Earlier this week, while scoping out the panoramic views from the rooftop deck of Penthouse 1 at Bay House, I got the opportunity to peek in on the progress being made at neighboring condo development Icon Bay as well as that of Biscayne Beach, located just two blocks away from Bay House on 29th Street. Contained here are a few snaps that I took that day. Icon Bay looks almost ready to go. My guess is that closings will begin towards the end of April to beginning of May. Biscayne Beach, on the other hand, is still in its early stages of construction. As reported by The Next Miami, Biscayne Beach completed its foundation pour on November 22nd. In the photo at the bottom of this post, you can make out Biscayne Beach’s footprint as well as the early makings of its entrance ramp for vehicles entering the property.
Two New Websites Launched, More on the Way
Miami Condo Investments is pleased to announce the launch of two new building-specific websites – one covering condo sales and rentals at Icon Brickell and the other for those located at Ten Museum Park. The former is a completely new website packed with many unique features that you will not find anywhere else. For example, the website provides users with the ability to filter inventory by flooring type (e.g. wood, marble, carpet, ceramic, etc.) – such a simple yet powerful way to conduct a property search. It also provides users with the ability to filter inventory by number of parking spaces, whether the property comes furnished and/or unfurnished, as well as the usual ways to filter such as by price, number of bedrooms, and square footage. In creating this website, my main objective was to deliver an enhanced user experience, one that allows buyers/renters to quickly arrive at the properties best suited for them. Once you’ve had a chance to take the website for a spin, I am sure you will agree that my objective was accomplished. Also included is data for pending and closed inventory.
The second website – the one for Ten Museum Park condos – is a complete makeover of a website I previously had for that condo development. The design for the new version was carried over from the one created for Icon Brickell. Also included are the same, powerful search capabilities. Additional websites are well underway, including complete makeovers for my Miami Condo Investments, Marinablue, 900 Biscayne Bay, Marquis, and Paramount Bay websites, as well as a completely new website covering the Miami luxury homes for sale niche market. I look forward to providing you with the best website experience when searching for Miami real estate.
A Tour of the Malibu-style Beach House located at 222 Ocean Drive in South Beach – Asking $14,995,000
Tuesday afternoon, I had the pleasure to drop by an open house that my broker, Dora Puig, was holding, so I could see first-hand the amazing new luxury listing she recently landed – a 7,000 square foot, Malibu-style beach house located at 222 Ocean Drive in the South Beach neighborhood known as South of Fifth. It’s not often that you get the chance to visit a single-family home in that neighborhood. In fact, there are only two other single family homes that exist in all of South of Fifth, and this is the only one that is located across the street from the beach, right smack on Ocean Drive. In terms of location, it doesn’t get much better than this. Fortunately, location isn’t the property’s only strong suit. It’s also incredibly sexy. The moment you walk into the recently renovated, three-story home, you are greeted with soaring 20-foot ceilings and an elegantly appointed, white spiral staircase. The luxury home for sale consists of 4 bedrooms, 4 full baths, 2 half baths, and includes a theater room and bar; a custom wine cellar; 11-inch wide plank Oscar Ono rustic wood floors; a custom kitchen with best-in-class appliances by Viking, Miele, and Sub-Zero; a private, rooftop deck with pool and summer kitchen; and an air-conditioned 2-car garage to boot. This is the type of property that will appeal to a special kind of buyer – one who fully appreciates its uniqueness and location, and, of course, has close to $15M to indulge. As for the rest of you, the accompanying photos will have to do.
Breathtaking Views from Penthouse 1 at Bay House
When you think of reasons why people from all over the world are enamored with Miami real estate, the breathtaking water views it offers is one that would come to mind quickly. This morning, I was given a guided tour of Penthouse 1 at Bay House – a 5 bedroom, 6.5 bath condo with 3,512 interior square feet and an impressive 1,901 square feet of terrace. The private rooftop terrace includes a summer kitchen, Jacuzzi, and, most importantly, it offers views galore – a full 180-degrees of them. Imagine yourself sipping on a Mojito while soaking in your Jacuzzi, all while your hired help grills you some food. Now, that’s the life! For those who lack a sense for imagination, be sure to watch the video below to help kick-start your daydream. The video starts with a pan of the area designated for the summer kitchen and then quickly gets to the good stuff – the postcardesque view!
Penthouse 1 is just one of eight seven units that remain for sale at Bay House. At one point, the development was completely sold out but, for one reason or another, eight units came back to the developer. In an effort to sell them before May – which is when closings are scheduled to begin – the developer is offering a rather generous incentive package. Not only are these final eight units well priced when compared to other developments in the area, they also will include an additional assigned parking space AND will be delivered with finished baseboards, paint, and choice of white tiled flooring or wood. The other 157 units in the building that were previously sold will be delivered decorator-ready, unless, of course, a contract holder chose to pay a higher price to include such finishes in their final purchase price. Below is a table showing the eight remaining units along with their price and property details. The traditional floor plate at Bay House has only five units per floor, each with a direct water view. The caveat here, however, is that there’s a large, waterfront parcel of land located directly east of Bay House. It is owned by the Catholic Church, which, over the years, has turned away a slew of condo developers with interests to acquire and develop upon that land. There is no telling if and when the Catholic Church will finally say yes. Townhouse units, located at the base of Bay House, do not have a water view but do offer the ability to drive right up to your unit and park. A great solution for those anti-social types who cringe at the thought of having to walk through their lobby and say hi to people yet appreciate the conveniences that condo living offers.
