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.

Naftali Group Acquires Miami Worldcenter Development Site For $41 Million, Plans Two Supertall Residential Towers

The New York-based developer Naftali Group has acquired a development site at 1016 NE 2nd Ave. in Downtown Miami’s Miami Worldcenter for $41 million and is planning two supertall residential towers. The site was acquired in partnership with Cara Real Estate Management. The seller was the Chicago-based Akara Partners who acquired the site for $18.8 million in July 2020. The off-market transaction was overseen by Mika Mattingly of Colliers Urban Core Division. The site previously served as the sales center for PARAMOUNT Miami Worldcenter.

Naftali Group, led by Chairman and CEO Miki Naftali, is now planning two supertall residential towers which they aim to begin pre-sales for by the end of 2022. The project would be their first in South Florida. Akara Partners had previously planned Kenect Miami at the site, a Perkins + Will and Stantec-designed mixed-use residential two tower development. A project of up to 1.3 million square feet can be developed on the 44,500 square foot site.

Miami Worldcenter occupies ten city blocks within walking distance of Museum Park, home to Pérez Art Museum Miami and the Frost Museum of Science; FTX Arena; the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts; and Miami Dade College’s Wolfson 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 Tri-Rail, the Metromover, and the Metrorail, making Miami Worldcenter the largest and most connected transit-oriented development in Florida.

Sabal Development Sells 10-Acre Parcel To Lennar Homes For $24.5 Million In Off-Market Transaction

Sabal Development, a Miami-based builder and developer who specializes in luxury custom homes led by Pascal Nicolai, has sold a 433,422 SF, 10.17-acre, parcel located at 8290 SW 120th Street in Miami, Florida for $24.5 million to Lennar Homes. The off-market transaction closed on March 23, 2022 with no listing agents involved.

Sabal Development purchased the parcel for $6.3 million on January 26, 2015. Sabal originally requested to rezone the site to build 20 single-family homes in a community known as Veridian Grove. Following the new Comprehensive Development Master Plan (CDMP), Sabal requested to rezone the site to permit 34 townhomes and 20 homes.

“We are thrilled to sell this special 10-acre Miami parcel for $24.5 million to Lennar Homes, who will make our vision for the community come to life,” said Nicolai.

Sabal Development and Sabal Luxury Builder achieved over $130 million sales in custom-built home sales in 2021.

Rendering via Sabal Development

Core Wynwood Development Site Sells For $11.5 Million

UOVO Storage Deluxe has acquired a core Wynwood development site at 330 NW 29th Street for $11.5 million from Red Group Estate. The buyer was represented by Jordan Karp and the seller was represented by Tony Arellano and Devlin Marinoff of DWNTWN Realty Advisors. 330 NW 29th Street is currently two fully occupied buildings leased as creative office space spanning 10,939 SF. The 21,000 SF lot is zoned T6-8-0 and is primed for a hotel or office project.

Wynwood has been a hot market recently as more than 400 businesses have moved into the neighborhood in including Blockchain.com, OpenStore, WeWork, Founders Fund, Spotify, Live Nation, Atomic and others. Recent notable transactions include Forte Capital and Sheridan Capital’s acquisition of 2830 NW Fifth Ave. from Alex Karakhanian’s LNDMRK Development for $6.35 million, which they plan to reposition into creative offices. In August 2021 the Brooklyn-based developer LivWrk acquired a 2.45 acre assemblage for $38.86 million and David Edelstein’s TriStar Capital and RAL Development acquired the final 13,250 SF piece of their 72,000 SF Wynwood assemblage where an office campus is planned for $13 million.

One of The Last Vacant Development Parcels In Brickell Sells For $7 Million

One of the last development parcels in Brickell has sold for $7 million with plans for an approved and permitted 60 unit condo or apartment project. Oak Capital, led by Ricardo Dunin, acquired the 19,850 SF, .46 acre lot which is located at 1621 SW 2nd Ave. in West Brickell, just a few blocks away from Brickell City Centre, SLS Hotel, Echo Brickell, Mary Brickell Village, and Brickell Bay Boardwalk. The shovel-ready 60 unit project would rise 9-stories and the location of site and T6-8-0 zoning allows for short-term rentals. The transaction closed on February 1, 2022 and was overseen by FA Commercial’s Fabio and Sebastian Faerman who represented both the buyer and seller. FA Commercial represented the current seller, Carlos Pineda, in the original purchase of this site for $2.7 million to disposition selling the site for $7 million with approved potential for development.

