Villa Miami Launches Sales To Select Brokers At Contessa Miami Posted on May 10, 2023May 10, 2023 by Sarah Elles Boggs The all-star development team of the upcoming Villa Miami in Edgewater has officially launched sales to a select group of Miami brokers and agents. Hosted by Contessa Ristorante Miami, the latest outpost of development partner Major Food Group, agents were able to hear the latest information about the project from the partners themselves. We were honored to be included to the chic presentation. This project is particularly interesting as it is the first real estate venture for Major Food Group, the iconic hospitality conglomerate. Their concepts include 18 eateries with locations around the world. Contessa Ristorante is the newest of six concepts that have outposts in Miami and fits in perfectly to the Design District with its elegant yet energetic atmosphere. Villa Miami has received quite the welcome into the Miami real estate scene, as its value proposition is entirely unique. Both Terra and 1000 Group are pros at bringing sophisticated and unique properties to us, so what more could we expect? 1000 Group’s portfolio includes the iconic One Thousand Museum condos, designed by Zaha Hadid. Terra Group is also making waves with its recent purchase of the original Miami Herald site just south of where Villa Miami will be built. Rendering of Villa Miami Villa Miami will be a 55-story tower with 49 residential levels. There will also be 3 levels of amenities and an exclusive lifestyle club all designed by Charles & Co. The building itself was designed by ODP Architects, also responsible for Downtown’s One Thousand Museum as well as Paramount Miami Worldcenter. The grounds and greens are all designed by a household name, Enzo Enea. Of course, the amenities we would expect including 24-hour doorman, concierge, security and valet, private workspaces and boardroom, fully-equipped wellness center with staffed fitness center and spa will all be offered. There will be a club and library with lounge rooms, a dedicated family lounge, a screening room and a game room… but there are also many amenities that you cannot find elsewhere. Rendering of Villa Miami Entrance With Major Food Group as a development partner, they will be curating the food and beverage experiences throughout the building. There will be a new signature restaurant spanning 2 levels that offers waterfront dining and private dining rooms, at-home private chef services and cooking lessons, and of course catering. A juice bar and coffee lounge awaits you in the morning as you rush off to your day, or poolside dining and drinks as you lounge. The on-site Estate Manager and In-House Curator will coordinate all personal needs including maid service, in-home grocery stocking, preferred event tickets and reservations as well as charging privileges across all Major Food Group restaurants. Safety deposit boxes and private vaults are also available. Should you wish to come and go via air or water, there is also a private dock with boat slip as well as a helipad. Rendering of Villa Miami Indoor Outdoor Flow Through to Balcony Inside the residential portion of the tower, there will be a total of 72 residences consisting of half-floor homes with 3 to 4 bedrooms and full-floor homes with 4 to 5 bedrooms. Each residence flows through the building, experiencing both sunrise and sunset views as well as view of the Biscayne Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean. At night you will see both the glittering lights of Downtown Miami and Miami Beach. The residences themselves offer spacious layouts with integrated kitchens designed by Mario Carbone himself. They have La CornuFe dual-fuel ranges with gas cooktops, convection ovens, even pasta cookers. Rendering of Villa Miami Kitchen The primary suites are quite spacious with lounge areas, private terrace access, atelier-style dressing rooms. The primary spas are encapsulated with Greige Onyx porcelain walls, fluted glass shower doors and oversized soaking tubs. Rendering of Villa Miami Primary Bathroom Prices for Villa Miami begin at $4.5 million up to $30 million. You may find an overview of the project, including floor plans, details on finishes and the building layout on our Villa Miami page here. If you are interested in a presentation, more details on Villa Miami Residences and/or specific pricing, please contact Michael Light, Broker and Executive Director of Luxury Sales at Douglas Elliman, the exclusive broker for the project. You may reach Michael directly at (786) 566-1700 or via email at michael@miamiluxuryhomes.com. Photo credit: Villa Miami
