Brightline And Disney Announce Plans To Build A Train Station In Walt Disney World Connecting To Orlando International Airport And Miami

Brightline has recently announced a plan to build a new train station at Walt Disney World in Orlando, connecting directly to Orlando International Airport and Miami. Brightline, who currently operates trains between Miami and West Palm Beach, has been seeking expansion to Orlando since launching in 2018. The next stop will be Orlando International Airport, expected to be completed by 2022, with future plans to extend to Walt Disney World. The new Disney station will open in the Disney Springs complex, a popular spot for dining and entertainment such as live music and shows. 

Millions of people visit Disney World every year. Brightline’s new train will make easy access for Disney tourists flying into Orlando International Airport, and also will allow visitors from Miami to travel directly to Disney World without a car for the first time. The train service from Miami to Orlando International Airport is on schedule to begin in 2022, but there is no set timeline for the Disney World station yet. Brightline is also currently working on engineering a future expansion to Tampa. The Brightline was developed by Florida East Coast Industries.

Wynwood's Newest Class-A Kobi Karp-Designed Office Building, The Gateway, Tops Off

The Gateway at Wynwood has just topped off at 13-stories by R&B Realty Group. The project is a Class-A office building in Wynwood’s emerging neighborhood and new office submarket. The Gateway will feature 195,000 sq.ft. of leasable office space, private rooftop terrace and 25,900 sq.ft. of retail space on the ground floor. 

Shelby Rosenberg, Principal of R&B Realty Group, said, “This is one of the most important moments in the construction of a commercial project, especially as we are ahead of schedule amidst the pandemic. We are excited to see The Gateway at Wynwood is a step closer to reality. Our project will contribute to the transformation of Wynwood into a 15-minute city, where people can access their office, home, the grocery store, restaurants, and more within a 15-minute walk. We want to thank the city, the area’s stakeholders, our construction and design team, and all our partners for trusting us and helping The Gateway at Wynwood reach this important milestone.”

Plaza Construction is The Gateway’s general contractor and Kobi Karp is the architect. The 13-story building is estimated to be complete in the second half of 2021 and is currently ahead of schedule. 

"Despite the challenges that COVID-19 has posed across our industry, we are proud to have been able to reach this milestone on time and without incident,” said Brad Meltzer, president of Plaza Construction. "We prioritized the health and safety of all stakeholders with great success, and we look forward to continuing to deliver exemplary construction services to the South Florida market and beyond."

Wynwood is Miami’s newest and emerging office submarket and a hub for creative and innovative businesses. Many well known companies have already re-located office space to Wynwood including Spotify, WeWork, and Live Nation with other big names including Google, Apple Music and Dentsu looking to move into the area.

Stephen Rutchik, Colliers International Florida’s Executive Managing Director who handles office leasing for The Gateway at Wynwood said: “We are actively engaged with prospective tenants that are attracted to Wynwood because of its ‘live, work, play’ environment. This area has become a mecca for art, food, and entertainment just north of downtown Miami. While a few companies are hesitant to sign new leases just now, they do know exactly where they want to be … and that is Wynwood. We expect many of the deals in the pipeline for The Gateway at Wynwood will come to fruition as we get closer to completing the building later next year.”

The Gateway at Wynwood is located at 2916 N Miami Ave, a desirable location just a few minutes away from Downtown Miami, Aventura and Miami Beach. The area is also very close to Miami Internation Airport and PortMiami attracting many visitors and tourists all year round.

ReefLine, Miami’s First Underwater Sculpture Park, On Track To Open Phase One In December 2021

Miami’s first underwater environmental public art project, to be known as ReefLine, is on track to open Phase 1 in December 2021. The project will be built in several phases with Phase 1 spanning one-mile long. The project is designed by OMA / shohei shigematsu in collaboration with a team of marine biologists, researches and coastal engineers whose goal is to protect and preserve the city’s marine life. The installation will feature environmentally-functioning artworks by major international artists and designers. ReefLine will begin in South Beach and run north, providing a critical habitat for endangered reef organisms, promoting biodiversity and enhancing coastal resilience.

The project will span 7 miles underwater and attract both art lovers and eco-friendly tourists to view the underwater sculpture park via a snorkel trail. ReefLine is being developed by BlueLab Preservation Society, led by Ximena Caminos, in partnership with the City of Miami Beach and Coral Morphologic.

