seen from high-end office users and global businesses seeking a location in South Florida,” said Vlad Doronin, Chairman and CEO of OKO Group. “Our team has drawn from our collective experience in the luxury hospitality industry to bring five-star-hotel-inspired features, amenities and services to 830 Brickell that have lured top-tier companies looking for a best-in-class, urban setting in Brickell’s prestigious financial district.”

"With its unparalleled workplace experience, prime location and trophy stature, 830 Brickell continues to reaffirm its position as the preeminent office building in the South Florida market. Its success reinforces our global investment thesis of combining hospitality, amenities, services and experience to create the best destinations in the world," said Jonathan Goldstein, Co-Founder and CEO of Cain International. "We remain extremely confident in Miami’s future and the role that premium office assets will play in its expansion into a global gateway city."

830 Brickell’s ownership was represented by the Cushman & Wakefield team of Brian Gale, Ryan Holtzman and Andrew Trench. CI Financial was represented by Donna Abood and Mark Robbins of Avison Young.

“Boasting the newest standards in building design and finishes in South Florida, 830 Brickell continues to attract the highest quality tenants,” said Brian Gale, Vice Chairman at Cushman & Wakefield, who oversees leasing for the project. “830 Brickell’s ownership team’s financial strength and commitment to the asset have been key factors for these types of savvy tenants. 830 Brickell has signed over 150,000 square feet of leases in the last six months, and we look forward to announcing additional tenants soon, as we continue to lease up the building.”

830 Brickell was designed by renowned architecture firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill, with interiors by Italian architecture and design company Iosa Ghini Associati. The building’s design incorporates top-of-the-line wellness features and technologies, including ultraviolet technology in air filtration, ventilation, and water purification systems, as well as touch-free fixtures and contactless entry/exit points.

The tower’s amenities will include a rooftop bar/lounge with a five-star restaurant showcasing expansive views of the City and Biscayne Bay, a world-class health and wellness center, a conference facility, an outdoor terrace, cafeìs and street-level retail. Multiple transit options are nearby, including Metrorail and Metromover, the Brightline, walking paths, cycling lanes and bay access points. Additionally, some of Miami’s top residential and lifestyle-driven neighborhoods are situated just minutes away, such as Miami’s Design District, Wynwood, Edgewater and Miami Beach.

CI Financial To Launch US Headquarters At OKO Group and Cain International's 830 Brickell

Just one week after Microsoft announced that it would be taking 50,000 SF at 830 Brickell, CI Financial Corp., a leading Canadian asset and wealth management firm, has announced that they will open their new U.S. headquarters at the Class A-plus office tower which is under construction in the heart of Miami’s Brickell Financial District. CI Financial’s full-floor, +/-20,000 SF office will solidify 830 Brickell as the new address of choice for financial, professional services, and technology firms establishing and growing their presence in South Florida. The 55-story tower, a joint venture between OKO Group and Cain International, is scheduled for completion in 2022.

“Miami is an incredible place to establish our U.S. headquarters and support our fast-growing U.S. business,” stated Kurt MacAlpine, Chief Executive Officer of CI Financial. “It serves as the next logical step for our expansion plans as we work to build the leading wealth management platform in the country. In addition, Miami is a vibrant, multicultural city that offers a deep talent pool, an attractive location for recruiting and a very business-friendly environment. Locating at 830 Brickell puts CI at the heart of this dynamic city and its growing financial community.”

CI Financial becomes the second major financial tenant to lease space at 830 Brickell in the last few months, joining private equity firm Thoma Bravo, which recently announced plans for a 36,500 SF office in the tower. Last week, technology giant Microsoft announced plans to occupy 50,000 SF in the tower. 830 Brickell’s ownership was represented by the Cushman & Wakefield team of Brian Gale, Ryan Holtzman and Andrew Trench. CI Financial was represented by Donna Abood and Mark Robbins of Avison Young.

“We are thrilled by CI Financial’s decision to make 830 Brickell the home of its U.S. headquarters. This move demonstrates the firm’s commitment to Miami and underscores the city’s rise as a hub for global and domestic businesses. Attracting a group like CI Financial is precisely what we envisioned when we decided to develop this best-in-class office tower in the Brickell Financial District,” said Jonathan Goldstein, CEO of Cain International.

