The Estate Companies and PTM Partners Complete Soleste Grand Central Miami's First Large-Scale Opportunity Zone Development

Co-developers The Estate Companies (EIG) and PTM Partners (PTM) have announced the completion Soleste Grand Central. The highly anticipated eight-story, 360-unit rental development at 218 NW 8th St. brings a new standard of living to the Overtown district and is the first large-scale ground-up opportunity zone development to be delivered in Miami-Dade County.

“This is an exceptional milestone for our two firms and for Miami, adding yet another layer to the city’s ascendancy,” stated Robert Suris, managing principal, The Estate Companies. “Miami is one of the greatest cities in the world, and we are thrilled to deliver our distinguished Soleste brand to the Southeast Overtown Park West district. Soleste Grand Central delivers a new standard of luxury rental properties in the area and we are delighted to welcome the community to experience this beautiful property.”

“Over the past two years, the growth in population and industry base in Miami has outpaced any other destination in the U.S., and Overtown, with its rich cultural offerings, central location and proximity to public transit is one of the most exciting submarkets in the City,” added Michael Tillman, CEO and CIO, PTM Partners. “By combining PTM and The Estate Companies’ deep knowledge and expertise in multifamily development, we have been able to deliver on our impact investment focus and develop a Class-A product at a price point that is accessible to renters who have been priced out of many other recent new Class-A developments in Miami. The completion of Soleste Grand Central is a testament to the continued growth in this neighborhood.”

The contemporary-style building was designed by Caymares Martin with interiors by ASG Interior Design. Soleste Grand Central boasts nearly an acre of unparalleled indoor and outdoor amenity space for tenants to enjoy. The fourth floor features 20,000 square feet of amenities, including a state-of-the-art fitness center with virtual trainers, dedicated yoga and Pilates room, and areas for high intensity interval training programs. Post-workout, residents can enjoy the resort-style pool deck or indulge at the spa with relaxation rooms, sauna and massage therapy rooms. The indoor club room offers billiards, shuffleboard, a large communal living room and viewing area that can be modified for intimate or large group events. For a peaceful retreat, a relaxing drink, or outdoor movie viewing, the ninth floor deck provides open lounge areas and summer kitchens. The dramatic two-story marble-clad, hotel-inspired lobby offers a professionally programmed co-working space for residents, communal seating areas surrounded by indoor foliage, and a cafe with flexibility for event use.

Apartments range in size from approximately 442 to 1,082 square feet. Studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom units are outfitted with sleek, modern kitchens with custom cabinets, quartz countertops and designer lighting. Residences include dual master suites, spacious walk-in closets, private balconies and a full-size washer and dryer.

Nearly 20 percent of units have been reserved for workforce housing with the remaining units offered at market rate.

Soleste Grand Central is a transit-oriented development. In addition to its close proximity to the Virgin MiamiCentral Station, the community is also near the Metrorail, Metromover, bus lines and soon, the Tri-Rail commuter rail. The project is ideally situated adjacent to I-95, the multi-billion-dollar Miami World Center and the Downtown Miami office corridor.

The Southeast Overtown Park West district and the surrounding area is in the midst of revitalization. Marcus Samuelson’s popular Red Rooster continues to generate buzz. Blackstone Group recently acquired two office buildings at Brightline’s MiamiCentral station, marking one of the largest investment sales to close in South Florida this year, and is moving 250 employees into the neighborhood. Make-A-Wish Foundation is building a new nine-story, 35,000 SF office tower in Overtown designed by Arquitectonica, and The Underdeck, a planned 33-acre public park stretching from Overtown to Biscayne Bay underneath the new Signature Bridge is poised to add additional culture, art and beauty to the area.

