Pitusa Signs a New Lease to Open Their First Flagship Store in Wynwood

Pitusa is a multimillion dollar, Peruvian-inspired clothing company founded in 2010, with the goal of providing high quality, affordable and comfortable beachwear.

The store has signed a lease to launch their first flagship in Wynwood, opening in October. It is located at 2501 Northwest 2nd Avenue across from the Wynwood Walls.

The founder, Clara Lago, started with only a thousand dollars and with zero outside investment, grew Pitusa into a multimillion dollar company that is currently selling in over 300 stores over the world. She wanted to create clothing that empowers women by offering a lighthearted aesthetic that transitions from beach to street.

Ani Sierra of ONE Commercial represented Pitusa in finding the perfect location for their new store which will offer a unique experience, allowing buyers to tailor each piece as “wearable art” from customized color to fabric.

Article by: Stephanie Warren

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

Sears Lists Several Properties for Sale in Central Florida

Riding on the heels of an announcement last spring to close more than a 100 of its brick-and-mortar locations, Sears is continuing to unwind its real asset holdings. The struggling retailer has retained Avison Young Florida Capital Group in an exclusive to market and sell three department stores and the largest Sears distribution center in the state.

If successful, the sales will provide millions in much-needed cash flow to fund Sears struggling operations. The five properties, located in Daytona Beach, Port Richey, Tampa, and Ocala, total more than 2.35 million square-feet. The largest of the properties is the 1.93 million square-foot distribution center located at 655 Southwest 52nd Avenue in Ocala, and is also the largest industrial building in Florida.

Sale-leaseback deals have been a preferred method of disposition for Sears, which allow the retailer to downsize, but continue its day-to-day operations. It hopes to raise its liquidity and return to profitability.  

The Avison Young marketing team includes principal and managing director Michael T. Fay, principals John K. Crotty and David Duckworth, senior vice presidents Jay A. Ziv and Ray Hayhurst, and senior associates Joshua Ladle and Brian de la Fé.

Article by: Katya Demina

Construction Underway At The Perkins + Will-Designed 1212 Lincoln

Construction is now underway at Crescent Height’s Perkins + Will-designed 1212 Lincoln in South Beach where construction crews have already begun foundation work. The project will feature 70,000 SF of retail including a brand new Wells Fargo Bank and over 400 parking spaces. A second phase on the adjacent lot will bring a 50-room CitizenM hotel, additional retail and a food court. 1212 Lincoln will help expand Lincoln Road across Alton Road westward. 

KIPANY Marketing To Relocate To Downtown Fort Lauderdale After 40 Years In NYC

KIPANY Marketing, the firm which handles marketing for The New York Times, Disney, Comcast, Verizon and Sears, is relocating to Fort Lauderdale after 40 years in NY as the exodus of business and wealth from high-tax northern states continues as they gravitate towards Florida’s income tax-free structure. The company purchased 2,143 SF office space on the water in Nu River Landing for $2.15 million, $1,003 SF, at 511 SE 5th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, marking the highest price sold in the building. Filippo Incorvaia of Douglas Elliman Real Estate represented the buyer, Kip Colligan, Co-Founder & COO of KIPANY, in the real estate purchase. The original listing price was for $3,200,000 offered with pre-approved plans to build a mezzanine level which would have extended the area to 4,923 SF but KIPANY purchased the property without the plans. After a substantial build out, the space will serve as the new executive headquarters for the company who handles direct marketing services.

The Borges Architects + Associates-Designed Megacenter Brickell Gearing Up To Go Vertical

Megacenter Brickell is gearing up to go vertical as foundation work is nearing completion and the developer has filed with the FAA for crane installation. Megacenter Brickell is being developed by Red Megacentro and is designed by Reinaldo Borges of Borges Architects + Associates. The project will feature 74,790 SF of storage space, 57 residential units spread over 45,080 SF, 16,670 SF of office space, 9,134 SF of retail and 111 parking spaces. Megacenter Brickell is located at 420 SW 7th Street, Miami.

Lennar Files Plans For Wynwood Green, A Rental Project Replacing Wynwood Yard

America's largest homebuilding, Lennar (LEN), has submitted plans to build Wynwood Green, a 189-unit rental apartment complex at the site of Wynwood Yard. The project would rise 11-stories on the 1.26 acre site and is designed by Dorsky + Yue. Wynwood Green would bring 189 apartments, 324 parking spaces and 16,768 SF of commercial space. Lennar is requesting to build an additional 3-stories then zoning allows via ca contribution to the Wynwood Public Benefits Fund. The developer, Lennar Multifamily Communities, is currently under contract to purchase the site which would also be their first multifamily project within the city of Miami. The proposal was recently presented to Miami's Urban Development Review Board.

Check Out ZOM's Newly Opened Stantec-Designed Solitair In Brickell

ZOM Living's new Stantec-designed Solitair is now open in Brickell after breaking ground in 2015. Solitair is located directly across the street from Brickell City Centre at 86 SW 8th Street. The 50-story tower, which broke ground in 2015, features a design inspired by the Medjool date palm tree. Solitair features 438 residential rental units with luxurious finishes which range from studio, one and two-bedroom layouts with a selection of 2-bedroom penthouse suites. Amenities include a resort style swimming pool on the 50th floor, spa, billiard room, resident's lounge, business center, and a fitness center complete with an outdoor yoga area. The building also brings 6,200 SF of ground floor retail space and 463 parking spaces. Pricing starts at $1,293 /mo. and varies based on availibilty. 

Crescent Heights Proposes 60-Story Mixed-Use Project At 1370 NE 2nd Ave. In Downtown Miami

Crescent Heights is nearing a final agreement to bring a 60-story mixed-use project to 1370 NE 2nd Ave. The proposal is expected to bring 1,100 residential units split between condos and rentals, 100,000 SF of office space and 1,100 parking spaces. The office space will be used by Miami-Dade County Public School Board and 600 parking spaces to be dedicated to the Omni Community Redevelopment Agency. The proposal was designed by Perkins + Will and John Moriarity & Associates would be the general contractor. In March 2017 details surfaced that Crescent Heights had put a $64 million purchase value on the 1.13 acre site. The deal would represent $40 million in cash and $24 million in paid in-kind consideration. Crescent Heights is led by Chairman and CEO Sonny Kahn, Managing Principal Russell Galbut and principal Bruce Menin. 

Miami Voters Approve Hotel On City-Owned Watson Island As Part of Jungle Island Redevelopment

Miami voters have approved a new hotel to be built on city-owned land on Watson Island as part of a redevelopment of Jungle Island. 59% of voters said yes in support of waiving competitive bidding on the property to extend Jungle Island's lease to 2099 and approve the owners of Jungle Island to have the right to build a 13-story, 300 room hotel. The lease has an option for a 15-year extension. If built the hotel would be privately financed and would have a maximum height of 130'. The owners would provide the city with $750,000 towards the Affordable Housing Fund and $700,000 for maintenance to the adjacent Ichimura Miami-Japan Garden. Jungle Island now has 4 years to secure a master building permit and 6 years to complete construction of the hotel, the lease be void if either deadline is missed. The hotel will pay $250,000 in annual rent for the first 3 years of operation and $1.22 million or 5% of the hotel's total gross revenue thereafter. Jungle Island was purchased in 2017 for $60 million by ESJ Capital Partners.