SeaGlass Jupiter Island Celebrates Groundbreaking

Fontainebleau Development, LLC, and Perko Development Partners as the local co-development partner, celebrated the groundbreaking of a new oceanfront condominium, SeaGlass Jupiter Island. The condo will feature 21 luxurious residences with unobstructed ocean views and is expected to be completed in fall 2022. Attendees of the ceremony included: Jeffrey Soffer, Fontainebleau Development chairman and CEO; Bruce Weiner, Fontainebleau Development COO of Residential; Jim Cohen, Fontainebleau Development president of Residential; and Phil Perko, founder and president of Perko Development Partners. 

SeaGlass Jupiter Island is designed by architect Robert M. Swedroe of Swedroe Architecture. The residences will be designed with private terraces, outdoor kitchens, 10-foot ceilings and sweeping panoramic views of the ocean. A fob-controlled elevator will lead to a private entry foyer in each residence. Amenities include an oceanfront infinity pool, heated relaxation spa, fitness center, yoga and meditation lawn and two-story lobby. 

SeaGlass Jupiter Island is located at 1500 Beach Road, situated between the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway on Jupiter Island in the village of Tequesta. Sales for the exclusive condo launched in May with prices ranging between $5.9 million to over $10 million.

Fontainebleau Miami Beach Reveals New Renderings Of NBWW-Designed Addition

Jeffrey Soffer’s Fontainebleau Miami Beach has revealed its proposed Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolfe-designed expansion across the street at 4360 Collins Ave, which is currently a surface parking lot. The buildings would be connected via a 90’-long pedestrian sky bridge that would cross West 44th Street. The addition would rise 5-stories and would feature convention space including two levels of ballrooms, a rooftop deck and three floors of parking offering 500 parking spaces. The parking lot to be developed at 4360 Collins Ave. was acquired by Soffer in 2005 for $15 million, the same year his family acquired the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel.

The Fontainebleau Miami Beach opened in 1954 and was designed by architect Morris Lapidus. The property spans more than 15 acres with 11 pools, a 40,000 SF spa, and 12 different restaurants and bars including Hakkasan and LIV Nightclub. The hotel is made up of four towers including the Chateau and Versailles towers with 846 hotel rooms as well as the Tresor and Sorrento towers with 748 condo-hotel units. It was acquired by Turnberry Associates for $325 million in 2005 before undergoing a $650 million gut-renovation.

Fontainebleau Miami Beach Exits Special Servicing On $975 Million CMBS Loan

Jeffrey Soffer’s Fontainebleau Miami Beach has exited special servicing on its $975 million commercial mortgage-backed security loan (CMBS). When issued in November 2019, the loan was the largest CMBS hotel loan in South Florida. The loan entered special servicing on March 30 amid the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and following a modification request. The loan was returned to its master servicer on September 23 and payments reportedly remained current throughout the special servicing period, although as part of a forbearance agreement monthly reserve payments have been deferred to 2021; additionally, the hotel’s 2020 financials will not be used when calculating the property’s debt yield.

CMBS loans, which are secured by a mortgage on a commercial real estate property, are among the hardest to restructure as under the typical CMBS structure. A loan is transferred into a CMBS pool and a Master Servicer administers the loan. The Master Servicer is generally not permitted to enter into a loan modification or restructuring agreement and a Special Servicer is needed to potentially modify or restructure an individual loan in a CMBS pool. When loans are in special servicing the borrower cannot take out new debt or refinance their property.

South Florida’s hotels have bit hit with some of the hardest economic impact from COVID-19 where the industry must meet nearly $4.2 billion in CMBS payments. Miami Beach hotels, motels and short-term rentals were ordered shut on March 23 and have laid off thousands of employees. Fontainebleau Development also owns the JW Marriott Turnberry Miami, Turnberry Isle Marina, Turnberry Ocean Club and The Big Easy Casino in Hallandale Beach.

