Major Food Group Opens Dirty French Steakhouse In Brickell

Major Food Group (MFG), the globally acclaimed hospitality brand that has taken Miami’s restaurant scene by storm, has opened its first-ever project in Brickell, Dirty French Steakhouse, a glamorous, energetic, and extraordinary interpretation of the classic steakhouse. Located at 1200 Brickell Avenue, the restaurant welcomes guests beginning April 29th and is poised to become one of the most celebrated and sought-after steakhouses in America.

“After making this paradise home, we realized that there was a tremendous opportunity to bring a sensational steakhouse to Brickell in true MFG fashion—a sophisticated, contemporary, high-energy culinary blockbuster fit for the most exciting city in the world today. It simply does not get any more major than Dirty French Steakhouse, which is the beginning of a series of big projects in the neighborhood,” said Jeff Zalaznick, MFG Co-Owner.

This new steakhouse from MFG Co-Founders Jeff Zalaznick, Mario Carbone, and Rich Torrisi breathes new life into the storied genre while remaining true to its history. The expertly conceived menu combines the finest meat and fish, sourced from the world’s most esteemed purveyors, with French influences and an irresistible flair for bold flavors. Dirty French Steakhouse offers everything one would expect to find at a steakhouse of the highest caliber—abundant raw bar selections, elegant seafood entrées, indulgent aged steaks, and an array of amazing sides—all executed to perfection, with a dose of Dirty French style that makes them more satisfying and seductive than ever. Complementing these steakhouse essentials are thrilling takes on classic French preparations, including a Dover Sole Meunière to share served tableside, the best Duck à l’Orange in the country, and a stunning Soufflé program. Dirty French Steakhouse is the culmination of MFG’s decade-long search for the very best ingredients and reflects the mastery honed during that journey, which includes the opening of their American chophouse The Grill in New York City, now widely considered an icon.

But this Dirty French Steakhouse concept and its 80s-era swagger could only exist in Miami. The opulent, playfully irreverent, and entirely transportive space consists of numerous dining rooms, each boasting its own dazzling aesthetic. Masterfully brought to life by longtime MFG collaborator Ken Fulk for maximum lavishness, the atmosphere nods to the neon glitz of the Magic City as well as the sumptuous elegance of legendary institutions like Maxim’s of Paris.

“Dirty French feels instantly iconic. We took inspiration from legendary hot spots across the globe—El Morocco, Indochine, Maxim’s Paris—using elements from these fabled nightclubs like animal prints, jungle patterns, mashrabiya screens, silk lanterns. The result is an utterly intoxicating atmosphere,” said designer Ken Fulk, Founder of Ken Fulk, Inc.

Throughout the experience, guests can expect polished hospitality from charismatic service captains dressed in custom-designed pink tuxedos, a range of celebratory dishes prepared tableside, and an intoxicating spirit of sophisticated decadence. Worth a visit alone is Dirty French’s 700-plus-bottle wine list, which took several years to build and is as remarkable as any in the United States.

MFG now operates a portfolio of over 30 restaurants, bars, private clubs, and hotels spread across the globe. At the beginning of 2021, the company embarked on a groundbreaking run of restaurant openings in South Florida, including CARBONE and HaSalon on Miami Beach, ZZ’s Club in the Miami Design District, and Sadelle’s in Coconut Grove. Among the company’s many forthcoming projects is MAJOR., a residential tower just down the road from Dirty French steakhouse at 888 Brickell Avenue. Upon completion, the development will be the tallest building of its kind in Miami.

Images via Image via Kris Tamburello Studios and Major Food Group

Merrick Manor Sells Out Commercial Spaces With Sales Of Prime Ground-Floor Retail Suite

Merrick Manor continues to generate strong interest from investors seeking Class A commercial real estate in Coral Gables. The luxury mixed-use building developed by the Henry Torres-led Astor Companies, has sold out the commercial spaces following the $5.44 million sale of several retail condominiums, including two units occupied by popular fitness studio Sweat 440.

Prisma Properties LLC acquired Merrick Manor commercial units CU3, CU8-9 and CU10 in a transaction that closed on April 26. ONE Sotheby’s International Realty Global Commercial Director Manny Chamizo III, the exclusive sales representative for Merrick Manor’s 20,000 square feet of prime ground-floor commercial space, brokered the sale. Merrick Manor’s ground-floor retail space is now fully leased or owned by owner/users.

