Witkoff And Monroe Capital Acquire Cancelled Marriott Maquis Miami Worldcenter Site For $94 Million

The New York City-based real estate investment group Witkoff, led by Steve Witkoff, and the Chicago-based Monroe Capital have acquired the site of the now cancelled Marriott Marquis Miami Worldcenter from MDM Group for $94 million. The 4.7 acre site is located at 700 North Miami Ave. The property is entitled to develop 60+ stories and for a mix of residential, hospitality and commercial. The transaction was overseen by Manny De Zárraga of JLL and was financed with floating-rate financing which was arranged by Dustin Stolly and Jordan Roeschlaub of Newmark and provided by Mack Real Estate Credit Strategies.

The Miami-based MDM Group, which is led by Ricardo Glas and Luis Pulenta, had planned to build a 1,700-key Marriott Marquis hotel and 600,000+ SF expo center as part of the $4 billion, 27-acre Miami Worldcenter mixed-use development. MDM Group initially acquired the site for $45.25 million in 2017 from Nitin Motwani who is Managing Partner of Miami Worldcenter Associates, the master developer of Miami WorldCenter. News of the cancellation of the Marriott Marquis Miami Worldcenter accompanies news of the property’s sale.

As the largest private development underway in Florida, Miami Worldcenter will feature a diverse mix of residential, commercial and hospitality uses complemented by approximately 300,000 SF of retail, restaurant and entertainment space. The first restaurant tenants were recently announced after Miami Worldcenter Associates completed leases with Chicago-based steakhouse concept Maple & Ash, etta, Laurel Brasserie and El Vecino. All four concepts are expected to open in 2022.

Two residential buildings have been completed at Miami Worldcenter including the 60-story PARAMOUNT Miami Worldcenter condominium and the 43-story Caoba luxury apartment tower. Approximately 150,000 SF of retail has been completed with tenant build-out work set to commence in 2021, and another 130,000 SF is currently under construction and nearing delivery. Construction is nearing completion at ZOM’s 43-story Bezel Miami Worldcenter residential tower and at the 351-room citizenM hotel, both of which are expected to open later this year.

Miami Worldcenter occupies 10 city blocks within walking distance of Museum Park, home to Perez Art Museum Miami and the Frost Museum of Science; FTX Arena; the Adrienne Arsht Performing Arts Center; and Miami-Dade College’s Downtown Miami campus. It is also adjacent to Brightline’s 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 one of the largest and most-connected transit-oriented development in Florida.

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Supertall Entertainment Complex SkyRise Cancelled At Downtown Miami's Bayside Marketplace

The planned supertall entertainment complex SkyRise, which was slated to rise in Downtown Miami’s Bayside Marketplace, has been cancelled after the developer was unable to secure financing. The entertainment and observation tower was being developed by Berkowitz Development Group. The tower was set to rise over 1,000’ was designed by Arquitectonica. The site is set to be restored and Bayside Marketplace can work with the City of Miami to bring in another developer for the parcel.

SkyRise was first proposed in 2013 before being derailed by lawsuits and contested use of public subsidies. In 2015 the Florida Supreme Court put a stop to challenges by community activists who aimed to stop development of the project. In late 2018 it was announced that SkyRise would begin construction in Q2 2019 with Plaza Construction having been retained the contractor, but the developer was ultimately unable to secure financing.

SkyRise Miami would have featured an indoor controlled free-fall system, a “drop tower-style” ride set to hit speeds of 95 mph and a selection of observation decks overlooking Biscayne Bay, PortMiami, Miami Beach, Key Biscayne, the Atlantic Ocean and the Miami Skyline. In 2016 it was announced that Berkowitz Development Group had inked a deal with Legends Hospitality Group for day-to-day management, guest interactions, sales and marketing, as well as food and beverage operations.

Largest Development Site Available In Downtown Miami Sells For $46 Million

The largest development site available in Downtown Miami has sold for $46 million. Known as Miami Center or the ‘Burdines property,’ it is the last significant development site remaining in downtown Miami’s Central Business District (CBD). The 92,972 SF development site, which is located at 16 SE 2nd St in downtown Miami, is currently home to a parking lot.

Mika Mattingly, Colliers' Executive Managing Director, and Robert Given, Vice Chairman of Cushman & Wakefield in South Florida, represented Wharton Equity Partners and Cross Lake Partners, the seller. Estrella Perez, with EP Realty Group Inc., represented Enrique Manhard, the buyer.

