East End Capital's 236-Unit Co-Living Project Foyer Wynwood Approved on North Miami Avenue

East End Capital has received approval from the City of Miami’s Urban Design Review Board (UDRB) for FOYER Wynwood, a 375,000 SF 236-unit co-living, mixed-use project in Wynwood along North Miami Avenue. The approvals give the project its final green light to move forward. The development will continue the renaissance occurring along North Miami Avenue, and is located near notable attractions such as Veza Sur Brewery, The Wynwood Arcade, Oasis, The Salty, and the planned Arlo Hotel. Construction is expected to commence in early 2021.

Foyer Wynwood will be a 375,000 SF, 12-story, 236-unit multifamily residential project that spans North Miami Avenue from 24th to 25th Street. The project is being designed by globally recognized architecture firm, Kobi Karp Architecture & Design, also responsible for East End’s Wynwood 25 and Annex projects. Foyer Wynwood will feature affordable co-living and micro-unit options in the apartment portion, together with co-workspaces and other amenities. In conjunction with the development, East End has launched the new “FOYER” brand to operate and manage this project as well as all the other co-living apartment projects in its pipeline. 

East End Capital is the same developer behind Wynwood 25, with Related Group, a mixed-use, market-rate rental community, and Wynwood Annex, a class-A office building geared toward technology, advertising, marketing and innovation tenants including international entertainment company, Live Nation.

Foyer Wynwood will offer with an abundance of shared amenity space, including a gym focused on functional training, a juice and coffee bar, an expansive pool deck, a chef’s kitchen and entertainment space, collaborative co-working and art studio areas, and state-of-the-art podcast and green-screen studios.

All FOYER projects will include high ratios of furnished micro-units and co-living bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, together with traditional studio, one- and two-bedroom units. Monthly rents for co-living bedrooms at Foyer Wynwood, which include the furnishings, electricity, common area cleaning, and WiFi, are expected to start around $1,500 per month. 

“FOYER aims to redefine the multifamily landscape by incorporating affordable co-living and micro-units into the traditional apartment mix.  FOYER communities will be priced and designed for renters of all ages, in all walks of life,” said Jonathon Yormak, the founder of East End Capital and FOYER.  “They will be low on cost, high on community and incredibly easy on convenience.”  In addition to A.I. enabled marketing and low-click on-boarding processes, FOYER’s roommate pairing will be taken to a new level through its proprietary compatibility algorithm.

International Materials Signs 20K SF Lease In Delray Beach To Relocate HQ

International Materials, Inc. (IMI), an international trading and logistics provider, has signed a 20,052-square-foot lease with Samuels & Associates to relocate and expand its corporate headquarters from Boca Raton to the Offices at 4th & 5th Delray. Located in Delray Beach’s central business district, IMI’s new headquarters will settle into nearly two-thirds of the mixed-use building’s third-floor Class A office space at 25 SE 4th Ave.

The 144,733-square-foot, four-story mixed-use project, newly developed in a joint venture between Samuels & Associates and American Realty Advisors, sits in the heart of Delray Beach where there is both a high demand for office spaces and limited Class A office development. The relocation of IMI’s headquarters into the expansive office space will aid in the company’s accommodation of the existing HQ roster of 45 full-time professionals and doubling its team’s numbers by finding talent in line with its anticipated growth trajectory. 

“As a locally owned and managed business, we are thrilled to move back to downtown Delray Beach where many of us have been residents for years,” said Robert Walsh, President of IMI. “The prospect of locating our headquarters in this state-of-the-art building, steps away from Atlantic Avenue, is a dream scenario that will allow us to grow our business and make room for the future. We are grateful for the support we have received from the City and from Samuels & Associates.”

In the transaction, Samuels & Associates was represented by Keith O’Donnell and Gary Gottlieb of Avison Young, while IMI was represented by Ingrid Kennemer of Coastal Commercial Group.

“Samuels & Associates is delighted to welcome IMI to its new space in the Offices at 4th & 5th Delray,” said Peter Sougarides, Principal, Samuels & Associates. “As we continue to implement a thoughtful placemaking process in the dynamic downtown Delray Beach neighborhood, we look forward to welcoming companies and employees who will enliven the local downtown economy.”