Melo Group To Break Ground On Arquitectonica-Designed Island Bay In Edgewater In May 2021

Melo Group is gearing up to break ground on Island Bay in Edgewater in May 2021. Work on the baywalk is already underway in compliance with Miami21 which will connect from Edgewater’s Paraiso District through the Miami River across from Brickell. Island Bay is designed by Arquitectonica and will feature twin towers rising 60 stories, 637’. The developer submitted the project to the FAA for approval in November 2020 after first revealing the project in the summer of 2019 and executing a utilities deal with Miami-Dade County in February 2020. When complete, Island Bay will feature 792 residential units and 12,600 square feet of retail. In August 2019 PROFILEmiami first reported that the residences are expected to be condominium units with a luxurious suite of amenities including multiple pools overlooking Biscayne Bay and a multi-sports court. The project is located between NE 24th Street and NE 23rd Terrace as well as NE 5th Avenue to the west. Construction is expected to be completed in the summer of 2023.

Check Out The Newly Revealed Renderings Of Norman Foster-Designed Drivers Club Miami

New renderings have been revealed of Drivers Club Miami, a Norman Foster-designed private driving club with resort on 160-acres in Carol City, a neighborhood of Miami Gardens. The project was approved in 2018 although groundbreaking has been delayed by zoning agreements, environmental testing, design meetings and construction-preventing covenants. The project is being developed by 13 Pista LLC, led by Carlos de Narvaez Steuer and is estimated to cost $100 million.

Drivers Club Miami will feature a race circuit with 2.3 mile track in addition to a luxury resort with hotel, retail and restaurants which will be open to the public. The Miami Drivers club track, clubhouse and vehicle storage and maintenance facilities will be private for members only.

Miami-Dade County signed a $33.4 million, 30 year lease for 140 acres of land below-market rate at 20000 NW 47th Ave. for the project. The lease began on August 1, 2018 and has two 30-year extension options. The county will also provide $2 million to the developer via subsidies in order to help the project create 220 jobs on the property. In exchange for waiving the competitive bidding process, the developer will build public improvements for Miami Gardens including a new public bicycle course and capital contributions to support a new on-site fire station and Florida Memorial University. The entire project is estimated to cost roughly $100 million.

Melo Group Tops Off Construction At Downtown 5th

Construction has officially topped off on Melo Group’s East Tower of Downtown 5th, the largest multifamily development built in Downtown Miami’s Central Business District. The project is composed of two towers, with the West Tower expected to top-off later this month. The construction has been underway with rapid speed in the middle of a pandemic as the foundation pour was only 9 months ago. The development has completed an average pace of one floor every three days. The project is estimated to be complete in Summer 2021. 

“We’re bullish on the long-term future of Downtown Miami. Despite a global pandemic, we never stopped building for locals who want to live and work in the urban core,” said developer Carlos Melo, Principal of the Melo Group. “Our strategy has always been to build for what the market demands – and we’re seeing a continued need from the community for good quality, attainably-priced apartments in a convenient, walkable location with access to public transit and nearby amenities.”

Downtown 5th will have two 52-story towers and feature 1,042 rental apartments with ground floor retail. Preleasing is scheduled to begin in Spring 2021. Apartments will range from studio to three-bedrooms. Units will have balconies with views of Downtown Miami. Building amenities will include three swimming pools, fitness center, social room, game room and café. 

“Downtown Miami has evolved into a global destination for business and lifestyle. We’re seeing people moving and opening up companies here from major cities across the U.S. and abroad in search of lower taxes, improved quality of life, and reduced expenses,” said developer Martin Melo, Principal of the Melo Group. “As more and more businesses look to relocate or expand to Downtown Miami, we’re building housing for the thousands of employees that will come with them and need a place to live.”

Downtown 5th is located at 55 NE 5th Street, in the heart of Downtown Miami’s Central Business District. The location is within a short walk of Museum Park, AmericanAirlines Arena, Bayside Marketplace and Miami-Dade College’s Downtown Miami campus. 

Metro Edgewater Gearing Up To Break Ground In Edgewater's Paraiso District

Colombian developer Carlos Ortiz is gearing up to break ground on his planned rental apartment building, Metro Edgewater, which will be located in Edgewater’s Paraiso District. The project recently received FAA approval and is expect to break ground in January 2021 pending the issuance of building permits. Metro Edgewater will rise 32-stories, 373’, and will feature 279 rental units targeted at millennials and young professionals. The project will also feature 4,063 square feet of ground floor retail and a pedestrian promenade along NE 31st Street with lush landscaping and street furniture, designed to act as a gateway for pedestrians from Biscayne Boulevard into the Paraiso District. The parking platform will feature a metal louver screen adorned with geometric artwork by the Miami-born artist Johnny Robles. Metro Edgewater is designed by Pablo Burgos of Burgos Lanza Architects & Planners with landscape architecture by James Socash, all in collaboration with David Polinsky’s Fortis Design + Build. Metro Edgewater will be located at 433-449 NE 30th Terrace and 430-452 NE 31st Street.

