Featured Listing: Bay and Ocean View Condo Unit at Jade Residences at Brickell Bay Hits the Market for $1.75 Million

Unit #2501 at Jade Residences at Brickell Bay has hit the market for $1.75 million featuring bay and ocean views. The unit is spread over 1,878 SF and an additional 360 SF of outdoor terrace space featuring 2 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms.. The turnkey unit was fully renovated designed by Sharron Lewis Designs and the residence features over $350,000 in custom made furnishings. The 01 line is the most desired layout in the building, showcasing floor to ceiling glass windows on the north east corner with unobstructed bay and ocean views overlooking Miami Beach to Key Biscayne. 1331 Brickell Drive Unit #2501 is listed with Devin Kay of Douglas Elliman. 

“The Jade is one of the best kept secrets in Brickell. It is quite possibly the best managed and maintained building in town, offering residents unmatched amenities and services with irreplaceable views that you can’t replicate with any of the new construction buildings. One of the other great benefits of the location is because you’re on Brickell Bay Drive, you avoid all of the Brickell Avenue congestion and can enter and exit through the south by Key Biscayne, avoiding Downtown Miami and the Brickell Bridge. I’ve sold several units in the Jade and in terms of design, this is one of the nicest I’ve seen in the building.” – Devin Kay, Senior Director of Luxury Sales/ The Carroll Group at Douglas Elliman.

PROFILE Exclusive: Inside One Thousand Museum with Louis Birdman, Co-Developer Behind The Uber-Lux, Zaha Hadid-Designed Futuristic Tower

PROFILEmiami had the exclusive opportunity to sit down with Louis Birdman, one of the co-developers behind One Thousand Museum by Zaha Hadid Architects, to discuss the futuristic, ultra-luxury, condo tower. Louis tackles everything from working with legendary architect Zaha Hadid, to tackling the luxury market and the unique GFRC exoskeleton design that makes up the tower's unique, skyline changing, iconic design. Take a look inside the mind of one of the masterminds transforming Downtown Miami into a vibrant, modern, world-class city center.

PM: No developer had touched creating ultra-luxury in downtown Miami up until this point. What made you guys say let's be the first?

LB: When we started to see the market coming back. There was a period of time when the market imploded. It wasn’t just a Miami issue, it was a global banking issue. The first real estate market that started to rebound was New York, and shortly thereafter came Miami. The profile of buyers changed dramatically from the last peak in the market, where it was a highly speculative market that lots of investors highly leveraged. This time around, the buyers for condo products, particularly in Miami, were more focused on luxury. They were investors, but they were also end users. With a large flow of capital domestically and in Latin America, Miami has been one of the places that people look to invest in real estate. 

When we saw this resurgence, we zeroed in on this site, which was a former BP station. We always looked at this site as one of the best development sites in Downtown. You have Museum Park with nothing built in front of it, you have great views of the bay and great views of Miami Beach. We had a unique site that a lot of people had interest in and is high-density. We could have put 500 units on it, but instead we decided to scale down the number of units and create an ultra-luxurious property. We wanted to create a type of unit that didn’t exist in the market place. As the market bottomed out and then moved back up, the units that were bringing the greatest premium and spending the least days on market were units that were over 3,000 SF. Less than 5% of the inventory were units over 3,000 SF and many of those were combined or the premium units like penthouses and tower suites; units that made up a small segment of the inventory in Downtown and Brickell. 

We set out to create a building that fit that profile, and started looking at Miami Beach and what people were buying single-family units on the islands (Palm Island, Star Island, Hibiscus Island, Venetian Islands, Sunset Islands), and in the South of Fifth neighborhood. If we were going to attract a buyer that would otherwise be purchasing there, we had to create a building that would attract the top segment of the market. That is how we decided to create this product type in this location. Since we paid a lot of money for the site and wanted to build a few units that were very large, we knew we were going to look at absolute prices just above $5 million. 

PM: Where did the idea and concept to build such an architecturally stunning building come from? When did this all of this start to come together?

LB: Because of the record number of homes being sold over $5 million and $10 million, we felt that there was enough of the market to create that type of inventory but in a luxury high-rise building. That is where the idea of bringing in someone like Zaha Hadid came from. We wanted to bring in an architect that was very high profile, maybe even controversial, who had never done anything in Miami before. Herzog & de Meuron and Rem Koolhaas already had projects here, we didn’t want someone that had already left their mark. We wanted to do something different. 