Miami-Dade County And Related Urban Development Group Break Ground on Three Round Towers

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez,  Chairwoman Audrey M. Edmonson and Related Urban Development Group (RUDG) have celebrated the ground-breaking of Three Round Towers B&C and Brisas del Este, an affordable housing development encompassing three buildings for a combined total of 383 units in the Allapattah area of Miami-Dade County. They were joined by a special guest on this occasion, the Honorable Dr. Benjamin S. Carson, Secretary for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The Three Round Towers development was originally built in 1970 on approximately 6.98 acres and included three towers (Towers A, B and C), a Community Center and parking for residents. Tower A was substantially renovated in 2018 by Related Urban. The current renovations are focused on the major rehabilitation of Towers B and C along with the construction of Brisas del Este, a new 120-unit affordable housing project. RUDG, the affordable housing arm of prolific developer Related Group, will serve as Miami-Dade County’s developer partner. 

The rehabilitation of the two existing towers and the new construction of Brisas Del Este will result in stylish, well-appointed residences tailor made to serve a primarily senior population through elevated accessibility options. The projects will serve residents from 30% area median income (AMI) up to 80% AMI and will be completed in the beginning of 2022.

“By fully leveraging multiple financing sources, our County is paving the way more for smart projects that create vital affordable housing for our residents,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez. “Miami-Dade’s public-private partnership with Related Urban Development Group has been a key component leading to the success of this particular project, and I look forward to the County’s continuing wise use of P3’s moving forward.”

The total development cost for the three buildings is more than $106 million. The layering of financing makes this development the largest of its kind in the nation  utilizing Opportunity Zone Funds ($24 million) in combination with other federal and HUD resources, such as Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), Rental Assistance Demonstration funding (RAD), Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) from the City of Miami, and a Purchase Money Mortgage (PMM) of $18 million from Miami-Dade County to the developer. County and State surtax funds are also being invested in the project. More importantly, the Opportunity Zone investment of $24 million was made by personally by Related Group CEO Jorge M. Peréz.

“The redevelopment of Three Round Towers and the addition of Brisas Del Este leverages the widest range of financing available in affordable housing development,” said Albert Milo, Jr President of RUDG. “It is truly a first-of-its-kind project made possible by our partners at the County, who we have worked with over a dozen times to create transformative affordable housing solutions across Miami-Dade. Through collaborations like this, we are able to continue making a real difference for the residents of the communities we build in.”

“With this project we are proving that Opportunity Zone funding is scalable for major affordable housing developments,” said Michael Liu, Director for Miami-Dade Public Housing and Community Development (PHCD). Liu continued, “With a visionary like Jorge Perez and extraordinary builder in Albert Milo, our plan to transform all of our public housing with private sector partners will succeed.” 

Miami's First Large Scale Opportunity Zone Development Tops Off At 18-Stories in Downtown Miami

Co-developers The Estate Companies (EIG) and PTM Partners (PTM) have announced the topping off of the 230,430-square-foot, 18-story, 360-unit luxury rental development, Soleste Grand Central (Soleste Grand). Located at 218 NW 8th Street, steps from MiamiCentral Station in Downtown Miami, Soleste Grand represents Miami’s first large-scale opportunity zone real estate development.

“We are thrilled to have reached this significant construction milestone and look forward to delivering an exceptional development to the Downtown marketplace,” stated Robert Suris, managing principal, The Estate Companies. “Soleste Grand Central offers an elevated collection of health and wellness offerings, social components, and cutting-edge amenities at an attainable price point. We are confident this development will set a new standard for luxury rental properties in the area.”

The contemporary-style building was designed by Caymares Martin with interiors by ASG Interior Design. Apartments range in size from approximately 442 to 1,082 square feet and in studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts. Residences also offer modern kitchens with custom cabinets, quartz countertops and designer lighting. Residences include dual master suites, spacious walk-in closets, private balconies and a full size washer and dryer. 