MG Developer Locks Down $16.5 Million In Equity Financing To Complete Coral Gables Luxury Townhome Projects

MG Developer, led by CEO Alirio Torrealba, has locked down $16.15 million in equity financing to complete two luxury townhome projects in Coral Gables, Biltmore Row and Althea Row. The projects are currently under construction after broking ground in February 2020. The financing was provided by PBVMF 23 LLC and was arranged by Jeffrey Donnelly and Dmitry Levkov of Colliers International South Florida.

The projects are being developed as part of MG Developer’s Biltmore Square, which features MG Developer nearby projects including apartment projects Biltmore Parc and the recently sold-out Beatrice Row. Biltmore Row features 10 townhome units and is located at 760 Valencia Ave. while Althea Row features 5 townhome units and is located at 735 Almeria Ave. Each townhome under development offers 4 bedroom floor plans and range from 4,514 to 5,524 square feet, featuring terraces, private loggias and luxurious finishes. Pricing starts just over $3 million per unit.

The Development Of Miami's Most Expensive And Deepest Underground Parking Garage Is Underway

Una Residences condominium will soon have Miami’s deepest underground parking garage with construction underway. The garage will reach nearly 50 feet and three stories below sea level and will become the most expensive underground parking garage in Miami costing developers $25 million to build. The subterranean parking garage will be 100,000 sq.ft. and house 236 cars for Una Residences, located on Biscayne Bay waterfront in Brickell and estimated to be complete in 2023. 

Una Residences is developed by OKO Group and Cain International with design by architects Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill. The luxury condominium will be nearly 600 feet tall once the project is complete. The underground parking garage will be one of a kind and hidden underground to maximize the condo’s waterfront views without any obstruction. This approach is very expensive and contracts the usual development strategy in South Florida that typically features a pool deck on top of several levels of parking to hide the garage. 

“OKO Group has extensive experience with subterranean construction, with our firm’s Capital City mixed-use development in Moscow encompassing a six-level garage for over 2,000 vehicles built 72 feet deep underground adjacent to the Moscow River,” said Ahmet Oktay Cini, Chief Operating Officer of OKO Group. “When conceptualizing the design for Una Residences in Miami, we envisioned a similar urban-style, efficient tower that would maximize as much space as possible for the use of residents and showcase the site’s waterfront views. The result was a modern condo tower without a parking podium, meaning more square footage for luxury amenities and residences.”

Civic Construction is the general contractor of the building who has taken on the task to build an underground garage that does not flood. They have developed a deep-soil-mixing construction process that will form a base of the garage underground to avoid flooding. 

“A below-ground garage of this caliber costs triple the amount of a typical parking garage. This kind of major investment in underground construction has never been seen before in Miami,” said William Real, President of Civic Construction Company. “The developers of Una Residences are sparing no expense when it comes to top-notch construction quality and efficient design, which will ultimately deliver a superior product for residents.”

The base of the garage is slated to be complete in early 2021, from there ground-level vertical construction will commence. The Una Residence tower is estimated to be complete in 2023. Residences are located at 175 SE 25th Road and prices start at $2 million up to $21.6 million for a penthouse. The luxury residence will rise up 57 stories and not only house Miami’s deepest underground parking, but offer residents beautiful views of Biscayne Bay and the Miami skyline. 

Macken Companies Announces Development Of Koya Bay Luxury Townhome In North Miami Beach

Macken Companies has announced plans to develop Koya Bay luxury townhome in North Miami Beach and scheduled to break ground Q2 2021. The development plans include 10 four-story luxury residences in the waterfront community of Eastern Shores. Each residence will feature a private elevator, rooftop terrace, dock, and two-car garage with optional car lift. 

“I have had my eyes on this site for a long time and we are excited to finally deliver a project designed to capture the opportunity this beautiful property presents,” stated Alan Macken, CEO Macken Companies. “Koya Bay is a boater’s delight with no fixed bridges and minutes away from the Haulover cut and sandbar. Once again, we have partnered with our award-winning team of design professionals, and the result is an exceptional boutique community of waterfront townhomes that we believe provides our buyers with a distinct opportunity.”  

Koya Bay will feature three, four and five bedroom floorplans ranging between 2,900-3,600 sq.ft with pricing starting at $1.9 million. Randall Stofft Architects and Witkin Hults Design Group have designed these waterfront townhomes in a modern but earthy style. Residents will enjoy the safely of the gated community with around the clock security along with amenities including beach and boat club memberships. 

Koya Bay is located in the neighborhood of Eastern Shores at 4098 NE 167 St. in North Miami Beach. It is located within a few minutes’ drive to the beach, Aventura Mall and Bal Harbour Shops. Macken Realty is the exclusive sales agent for Koya Bay.