Zaha was at the top of our list when we created our fantasy list of top architects. We didn’t even know whether she would have any interest or if we could get her to do a high-rise condo in Miami. As it turned out, when we pitched the project to her and her firm, they were immediately interested. Unbeknownst to us she really wanted to do something big in Miami. She had competed to get the Frost Museum of Science, she was one of the architects that submitted proposals and they ultimately went with Grimshaw Architects, a contemporary of hers from the U.K. I think for her own personal reasons it was important for her to do something like this in Miami. It was an opportunity that presented itself at the right time and her style fit our idea to create these large, out-of-the-box units. 

PM: With the New York building that she did as well, 520 West 28th Street, it becomes iconic to where it becomes the “Zaha Building."

LB: Exactly. That project actually came after One Thousand Museum. She was commissioned on that project by Related Companies in New York well after the announcement of this project. We got her into that type of space, and I think Related Companies saw that we got a tremendous amount of PR as a result of getting her to do this project in Miami. They thought it was a good fit for New York. That project is really nice. It is different for that area and on a beautiful site. It is not a high-rise, but it is very unique. You see the building is immediately recognizable as a Zaha design, and I have been there on a typical weekend seeing people on the high-line walk by and take pictures all day. It is very iconic. 

PM: Your background is as an architect…

LB: I’m an architect and moved to the development side in the early 1990s-2000s. On One Thousand Museum, Zaha Hadid Architects did all of the design. With my experience as an architect I am able to participate in the decisions that are being made, but they were given a free hand to design the building as they saw fit. The original design and the final design didn’t deviate very much from Zaha’s original concept.

PM: What have been some of the challenges about building such a unique, artistic structure and all of the teams and moving parts of the project?  

LB: The structure is very complex. We are utilizing a system that has never been used before to build a high-rise building. We are using a pre-cast GFRC, which is a glass-fiber-reinforced-concrete, as formwork to create the construction of the building. This formwork is actually used in the construction and left in place. It is not like typical formwork where you use formwork that you pour concrete then you strip the formwork away. The building from the 15th floor up is utilizing this GFRC as formwork and from the 14th floor down we are using it as a cladding over concrete. The lower portion of the building will be covered with the same material that is used to cover the upper portion of the building. The actual product is being manufactured from the architect’s 3D model that they created in Dubai. 

Examples of the GFRC Panel Exoskeloton 

LB CTND: About 5,000 panels that range anywhere from 2,000 lbs. to 5,000 lbs. are “dryfit” together in Dubai and then shipped to Miami in containers in an ongoing 18-month process. The panels come into the Port of Miami and are taken to a yard in Doral where they are inventoried and checked for damage. The steel cages of rebar are fitted inside 2 GFRC panels together make the column and the brackets that you see on the corner of the building. We bring the put together pieces to the building as we work on each level. It is a process that can go on for almost 2 years from beginning to end. We are completing a floor each week on average and are up to the 50th floor right now.

The process has actually gone really well. One of the concerns we had was what if one of the panels got damaged in shipping or while being hoisted into place. We have only had 3 damaged out of nearly 4,000 panels. One was damaged being put in place and 2 were damaged in shipping to the point where they couldn’t be used. We planned ahead for these obstacles by building the lower part as cast-in-place concrete that would then be clad later, giving us a head start so that we could have 8 or 9+ floors at any one time. That way if something got damaged, we had time to have another panel replacement made and shipped back over here. They can make a panel in about a week to 10 days, but it takes a while to ship it here. We didn’t want to stop and miss a pour because we were waiting for a piece. 

The whole process is being filmed for a documentary by Discovery Channel and PBS called Impossible Builds. We are going to be one of five buildings around the world that are featured in a documentary series that they are doing on buildings that are highly-complex and difficult to build. 

PM: Where does the GFRC start?

LB: It starts on the first half-floor unit right above the townhouse level. The townhouse levels have big 2-story balconies formed by very round holes, which is all done in cladding. It was logistically impossible to do it as formwork. By using this GFRC form process, we are able to create very precise shapes and finishes that we could never get out of cast-in-place-concrete, at least not in a high-rise building. Everyone was wondering how it would come out and the results are really impressive. 