Images via FA Commercial

Kushner Cos. And Aimco Acquire Fort Lauderdale Development Site For $49 Million, To Build City's Tallest Tower

A partnership between Kushner Cos. and Aimco (NYSE: AIV) has acquired a development assemblage in Fort Lauderdale for $49 million and plan to develop Fort Lauderdale’s tallest tower. The development partnership acquired a 1.87-acre site at 520 W Broward Blvd. for $35.5 million from Swire Properties as well as a 2.31-acre site at 300 W Broward Blvd. for $13.5 million. The acquisition was financed with a $40 million mortgage provided by MSD Partners.

The towers would rise 48-stories, 546’. The tallest building in Fort Lauderdale is currently the 46-story 100 Las Olas. The project would feature 956 rental apartments, 23,752 SF of commercial space and 1,031 parking spaces. The tower was designed by ODA Architecture and features two towers joined by a 10-story base which will house the amenities including a fitness center, library and resident’s lounge. Atop the landscaped podium will be sunrise and sunset pools, cabanas and a yoga deck. Plans for the project were submitted to the City of Fort Lauderdale for approval in late 2021.

Renderings via ODA Architecture

Related Group and Merrimac Ventures Joint Venture Acquires Miami Worldcenter Development Site For $12 Million

A joint venture between Related Group and Dev Motwani’s Merrimac Ventures has acquired a development lot in Miami Worldcenter for $12 million from Miami Worldcenter Associates. The .6 acre lot is located at 601 North Miami Avenue and 25 Northeast Sixth Street and is currently used as a surface parking lot. The site is one of the last remaining parcels available at Miami Worldcenter.

“Related Group and Merrimac Ventures are proud to align for the first time on a transformative project within Miami Worldcenter. More details will be shared in the coming weeks.” Said the development partnership in a statement.

Miami Worldcenter Associates is led by Art Falcone and Dev Motwani’s brother Nitin Motwani. The $4 billion, 27-acre mixed-use project in Downtown Miami is currently under development spanning 10 city blocks. Miami Worldcenter will feature a diverse mix of residential, commercial and hospitality uses complemented by approximately 300,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space. These include two completed residential buildings--the 60-story PARAMOUNT Miami Worldcenter condominium and the 43-story Caoba luxury apartment tower. Approximately 150,000 square feet of retail has been completed for tenant build-outs, and another 130,000 square feet 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.

Complementing Miami Worldcenter’s open-air retail will be World Square, a 20,000-square-foot public plaza and park. Designed as a central gathering place and outdoor event space, World Square will serve as the heartbeat of the city-within-a-city featuring an abundance of shade trees, works of art by local and international artists, and oversized, pedestrian-friendly sidewalks lined with dining, entertainment, and retail concepts.

Miami Worldcenter is within walking distance of Museum Park, home to Pérez Art Museum Miami and the Frost Museum of Science; FTX Arena; the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts; 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 the largest and most connected transit-oriented development in Florida.

Moishe Mana Closes On Five Properties In Downtown Miami's Flagler District For $59.62 Million

Moishe Mana is steaming forward on plans for Downtown Miami’s Flagler District after closing on five properties in the past week for $59.62 million. Construction is progressing at several other of his properties in the neighborhood as the demand for office, retail and entertainment spaces in Miami increases. Moishe Mana first acquired three buildings at 100 N Miami Avenue, 173 NE 1st Street and 124 NE 2nd Avenue for $25,375,000. Together the properties total 50,197 sq. ft., situated on 28,750 sq. ft. of land. One week later Mana acquired the Shoreland Arcade building and 1 West Flagler following the acquisition of another three buildings in the neighborhood just last week. The Shoreland Arcade is located at 120 NE 1st Street. and spans 89,994 sq. ft., situated on a 37,994 sq. ft. lot of land. It was acquired for $29.5MM and 1 West Flagler, a 7,900 sq. ft. building was acquired for $4,750,000.