“830 Brickell has become a natural fit for new-to-market finance firms establishing a presence in Miami,” said Ryan Holtzman of Cushman & Wakefield. “Offering tenants market-leading amenities, a walkable location in the heart of the Brickell Financial District, and access to several transit options and countless shops, restaurants and residences nearby, 830 Brickell is in a league of its own – the first trophy office tower to be developed in Miami’s urban core in more than a decade, and South Florida’s only building capable of accommodating tenants in the market for core Class A-plus space.”

A 2021 analysis of Downtown Miami’s finance sector surveyed the district’s emergence as a hub for asset managers and investment advisors. A report by the Miami Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and Convergence found that the number of S.E.C.-Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) in Downtown Miami grew from 82 in 2018 to 111 through year-end 2020, a 35% net increase. Total Reported Assets Under Management in the district more than doubled from $75 billion in 2018 to $152.4 billion during the same period.

“The steady flow of financial firms into Downtown Miami is strengthening our position as Wall Street of the South, creating job opportunities for locals, bringing new life to our city streets, and supporting existing businesses in our community,” said Miami DDA Chairman and City Commissioner Manolo Reyes. “The arrival of CI Financial reflects the Miami DDA’s ongoing pursuit of finance and technology firms across the U.S. and abroad. Each day, companies from New York, Chicago, Connecticut, California and around the world are moving or expanding to Miami and growing their businesses, hiring talent, and offering their employees an improved lifestyle along with cost savings.”

The growth of Downtown Miami has been fueled an influx of businesses, investors and people. The list of recent businesses that have expanded into Downtown Miami includes Blackstone, Pipe, Point72, Moore Capital, Founders Fund, ShiftPixy, and BlockTower Capital. Greater Downtown Miami’s residential population now stands at 115,000, a 65% increase since 2010. The district is home to a daily population of more 250,000 people and attracts nearly six million visitors annually. This activity is opening the door to new entertainment, shopping and dining options, including restaurants, retailers, cinemas, grocery stores, museums and performing arts venues.

830 Brickell was designed by renowned architecture firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill, with interiors by Italian architecture and design company Iosa Ghini Associati. Together with OKO Group and Cain International, the designers have anticipated how the COVID-19 pandemic will reshape the future of business by incorporating new features into the plans, including ultraviolet lighting in air filtration systems, touchless technologies, world-class health and wellness center, a rooftop bar and first-class restaurant, and more.

The tower’s amenities include a rooftop restaurant and lounge with expansive views of the City and Biscayne Bay, a world-class health and wellness center, a conference facility, an outdoor terrace, cafeìs and street-level retail. Multiple transit options are nearby, including Metrorail and Metromover, the Brightline, walking paths, cycling lanes and bay access points. Additionally, some of Miami’s top residential and lifestyle-driven neighborhoods are situated just minutes away, such as Miami’s Design District, Wynwood, Edgewater and Miami Beach.

Avison Young Oversees 28,503 SF Of Leases at TA Realty's Ponce Circle Tower In Coral Gables

Avison Young has negotiated two lease transactions totaling 28,503 square feet at Ponce Circle Tower, a class A office building at 2800 Ponce de Leon Boulevard in Coral Gables, Florida. Wicker, Smith, O’Hara, McCoy & Ford, P.A., signed a 27,238-square-foot long-term renewal, and Corona Family Limited Partnership signed a new 1,265-square-foot long-term lease.

On behalf of the landlord, TA Realty, Avison Young Principal Donna Abood, who is also Managing Director of the firm’s Miami office, Vice President Joe Abood, and Associate Peyton Dowd facilitated the transactions.

“Wicker Smith is the anchor tenant of Ponce Circle Tower, and securing another long-term lease commitment from the firm was of great importance to ownership,” said Ms. Abood. “Both the Wicker Smith renewal and the new lease with Corona Family Limited Partnership represent a tremendous team effort on the part of our project management, property management, and leasing teams as well as ownership.”

According to Avison Young research, office leasing activity in Miami remains steady with renewals making up the majority of notable lease signings. In the Coral Gables submarket, class A rental rates have grown to $47.49 which underscores the area’s continued health.