PM: It’s interesting how style and technology can go hand-in-hand.

LB: You could never build a tower like this without the current technology that exists with computers and 3D modeling. Every time they make a change they are modifying the entire 3D model for the building. When we make a change as we are going up in the building, it affects the entire structure. 

PM: How do you think this Park West area of Downtown will change over the next five years and how will One Thousand Museum contribute to this change?

LB: This area is changing at a very fast pace. The big catalysts for this are the numerous public projects. The first big one was the Adrienne Arsht center that goes back about 10 years, but the planning of it began even earlier. There was also Museum Park, which used to be called Bicentennial Park, that was going to be redeveloped to create a whole arts center. The idea of putting museums in the park, came in the early 2000s. This was an area of Downtown that was very unique. It is not often that there is an opportunity to do a major downtown redevelopment and have so much land that was ripe for development all in one place. Miami WorldCenter aggregated almost 32 acres when you add in the former arena site. 5 years from now you are going to see a very mature, developed area of Downtown because Miami WorldCenter already has seven or eight projects under various stages of development. We were the last Biscayne front piece on the park. This whole neighborhood is filling in and from the point of access, we have always felt that this end of the Biscayne corridor is much more suited for the type of intensive development that is going on. The museums are now a reality and the number of visitors that they are getting at the Frost Museum of Science has exceeded everyone’s expectations. There has been discussion about getting Museum Park into a conservancy like Millennium Park in Chicago and Central Park in New York. They have made so many improvements and activated the space for people. You are going to see more of a push to continue to improve the area. 

About Louis Birdman, Co-Developer, One Thousand Museum by Zaha Hadid Architects:

For nearly three decades, real estate industry veteran Louis Birdman has taken a leadership role in the development of over 70 residential projects, comprising more than 18,000 residential units nationwide. Mr. Birdman has a significant background in property acquisitions, dispositions, entitlements, financing, planning, design, construction, sales and marketing. Mr. Birdman has been a principal investor and developer in numerous real estate developments projects throughout Florida and nationwide, including Las Vegas, Arizona, Colorado and Texas. He is also the founder and principal of Louis Birdman Architect, an architectural consulting practice that provides consulting services to developers of real estate in both related and unrelated entities. He has been a registered architect licensed in Florida since 1989 and has held architectural licenses in multiple jurisdictions in the United States, including Chicago, New York and Nevada.

Louis Birdman is currently the Co-Developer of One Thousand Museum by Zaha Hadid Architects, a 62-story, ultra-luxury high-rise condominium Tower in Miami, FL with 83 half-floor and full-floor residences. One Thousand Museum is currently under construction and scheduled for completion in mid-2018, slated to be Miami’s most iconic tower and the centerpiece of Miami’s Museum Park.

The Sales Center at One Thousand Museum

Construction Update: CANVAS Tops off In Miami's Arts + Entertainment District

CANVAS Condominium from NR Investments has topped off their 37 story residential tower in Miami’s burgeoning Arts + Entertainment District (A+E). The announcement was made August 10, 2017 in tandem with general contractor Stiles Construction and the project’s exclusive broker, Fortune International Realty. Prices for the remaining inventory ranges from $345K to $654K, with sizes encompassing 620 SF to 1,110 SF. With CANVAS being Fannie Mae approved, prospective buyers are able to capitalize on reduced deposit requirements and other benefits of the program, furthering access to millennials and first-time buyers. The sleek, contemporary tower with ocean, bay, sunset and Miami skyline views. In a nod to the surrounding local influence including Wynwood, one of the newly unveiled hallmarks of the tower will be a massive, collaborative installation involving 22 globally renowned street artists and yielding more than 200 original works of art for the building’s residential corridors and common areas. CANVAS is expected to be delivered to residents next spring (2018) after the project originally broker ground in February 2016. 

CANVAS is located at 1630 N.E. 1st Avenue, in the heart of of Arts + Entertainment District. Developer NR Investments and its principals are the founders of the Arts + Entertainment District, an enclave flanked by Wynwood, Edgewater and downtown Miami. At CANVAS, amenities include sunrise and sunset pool decks, a serene indoor/outdoor yoga garden, a state-of-the-art gym, a glass-enclosed racquetball court, Zen spa/sauna treatment rooms, and a multimedia screening and theater facility.

