Morabito Properties Launches Leasing At Adaptive Reuse Wynwood Office Development Wyncatcher

As Wynwood continues its rise into one of Miami-Dade’s most desirable office submarkets, Morabito Properties is launching leasing at Wyncatcher, their adaptive reuse project converting an industrial building into a mixed use office development. Morabito Properties has selected JLL and Metro1 to lead leasing at the two story, 47,852 square feet building situated at 2413 NW 1st Ave. in Miami’s Wynwood Arts District. The stand-alone property features office space and restaurant space along with a rooftop terrace with striking views of the Wynwood area.

“Wynwood is one of the most unique and eclectic neighborhoods in America, said Valerio Morabito, CEO of Morabito Properties. “We are happy to be part of an exciting and young community where people and businesses thrive and commit to preserve its artistic, industrial and creative spirit through this building.”

Morabito Properties is led by Valerio Morabito. Known for its modern luxury properties designed by the world’s finest architects, artisans, and craftsmen, Wyncatcher is the developer’s first mixed-use development in the Wynwood neighborhood. JLL Senior Managing Director, Eric Groffman, Managing Director, Cameron Tallon, Vice President, Edward Quinon, and Senior Associate, Emily Brais, will lead leasing efforts in partnership with Andres Nava, Managing Director and Bernadita Banfi, Broker Associate of Metro1 Commercial Real Estate Brokerage on behalf of Morabito Properties.

Wyncatcher is designed by world renowned Arquitectonica, the unique building, sports elegant double-height, industrial-style windows that bathe the interior in natural light. Space configurations for office tenants are flexible, ranging from 3,976 square feet to 37,427 square feet. The restaurant space features 6,861 square feet of outdoor space as well as 6,051 square feet of interior space.

Wynwood has been a hot market recently as more than 400 businesses have moved into the neighborhood in including Blockchain.com, OpenStore, WeWork, Founders Fund, Spotify, Live Nation, Atomic VC, GAC Financial, Ramp Financial, Schonfeld and others. Currently, more than 3,500 new residential units, 400 hotel rooms and 1 million square feet of office space are in the pipeline. Wynwood’s 50-block district also has one of the most dynamic culinary scenes in the United States with a variety of highly rated restaurants including doma, Omakai, Hiden, Hiyakawa, Momosan, Uchi, Mister 01, Kyu, Bakan, Beaker & Gray and Pastis.

Recent notable transactions include Related Group and East End Capital selling Wynwood Annex in February for $49 million. Also in February UOVO Storage Deluxe acquired of a core Wynwood development site at 330 NW 29th Street for $11.5 million from Red Group Estate. Forte Capital and Sheridan Capital’s acquired of 2830 NW Fifth Ave. from Alex Karakhanian’s LNDMRK Development for $6.35 million, which they plan to reposition into creative offices. In August 2021 the Brooklyn-based developer LivWrk acquired a 2.45 acre assemblage for $38.86 million and David Edelstein’s TriStar Capital and RAL Development acquired the final 13,250 SF piece of their 72,000 SF Wynwood assemblage where an office campus is planned for $13 million.

Leading Crypto Firm Blockchain.com Signs Lease At Tricera Capital and LNDMRK Development's Cube Wynwd

Leading crypto firm Blockchain.com has finalized a lease to occupy the top two floors of Tricera Capital and LNDMRK Development’s Cube Wynwd as its new Miami office. The ~22,000-square-foot lease brings Cube Wynwd to full occupancy less than 10 months after Tricera and LNDMRK acquired the Class A, 100,000-square-foot office and retail building. The deal also gave Blockchain.com naming rights for the building. Blockchain.com, one of the most widely used consumer crypto products and the leading institutional solutions provider, will soon begin designing its permanent office on the seventh and eighth floors.

Danet Linares, Tere Blanca and David Valdez of Blanca Commercial Real Estate, Inc. represented Blockchain.com in the Cube Wynwd lease. JLL’s Eric Groffman, Cameron Tallon and Edward Quinon represented Tricera and LNDMRK.

“We are thrilled to welcome Blockchain.com to Cube Wynwd and the Wynwood neighborhood,” said Tricera Co-Founder and Managing Principal Ben Mandell. “Blockchain.com’s leadership shares our long-term belief in Wynwood, which still has vast potential on top of the incredible growth and activity that has already occurred.”