Sweat 440 occupies 3,055 square feet in CU8-9. The high-intensity interval training (HITT) studio has a passionate following among its members, which range from beginners to fitness enthusiasts. Sweat 440 has locations in Florida, New York and Canada.

The 1,307-square-foot CU3 is currently utilized as the Sales Gallery for Merrick Manor’s limited inventory of available luxury residences. Located at 301 Altara Ave., next to the world-class Shops at Merrick Park and in the middle of the city’s Design and Innovation District, Merrick Manor is experiencing brisk residential sales activity and is on pace to sell out within the next six months.

M&B Dental Associates, P.A., led by renowned aesthetic dentist and decorated U.S. Navy veteran Dr. Ivan Mendoza,occupies the 1,669-square-foot CU10. M&B and Sweat 440 are part of Merrick Manor’s Health and Beauty Corridor, which also includes Anaïs Nails & Spa, Body Details, Elegance Beauty Salon and Trésor.

“Our success in curating Merrick Manor’s ground-floor retail space with a dynamic mix of tenants, which comprise the building’s Health and Beauty Corridor, played a major role in this new investment sales transaction,” Chamizo said. “The buyer recognized that prime commercial real estate like this is at a premium in Coral Gables. We are proud to produce another tremendous outcome at Merrick Manor.”

The sale to Prisma comes as another signature Merrick Manor commercial tenant, high-end furniture retailer Sierra Muebles, prepares to open its first U.S. showroom at the building in the next few months. A Peru-based retailer that has exclusive representation of the Brazilian brand in Peru and Miami-Dade County leases Merrick Manor’s largest commercial space, which totals 4,448-square-foot.

“This transaction underscores the long-term belief in our building from the real estate community,” Torres said. “Merrick Manor has an unparalleled location and commercial space that perfectly complements the building’s 227 residences.”

Okan Tower Unveils Loft Penthouse Collection As Development Nears Groundbreaking In Downtown Miami

Okan Tower, which is set to become one of the tallest towers in Downtown Miami, has unveiled its exclusive Loft Penthouse Collection. Rising 902’ in the air, the 70-story project’s highly-anticipated Loft Penthouse Collection consists of 14 impressive residences soaring above downtown Miami at the building’s peak. Ten spectacular two-story units are featured on the 67th floor with expansive three-bedroom and one-bedroom layouts, and four single-story penthouse units are offered on the 69th floor with unparalleled views and luxurious finishes.

Residences offer 22-foot floor-to-ceiling windows in the two-story lofts and 10-foot-plus windows in the single-story units providing panoramic bay and city views with an abundance of natural light. Upscale Italian cabinetry is featured in the sophisticated kitchens and bathrooms along with top-of-the-line Sub-Zero® and Wolf® appliances throughout.

Penthouse residences start at $2,000 per square foot with four different floorplans ranging from 1,070 to 3,100 square feet of interior space along with private balconies.

“We’re thrilled to introduce our premium Loft Penthouse Collection,” said international property magnate and developer of Okan Tower, Bekir Okan, Chairman of Okan Group. “This limited assemblage of our premier units was designed to appeal to those seeking the ultimate in elevated living in an urban walkable setting.”

Developed by Okan Group and exclusively marketed and sold by Fortune Development Sales, Okan Tower features a variety of unique amenities including a ground floor arrival entrance with dedicated 24-hour reception and concierge, a 70th floor rooftop pool and sky deck with private cabanas featuring sweeping views of downtown and Biscayne Bay, and an additional 12th floor lap pool with clubroom and indoor and outdoor lounges. Loft Penthouse Collection buyers will also have access to a state-of-the-art health and fitness center with a yoga studio, Peloton® bikes and interactive fitness MIRROR®, as well as a dedicated wellness spa with sauna, steam and treatment rooms. A fully-equipped children’s sensory and play room, cutting-edge technology theater, and wine cellar and owner’s lounge.

“The debut of these exceptional loft penthouses adds yet another dimension to the refined offerings at Okan Tower,” said Edgardo Defortuna, President and CEO of Fortune International Group. “Throughout the first quarter of 2022, we’ve experienced remarkable sales momentum and we’re confident these new unit offerings will move very quickly.”

Uniting a diverse collection of mixed-use elements in one vertical destination, Okan Tower was designed by Behar Font & Partners, and is set to break ground this June with completion scheduled for 2026.