Approximately 6,181 square feet of office space now remains on the third floor of the Offices at 4th & 5th Delray. It is only a few steps away from Delray Beach’s Atlantic Avenue, which is composed of 9,000 square feet of boutique retail, lively dining options, green space, and public beachfront. The project also features a dedicated entryway, a flexible floor plan, experiential office design which will allow for a variety of work settings, more than 8,600 square feet of spacious terraces that allow for views of downtown Delray Beach, a 326-space parking garage, an onsite iPic theater, and a restaurant, all of which IMI will have access to.

“This IMI corporate headquarters relocation to the Delray Beach central business district is a testament to the strength of our city and evidence that the investments in our public-private partnerships strategically located for economic development are beginning to pay off,” said Stephanie Immelman, President & CEO of the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce.

“There is no denying the staying power and increasing vibrancy of Delray Beach's downtown as a corporate destination. We were able to attract a corporate headquarters relocation during this COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mayor Shelly Petrolia. “We are excited to welcome IMI’s headquarters into the City of Delray Beach and look forward to helping IMI grow in our city.”

By Isabella Zimmermann

Triple Five Group Completes Land Swap For Final Portion of 174 Acre Assemblage Needed To Develop American Dream Miami

American Dream Miami has moved closer to its expected 2021 groundbreaking after Triple Five Group completed a land swap with Graham Companies for the final 25 acre needed to develop the mega mall. The land is located south of NW 178th Street and east of 97th Avenue in unincorporated northwest Miami-Dade County, just west of Miami Gardens and Miami Lakes. The land will be incorporated in a 336-acre plan to build 2,000 apartment units, retail and office space.

The two parcels acquired by Triple Five Group were valued at $12.7 million while the three parcels acquired by Graham were also valued at $12.7 million. No money was exchanged as part of the deal but CIBC Bank USA reportedly increased its mortgage on Triple Five Group’s holdings from $15.35 million to $19.65 million.

First proposed in 2015, American Dream Miami would be the biggest mall in the United States when completed. The malls is expected to span over 5 million SF and will feature a retail component with an entertainment component consisting of a theme park, indoor ski complex, ice skating complex, aquarium and a submarine lake. The mall would cost between $4.5 billion to $5 billion with completion expected in 2025.

The Miami-Dade City Commission approved zoning changes in May 2018 and the developers and city will need to work together to build a highway interchange between the Ronald Raegan Turnpike, I-75 and NW 170th St. required to make the project possible. American Dream Miami will also require a $15 million sewer extension. Triple Five Worldwide plans to submit a final design by the end of 2020 and the group is currently reviewing the site to finalize the mix of entertainment and retail.

RPC Plans $60M Health & Wellness Center At Legacy Hotel & Residences in Miami Worldcenter

Royal Palm Companies (RPC), led by Dan Kodsi, have announced that as part of Legacy Hotel & Residences at Miami Worldcenter they will develop a $60 million, 100,000 SF healthcare center named Center for Health + Performance (CH+P) on the ground floor. It will break ground this fall alongside Legacy, which is across the street from RPC’s Paramount Miami Worldcenter condo tower. This is the latest of a series of medically-integrated real estate projects that have become more prevalent in South Florida.

CH+P aims to create a new operational model by ensuring the entire property meets medical building and design standards that are typically unheard of for a traditional hotel. The health and wellness facility will also feature a medical center with ventilators and medical gas, meaning it will be equipped to combat future pandemics and a variety of health complications. It will also offer surgery rooms, and MRI, CT Scan, Mammography, X-Ray, Ultrasound services. Medically equipped hotel rooms will be available for post-surgical patients and guests at the hotel and unit owners will have access to the healthcare center’s facilities, doctors, diagnostic center and onsite lab.

“Legacy will be one of the cleanest designed buildings you can shelter safely in during pandemics – with access to health professionals, a pharmacy, medical grade air quality and cleaning, food delivery and more,” said Dan Kodsi, CEO of RPC.

The project is tapping into top healthcare organizations to bring CH+P to life, including architecture firm Perkins & Will, healthcare consulting firm Coker Group, and healthcare construction company Vilar-Hoynack.

When complete, Legacy Hotel & Residences will have 274 condominium units and 256 hotel rooms. Other amenities include a sophisticated members-only international business lounge, downtown’s largest hotel pool deck set on one acre, the medical and wellness center and ground floor retail. The tower will feature a highly-anticipated seven-story crown-jewel glass atrium, which will be the largest rooftop atrium for a hotel-condo in the U.S.