“Buyers have been flocking to this project from across the globe,” said Ron Gottesmann, Principal of NR Investments. “We know this neighborhood presents a great deal of appeal among those looking for a central location in a neighborhood being fueled by the arts – one that puts residents within walking distance of area landmarks and top entertainment venues. For those seeking a second home or primary residence, CANVAS represents the opportunity to be at the epicenter of everything Miami has to offer.”

“What we’ve built in the Arts + Entertainment District has been transformative…and CANVAS is a direct reflection of that,” said Nir Shoshani, Principal, NR Investments.  “Overall, this is an important moment for the city as it is another example of the strong interest among buyers to live in the urban core of Miami and take advantage of its art-infused offerings.”

Enjoy the Top-Off Video Below:

Photos & Video Via Golden Dusk Photography

Tour the Beachfront Townhouse in Surfside that Just Sold for $5.7 Million

Surfside continues to power itself as one of Miami's premier neighborhoods. A newly-constructed, five-story oceanfront townhouse at Ocean 7 just closed for $5.7 million at 9501 Collins Avenue. The home is layout out over 4 bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms spread over 4,058 SF. The townhome features amazing ocean views, direct access to the beach, a rooftop terrace with plunge pool and a summer kitchen, 10 ft high ceilings, a glass elevator, marble flooring, top of the line appliances and designer finishes throughout the home. The Ocean 7 Townhouse 7 sale was overseen by Ivonn and Richard Goihman of the Goihman Group of Douglas Elliman.

PROFILE Exclusive: Exploring W Fort Lauderdale & The Fast Growth of Fort Lauderdale Beach with ISG Principal Craig Studnicky

PROFILEmiami had the exclusive opportunity to sit down with Craig Studnicky, Principal and Co-Founder of ISG Realty and leads sales at The Residences at W Fort Lauderdale. Take a look inside Related Group and Related Companies $60 million renovation of the iconic property and find out how the Fort Lauderdale Beach real estate market is on the move.

PM: Fort Lauderdale and Fort Lauderdale Beach have seen an influx of high-end condo and hotel developments in recent years. What sets The Residences at W Fort Lauderdale apart?

CS: The W Fort Lauderdale was completed in 2009. It was designed and developed as part hotel and part condo, essentially a condo hotel. A lot of the developments on the ocean in Fort Lauderdale, like Auberge and Paramount, are being developed for the end-user. Auberge and Paramount have typical rental restrictions for end-user condominiums. The Residences at W Fort Lauderdale, by contrast, has the ability to be rented short-term. The original developer designed the W as two towers, with the hotel in the east tower, and the condo residences in the west tower. 

What really sets The Residences at W Fort Lauderdale apart is the flexible use of the units. You can buy a unit as a second home and never rent it, buy it as your permanent residence and live there year-round, or you can buy it as a combination second home and rental property. Most of the people who buy at the W use their condo as a combination of a second home and rental property. When owners are not in town, they sign a management contract with Starwood and Starwood manages the unit as a “hotel residence” which generates income for the owner.

W Fort Lauderdale was acquired by Related in 2014. Related has developed more than 80,000 condos over the past thirty years, and are clearly the largest condo developer in the U.S. After taking ownership, Related decided to do a $60 million renovation to the entire property. The W, Starwood and Related agreed to use New York-based design firm Meyer Davis to head up the redesign. Meyer Davis has also been hired by Related for Auberge Beach Residences & Spa, the Paraiso Bay Beach Club in Edgewater, Park Grove in Coconut Grove and 1 Hotel & Homes in South Beach.  

PM: Do you see a need for more hotel branded residences in Fort Lauderdale?

CS: Absolutely. We are welcoming the Four Seasons, just two blocks north of the W, which promised to break ground this fall. The Four Seasons is the most recent addition to the high-end branded residences in the area, including W Fort Lauderdale and Ritz-Carlton.

PM: So, you guys were selling strong when a lot of other projects were slowing down?

