Zach Vella Buys Waterfront Development Lots On Venetian Islands For Record $15 Million

Celebrity developer Zach Vella has acquired two adjacent waterfront development lots on Miami’s Venetian Islands for his private residence in Miami. Vella paid $15.2 million for 228 and 302 West Dilido Drive, a dirt value of $688 per square foot, which surpasses the Venetian Islands’ record land sale which was previously $6.5 million for 412 West Dilido Drive set in 2016. Jim Agard of Vendôme Capital represented the seller and Natalia Gryczynska of Brown Harris Stevens represented the buyer.

The seller was Lionel Masson, the founder of Pharmacies Lafayette in France, who had planned two spec homes on the site. Masson initially acquired the properties in 2018 for $11.5 million and demolished two homes on the site. Vella is the founder and CEO of the Los Angeles and New York City-based real estate development firm Vella Group, and is also a managing board member of Miami’s Magic City Innovation District.

SeaGlass Jupiter Island Celebrates Groundbreaking

Fontainebleau Development, LLC, and Perko Development Partners as the local co-development partner, celebrated the groundbreaking of a new oceanfront condominium, SeaGlass Jupiter Island. The condo will feature 21 luxurious residences with unobstructed ocean views and is expected to be completed in fall 2022. Attendees of the ceremony included: Jeffrey Soffer, Fontainebleau Development chairman and CEO; Bruce Weiner, Fontainebleau Development COO of Residential; Jim Cohen, Fontainebleau Development president of Residential; and Phil Perko, founder and president of Perko Development Partners. 

SeaGlass Jupiter Island is designed by architect Robert M. Swedroe of Swedroe Architecture. The residences will be designed with private terraces, outdoor kitchens, 10-foot ceilings and sweeping panoramic views of the ocean. A fob-controlled elevator will lead to a private entry foyer in each residence. Amenities include an oceanfront infinity pool, heated relaxation spa, fitness center, yoga and meditation lawn and two-story lobby. 

SeaGlass Jupiter Island is located at 1500 Beach Road, situated between the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway on Jupiter Island in the village of Tequesta. Sales for the exclusive condo launched in May with prices ranging between $5.9 million to over $10 million.

The Estate Companies Acquires Site For Soleste NoMi Beach In North Miami Beach

The Estate Companies, a subsidiary of Estate Investments Group (EIG), has closed on the future site of Soleste NoMi Beach in North Miami Beach for $13.1 million. The project was approved in September 2020 and was designed by Form Group. The 1.78-acre site is located at 16395 Biscayne Blvd. and currently features an 8,249 square foot retail building which will be demolished. The seller was Biscayne Cove LLC, an entity managed by Enrique R. Puig, and the deal included $1 million in seller financing. When complete, Soleste NoMi Beach will rise 23-stories and will feature 367 apartment units, 2,708 square feet of commercial space and 655 parking spaces. Amenities will feature a pool deck, spa, fitness center, co-working space and a landscaped rooftop garden.

Urbanica Closes on Two New Lots In Edgewater For Hotel Development Project

Urbanica has recently acquired two new properties located in Edgewater as part of a land assembly that they started two years ago. The two purchased properties are next to each other and located at 237 NE 32 ST and 229 NE 32 ST, the closing price was $1.57M and $1.7M respectively. The transaction was overseen by Stefano Santoro of Current Real Estate. Urbanica now owns four lots for less than $10M in the same area, as they are planning to develop a full-service hotel featuring 12 stories and 200 rooms. The hotel will also include two floors dedicated to parking with 150 spaces, a Japanese Restaurant with 4,000 SF, 7,000 SF dedicated to event space with a banquette kitchen, and different amenities including a rooftop pool, gym, lobby and a game room on the ground floor.

The project is estimated to break ground in the second quarter of 2021, and the grand opening is planned to occur by the end of 2022. Urbanica started as a development company that grew its operations into real estate investment management, vertically integrating its company structure. Last summer, they also bought a site for $38M in Miami Beach. Urbanica currently owns multiple properties in Buenos Aires and the Miami area, including Urbanica The Meridian Hotel, Urbanica Euclid Hotel and Urbanica 5th, all of them located in Miami Beach.