Avison Young has been the exclusive leasing agency for Ponce Circle Tower since 2019. The property consists of a 15-story tower supporting 146,202 square feet plus a six-story parking structure featuring a contemporary design with expansive glass and pre-cast curtail wall providing expansive views of Biscayne Bay, Coconut Grown, Downtown Miami, and Coral Gables.

Avison Young Secures New, Long Term Co-Working Office Lease For Entire Floor At 800 Brickell

Avison Young negotiated a new, long-term,14,280 SF lease on behalf of CoSuite™ at 800 Brickell Avenue, a 15-story, 209,122 SF office tower in Miami’s Financial District. The tenant will take the entire fourth floor and bring the building’s occupancy to 85.4%.

Avison Young Principal and Managing Director Donna Abood, Vice President Joe Abood, and Associate Peyton Dowd represented the tenant during the lease. On the heels of the transaction, the team was retained by new ownership, Gatsby Enterprises in partnership with MasterMind Properties, to handle office leasing at 800 Brickell.

“Located at the gateway of Miami’s Financial District, this trophy office property is perfectly positioned for a co-working environment,” said Donna Abood. “Clients will enjoy the abundance of amenities in the surrounding area and ease of access to all major highways and thoroughfares.”

CoSuite, a hybrid of co-working space and executive suites, will benefit from 800 Brickell’s strategic location on the corner of Brickell Avenue and SE 8th Street granting users immediate entry to Interstate 395, Interstate 95, and the 836 Expressway.

“CoSuite fills a void in the shared office sector for individuals and companies seeking to have the flexibility, professional environment and superior amenities within open workspaces and traditional work settings,” said Tom Weber, CEO & President of CoSuite. “800 Brickell is a premium location and our second of many that we will focus on in Florida and the east coast of the United States.”

Miami’s office market recorded positive net absorption and healthy leasing activity overall during third-quarter 2019. One of the three largest class A office submarkets in terms of inventory, Brickell posted the lowest class A vacancy at 7.18%, followed by Airport/Doral (11.59%) and Downtown Miami (19.86%).

Avison Young Chosen By New Ownership Team At 800 Brickell To Oversee Leasing

Avison Young has been named the exclusive leasing firm for the 15-story, 209,122 SF office tower at 800 Brickell Avenue in Miami. The assignment was awarded by new-to-market ownership, New York-based family firm Gatsby Enterprises in partnership with MasterMind Properties, which acquired the trophy asset for $125.5 million in July 2019.

“With the 4.9 million-square-foot shopping and mixed-use Brickell City Centre directly across the street and The Shops at Mary Brickell Village directly behind, 800 Brickell is ideally positioned for ownership to incorporate complementary live-work-play concepts,” said Donna Abood, Principal and Managing Director of Avison Young’s Miami operations. “As tenants look to Brickell for quality space and amenities in the heart Miami’s Financial District, our client will make substantial upgrades to common areas, tenant spaces, and the exterior of the tower to attract additional gold-standard office users.”

Ownership will invest up to $3 million into capital improvements at 800 Brickell, a long-term, value-add investment for the company. In addition to Ms. Abood, Avison Young Vice President Joe Abood and Associate Peyton Dowd will spearhead office leasing. Darryl R. Kaplan Company is handling leasing for the retail component, which encompasses the first two floors of the property. Office occupancy at 800 Brickell is currently at 84.8%.

“Brickell remains one of Miami’s most highly sought-after office markets, appealing to a broad range of tenants, especially professional services and financial firms,” added Ms. Abood. “With office occupancy at 84.8%, we look forward to leasing up vacancies at market rents and retaining strong, synergistic tenancy at 800 Brickell.”

A trophy office tower, 800 Brickell features a three-story atrium, a courtyard plaza, abundant parking and valet service, and convenient on-site amenities, which will soon include a 12,000 SF fine dining and quick-service restaurant. The location also boasts easy access to public transportation, including Metrorail, Metromover, Metrobus, and Brickell Trolley, as well as immediate entry to Interstate 395, Interstate 95, and the 836 Expressway. Tenants and visitors can access the building from SE 8th Street, ideal for avoiding Brickell Avenue traffic.

Miami’s office market recorded positive net absorption and healthy leasing activity overall during third-quarter 2019. One of the three largest class A office submarkets in terms of inventory, Brickell posted the lowest class A vacancy at 7.18%, followed by Airport/Doral (11.59%) and Downtown Miami (19.86%).