CS: We are selling strong because Fort Lauderdale Beach is selling strong. The pricing gap between oceanfront properties in Miami Beach vs. oceanfront properties in Fort Lauderdale Beach has never been greater, and developers and buyers from around the world have noticed. Historically, the price difference from Miami Beach to Fort Lauderdale Beach has been about 25 to 30 percent, with Miami always getting the premium. Today, Miami Beach is about 200 percent more expensive than Fort Lauderdale Beach.  

In the last three years, $1.5 billion in new development has taken place in Fort Lauderdale, 70 percent of which has already been sold. 

PM: Where do you see most of the buyers coming from? Are there a lot of New Englander’s and New Yorkers who want a second home and like the supplemental income and the ability to show up with their golf clubs?

CS: The United States is the number one market for The Residences at W Fort Lauderdale. The overwhelming majority of buyers are from the northeast, including New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Chicago but also Canada, Toronto and Montreal. The next market after that is Brazil. Brazilians have discovered Fort Lauderdale and the price difference between Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale is very appealing to them. They love the beach, and the beach in front of the W is the nicest beach in Fort Lauderdale. Even though the dollar is high, they love the idea of buying into a condo hotel because they get their rental income in U.S. dollars, which is valuable for Brazilians. 

PM: So how did you start to connect with Chinese buyers?

CS: I have owned my company for 25 years and we have done lots of work for developers, but I can honestly say, this is the first time I have ever sold to Chinese buyers. About 18 months ago, I started a division called ISG Asia and currently have 20 Mandarin-speaking agents working with me. A majority of China has not been exposed to South Florida and needs a lot of education on what Florida is and the different markets it includes. They are starting to discover South Florida and interest is rising because Florida is a bargain compared to pricing in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. The Chinese are only investing so far, mostly looking for income-producing properties. Of all of the properties I show them, The Residences at W Fort Lauderdale is one that they like the most because of its brand. 

When President Xi visited President Donald Trump at Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach in April, travel websites from China were completely sold out of availability for Florida. The visit was really big for Florida real estate in terms of introducing Florida to the biggest country in the world. By the end of 2017, we are supposed to have a non-stop flight from Tokyo, and by the end of 2018, we are supposed to have non-stop flights from Beijing and Singapore, which will be a real game changer for South Florida real estate. 

PM: Can they move money freely out of China? How easy is it for them to invest their capital in the United States? 

CS: Currently there is a $50,000 restriction per individual on foreign investments annually, which is a challenge. There are ways of getting around it, but it is very challenging. The Chinese government is watching them very closely at the moment. 

PM: What else does Related Group and Related Companies have in store for Fort Lauderdale Beach?

CS: I think you will see Related develop more high-end condos like Auberge Beach Residences & Spa. The value difference between Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale Beach makes this Fort Lauderdale’s time.

About Craig Studnicky:

Craig Studnicky is a principal of International Sales Group, ISG, and has been a real estate broker for more than 25 years. Studnicky began his career in New York City as a sales associate in residential real estate for JPS Associates. In 1984, he founded Steven Craig Realty in Atlantic City  where his firm became Atlantic City’s leader in real estate, cornering two thirds of the market. In 1992, Studnicky relocated to Florida to work as Director of Sales for Country Club Estates in Aventura from 1992 to 1994. In partnership with Philip J. Spiegelman, he co-founded International Sales Group. Under Studnickys’ leadership, ISG maintains the areas top-producing sales force who have posted record real estate sales. Studnicky is a licensed real estate broker in states of New Jersey and Florida. He holds a degree from Virginia Tech.

Take our tour of Related Group & Related Companies' $60 million renovation of W Fort Lauderdale HERE

Amara at Paraiso Unveiled, Michael Schwartz' New Edgewater Restaurant in Edgwater's Paraiso District

Amara at Paraiso has finally been unveiled by Michael Schwartz as their new concept in Edgewater at Related Group's new Paraiso district. Amara at Paraiso will feature bayfront dining with cuisine that is an ode to Michael Schwartz's "love letter to Miami" with a menu featuring tropical items from their wood grill and Josper charcoal grill oven with influence from coastal and Latin American cuisine including meats, fish, and grilled flatbreads. Amara at Paraiso will open in November 2017 in the 4,500 SF Paraiso Beach Club and will feature a main dining room and bar with seating for 150 and patio seating for 70 directly on Biscayne Bay. The Paraiso Beach Club is being designed by Mayer Davis Studio and is located at 3101 NE 7th Avenue.