By Eduardo Cohen

PMG Reveals MKDA-Designed Society Wynwood After Acquiring Final Piece of Assemblage For $11.5 Million

Property Markets Group (PMG) and Greybrook Realty Partners have submitted their plans for Society Wynwood for approval by the Wynwood Design Review Committee after acquiring the final piece needed for their 1.93 acre assemblage. The JV between PMG and Greybrook acquired 2407 NW 2nd Ave. for $11.5 million from a JV between RedSky Capital and JZ Capital Partners. The PMG and Greybrook JV acquired 1.6-acres at 2421-2455 NW 2nd Ave. in August 2019 for $46 million from the Doris D. Friedopfer Trust. Society Wynwood is part of PMG’s social community initiatives and when complete will span 522,008 square feet.

Society Wynwood will include 326 residential units, 41,258 square feet of retail space, 211 parking spaces and a 3,980 square feet underground lounge. The unit breakdown includes 96 studios spanning 410 square feet, 30 one-bedroom units spanning 654 square feet, 72 two-bedroom units spanning 780 square feet, 114 three-bedroom units spanning 1,190 square feet, and 6 four-bedroom units spanning 1,370 square feet. The building is designed by MKDA and features an interior courtyard, rooftop bar and restaurant, rooftop pool and spa deck with an outdoor theater, yoga area and BBQ area. The project will also feature murals on the side painted by Alexandre Farto, paying homage to Wynwood’s street art culture. Additionally, PMG will contribute to the Wynwood Public Benefit Trust Fund in exchange for a parking reduction of 192 parking spaces. The transit oriented project already benefited from a 30% parking reduction due to proximity to public transportation.

Scott Sherman’s Tricera Capital has a deal to acquire the commercial spaces upon completion of the project. PMG plans to break ground on Society Wynwood project in early 2021.

Royal Palm Companies Acquires 1.53-Acre Future Site of Legacy Hotel & Residences In Miami Worldcenter For $33.9 Million

Miami Worldcenter Associates, the master developer behind Miami Worldcenter, the $4 billion, 27-acre mixed-use development under construction in the heart of Downtown Miami, has sold a 1.53-acre parcel to Royal Palm Companies (RPC). The transaction includes 66,656 square feet of developable land that was sold for $33.9 million. The property, which is situated at 942 Northeast First Avenue, will be home to the Legacy Hotel & Residences, a 50-story mixed-use tower with 274 branded residences atop a 256-room hotel. The Cushman & Wakefield team of Robert Given, Troy Ballard and James Quinn represented the seller, Miami Worldcenter Associates, in the transaction.

Legacy Hotel & Residences’ developer, Dan Kodsi of RPC, previously partnered with Miami Worldcenter Associates developers, led by Nitin Motwani and Art Falcone, on the newly completed Paramount Miami Worldcenter luxury condominium tower, which opened to residents in 2019 across the street.

“Legacy Hotel & Residences is one of our most anticipated developments. The project’s iconic architecture and state-of-the-art amenities featuring a world-class restaurant and medical facility are just some of the components that will make it a standout addition to our city-within-a-city at Miami Worldcenter,” said Nitin Motwani, Managing Partner of Miami Worldcenter Associates. “We’re committed to working with best-in-class developers to create a diverse and vibrant eco-system for the ultimate live, work, play Miami experience, and our recent collaboration with Dan Kodsi on Paramount is a testament to that vision.”

Legacy Hotel & Residences will feature first-of-its-kind amenities and offerings, including a sophisticated members-only international business lounge, a dramatic Singapore-inspired cantilevered pool, downtown’s largest hotel pool deck set on one acre, a highly-anticipated 100,000 square foot medical and wellness center, and stylish microLUXE residences – all topped with the project’s signature amenity: the city’s first enclosed rooftop atrium, taking up the top seven floors of the tower.

“We are looking forward to breaking ground in early 2021 on what we expect will be one of the iconic centerpieces of Miami Worldcenter,” said Dan Kodsi, CEO of RPC. “Legacy Hotel & Residences is setting the stage for the future of mixed-use developments and branded-residences that prioritize health and wellness without sacrificing luxury lifestyle experiences and resort-style amenities that discerning homeowners and travelers are accustomed to.”