“The Flagler District is the only destination fully equipped to respond to the sky-rocketing demand for office, retail and entertainment space. We’re moving forward with development and approaching completion of key assemblages, adding historic pieces that are central for carrying out our vision for this neighborhood,” said Moishe Mana.

Colliers Urban Core Division Executive Managing Director Mika Mattingly and Senior Associate Cecilia Estevez represented both the buyers and sellers in each off-market transaction. The sellers of the first three building assemblage were SG&S Inc and Flexini Investments Inc. and the second properties were sold by Broks Center LTD.

“Transformative developments taking shape in downtown Miami, along with organic growth of quality retail and restaurants in the area, have resulted in a migration of people seeking a true work, live, play environment,” said Mattingly. “After years of being ignored by the investment community, everyone is rushing to own a piece of downtown Miami, fueling an insatiable desire for real estate in this submarket. Transactions like this are reducing the inventory available for investment, with very few opportunities of this size and scale remaining in downtown.”

Moishe Mana, CEO of Mana Common, is the largest private landowner in Miami with a significant assemblage of over 60 properties spanning more than 1.3 million square feet in downtown Miami’s Flagler District. Under his real estate division, Mana Properties, the visionary entrepreneur has begun construction on several sites in downtown Miami including at the Nikola Tesla Innovation Hub, the first building on track for completion.

“The Flagler District is on its way to becoming the best neighborhood in America,” said Moishe Mana. “We are turning the downtown core into Miami's economic engine. What the people of Miami really need are jobs-- high-paying, long-term, wealth-creating jobs, so those that built Miami into a global destination can benefit from its prosperity.”

As downtown Miami continues to flourish with the return of global capital and major developments underway, Moishe Mana intends to transform the neighborhood into a global hub for tech and innovation, connecting North and Latin American markets. The vision comes from a thoughtful intent to support commercial development in the downtown core as the demand for office and retail spaces in Miami increases.

‘The sleeping giant that was Downtown Miami is finally roaring awake after a hundred years of slumber,” said Mika Mattingly. “Downtown is evolving organically into the coolest place in Miami. What other location has those exquisite historical buildings?”

Mast Capital Acquires Prime 2.8-Acre Site In Brickell To Develop 3-Tower Luxury Mixed-Use Project

Miami-based developer Mast Capital closed on the 2.8-acre site located at 1420 S Miami Ave for $103 million. The site is located on the southern edge of the Brickell Central Business District market and represents one of the last remaining raw parcels of land available to build a high-rise development of scale in the area. Mast Capital partnered with private equity real estate firm Rockpoint for acquisition of the multifamily component, the third joint venture between the two firms in 2021.

Mast Capital submitted site plans for a master-development totaling 2.6 million square feet across three residential towers, including an 80-story luxury condominium tower with 400 residences, and two multifamily towers, 50 stories and 60 stories each, with a combined 850 luxury apartments. The condominium tower will be affiliated with a luxury lifestyle brand with plans to provide resort-style amenities, including food and beverage services exclusively for resident use. The development will also include 1,650 parking spaces and ground-floor retail on South Miami Ave.

The site has been highly anticipated and coveted for development dating back 15 years. In the mid-2000s, the site was planned as “Capital at Brickell”, a two-tower project consisting of residential, office, hotel, and retail uses. Foundation work began in 2007, but the project was abandoned during the Great Recession. In 2014, a China-based corporation acquired the site and received plan approvals for a project that included two towers spanning 75- and 73-stories. However, this development was also shelved after years of uncertainty regarding the future of the project. Mast Capital and the seller agreed to an off-market purchase of the site earlier this year.

“We are excited by the potential to create a thoughtful, iconic project that will define and anchor south Brickell. This project will transform the character of the neighborhood and it is a great privilege to be given this rare opportunity,” said Camilo Miguel, Jr., CEO and founder of Mast Capital. “We believe Brickell will continue to outperform from the ongoing demographic shift. Our vision is to offer a differentiated product that stands out from the current offerings and appeals to a wide variety of residents.”

