Jugofresh, The Cold-Pressed Juice Bar That Transformed The Sunset Harbour Neighborhood, Closes Its Doors After 6 Years

It is a sad day for Miami as Jugofresh, the cold-pressed juice bar that served as one of the catalysts that helped transform the Sunset Harbour neighborhood of Miami Beach, has closed its doors after 6 years and ended its partnership with Whole Foods; the announcement effective as of yesterday March 13, 208.

Founder Matthew Sherman referenced his "lack of experience and rapid expansion are what ultimately led us to close." Other factors included revenues of the Sunset Harbour location dropping from $3.2 million in 2013 to $870K in 2017, maintaining a clear brand image when working with a large company (Whole Foods), and "retail businesses are getting increasingly harder to maintain with rising rents and online stores." Increased competition from new juice bars also contributed to the closure. Sherman was also the founder of Paradigm Kitchen, also in Sunset Harbour, which closed in April 2017 after seven months of operation due to lack of income.  

Jugofresh was founded in 2013 after Matthew Sherman decided to take his fast growing "Miami Juice Club" to brick-and-mortar retail and opened Jugofresh's first location in Sunset Harbor. Sherman later went on to open additional locations in Wynwood, Coral Gables, and in all Whole Foods locations in Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Jugofresh had also launched their CPP retail cold-pressed juice line and

All may not be lost for Jugofresh though, Sherman is listed as one of the Miami Based chefs bringing both of his concepts, Jugofresh and Paradigm Kitchen, to Time Out Market Miami. Time Out Market Miami will be South Beach's first food hall concept expected to open later this year on Lincoln Road. With the abrupt closing of all Jugofresh locations and the removal of their website, comment has not been made on if Jugofresh will in-fact still be a vendor at Time Out Market Miami. 

Norwegian Cruise Line Announces Pearl, The Futuristic LEED-Silver Certified Terminal Coming To PortMiami

Not long after Royal Caribbean's Broadway Malyan-designed Terminal A for Symphony of the Seas topped out in PortMiami, Norwegian Cruise Line has announced Pearl, their futuristic new terminal coming to PortMiami. The LEED-Silver Certified terminal is being designed by Miami-based firm Bermello Ajamil & Partners, Inc., inspired by a nautilus' spiral design. Construction is expected to start in May (2018) and completion is expected by fall 2019. Miami-Dade County has pledged to invest $100 million towards building the new terminal, the balance of the funds will be provided by Norwegian Cruise Holdings, LTD.

“Norwegian has been sailing from Miami for over fifty years, longer than any other cruise line, and we are honored to be partnering with PortMiami and Miami-Dade County to construct an iconic terminal that will contribute to Miami’s world famous skyline and strengthen its position as the Cruise Capital of the World,” said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.

Renderings via Bermello Ajamil & Partners, Inc.

alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet Opens Latest Flagship Location in Craig Robins' Miami Design District

The Miami Design District just welcomed alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet’s latest flagship store. Featuring  contemporary interior design, including a zig-zag black and white marble floor, the store will carry the brand’s complete collection, including ready-to-wear, gowns, shoes, accessories and the newly launched denim line, AO.LA by alice + olivia. 

CEO and Creative Director, Stacey Bendet, collaborated with Robert Couturier, renowned French interior designer, using the elegant works of Jean-Michel Frank from the 1930s for inspiration. 

Bendet commented, “We love the energy and style of the women in Miami and we are very excited to continue to expand our fashion community with our newest Flagship store in the Design District!” 

The alice + olivia store is located at 99 NE 39th Street, Suite 107/207, Miami, FL 33137. Store hours are 11 am to 8 pm Monday through Saturday and 12 pm to 6 pm on Sunday.

Article by Katya Demina | Photos via Alice + Olivia & Robin Hill Photography

David Beckham's Plans for MLS Stadium Not Going Smoothly

MLS has wanted a stadium in the heart of Miami since the 90s to build its Latin and youth fan base. There have been several incarnations of professional soccer teams in South Florida, but none managed to navigate the political waters of Miami successfully. 

Marcelo Claure, CEO of Sprint and Beckham’s partner said, “We have to put the team where it is accessible to them. So many Latin Americans and Europeans live here, it doesn’t seem right that we don’t have a soccer team.”

Beckham partnered with Claure, Jorge and Jose Mas, and Simon Fuller (creator of American Idol) to launch the franchise in January. They face a number of challenges before they can open the stadium, whose opening is scheduled for 2021. 

Now, David Beckham is facing opposition not from the city, but from activist and landowner Bruce Matheson. Court records indicate that Matheson sued the county to block the proposed stadium in Overtown, and is now appealing a judge’s ruling that threw out his lawsuit in October. He alleges that Miami-Dade County gave Beckham “a secret discount from the taxpayers” in their no-bid, $9 million deal for three acres of county-owned land. 