The Miami Worldcenter master plan, delivering in phases, features an array of residential, commercial and hospitality uses. These include approximately 300,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space; the 60-story Paramount Miami Worldcenter condominium tower; Caoba, a 444-unit apartment tower that opened in 2019; a 348-room CitizenM hotel which is now under construction; and Bezel, a 434-unit rental tower by ZOM Living which is also underway. In addition, Hines is preparing to build a new tower that will comprise up to 500,000 square feet of Class A office space and MDM Group is planning a 1,700-room Marriott Marquis hotel and adjacent 600,000 square foot expo center.

Miami Worldcenter occupies 10 city blocks within walking distance of Museum Park, home to Perez Art Museum Miami and the Frost Museum of Science; AmericanAirlines Arena; the Adrienne Arsht Performing Arts Center; and Miami-Dade College’s Downtown Miami campus. It is also adjacent to Virgin Trains’ MiamiCentral station, which will soon offer direct train service to Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Orlando, together with access to TriRail, the Metromover and the Metrorail, making Miami Worldcenter the largest and most-connected transit-oriented development in Florida.

Lennar Acquires Pine Isles Mobile Home Community In Homestead For $29 Million

Lennar Homes (NYSE: LEN) has acquired the former site of Pine Isles Mobile Home Community in Homestead for $29 million. The property is located at 28600 SW 132nd Ave. and spans 42.7 acres. Pines Isles Mobile Home Community serviced seniors and was disbanded in 2019 before the site was rezoned for the development of 456 single-family homes. The seller was MAC Thirteen LLC, an entity tied to Rolando Delgado of Treo Group, who will receive a portion of the proceeds from each home sold. Delgado purchased the site in 2018 for $12.99 million.

Lennar Homes has already launched sales of the project, named Pine Vista, a master-planned community of townhomes and single-family homes with resort-style amenities. Homebuyers will have 14 different floorpans to choose from and single family homes will range from 1,833 square feet to 3,221 square feet and pricing from $357,990 to $419,990. Townhomes will start in the $200,000’s. Amenities will include a clubhouse, pool and park.

Miami Beach Issues Request For Letters Of Interest For Developers To Develop Lincoln Road City Owned Lots

The City of Miami Beach has issued a request for letters of interest from developers to develop three city-owned lots on the north side of Lincoln Road. Miami Beach is seeking a developer to build class A office buildings with on-site parking garages via a public-private partnership with the city with the goal of creating a business district to help diversify Miami Beach’s economy which is heavily reliant on tourism and hospitality. The properties are currently operated as parking lots located at 1664 Meridian Ave., another between Lenox Avenue and Michigan Avenue, and a lot at the southwest corner of 17th Street and Lenox Avenue. The development sites span a total of 3.35 acres can be combined to develop up to 383,439 square feet of office space. Voters would still have to approve any project on city owned land through a referendum. Developers must submit letters of intent by 3 PM on January 11.

AvalonBay Communities Acquires South Miami Winn-Dixie Site For $18.95 Million

AvalonBay Communities, led by CEO Timothy Naughton, has acquired a South Miami Winn-Dixie site located at 5850 SW 73rd Street for $18.95 million. The seller was a joint venture between entities tied to the Bacardi family and Alta Development, led by Henry Pino, who had acquired the property in 2007 for $14.5 million.

The 1.9 acre site has approval to build a 9-story mixed-use project with 283 apartment units and a 36,395 square foot grocery store designed by Corwil Architects. The residential component would feature a pool dec and 8,000 square feet of amenity space, along with the development offer 400 parking spaces. The new building would replace a 20,664 square foot Winn-Dixie which was built in 1962. The site is located just a few block from the South Miami Metrorail Station.

Ades Family Foundation Acquires Miami Shores Site To Build A Private, Non-Profit Jewish Day School

The Ades Family Foundation has acquired a 3.9 acre assemblage in an opportunity zone near Miami Shores for $5.3 million. The foundation plans to build a 60,000 square foot private, non-profit, Jewish day school which is anticipated to open in 2023. The transaction was overseen by Jamie Rose Maniscalco with Apex Capital Realty, who represented both the buyer and the sellers, the Peroni Family Trust and Sunshine Realty Enterprise. The assemblage is located at 855, 975 and 995 Northwest 95th Street as well as a second assemblage located at 900, 910 and 920 Northwest 96th Street. The Ades Family Foundation is a philanthropic foundation led by Daniel Andes, managing partner and CIO of the Aventura-based Kawa Capital Management.