Designed for the innovative and cosmopolitan traveler seeking a home away from home, Legacy Hotel & Residences aims to disrupt the condo space by introducing microLUXE living to Miami. The concept will offer homeowners luxury small living with the flexibility to live in or rent their home without rental restrictions, which will fulfill the demand of a rapidly growing and more international downtown core. Residents will have the option to rent on their own or through the tower’s hotel rental program, offsetting carrying and maintenance costs. Legacy’s microLUXE residences range from 400 SF to 949 SF with studios and two-bedroom units.

Sales for the condominium portion launched in November 2019, overseen by Peggy Olin’s OneWorld Properties, with pricing starting in the $300,000’s. Legacy Hotel & Residences is being designed by Kobi Karp with interiors by IDDI.

For more information about Legacy Hotel & Residences, private showings or purchasing/ leasing information please fill out the form below:

Brickell City Centre Announces New Retailers And Restaurants Opening In 2020 Despite COVID-19

Brickell City Centre (BCC), an open-air shopping, dining and entertainment destination developed by Swire Properties in Miami’s financial district, Brickell, has announced new retailers and first-of-its-kind restaurants which will be opening this summer (2020) despite the COVID-19 shutdown. The tenants will occupy a combined 44,500 SF and the news comes on the heels of the 500,000 SF shopping center’s recent reopening May 22. The mix of new tenants includes coal-fired Cuban cuisine concept Marabú, Latin and Asian fusion restaurant Los Chinos, menswear brand Indochino, brewery and restaurant EST.33 - Craft Brewery and Kitchen and American automotive electric car company, Lucid Motors. Puttshack, the high-tech mini-golf concept that was announced earlier this year, is still on schedule to open next year. 

“Miami is a destination, and we’ve always wanted BCC to feel like an extension of that experience. Shoppers want more from their retail centers than a place to purchase products, even more so after Covid has furthered the ease of online shopping,” said David Martin, VP of Retail for Swire Properties, the developer of BCC. “These new tenants speak to the experience, connection and tech-savviness that will define the future of retail.”

New-to-market concepts such as EST. 33, Puttshack and Lucid Motors, selected Brickell City Centre as their first U.S. or East Coast opening location, while local Miami-based restaurant groups, such as the teams behind Marabu and Los Chinos, will be launching brand new concepts at BCC. Marabu has already opened, Indochino and EST.33 will open in July 2020, Los Chinos in later summer 2020 and Lucid Motors for the Holiday season as they gear up to launch the company’s first car, the Lucid Air.

An Iconic Lincoln Road Book Store and Cafe Is Closing After 30 Years

Lincoln Road has been hit by yet another closure as Books & Books has shut its doors after more than 30 years. Located at 927 Lincoln Road in The Sterling Building, the asking rents were too high for the independent bookstore which also has several other locations including Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Downtown and Bal Harbour. Owner Mitchell Kaplan reportedly said that in addition tot he rising rents, the impact of COVID-19 contributed to his decision to permanently close the store. Over the past 10 years Books & Books had already moved to a smaller space within The Sterling Building and stopped operating the outdoor cafe. Books & Books will reportedly look for a new Miami Beach location.

Other retailers to vacate their Lincoln Road locations include Steve Madden from Thor Equities’ 663 Lincoln Road, Kiehl’s at 540 Lincoln Road. This month Books & Books’s landlord Sam Herzberg sued to evict both Diesel USA and Perry Ellis/ Original Penguin from The Sterling Building for failing to pay April and May rent. Herzberg is also planning a 144-key hotel addition to the building after the City of Miami Beach recently changed zoning to allow hotels on parts of Lincoln Road.

BGI Capital Announces Expansion to Palm Beach County and a New Managing Director, Gregory J. Laskody

BGI Capital will open a new Boca Raton office and expand its operation to Palm Beach County.

The Miami-based alternative lender and commercial real estate debt provider operates offices in Miami and New York, making this its third location. The new office will be located at 1900 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431.

Managing Partner Kenneth Baboun is leading BGI Capital’s expansion efforts into key markets, choosing to open a location in the county due to the demand the firm has experienced in the area and its strong network within the community.