“This is a pivotal site for the future of downtown Miami because it is a major location connecting downtown to Brickell,” Mattingly said. “This deal represents the voracious appetite for downtown assets. We currently have 10 land deals under contract to close by year’s end, and there is little inventory left for the first time ever. This is unbelievable given the fact the downtown market went silent in 2019 and during the pandemic. The demand is being fueled, in part, by all the transformative projects that are just beginning to take shape in this area. It could not be a better time to invest in the future of downtown Miami.”

Based on the site’s T6-80 zoning, this is one of the largest land sales in downtown Miami. The zoning designation allows several uses, including residential, hotel, office and retail. The maximum height permitted at the site is 80 stories with unlimited height available through public benefit bonuses. Because the development site is right in the middle of Brickell and downtown, it will provide future residents the opportunity to live, work and play in a highly walkable, urban environment.

South Florida has continued to see an influx of residents from New York, California and other states seeking lower taxes, better weather, and a higher quality of life. Greater Downtown’s population was 92,235 people in 2018, a jump of 38% since 2010, according to a study from Miami’s Downtown Development Authority (DDA). Downtown and Brickell have also emerged as the top choice for the largest technology and financial firms. According to a recent report from the DDA, at least 700 new jobs are expected in the area over the next few years.

The Former Site of Bal Harbour Yacht Club Sells For Record $54.931 Million As Luxury Home Site

The former site of the Bal Harbour Yacht Club has sold for a county record of $54.931 million after hitting the market in March for $65 million. The transaction was overseen by Tony Imbesi of Douglas Elliman who represented the seller, and Dina Goldentayer of Douglas Elliman who represented the buyer. The 80,040 SF lot was recently converted into a residential home site by real estate investor Joseph Imbesi, who purchased the Bal Harbour Club in the 1990’s. Adam Neuman purchased another property from Imbesi on Bal Harbour Marina just last week for $44 million.

Located at 200 Bal Bay Drive, the 80,040 SF lot is where the Bal Harbour Yacht Club building, designed by Alfred Browning Parker, once stood. The property is a peninsula with 915’ of waterfront spanning three sides and also features 200’ of road frontage. It comes with 7 boat slips on the inside of the protected waterway where the buyer will have the riparian rights to build new docks or helipad. Land under water on inside of marina is privately owned so you have the ability to do something creative that extends far off of the seawall.

Imbesi purchased the shares of the Bal Harbour Club in the 1990s for $19,000,000. The Bal Harbour Club owned 5.5 acres on the beach, where Oceana Bal Harbour is now located and 10 acres on the bay, where the marina sits. The properties were owned by the proprietary members of the club and they wanted to sell so Imbesi bought all of the individual shares to gain control of the company and the assets that it owned.

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WeWork Co-Founder Adam Neumann Buys Bal Harbour Marina Properties For $44 Million

Ousted WeWork Co-Founder Adam Neumann has acquired two home sites on the Bal Harbour Marina for $44 million. Neuman recently sold his estate in Northern California for $22.4 million and joined the influx of wealthy investors moving to South Florida. The off-market transaction was overseen by Tony Imbesi, who represented the seller, and Brett Harris of Douglas Elliman represented the buyer.

The double-lot property spans 50,000 SF and offers 360’ of waterfront with multiple boat slips. A 14,500 SF home is under construction on one lots which Neuman plans to finish.

Neuman purchased the property from real estate investor Joseph Imbesi, who also owns the former site of the Bal Harbour Yacht Club which is listed for $65 million on the tip of the Bal Harbour Marina. Imbesi purchased the shares of the Bal Harbour Club in the 1990s for $19,000,000. The Bal Harbour Club owned 5.5 acres on the beach, where Oceana Bal Harbour is now located and 10 acres on the bay, where the $65 million lot of land sits. The properties were owned by the proprietary members of the club and they wanted to sell so Imbesi bought all of the individual shares to gain control of the company and the assets that it owned.

For more information about homes in Bal Harbour, private showings or purchasing/ leasing information please fill out the form below:

Ugo Colombo's CMC Group Sells Brickell Flatiron Sales Center Property For $6.5 Million

Ugo Colombo’s CMC Group has sold the Brickell Flatiron sales center site at 1101 S Miami Ave. for $6.5 million to Retail Ocean LLC. The deal was overseen by Fabio and Sebastian Faerman of FA Commercial with Fortune International Realty, who represented the buyer, and Chris Suarez of CMC Group, who represented the seller. The 7,688 SF triangle shape site was acquired by CMC Group in 2013 as part of the original assemblage for Brickell Flatiron, a luxury condo tower that when completed in October 2019 was tallest condominium south of Manhattan. CMC Group initially launched sales for the 64-story, 527-unit tower in 2014. The buyer for the sales center property is a group of Argentine investors who plan to develop the site and bring in a major restaurant group for a flagship restaurant.