Soleste Grand offers nearly an acre of unparalleled indoor and outdoor amenity space for tenants to enjoy. For a peaceful retreat, a relaxing drink, or outdoor movie viewing, the ninth floor deck provides open lounge areas and summer kitchens that overlook the downtown Miami skyline. The fourth floor features 20,000 square feet of amenities, including a state-of-the-art fitness center with virtual trainers, dedicated yoga and Pilates room, and areas for high intensity interval training programs. Post-workout, residents can enjoy the resort-style pool deck or indulge at the spa with relaxation rooms, sauna and massage therapy rooms. The indoor club room offers billiards, shuffleboard, a large communal living room and viewing area that can be modified for intimate or large group events. The two-story marble-clad lobby offers a professionally programmed co-working space for residents, communal seating areas surrounded by indoor foliage, and a cafe with flexibility for event use.  

“By combining PTM and The Estate Companies’ deep knowledge and expertise in multifamily development, we have been able to develop a Class-A product that we intend to bring to market at a price point that is accessible to renters who have been priced out of many other recent new Class-A developments in Miami,” stated Michael Tillman, CEO, PTM. “On top of that, we have layered in novel amenity and technology offerings that are unlike others we have seen to date in the Miami marketplace and are excited to deliver a desirable home for our future residents.” 

 “The Estate Companies and PTM have a shared vision for the property and what today’s consumer is looking for,” added Jeffrey Ardizon, principal, The Estate Companies. “We believe we have implemented features our tenants value most. The daily conveniences of technology and large open spaces have gained priority, especially during the last few months.”   

Slated for completion in Q1 2021, Soleste Grand Central is a transit-oriented development. In addition to its close proximity to the MiamiCentral Brightline Station, the community is also near the Metrorail, Metromover, bus lines and soon, the Tri-Rail commuter rail. The project is also situated adjacent to I-95, the multi-billion-dollar Miami World Center, and the Downtown Miami office corridor.  

Investment Spotlight: Reinvigorating Miami’s Real Estate with Opportunity Zones

The opportunity zone program is a little-known provision of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that could be a powerful economic development tool for designated low-income communities. The program provides tax incentives to developers who invest in these areas, including 427 tracts of land in Florida, 68 of which are in Miami-Dade County. From a policy perspective, it was designed to connect new sources of capital to neighborhoods that haven’t realized economic growth in years.

The provision allows unrealized capital gains from prior investments - including other asset classes like stocks and securities - to be rolled into an opportunity fund to defer taxation. An opportunity fund is created in the private sector and is the first community investment tax incentive vehicle introduced since the Clinton Administration. The notion behind opportunity zones is that the longer the investment is held, the lower the tax burden is. So long as 90% of the investment remains in the community, the capital gains tax is reduced by:

• 10% if the investment is held for five years, or

• 15% if the investment is held for seven years

• Fully exempt if the investment is held for at least ten years

This is an innovative advance for investors to redirect their capital to support low-income communities like Little Haiti with underappreciated value. It’s a generous incentive compared to previous economic development programs because there is no government intermediary to approve projects. Now the question of intent remains: will investment spillover enough into these neighborhoods or will this just be a chance for developers and investors to cash in?

Germaine Smith-Baugh, CEO and President of Broward County’s Urban League, worries that despite the potential for growth, with investment comes a pattern of gentrification. As property values, rents, and taxes rise, longtime residents can get priced out. “I’m right here on Sistrunk Boulevard,” an economically distressed neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale, said Smith-Baugh. “Folks are buying left and right. The foreign dollars coming in to purchase here — it’s unreal.”

Smith-Baugh hopes the program doesn’t displace local business and residents, and says the solution is to attract the right kind of impact investors, or people who will work with the neighborhoods to create workforce housing and transit. “We would like to see organizations that can aggregate potential projects and make the residents and businesses feel as though they are part of the process,” she said.

In order to qualify, the real estate asset would need to be built or be converted with improvements totaling at least the purchase price of the property. It must also be an active conduct business, meaning the asset can’t simply be a home that appreciates in value over time.

The opportunity zone program is an attractive vehicle for moving capital of scale into low-income neighborhoods with enough parameters to ensure it is being deployed toward economically productive investments that ultimately create jobs and businesses.

Article by: Katya Demina