In addition to the expansion, BGI Capital also welcomed Managing Director Gregory J.Laskody, CCIM to the firm. Gregory will serve as the firm’s primary Palm Beach County liaison spearheading its efforts to expand debt and capital solutions to a new client base.

With over 30 years of commercial real estate experience, Gregory has extensive expertise in investment sales, commercial real estate mortgage and investment banking, and valuation. Collectively, he has been involved in over $3 billion of commercial real estate transactions. Throughout his career, he has held production, leadership, and management positions with various companies in commercial real estate including Lee & Associates, Deloitte, Nomura Capital, Wells Fargo, Q10 Capital, Newmark Grubb Night Frank, and Colliers International.

“I believe that with my vertically-integrated experience in investment sales and CRE capital markets practice, combined with the firm’s network, will successfully meet our client’s investment objectives.” BGI was founded in Miami in 2013 and expanded into the Northeast in February of 2019 with the opening of its New York office, led by Managing Director Luis Tio. The firm’s presence in New York has led to securing multiple loans in Brooklyn, Astoria, the Bronx and Long Island City among others.In Miami, BGI Capital has played an integral role in the transformation of several Miami neighborhoods including Edgewater, Coral Gables, Brickell and Doral.

OKO Group's Vladislav Doronin Buys Fort Lauderdale Assemblage for $63 Million

A land trust controlled by OKO Group’s Vladislav Doronin, a billionaire real estate developer from Russia who is now has headquarters in New York and Miami, has acquired a 6.7 acre assemblage in Fort Lauderdale for $63 million. The acquisition was financed with a $33 million loan from Michael Dell’s MSD Partners. The assemblage is located just south of the New River and Las Olas Boulevard and includes 3 full blocks, 27 parcels, one of which includes the site of Dev Motwani’s 629 Residences, a 34-story, 251-unit apartment building at 629 SE 5th Ave. OKO Group is reportedly planning a pedestrian-oriented mixed-use development.

OKO Group has been on the move in South Florida. The news of the assemblage acquisition comes just one week after OKO Group announced that Vanessa Grout was appointed CEO of the newly formed OKO Real Estate which would oversee the OKO Group’s sales and marketing. OKO Group also recently broke ground on Una Residences in Brickell and announced the Aman Hotel & Residence in Miami Beach’s Faena District. Construction continues on the 830 Brickell office tower and Missoni Baia luxury condo building in Edgewater.

A Major Retailer Just Vacated Thor Equities' 663 Lincoln Road

COVID-19’s impact on commercial real estate is beginning to show its ugly wake. In late April Steve Madden reportedly notified Thor Equities, led by founder and CEO Joseph Sitt, that they would not be renewing their 2,269 SF lease at 663 Lincoln Road, which represents roughly 45% of the building. The vacancy is being marketed for a replacement tenant and the building is also listed for sale asking $17.5 million with Tony Arellano and Devlin Marinoff of DWNTWN Realty Advisors.

Thor Equities is reportedly working towards relief after falling delinquent on payments for a $7.3 million CMBS loan which is backed by the building. In 2012 Thor Equities paid $15 million for the 5,000 SF Lincoln Road-fronting retail building which was built in 1935. Pizza Rustica leases 1,700 SF in the building at the 667 Lincoln Road address.

Thor Equities’ Miami portfolio also includes the ground-floor retail space at 605 Lincoln Road as well as several properties in Wynwood and Miami Design District.

Apex Capital Realty Oversees Acquisition of Former Midas Retail Site On Le Jeune Road

Apex Capital Realty’s Miguel Pinto acted as the sole broker in the 5,718 SF retail building deal at 900 S Le Jeune Rd. in Miami, FL which closed for $1,575,000 on Friday. Coral 900 LLC. which controlled by Christian Vasquez, purchased the 5,718 Square Foot retail site from the HAROLD NOORDHOEK Revocable Trust.

“Appetite for investment of retail buildings that house essential businesses continues to be strong! Investors are migrating from high yield restaurants to and shifting their strategy to investing in real estate that house pharmacies, automotive real estate, medical use and drive thru restaurant buildings. “said Miguel Pinto.

The 2-parcel site which formerly was being operated as a Midas, is located on Le Jeune Road which serves as the west artery to Coral Gables, makes it a desirable site for all retail uses. The site is visible to over 34,000 vehicles per day and is shadow anchored by a CVS and a McDonald’s.