Juggernauts Groot Hospitality And Tao Group Team Up In Edgewater With Casadonna Posted on March 29, 2023March 30, 2023 by Sarah Elles Boggs With news like this, it’s no wonder Miami has been named Bon Appetit’s “Food City of the Year.” The two highest-grossing entertainment conglomerates are partnering up to bring Casadonna to Edgewater. The name “Casadonna” is clearly a nod to the location. Meaning “house of women” in Italian, the new eatery will be housed in the historic waterfront Miami Women’s Club located at 1737 North Bayshore Drive. “This is an entirely clean sheet concept for Groot Hospitality from every angle,” said David Grutman, founder of Groot Hospitality. “With Tao Group, this is a true hospitality meets hospitality partnership. We see Casadonna as a new classic on Miami’s Biscayne Bay, delivering best-in-class coastal Italian cuisine from an important landmark within the city. It’s full of heritage and history, yet, with what we’ve done, it feels totally new at the same time.” Beginning this summer, Casadonna will offer an inspired menu with traditional dishes from the Italian Riviera including Naples, Taormina, Bari, Positano and Gaeta all presented in a contemporary way. Longtime collaborator Ken Fulk has designed an elegant indoor/outdoor dining and bar areas with paned and vaulted windows surrounding an atrium with soaring ceilings, elaborate chandeliers and the original iron gates. Rendering of Groot Hospitality Tao Hospitality Casadonna Miami Patio Looking at Restaurant Magazine’s annual list of the top 100 grossing restaurants in the United States, you will find a list that is riddled with appearances from both Groot Hospitality and the New York-based Tao Group Hospitality. Under the Groot umbrella are such Miami staples as LIV Nightclub (the highest grossing nightclub in the United States), Komodo (the #1 highest grossing restaurant for 2022), Swan, Papi Steak, Key Club, Strawberry Moon (a partnership with Pharrell Williams), and Gekko (a Brickell partnership with Bad Bunny). Tao Group is a household name in both the New York and Las Vegas markets with 30 locations in New York City alone including LAVO, Beauty and Essex and it’s namesake Tao. In December 2022, the founder of Tao told Eater NY that its restaurant group has gained such a following: “we have customers who plan their social calendars entirely within our collection restaurants.” With a nationally famous wine and food festival, eleven Michelin-starred restaurants, James Beard Award semi-finalists, and several Bib Gourmand-designated restaurants, it’s no surprise Bon Appetit has applauded Miami as the place their editors most wanted to return to for a culinary adventure. “The always-evolving city is buzzing with opportunity, and a wave of creative chefs and restaurateurs have picked up on that air of possibility,” writes Editor-in-Chief Dawn Davis, “It’s led to a spate of daring, exciting restaurants that are contributing to the city’s rich culinary history while bringing entirely new dimensions to the dining scene.” Given the impressive background of both hospitality groups and the trophy location for such an undertaking, suffice it to say that we expect a great deal from Casadonna.
Aria Reserve In Edgewater Continues Construction With South Tower Foundation Pour Posted on March 12, 2023March 16, 2023 by Sarah Elles Boggs Moving right along, lots to see here! Construction as well as sales are chugging away at Aria Reserve, Melo Group’s latest and most ambitious contribution to the skyline of Edgewater. When completed in 2025, Aria Reserve will represent the tallest waterfront residential twin condo towers in the United States. The most recent developments include the foundation pour for the second (north) tower earlier this month. According to the contractor, 2,100 cubic yards of cement were used to form the foundation of the 62-floor building. The south tower has been under construction since the summer of 2022 and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024. The entire project will be completed by 2025. Sales have also been steady and brisk in the mega-project. In January 2023 alone, over $90 million in homes were sold in the north tower, with a good mix of layouts still available. Remaining layouts range from 1,059-square-foot plans with one-bedroom up to four-bedroom plans that are nearly 2,600-square-feet. Current prices start in the $800,000’s. Rendering of Aria Reserve Kitchen Just as the interior layouts are sleek, elegant and modern, the design flows through the amenities as well. Aria Reserve is slated to offer over 2-acres of amenities that include two sunrise pools, a childrens’ play area, dog park, a mediation deck, bay view restaurant, and a “one-of-a-kind water sports deck.” There is also a solarium, splash pad, half-court basketball, tennis and plenty of relaxation areas. As part of the agreement with the City of Miami, Melo Group will also contribute almost 550 linear feet of waterfront space to do their part in tying in the new public baywalk that is being constructed along the shoreline as the neighborhood develops. Rendering of Aria Reserve Key Plan Garden Level Rendering of Aria Reserve Key Plan Bay Level Melo Group is a Miami-based development group that is dedicated to thoughtful expansion of the Miami skyline. They build heavily in the Downtown Miami and Edgewater neighborhoods and are also responsible for the beautiful Aria on the Bay, which was completed in 2018 at 1770 North Bayshore Drive, just a few blocks from Aria Reserve. If you are interested in an exclusive presentation of Aria Reserve, please contact Broker Michael Light, Executive Director of Luxury Sales at Douglas Elliman. You may reach Michael directly at (786) 566-1700 or michael@miamiluxuryhomes.com.