Featured Listing: Oceanfront Penthouse at Michael Graves' 1500 Ocean Lists for $19.5 Million

The penthouse atop the Michael Graves designed 1500 Ocean Drive in South Beach has listed for $19.5 million. The unit is spread over 8,400 SF with an additional 7,000 SF of outdoor space. The home features 5 bedrooms, 6 full bathrooms, 2 half-baths, a main living room, family room, double walk-in glass wine cellars, movie theater, Savant smart home technology, gourmet kitchen, and rooftop terrace with a pool that is currently being redesigned. 1500 Ocean Drive, T1 is currently listed for $19.5 million with Eloy Carmenate and Mick Duchon of Douglas Elliman. 

Featured Listing: South-of-Fifth Enrique Norten-Designed Oceanfront Penthouse at 321 Ocean Asks $34.9 Million

The penthouse at South-of-Fifth's exclusive 321 Ocean is back on the market. The newly-listed, Enrique Norten-designed oceanfront penthouse comes fully furnished at $34,999,999 by Douglas Elliman’s Bill Hernandez and Bryan Sereny of the Bill and Bryan Team. The unit is the top two full-floors, the ninth and tenth, spread over 6,800 SF of interior space and 6,200 SF of exterior space. The penthouse features 5 bedrooms, 5 full bathrooms and 2 half-baths plus media room and library/office. The unique floor-through layout of the penthouse comes complete with East and West balconies and 360 degree breathtaking views of both the Atlantic Ocean and Miami Beach skyline. The unit also features floor-to-ceiling glass, private rooftop terrace with a 36' Infinity pool, outdoor kitchen and fireplace. The residence also features a 10’ deep lower, oceanfront terrace and stunning art throughout. Enjoy the photo tour and video tour below. 

Take the Video Tour Below:

Photos via Lifestyle Production Group

A First Look Inside The Flats at CityPlace Doral, Related Group's Luxury Rental Apartments

Related Group has released never-seen-before photos of The Flats at CityPlace Doral, a hot new rental property in their master-planned, mixed-use complex. The Flats at CityPlace Doral is a rental building that currently has 28 different styles of studios, 1, 2 and 3-bedroom apartments available with prices ranging from $1,645 to $3,600 per month. Two other residential buildings in CityPlace Doral will include Oasis, contemporary-style, 4 and 5-bedroom single-family residences with a variety of unique features and options; and The Manor Apartments, a collection of nineteen studio, 1, 2, and 3-bedroom luxury apartments. CityPlace Doral was developed by The Related Group and opened in March 2017. The Arquitectonica designed master-planned, mixed-use community brings living, dining, entertainment and upscale shopping together. The project marks Related’s 2nd installment of their CityPlace brand and will feature 250,000 SF of retail space, including luxury living and more than 40 dining, shopping and entertainment destinations.

Inside Related's $55 Million Renovation of W Fort Lauderdale by Meyer Davis Studio

Related Group and Related Companies have nearly completed a $55 million renovation on W Fort Lauderdale, a hotel/ hotel-condo on Fort Lauderdale Beach under the watchful eye of Meyer Davis Studio. W Fort Lauderdale was developed as a joint venture between Related Group and Related Companies and the 2 tower development features both oceanfront hotel suites rooms and condo-hotel residences which are for sale and can be put into the Starwood Hotel Program. All of the amenity and public spaces as well as the rooms were redesigned by the New York-based design firm Meyer Davis Studio. Meyer Davis took a nautical theme in the redesign with sailing rope and knots, wood, gold, blues, etc. which connects the hotel's style with the amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean throughout the property. Redesigned amenities include updated porte cochère, Bliss Spa, WET pool deck, Sushi Bar, a concept from Sushi Chef Shuji Hiyakawa, a protégé of Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto; The Living Room indoor/outdoor lounge and terrace, 2 Stephen Starr restaurants including Steak 954, 40,000 SF of meeting and event spaces. The renovations are in the final homestretch and are expected to be completed in the fall.