We are in the process of revamping our neighborhood pages. It has been a project that I have kept on the back burner for about two years. The new neighborhood pages are geared towards non-locals and others unfamiliar with the various neighborhoods throughout South Florida. My intent is to provide quality content which will allow people to familiarize themselves with the area and get a sense for what each neighborhood has to offer.
One way in which I hope to educate these people is visually. The above video/picture slideshow is one such example. (I suggest changing the quality setting to 1080p HD and switching to full screen mode when viewing the video.) My goal when taking these pictures was to provide those unacquainted with the area the type of scenic tour one would receive if walking the neighborhood by foot. I also included some amazing shots that were taken from a boat that we rented as well as others that were taken from various high-rise buildings throughout Brickell. I thoroughly enjoyed working on this project and it made me fall in love with Brickell all over again. Brickell is truly a beautiful neighborhood and one which seems to keep getting better with time.
Creating the content for each neighborhood page is very time consuming so we are going to roll out each neighborhood one at a time starting with Brickell. We hope to have the Brickell neighborhood page launched early next week then move on from there. We are also working on a few other website enhancements which should go live later this week. I will discuss those at a later time.
MyBrickell Construction Update
I had a chance to walk by the myBrickell construction site this afternoon. 3 floors down, 25 more to go.
Al Capone’s Former Palm Island House Hits the Market for $9.95M
There is no sure thing but death and taxes – so the saying goes. As it turned out in the end, the two certainties brought about the demise of legendary American gangster, Al Capone – a person who at one time seemed untouchable. When nothing else would stick, the U.S. government finally nabbed the Chicago kingpin on tax evasion charges. He was later tried in court and sentenced to federal prison. Many people erroneously believe that Capone spent his final days locked-up behind bars . The truth, however, is that the mobster was paroled on November 16, 1939 and returned to his home on Palm Island in Miami Beach, Florida where he ultimately died from a series of health issues.
Al Capone purchased the Palm Island estate in 1928 – three years before his prison conviction – for $40,000. He used the waterfront home as an escape from Chicago when the authorities started breathing down his neck. Over the years, the property has had many owners. The current owner acquired the estate in November 2011 for $5.65M and since that time has fully restored it. Yesterday, the Palm Island waterfront mansion hit the market once again with an asking price of $9.95M. That’s gangsta!
Miami Home Prices Increase for Seventh Straight Month
According to a report released earlier today by the Miami Association of Realtors, home prices in Miami posted solid gains last month. The increase marked seven straight months of appreciation for the Miami real estate market. In June, the median sales price of single-family homes in Miami-Dade County increased five percent to $194,250, year-over-year. The condominium market in Miami fared even better. The median sales price last month increased a staggering 34 percent to $160,000 compared to a year earlier.
The report also revealed that all-cash transactions last month represented 65 percent of total closed sales in Miami-Dade County. Cash sales in June accounted for 77 percent of condominium and 46 percent of single-family home closings. Meanwhile, the national average for all-cash transactions moved slightly higher to 29 percent in June. The astounding difference is attributed to the strong presence of international buyers in Miami.
1101 Brickell Has Been Approved; Construction to Start by Year’s End
An 80-story condo development called 1101 Brickell has been approved by the City of Miami and will be spearheaded by Florida East Coast Realty. The announcement was made by President Tibor Hollo in an interview with Miami Today News. Hollo expects construction to begin by year’s end. 1101 Brickell, which will rise 849 feet, will become the tallest building in Miami, a title now held by the Four Seasons Residences. The development will have 724 residential units and is estimated to cost $500M-$600M.
Florida East Coast Realty is the development team behind several unforgettable residential towers in Miami such as Opera Tower, The Club at Brickell Bay, Bay Parc Plaza, Venetia Condo and The Grand. 1101 Brickell will no doubt be just as memorable.
For the second time this year, a condo development in Brickell has broken ground. A ceremony was held this morning at the development site of BrickellHouse to celebrate the start of construction. BrickellHouse will be a 46-story, luxury condo development located at 1300 Brickell Bay Drive, across the street from Jade at Brickell Bay. The amenities will include a rooftop pool on the 46th floor, a luxury health spa and fitness center and a fully-automated robotic parking garage. Prior to breaking ground, BrickellHouse already had over 95 percent of the 374 total units pre-sold. I was told by a sales associate that, as of yesterday, only 15 units remain. The available inventory includes a few penthouses as well as other units located on high floors. BrickellHouse is scheduled for completion in 2014.