Downtown Miami in the News: Named Global Up-and-Coming Neighborhood; New 73-Story Proposed Mixed-Use Project; and Elysee Secures $16.5 M Construction Loan Posted on October 6, 2017 by Michael Light Knight Frank Names Downtown Miami Global Up-and-Coming Neighborhood Experts from Knight Frank carefully and strategically identified the 5 neighborhoods across global cities that are the top up-and-coming neighborhoods on the rise to buy a home, and of course, Downtown Miami made the list. Downtown Miami was only one of two neighborhoods in the United States to make this list, along with Buda, which is a booming neighborhood in Austin, Texas. The other neighborhoods on the rise across the globe were St. Leonards in Sydney, Australia; Harumi in Chuo Ward, Tokyo; and Sarria-Sant Gervasi in Barcelona, Spain. Why Downtown Miami? Greater Downtown Miami, which includes Brickell, Midtown and Edgewater, has completely transformed over the past few years, becoming a thriving live, work and play neighborhood. This cosmopolitan city which used to literally shut down at 6 pm on weekdays has prospered into a booming area where people want to live, work and play, and the massive amount of residential development, completion of urban centers such as Brickell City Centre and the nearly completed Miami Worldcenter has significantly impacted the rise of Downtown Miami. Further, the continued infrastructure of public transportation has also contributed to the success of this area of the Magic City. Knight Frank Residential is the world’s largest privately-owned global property agency and consultancy firm. Exclusively and strategically partnered with Douglas Elliman Real Estate in the United States, Knight Frank reaches over 488 offices in 59 countries across 6 continents. New 73-Story Proposed Mixed-Use Project in Downtown Miami Renderings of the Proposed 73-Story Mixed Use Project Dubbed “The Sterling” Dubbed “The Sterling,” a sleek, tulip-inspired 73-story mixed use project has recently been proposed by Turkish developer, Okan Group, for 555 N. Miami Avenue in Downtown Miami, just west of the American Airlines Arena and south of the highly-anticipated Miami World Center. Designed by Behar Font, the proposed mixed-use project is planned to include 362 residential units, 300 hotel rooms, 55,400 square feet of office space, 3,030 square feet of retail space and 9,820 square feet of restaurant space. Miami’s Urban Development Review Board is scheduled to review the plans for The Sterling on October 6th, according to The Next Miami. Elysee Secures $16.5 M Construction Loan Rendering of Elysee Miami Elysee, a 57-story luxury pre-construction condo tower planned to rise along Biscayne Bay at 700 NE 23rd Street in the Edgewater neighborhood of Greater Downtown Miami, has secured a $16.5 Million construction loan from Mosaic Real Estate Credit, according to Curbed. Securing this construction loan allows the developers of Elysee, Two Roads Development, to move along with the initial phase of construction for the waterfront development. Installing pilings, excavation work and pouring the foundation will start soon, so that Elysee can be on its ways for a slated completion of 2019. Click HERE to learn more about Elysee. If you are interested in buying or selling luxury properties in Miami, or simply want to learn more about the luxury real estate market in Miami, please contact Michael Light, Broker Associate and Founder and Owner of the Miami Luxury Homes Group at Douglas Elliman Real Estate.