In 2021, Blockchain.com announced its intentions to relocate its national headquarters from New York to Miami and aggressively hire throughout the local Miami job market. It also committed to make a significant investment to support the South Florida STEM community.

“As Miami solidifies its status as a mecca for crypto, we couldn’t be more excited to announce the location for planting our permanent roots in the city,” said Peter Smith, Blockchain.com CEO. “The speed at which our business is growing matches that of Wynwood and Miami itself, creating the perfect backdrop for us to continue scaling worldwide from our very own Blockchain.com building.”

Tricera and LNDMRK purchased Cube Wynwd, which also includes ground-floor retail space and a verdant rooftop terrace occupied by popular Japanese restaurant Kissaki, in an April 2021 off-market transaction. The 222 NW 24th St. Cube Wynwd, the neighborhood’s first boutique office-over-retail building, was just ~35% occupied at the time of Tricera and LNDMRK’s acquisition.

The joint venture partners rapidly stabilized the building with a compelling mix of tenants, including Ecuadorean fintech firm Kushki, Shaolin Capital Management, Brazilian footwear manufacturer Grendene, office supply and furniture online retailer Poppin, tech firm Transmit, and more.

Coworking operator Spaces occupies about 30% of the office space and about 1,700 square feet of the retail space in Cube Wynwd’s lobby. Renowned chef Gabriele Bonci’s Rome-based Bonci Pizza and Mini Market are among the existing retail tenants. The building features loft-style office space with expansive floorplates.

“Cube Wynwd is a case study for how we identify off-market opportunities and move quickly to execute our hands-on ownership approach,” Tricera Co-Founder and Managing Principal Scott Sherman. “We are proud of the building’s dynamic tenant roster, with Blockchain.com joining numerous new-to-market companies. Wynwood will continue to experience intense corporate relocation demand from the technology and finance sectors.”

Tricera and LNDMRK are frequent collaborators on real estate investments and developments. The companies are partnering with The Related Group to develop The Dorsey, a 12-story apartment building with a parking garage and nearly 95,000 square feet of office and retail space on a former Coca-Cola plant in Wynwood.

Image via Richard Novak

Global Law Firm Reed Smith Signs 22K SF Lease at Southeast Financial Center in Downtown Miami

JLL has announced that Reed Smith, an international law firm placed in The American Lawyer's AmLaw 50, has leased 22,495 square feet of office space on the 26th floor of Southeast Financial Center, downtown Miami’s premier office tower. The law firm, previously located in Brickell, is relocating to downtown as it seeks to expand its presence in Miami.

Reed Smith was represented by Barbara Liberatore Black, Managing Director of JLL South Florida, and Jeff Gordon, Executive Vice President. On the agency leasing side, Eric Groffman, Managing Director, and Cameron Tallon, Senior Vice President, represented the building’s ownership, Ponte Gadea Biscayne.

Reed Smith, which established its Miami presence in 2017, has 30 offices worldwide. The firm’s Miami office is home to lawyers whose practices focus on commercial disputes, entertainment and media, finance, insurance recovery and international arbitration. The Miami team also has deep connections to clients across Latin America.

“In the four years since establishing a presence in Miami, we have built a formidable team with strong relationships within the region’s business and legal communities and the state and local government, while also advising domestic and global companies currently or seeking to do business in South Florida,” said Constantine Karides, managing partner of Reed Smith’s Miami office.  “As a result, when considering relocation, we prioritized a space that allowed for continued and sustained growth and served as a physical representation of Reed Smith’s reputation in the market – thriving, soaring, energetic, and well-connected.  Southeast Financial Center met each of those criteria and I speak for all of my Miami-based colleagues in expressing our excitement in making the move.”

Situated in the heart of downtown Miami’s Central Business District, Southeast Financial Center has a total of 1.2 million square feet, making it the city’s tallest and largest office tower. The property is comprised of a 55-story office tower and features a 30,000-square-foot outdoor plaza, complete with beautiful landscaping, seating area and café and dining options. The tower also sits across from the city’s free Metromover and less than a mile from I-95, making it one of downtown’s best-connected office buildings.

“Miami continues to see an influx of businesses relocating or expanding here, with Southeast Financial Center being one of the most sought-after office addresses,” said JLL’s Eric Groffman. “Southeast Financial Center is the tower of choice because it puts its tenants door-to-door with some of the city’s leading financial and professional services firms and provides access to residential towers, major retail lifestyle destinations and numerous cultural and performing venues.”

By Katya Demina