The Fontainebleau Miami Beach opened in 1954 and was designed by architect Morris Lapidus. The property spans more than 15 acres with 11 pools, a 40,000 SF spa, and 12 different restaurants and bars including Hakkasan and LIV Nightclub. The hotel is made up of four towers including the Chateau and Versailles towers with 846 hotel rooms as well as the Tresor and Sorrento towers with 748 condo-hotel units. It was acquired by Turnberry Associates for $325 million in 2005.

Reuben Brothers Acquires 25% Stake In The JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa

The British-based private equity and investment firm, Reuben Brothers, led by David and Simon Reuben, have acquired a 25% stake in the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa from Jeffrey Soffer’s Fontainebleau Development. The price of the transaction was undisclosed. The JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa recently completed a $300 million renovation including the addition of 300 hotel rooms, a 3,000-visitor capacity waterpark known as Tidal Cove Waterpark and the expansion of its convention center. The hotel property is one of the largest in South Florida, featuring 685 hotel rooms and a 36-hole golf course. Reuben Brothers and Fontainebleau Development are reportedly exploring additional partnerships on investments.

$800 Million Sale of Second Largest Hotel in South Florida Falls Through

An $800 million deal between Jeffrey Soffer’s Fontainebleau Development and Brookfield Property Partner’s Diplomat Beach Resort Hollywood was called off on May 8 as the effects of COVID-19 on South Florida’s hotel and tourism industries continues to cause havoc. The 1,000 room Diplomat Beach Resort Hollywood, located at 3555 South Ocean Drive in Hollywood, FL, is the second largest hotel in South Florida following Soffer’s 1,600 room Fontainebleau Miami Beach, whose $975 million CMBS loan entered special servicing in March 2020. Fontainebleau Development is reportedly still in discussions with Brookfield Property Partners and may revisit the acquisition in the future.

The Diplomat Beach Resort Hollywood was first marketed for sale in January 2019 asking $1 billion, $1 million per room. Brookfield Property Partners, which is the real estate division of the Toronto-based Brookfield Asset Management, acquired the hotel for $460 million in 2014 and rebranded the flag from a Westin hotel to a Curio Collection by Hilton. In 2017 Brookfield completed a $100 million renovation and in September 2019 led a $168 million refinancing of the hotel with the funding provided by Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan and Wells Fargo.

Fontainebleau Miami Beach's $975 Million CMBS Loan Entered Special Servicing March 30

The $975 million commercial mortgage-backed security loan (CMBS) issued in November 2019 for the 846-room Fontainebleau Miami Beach, located at 4441 Collins Ave., entered special servicing on March 30. When issued the loan was the largest CMBS hotel loan in South Florida. Fontainebleau Development is reportedly in talks with its loan Master Servicer and Special Servicer to modify the loan terms and documents and was not behind on any payments. CMBS loans, which are secured by a mortgage on a commercial real estate property, are among the hardest to restructure as under the typical CMBS structure. A loan is transferred into a CMBS pool and a Master Servicer administers the loan. The Master Servicer is generally not permitted to enter into a loan modification or restructuring agreement and a Special Servicer is needed to potentially modify or restructure an individual loan in a CMBS pool. When loans are in special servicing the borrower cannot take out new debt or refinance their property.

South Florida’s hotels have bit hit with some of the hardest economic impact from COVID-19 where the industry must meet nearly $4.2 billion in CMBS payments. Miami Beach hotels, motels and short-term rentals were ordered shut on March 23 and have laid off thousands of employees. Fontainebleau Development also owns the JW Marriott Turnberry Miami, Turnberry Isle Marina, Turnberry Ocean Club and The Big Easy Casino in Hallandale Beach.

The Fontainebleau Miami Beach opened in 1954 and was designed by architect Morris Lapidus. The property spans more than 15 acres with 11 pools, a 40,000 SF spa, and 12 different restaurants and bars including Hakkasan and LIV Nightclub. The hotel is made up of four towers including the Chateau and Versailles towers with 846 hotel rooms as well as the Tresor and Sorrento towers with 748 condo-hotel units. It was first acquired by Turnberry Associates for $325 million in 2005.