Beckham’s deal, which was based on appraisals from late 2015, but was approved in 2017, comes out to about $74 a square foot. In 2016, land was selling for $142 per square foot. Commissioners approved the deal, on the condition that Beckham and his partners spend $175 million on the stadium’s construction. Beckham and his partners have yet to close the deal and to secure land-use changes and new zoning.

The residents of Overtown are uneasy in light of community activists posting fake eviction notices in the neighborhood. The notice was actually an ad for a community meeting to discuss the future of public housing around the stadium. Public Housing Director Michael Liu said, “There are no plans to evict. We want to have the best possible housing for people in public housing.” Residents are skeptical, though. The future of Beckham’s MLS Miami stadium is uncertain. 

Article by Katya Demina

Luxury Fashion House Bottega Veneta Joins Miami Design District’s Expanding Roster

The upscale Italian brand specializing in leather goods and ready-to-wear signed a lease for a 4,000-square-foot space between the Gucci and Rick Owens stores on Northeast 41st Street. Their other South Florida locations are at the Bal Harbour Shops and on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach.

The announcement is unsurprising as Craig Robins has led the revival of Miami’s Design District into a premier venue for art, fashion, and design. He is the president and CEO of Dacra, the development company he founded that aims to build "commercial and residential communities of substance through creative collaboration.” Dacra and LVMH head the Miami Design District Associates, who own about 70 percent of the real estate in the neighborhood. They are constantly adding new stores, public art, and restaurants like in the recently completed Paradise Plaza. Robins’ project have reimagined and transformed the landscape of Miami. Bottega will be joining the ranks of other high-end retailers such as Hermès, Valentino, Louis Vuitton, and Miu Miu. 

Bottega will be opening in MDD in the fall of 2018, along with other new tenants like Dolce & Gabbana and Balenciaga. 

Article by Katya Demina

Bohemian Conglomerate Retailer Urban Outfitters Joins The $1.5 Billion Metropica Mixed Use Community In Sunrise

Metropica, a $1.5 billion urban development and one of the country’s largest mixed-use communities just announced its newest tenant, Urban Outfitters, as the latest addition to its retail and entertainment lifestyle center, which consists of 280,000 SF of retail space. Both the topping-off of the development’s residential tower and the ground-breaking of the center are scheduled for the second quarter of 2018. 

Urban Outfitters will join its sister store, Anthropologie, to create an attractive mix of retail options at Metropica. Both stores are part of the URBN brand family, which strives to connect with its customers on a creative level by offering trendy women’s and men’s clothings, accessories, home décor, tech and gift products that seek to blend fashion, art, design, and the latest cultural trends. Urban Outfitters will occupy an 8,000 square feet of retail space and will join a mix of distinctive retail, dining and entertainment concepts including Fogo de Chao, City Works Eatery & Pour House, Genuine Pizza (formerly Harry’s Pizzeria), Sugarboo & Co., Cru Wine Bar, Kendra Scott Jewelry and iPic Theaters. 

“The coupling of URBN brand’s retail duo Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie is a testament to Metropica’s appeal and location,” says Bernard Werner, President and COO of Metropica Development LLC. “Having significant retailers like Urban Outfitters join our growing roster of signed tenants speaks to the viability of this transformative project. Metropica’s carefully curated retail mix fills an existing void in the area and will help transform the community for generations to come.”

“The addition of Urban Outfitters furthers our vision of making this the first development of its kind within South Florida’s Western Corridor, and adds to the truly innovative nature of the project,” said Joseph Kavana, CEO of Metropica Development LLC. “Metropica’s ideal location as a true urban epicenter for the tri-county area, and its offerings will serve as an exciting destination and gathering place for the entire community.”

Founded in 1970, Urban Outfitters has over 200 stores throughout the United States, Canada and Europe and will provide a well-curated experience and experiential retail environment of on-trend products for shoppers to feel inspired while indulging in their creative sides and individualitity.

Revolutionizing the West Broward corridor of South Florida, Metropica will encompass approximately 4 million SF and consist of residential condominiums, apartments, boutique hotels, commercial office space, expansive green spaces and a burgeoning world-class culinary, retail, entertainment and lifestyle experience for residents and visitors to enjoy. Scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2019, Metropica’s robust retail and entertainment offerings complement the continued interest in robust, sustainable and walkable communities. Metropica is located at 1800 NW 136th Avenue in Sunrise, FL. and designed to meld the area’s natural beauty with forward-thinking designs and a vast array of amenities, Metropica’s initial residential tower, a 28-story, 263-unit condominium, is now 65% sold.