CMC Group is currently developing Onda, a 41-unit luxury condo project in the Bay Harbor Islands, in partnership with Morabito Properties.

The Estate Companies Locks Down $76 Million Construction Loan For Soleste NoMi Beach In North Miami Beach

The Estate Companies, a subsidiary of Estate Investments Group (EIG), has locked down a $76 million construction loan for Soleste NoMi Beach apartments in North Miami Beach. The financing was provided by Bank OZK was arranged by Brian Gaswirth and Michael DiCosimo of JLL. The developer plans to break ground by the end of June after closing on the site in December 2020 for $13.1 million.

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.

Soleste NoMi Beach was approved in September 2020 and was designed by Form Group. The 1.78-acre site is located at 16395 Biscayne Blvd.

Ian Bruce Eichner's Continuum Company Closes On Bay Harbor Waterfront Development Site, Plan September Sales Launch

Ian Bruce Eichner, developer of the Continuum South Beach, an iconic luxury condo tower in Miami Beach’s exclusive South of Fifth neighborhood, is back in South Florida with a new project involving two of the last large-scale vacant land parcels remaining in Bay Harbor Islands, Florida.

Eichner’s Continuum Company close on two properties located at 9201 East Bay Harbor Drive and 9461 East Bay Harbor Drive for $29,500,000. Phil Gutman oversaw the transaction and will be spearheading sales and marketing efforts for the project. Eichner submitted plans to the city, which are subject to modification, calling for two 7-story condominium towers with a combined 142 units and 34 boat slips.

“We’ve been looking for the right development opportunity to re-enter the Florida market. Bay Harbor is an overlooked neighborhood with many of the same attributes that contributed to the desirability and success of Continuum South Beach,” said Eichner.

Presales are anticipated to launch this September with a planned December groundbreaking. The 23-month construction schedule calls for a November 2023 delivery date. As with the Continuum South Beach, this Bay Harbor project will offer the same high quality deliverables and finishes that have become hallmarks of the Continuum Company.

“Bay Harbor is a phenomenal community. Steps from the beach and walking distance of the Bal Harbor Shops, we envision a development that will offer Bay-front living with boat slips that will allow residents to take full advantage of direct access to Biscayne Bay, the Atlantic and nearby boating destinations like the Bahamas and Florida Keys,” said Eichner.

Location Ventures Closes On South Beach Assemblage For $20 Million Where Co-Living Project Urbin Miami Beach Is Planned

The Coral Gables-based Location Ventures, led by Rishi Kapoor, has closed on the Washington Avenue assemblage where they have planned Urbin Retreat Miami Beach for $20 million. The acquisition was financed with at $14 million mortgage assumed from the seller, Fryd Properties. The assemblage includes a 10,697 SF retail property at 1260 Washington Ave. and an office building at 1234 Washington Ave.

Prior to closing, Location Ventures has had the Urbin Retreat Miami Beach project in the works since at least 2019. Urbin Retreat Miami Beach is designed by Touzet Studio was approved by Miami Beach’s Historic Preservation Board and Planning Board in August 2020. Urbin Retreat Miami Beach will be a co-living, co-working and wellness platform featuring 60 residential units for a combined 120 bedrooms, retail, co-working space, a rooftop bar and a ground floor restaurant and bar.

New Urban Development Proposes View 29 With Affordable And Workforce Housing In Wynwood

New Urban Development, an affiliate of non-profit organization The Urban League of Greater Miami, has proposed View 29 in Wynwood. The residential project is located at 2901 NW 2nd Ave. and will offer a mix of affordable and workforce housing to help address the shortage of affordable housing in Miami. The 27,717 SF site was deeded by the county to New Urban Development in 2020 in exchange for the development of affordable and workforce housing.

View 29 is designed by MC+G Architecture and will rise 12-stories, offering 116 apartment units, 105 parking spaces and 6,910 SF of ground floor retail. The unit mix is expected to offer 30 studios, 18 one-bedroom units, 58 two-bedroom units and 10 three-bedroom units. Residences would range from 650 SF to 1,200 SF. Amenities will feature a pool, community room, childrens’ room, fitness center, yoga room, business center and a rooftop terrace with a solar panel canopy. The Wynwood Design Review Committee is scheduled to review the proposal on May 12.