Located in the epicenter of Miami’s urban core at 555 North Miami Avenue, Okan Tower is situated on a prime downtown site at the crossroads of culture, entertainment, art, fine dining, Miami's waterfront and most celebrated cultural and entertainment landmarks. Okan Tower will be a monument of the future as Downtown Miami has been reinvigorated by the allure of an ultimate live-work-play destination.

The project will present 163 Sky Residences – inclusive of the Loft Penthouse Collection -- with exclusive owners-only amenities, 236 Short-Term Rental Residences powered by Hilton Hotels & Resorts, and a Hilton Miami Bayfront Hotel with endless amenity and entertainment areas, all accessible by separate elevators for Sky Residence owners and Short-Term Rental Residence owners and hotel guests.

For more information about Okan Tower, private showings or purchasing/ leasing information please fill out the form below:

Aon Insurance Company Relocates to New 20K SF Space in Brickell

Cushman & Wakefield has announced that the commercial real estate services firm has arranged a new long-term office lease of approximately 20,000 square feet at 701 Brickell for Aon Insurance Company. The company will occupy the 32nd floor of the office building, which is located in Miami's Brickell financial and tech neighborhood. Aon is relocating from a building where their name was on top, located at 1001 Brickell Bay Dr.

Cushman & Wakefield’s Brian Gale, Andrew Trench and Ryan Holtzman represented the landlord, Nuveen Real Estate, in the lease negotiations and CBRE’s Scott Goldstein and Keith Edelman represented the tenant.

“701 Brickell has added another household named tenant to one of the most prestigious tenant rosters in Miami,” said Gale, Vice Chairman at Cushman & Wakefield. “With this latest lease by Aon Insurance Company, 701 Brickell has signed five new leases totaling 60,000 sf in the past 12 months, including Apollo, Point72, Manhattan Life and Moore Capital. The trophy asset also contains other notable tenants like Holland and Knight, Facebook, Bank of America, Kaseya, AIG, EFG Capital and Alliance Bernstein.”

The 701 Brickell office building spans 33 stories and is situated on Brickell Ave. and Biscayne Bay. The LEED Gold Certified and Energy Star labeled building features efficient floorplans with unbeatable bay views, a conference facility, tenant only fitness center, covered parking accessible from Brickell Ave. or SW 8th St. and various on-site retail establishments. 701 Brickell is also at the center of Miami’s business community and located near 31 distinct transit routes.

“As the largest owner of Class A office on Brickell Ave., we have seen unprecedented tenant demand over the last 24 months. We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome Aon to 701 Brickell on our 32nd Floor with expansive views at a time when our substantial building lobby and amenity renovations are completing as well. We look forward to including them in our impressive tenant roster for years to come,” added Charles Russo, Nuveen Real Estate’s Southeast Regional Head for Office and Life Sciences.

Article by Katya Demina

West Palm Beach Condo Development Alba Palm Beach Locks Down $82 Million Construction Loan

Private real estate lender Trez Capital funded an $82 million loan to build Alba Palm Beach, a luxurious waterfront condominium project that will soon rise in West Palm Beach, Florida. The new development is located directly on the west bank of the Intracoastal Waterway in the emerging Northwood neighborhood. Alba will rise 22-stories and offers 55 luxury residences and four townhomes. Since launching sales in February 2022, more than 30% of the project has been reserved. Prices start at $2.5 million. With the loan in place, an official groundbreaking is expected this fall with a project delivery in 2025.

Trez Capital Managing Director Ben Jacobson originated the loan on behalf of the lead developer Kenneth Baboun. Jacobson is based in Trez Capital’s Palm Beach, Florida office led by Executive Managing Director, Eastern U.S. Brett Forman. BGI Capital structured the loan.

“Alba Palm Beach fills a glaring need for high-end residential product in a rapidly growing area of West Palm Beach,” said Jacobson. “We are excited to complete our first transaction with a sophisticated developer that will bring luxurious waterfront living to the city’s Northwood neighborhood.”

“We are so pleased to announce the securing of financing for Alba Palm Beach, especially with the great market response and sales success we have seen in such a short time since launching sales,” Baboun said.

“Working with the team from Trez Capital was a transparent and seamless experience and we are thrilled to have accomplished this milestone for Alba Palm Beach,” said Robert Barthelmess, Managing Partner of BGI Capital.