*Article by Katya Demina

R&B Realty's The Gateway at Wynwood Launches Office Space Leasing, Gears Up To Break Ground

The New York-based R&B Realty has officially launched leasing at The Gateway at Wynwood, their new Class-A office building which is based at the intersection of Wynwood, Midtown and Miami Design District. Located at 2916 North Miami Avenue, the project is expected to become the first office building in Wynwood which has the capabilities of accommodating a major Class A tenant of scale. The Miami Urban Design Review Board issued a favorable recommendation following an October 2016 decision by the Miami Planning and Zoning Board granting R&B Realty's request to switch the property from multifamily to general commercial zoning in march 2017. The Gateway at Wynwood will feature over 420,000 SF of spacing including 200,000 SF of leasable Class A Office Space, 25,000 SF flexible floor plates, an on-site parking garage, floor-to-ceiling glass windows, a private rooftop terrace, around-the-clock security, and 25,000 SF of prime street-level retail space. Site preparations have begun, financing is secured, and groundbreaking will take place in the next 3 months as R&B Realty is set to begin construction "on spec." R&B Realty is looking to take advantage of strong demand and limited inventory of office space over the past five years where Wynwood has seen average office rents rise from $22.70 to more than $40.00 per square-foot as vacancy rates have fallen to 6.7%. Leasing is being overseen by Stephen Rutchik of Colliers EVP. The Gateway at Wynwood is expected to be completed in 2019.

“Artsy, accessible and efficient, The Gateway at Wynwood is the office address of choice for both creative directors looking for a hip, trendy location – and CFOs focused on the bottom line,” said Aron Rosenberg, chairman of New York-based R&B Realty. “Our team is confident in the Miami market, and we’ve encountered significant pre-leasing demand among tenants eyeing a move into Wynwood who view our building as the only option for true Class-A users, leading us to begin development ‘on spec.’”

“As Miami becomes more urban and new commercial districts emerge, office users of all sizes are seeking out space in well-located neighborhoods with strong quality of life offerings, like Wynwood and Midtown,” says Stephen Rutchik, executive vice president with Colliers International. “Capable of accommodating major global brands and entrepreneurial firms alike, The Gateway at Wynwood is the only true Class-A building under development in one of Miami’s fastest-growing submarkets.”

Marriott to Reopen 1940's Art Deco-Inspired Cadillac Hotel & Beach Club, Autograph Collection This April

Inspired by European service, Marriott's new Cadillac Hotel & Beach Club, Autograph Collection will open in April after undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation (2018). Cadillac Hotel & Beach Club, Autograph Collection defines a new kind of Miami Beach experience while paying homage to Miami's 1940's art deco. Located at 3925 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, the building was first designed by Roy France, renowned for his art deco work, and built in 1940. Interior design firm Bill Rooney Studio oversaw the redesign, preserving some of the hotel's classic features such as the original terrazzo floors in the lobby. The hotel will offer 357 hotel rooms, meeting space, event space and 2 pools, one for adults and one for families. Marriott is currently accepting reservations with standard rates starting from around $280 per night for a city view king standard guest room. 

Check Out WeWork Ponce de Leon, WeWork's New Coral Gables Location Which Opened Earlier This Year

WeWork continues to expand in Miami as the co-working office space mega-brand officially opened its fifth location in the Miami area earlier this year in Coral Gables (2018). Located at 2222 Ponce De Leon Boulevard, WeWork Ponce De Leon features 552 decks, 118 offices, 11 meeting rooms, 6 lounges, 10 nooks, 2 pantries, and 4 private phone rooms. The build-out was carried out by Lunch Money, WeWork's in-house design team. The co-working office space, which can be rented for private events, features a custom terrazzo bar in the main lounge with cold brew coffee and Kombucha on tap, 3rd floor terrace, 2 fruit water stations, and a cappuccino machine. Pricing for a Hot Desk starts at $345/mo. and Private Offices start at $690/mo. Other WeWork locations in Miami include Downtown Miami, South of Fifth, Lincoln Road, and Brickell City Centre.

Royal Caribbean's Crown of Miami Terminal Designed by Broadway Malyan Tops Out in PortMiami

Royal Caribbean’s new $247 million, Broadway Malyan-designed Terminal A has officially topped out in PortMiami. The 170,000 SF, state-of-the-art terminal will be used for mega-cruise ships Allure of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas, which is expected to debut as the world's largest cruise ship in November 2018. Allure of the Seas has previously also been the world's largest cruise ship. Suffolk was the general contractor on the project which has been named Crown of Miami after its unique crown-like shape. The terminal is expected to welcome its first passengers in October 2018.