Edgewater: Miami’s Newest Chic Neighborhood Posted on November 10, 2013 by Michael Light The Edgewater District, a once-blighted bayfront neighborhood, is quickly becoming a chic residential destination, attracting developers and residents alike. The revival of Edgewater has been driven in large part to its proximity to the Design District and Midtown, however the big draw, of course, is the bayfront. Unofficially, the district is bounded by Northeast 17th Street to the south, stretching north to the Julia Tuttle Causeway at 36th Street and from Biscayne Bay west to the railroad tracks west of Biscayne Boulevard. Miami’s permissive zoning has allowed for the development of high-density mixed-use projects, leading to rapid gentrification of the area once inhabited exclusively by the homeless. Biscayne Boulevard, a major thoroughfare, runs through the center of the district, offering dining, shopping and other amenities, such as the Publix supermarket that recently opened in the area. Additionally, Margaret Pace Park offers bayfront outdoor amenities. During the last two condo booms, Brickell and Downtown Miami have been nearly built out. Edgewater, however, still has developable land for projects that can offer bayfront views. As a result, developers have been purchasing parcels for the construction of residential towers, causing land prices to soar. The Miami-based Related Group (“Related”) recently purchased 4.5 acres of bayfront property at Northeast 31st Street for $29 million, which previously sold in 2012 for $11.5 million. Additionally, Related has broken ground on Icon Bay, a luxury residential tower located at 428 Northeast 28th Street. Pre-sales of units, which were offered beginning in September 2012, have nearly sold out thanks in part to a large demand from foreign buyers willing to put down fifty percent (50%) or more of the price for pre-construction units. AXA Developers and Strategic Properties Group recently purchased a 2-acre site at 545 Northeast 32nd Street for nearly $20 million with plans to build a condominium tower. The property was previously intended for a project called ICE, which was scuttled as a result of the market downturn. This is just one of a few properties given new life due to the sudden increase of development within Edgewater. In addition, Mckafka Development Group (“Mckafka”) foreclosed on a mortgage they held on 623 Northeast 27th Street. They acquired the note for this property nearly two years ago for $2.1 million. Mckafka developed plans to build a 90-unit building called The Crimson on this property, for which they are currently taking reservations. The Melo Group (“Melo”), a family-run development firm, has been on the leading edge of the development of the Edgewater neighborhood. Melo has been buying land in Edgewater since 2001, and has already developed 10 rental and condo projects totaling 1,700 units, with land holdings sufficient for 2,800. Skyview, Melo’s most recent completed project is a 32-story, 258-unit apartment building located at 425 Northeast 22nd Street. Also, Melo is close to breaking ground on Bay House, a 36-story condominium tower with 164 units, located at 600 Northeast 27th Street on a 1-acre site purchased last year for $5.5 million. Melo also just obtained $22 million in financing for 26 Plaza Tower, a 12-story condominium project, located at 162 Northeast 25th Street, which broke ground last month. With prices averaging between $450 – $550 per square foot in Downtown Miami and Brickell, buyers are finding it difficult to find a “deal”. Projects such as Bay House, The Crimson, Biscayne Beach, Paraiso Bay and Icon Bay are providing buyers the opportunity to buy brand-new construction starting under $400 per square foot WITH spectacular views of Biscayne Bay. Seeing where Edgewater is heading, securing a condo in one of these new towers now is like being able to “see ahead of the curve” with regards to future value. If you, or someone you know, are interested in purchasing a condo in Edgewater, please contact me. I appreciate the opportunity to earn your business. Here are some additional photos of new condo towers in Edgewater: Biscayne Beach Residences Bay House Condos The Crimson Residences Paraiso Bay Residences Icon Bay Condos