The spacious two-, three-, and four- bedroom residences range in size from 1,745 to 4,500-plus square feet. Each has oversized glass-framed terraces with summer kitchens and panoramic views, floor-to-ceiling hurricane impact glass windows, upscale appliances and designer fixtures.

Amenities include a private dock with boat slips for residents only, two pools, dedicated grill and lounge areas, state-of-the-art fitness studio, private elevators, virtual conference spaces, theater and multi-sport simulator rooms.

Alba Palm Beach is located at 4714 North Flagler Dr., just minutes away from world-class beaches, the famed Worth Avenue shopping district, upscale dining options and cultural activities.

“West Palm Beach has been a focal point of the substantial corporate migration to South Florida over the past few years,” said Forman. “That is creating intense demand for luxury residences in the city. Alba Palm Beach is poised to generate significant activity from both new-to-market and local buyers.”

For more information about Alba Palm Beach, private showings or purchasing/ leasing information please fill out the form below:

Florida East Coast Realty Sells Brickell Waterfront Development Site For Record $363 Million In Mega-Deal

Florida East Coast Realty has sold a 2.5 acre prime waterfront development site in Miami’s Brickell Financial District in a mega-deal for a record $363 million. The transaction breaks the previous record set when the former 14-acre Miami Herald site in Downtown Miami sold for $236 million to Genting Group. The buyer, an entity managed by the Chicago-based Randall Davis, paid roughly $145 million per acre, $3,340 PSF dirt value, for the site which is located at 1201 Brickell Bay Drive. Florida East Coast Realty, which is led by Tibor Hollo and family, acquired the site in 2000 for $15.5 million and revealed plans for a 1,049-foot, 660 unit supertall tower designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Norman Foster of Foster + Partners.

Eyzenberg & Co. Structures $73.35 Million Construction Loan For Downtown St. Petersburg Condo Development

Eyzenberg & Company has arranged a stretch-senior construction loan to finance the development of Reflections Condominiums, a 17-story condominium tower on Mirror Lake in St. Petersburg, Florida. The New York-headquartered commercial real estate investment banking firm was retained in 2021 as the exclusive financial advisor for the development of the 326,468 square foot building.

Situated at the Edge District of St Petersburg, Reflections is surrounded by new restaurants, boutique shopping, as well as award winning galleries and museums. With nationwide interest of homebuyers flowing into the greater Tampa and St. Petersburg markets of Florida, the developer was well positioned to deliver a product in extremely high demand. In the months leading up to loan closing the developer pre-sold over 55% of the building’s available units.

“Our firm and team members have a long history of representing developers in the South Florida community, one of the many reasons we established a local office in Miami in 2019” Said David Eyzenberg, President of Eyzenberg & Company.

The tower features open floor plan options ranging from 1,168 to nearly 2,285 square feet of interior living space. Reflections’ residents are provided private access to the tower’s 12,000 square foot rooftop featuring a glass façade, air-conditioned fitness center and social club, a tropical pool and spa terrace, outdoor kitchen and wet bar, and unparalleled panoramic views of Mirror Lake, Downtown St. Petersburg, and Tampa Bay.

The Eyzenberg deal team included Robert Ginsberg, Aaron Stelzer, Alex Anderson and Elena Burgos. After exploring the equity and structured capital markets to fill the existing gap in the capital stack, Eyzenberg arranged a construction loan from a debt fund that provided stretch-senior construction financing that allowed both existing sales deposits as well as future sales deposits to be treated as a source of capital that filled the entire capital stack. “This particular transaction underscores the need for sophisticated structuring capabilities vs introduction services in complicated scenarios” said Robert Ginsberg, managing director of Eyzenberg & Company

With economic headwinds facing the construction industry from inflation, the lingering effects of Covid-19, and geo-political pressures in Europe, Eyzenberg was able to work with both the lender and borrower to bridge cost overruns and a steepening yield curve and shepherd the transaction to a successful close.

The project is anticipated to reach completion and deliver the final units in April of 2024.