Brickell has achieved robust rent growth and outpaced the market at large in 2021. Since Q1 2021, rents for condos built in Brickell over the last five years increased over 30% on the back of strong in-migration to Miami. While the influx of new residents to the area seeking a cosmopolitan lifestyle, warm weather, and favorable tax environment is not new, this trend has dramatically accelerated since mid-2020.

”While South Florida was seeing strong growth prior to the pandemic, it became evident to us early on that the pandemic would result in further tailwinds for South Florida. We worked hard to identify attractive investment opportunities and as a result have had a very active 18 months. The closing of the Brickell site is the culmination of a very exciting 2021 for Mast Capital,” added Camilo Miguel, Jr.

MV Real Estate Holdings and Driftwood Capital Announce JV On $185 Million Riverside Wharf Featuring Dream Hotel On Miami River

Miami Developer Alex Mantecon of MV Real Estate Holdings (MVREH), in conjunction with Driftwood Capital, one of the country’s leading hospitality sponsors, has revealed plans for the Riverside Wharf, a hospitality-driven entertainment complex situated along the historic Miami River that will push the limits of what is known today as hospitality in Miami. The 200,000-square-foot, two-tower development will offer a fully immersive Miami experience anchored by the highly amenitized 165-key Dream Miami luxury hotel. The complex will feature the rebirth and expansion of The Wharf Miami, 16,000 square feet of signature restaurants, a 12,000-square-foot event hall, a world-class 30,000-square-foot nightclub and rooftop dayclub, and a private deep water marina capable of accommodating megayachts.

“Riverside Wharf will be a destination for entertainment unlike any Miami has seen, bringing together world-class entertainment and hospitality offerings to a unique waterfront destination with direct Intracoastal access to the ocean,” said Mantecon. “We are excited to finally bring to fruition the dream and vision Miami has had for its riverfront entertainment district which until now has historically sat vacant and underutilized.”

Added Carlos Rodriguez Jr., COO of Driftwood Capital, “As Miami continues to attract new capital, new world-class tech and financial firms, and new talent from other parts of the country, the demand for one-of-a-kind destinations combining elements of luxury, nature, outdoor adventure and unique dining experiences is poised to escalate rapidly. We’re pleased to be able to contribute several decades of hospitality development and operational expertise to this truly unique development which will enhance Miami’s skyline and elevate the entire Miami River District.”

“Miami is a top international destination for world-class hospitality and entertainment, and continues to set the bar with exciting new experiences for travelers unlike anything else in the world,” said Mayor of Miami Francis Suarez. “Dream Miami at Riverside Wharf will be an unparalleled development in the heart of Miami for visitors and locals alike, and I couldn't be more excited to see it launch."

At 10 stories, the $185 million mixed-use development will rise on the current site of The Wharf Miami and the abutting vacant parcel. The 1.5-acre assemblage is the culmination of the vision established in the City of Miami’s 2016 voter referendum approval, obtained by MVREH, for the development of food and beverage establishments along the waterfront. The roughly 600 linear feet of water frontage will provide for the continuity of the publicly accessible Riverwalk, seamlessly connecting Riverside Wharf between Downtown Miami and Brickell. Riverside Wharf will take on the benefits of MVREH and Driftwood Capital’s best-in-class partners, including Dream Hotel Group’s growing success in highly amenitized luxury food and beverage oriented hotel properties, and Breakwater Hospitality Group’s ongoing success of high-volume entertainment venues.

“There is a natural synergy between Dream Hotel Group and the city of Miami,” said Dream Hotel Group CEO Jay Stein. “Our leading lifestyle brand Dream Hotels continues to expand quickly, just like Miami, offering international hospitality, vibrant entertainment and one-of-a-kind experiences sought by local residents, as well as business travelers and pleasure seekers from across the globe. We are thrilled to take part in this extraordinary project and can’t wait to open our doors in 2025.”

Riverside Wharf will transform the storied Miami River district while paying homage to the historic fishing culture of the neighborhood by celebrating the area’s beloved Garcia’s Fish Market with a pop-up seafood market on the grounds, where locals can get the freshest catch daily.

The development is slated to break ground in 2022 and be completed by 2025. It is designed by Jon Cardello of Cube3 architects with landscape design by Savino-Miller Design Studio.