Black Lion Purchases Iconic Hospitality Destination In Miami Beach's South of Fifth Neighborhood

Black Lion has acquired an iconic restaurant space in Miami Beach’s South of Fifth neighborhood. The property is located at 200 South Pointe Drive, in front of the luxury Continuum Residences condo development. Black Lion is preparing to announce flagship restaurant concept which will be new to the Miami market. The property was formerly Cibo Wine Bar South Beach and is steps away from the beach and South Pointe Park. The 12,000-square-foot venue was purchased from Ian Bruce Eichner of The Continuum Company for $11.5 million, who developed the building, and brokered by Phil Gutman of PGutman, LLC and Pablo Camposano of Colliers International.

“We are excited to introduce something special to Miami Beach,” shares Robert Rivani, President of Black Lion. “Through relationships with high-caliber hospitality groups, we are able to create once in a lifetime opportunities that set the precedent for up and coming cities and curate unique lifestyle experiences at our properties. The soon-to-be-announced concept at 200 South Pointe Drive is no exception.”

The prime mixed-use retail/ restaurant space feature an open, multi-storied layout which allows for flexible design options and prominent branding opportunity with high visibility signage from two locations. Features include 19’ – 22’ ceilings, an outdoor courtyard and a rooftop lounge accessible by elevator.

This property is the latest addition to Black Lion’s growing South Florida portfolio of mixed-use, restaurant and hospitality commercial investments. Led b Robert Rivani, the company’s recently announced several Miami projects and acquisitions including Brickell Bay Boardwalk, Wynwood Jungle, Amara at Paraiso in Edgewater, new venues at Marea South Beach, and a yet-to-be-named restaurant concept on the ground level of the SLS LUX in Brickell.

Urbanica Sells Meridian Hotel To Miami-Based Investment Firm

The Urbanica Meridian Hotel, located at 418 Meridian Ave on Miami Beach was recently sold by Urbanica, the group responsible for facilitating the revitalization of the dwindling Fifth Street Corridor through their development of staple lodging, food, and beverage establishments. The hotel sold to Miami-based investment firm, Cambridge Lansdowne, for $30.5 million. Paul Weimer and Christian Charre of CBRE represented both the buyer and seller.

The Urbanica ownership team, Charlie Porchetto and Diego Colmenero, are now focusing on their new flagship projects, the largest within their hotel portfolio, including Urbanica Beach located in the North Beach neighborhood at 6747 Collins Avenue. The development, which includes 200 rooms and two pools, will be home to multiple restaurants and entertainment facilities. Urbanica has also acquired a property in the up and coming Edgewater area of Miami, Urbanica Biscayne at 3200 Biscayne Blvd. The hotel also offers 200 rooms for guests, 7,000 square feet of event space, and a number of conference, dining, and leisure options.

“We had a great opportunity to bring Urbanica Hotels to Miami seven years ago and contribute to the revitalization of Fifth Street, and did so with our first location of Meridian Hotel,” says Charlie Porchetto. “We’re proud of what this location has done for the neighborhood, and are looking forward to stepping into Edgewater and North Beach with these new properties, areas that have the same potential for growth as we saw with Fifth Street on Miami Beach.”

In Miami, Urbanica continues to own and operate the Urbanica Euclid and Urbanica Fifth hotels, both located on Fifth street on Miami Beach.

Fort Partners Pays Off $210 Million Construction Loan at Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale

Miami-based development firm Fort Partners has today announced that the $210 million construction loan for the Kobi Karp-designed Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Fort Lauderdale has been paid off. The loan, financed by Madison Realty Capital, became the largest residential construction loan in Fort Lauderdale history when it closed in 2019, and still holds that title today.

“With the opening of the hotel, closings well underway and only a handful of residences remaining for sale, we are incredibly proud of our team at Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale,” said Nadim Ashi, Founder of Fort Partners. “Paying off this construction loan is a very important milestone for us, and comes just as the project is debuting to the world for the first time.”

Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale features 148 guest rooms and 83 residences ranging in size from one- to four-bedrooms, with each residence offering expansive living spaces and generous outdoor terraces overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway. The hotel celebrated its official opening earlier this month, and residents began moving in shortly thereafter. Sales have been incredibly strong at the development, and now there are only three residences left for sale. Current availability is priced from $4.6 million.

"The pace in which we were able to achieve near sellout and pay off Fort Lauderdale’s largest construction loan in history is unprecedented for the area," added Ramzi Achi, Principal of Fort Partners. “Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale is a first-of-its-kind luxury development, and it’s been gratifying to see buyers recognize this tremendous value.”

Images via Rich Stapleton