RESIDENCE
BEDS
BATHS
PRICE
INT SQFT
$/SQFT
EXT SQFT
Townhouse 5
3 + DEN
3.5
$815,900
2,549
$320
350
Unit 505
3
2.5
$665,900
1,916
$348
317
Unit 604
2
2
$570,900
1,277
$447
161
Unit 705
3 + DEN
2.5
$720,900
1,674
$431
317
LPH 4
3
3
$891,900
1,601
$557
161
LPH 2 under contract
3
3
$891,900
1,601
$557
188
Penthouse 2
3 + DEN
4.5
$2,028,900
2,766
$734
1,584
Penthouse 1
5
6.5
$2,684,900
3,512
$764
1,901
If you have an interest in any of the eight above mentioned units, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I may be reached on my cell phone at 786-247-6332 or via email at [email protected].
Below are other photos I took today while touring Penthouse 1 at Bay House:
A Tour of the Brickell Flatiron Sales and Design Gallery
Sometimes I feel like there aren’t enough days in the week to both sell real estate AND stay on top of the latest and greatest condo developments entering the market. Today, fortunately, I had time in my schedule to check out the interior design and finishes of one of the best – Brickell Flatiron. Actually, I was already quite familiar with the project but it’s one thing to sell a pre-construction condo development on paper and quite another to actually see and touch actual finishes that you can expect to find in units once they are delivered. This was my first opportunity to visit the Brickell Flatiron Sales and Design Gallery which opened on-site last month and was designed by American artist Julian Schnabel.
Brickell Flatiron Reception Area
As I sat in the reception area waiting for my tour to begin, I couldn’t help but think that Julian Schnabel did an amazing job in capturing British Colonial elegance with an interesting twist. Hopefully, that is the look he was going for. The interior design work in the reception area is to give you an idea of what you can expect to find in the Brickell Flatiron lobby and common areas.
Brickell Flatiron Master Bathroom Finishes
The master bathroom finishes for Brickell Flatiron remind me a lot of the bathroom finishes that you find at Epic Residences, not surprising given the fact that the developer of each building is one and the same – Ugo Colombo. That’s definitely not a bad thing. We’re talking marble floors and accents walls imported straight from Italy. Colombo is known for his attention to detail and knack for using only the finest materials.
Brickell Flatiron Kitchen Appliances and Finishes
First of all, I must say that I absolutely love the kitchens for Brickell Flatiron. The Snaidero cabinetry is second to none and includes an open/close feature at the push of a button along with interior backlighting. The open/close feature is really cool although I hope next year’s model will incorporate a speech recognition engine to do the work for you. After all, home automation is the future. The Miele refrigerator, in my opinion, is a welcomed change from the customary Sub-Zero refrigerator that we all come to expect from luxury condo developers. Off the top of my head, Biscayne Beach is the only other luxury condo development that is planning to deliver Miele refrigerators in place of the usual Sub-Zero.
For those unfamiliar, Brickell Flatiron is a luxury, pre-construction condo development which will be located in the heart of Brickell at 1001 South Miami Avenue. In my opinion, Brickell Flatiron is destined to follow in the footsteps of other bar-setting Colombo projects such as Santa Maria, Bristol Tower, Grovenor House, and Epic, and be considered one of the best condo developments in Miami, not only once it is completed but for many years to come. The developer still has great units remaining, so if you have an interest in reserving one, please don’t hesitate to contact me. These units go straight contract. The developer started converting reservations to contracts last month. I can be reached on my cell phone at 786-247-6332 or via email at [email protected].
Coming to Market – 1800 Club Unit 4003 – Asking $599,000
I am happy to present a beautiful, new listing – a turnkey furnished, 2 bedroom/2 bath condo at 1800 Club offering breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean, Biscayne Bay, Miami Beach skyline, cruise ships, and sunrise from the 40th floor. The unit has 1,142 interior square feet; stainless steel appliances; wood flooring throughout the living room, kitchen, and both bedrooms; marble flooring throughout both bathrooms; and a Jacuzzi tub in the master bath. The video located at the bottom of this post, which was shot just a few days ago, provides the viewer with a thorough tour of the condo.
This condo, unit 4003, would make for an excellent investment property. It was last rented for $3,200 per month and would have no problem fetching at least $3,300 per month if it were rented today. The condominium association dues are $550 per month. These dues include services and expenses such as basic cable TV, high-speed Internet, water, sewer, trash removal, use and maintenance of the amenities and common areas, insurance on the exterior of the building, and on-site building management. Amenities at 1800 Club include: fitness center with direct water views, sauna, steam room, hot tub, club room, valet parking, and 24-hour concierge. 1800 Club is conveniently located directly across the street from Margaret Pace Park – a dog-friendly, waterfront park which includes a basketball court, fitness area, children’s playground, volleyball courts, and tennis courts.
1800 Club unit 4003 will hit the market in the coming weeks with an asking price of $599,000. If you have any questions and/or if you would like schedule an appointment to view the property in person, please do not hesitate to contact me. I may be reached via email at [email protected] or on my cell phone at 786-247-6332.
Below is a floor plan for unit 4003 at 1800 Club:
Whole Foods Market in Downtown Miami Has Finally Arrived!
It feels like it was an eternity in the making but the wait is finally over! The Whole Foods Market in Downtown Miami is finally open! Well, actually, the grand opening was yesterday but I didn’t get a chance to make my way over there until earlier this morning. I must say, I was thoroughly impressed! Whole Foods did an amazing job with the build-out. For juicing enthusiasts, such as myself, this location even has a JugoFresh inside the store. I’m a big fan of JugoFresh and their amazing juices, smoothies, and shots, so this was a wonderful surprise! Included here are a some photos I took while doing my shopping this morning. If healthy eating is a way of life for you, or even if it’s not, I highly suggest you check out the new Whole Foods in Downtown Miami located at 299 SE 3 St (at the base of the upcoming rental development called Monarc at Met 3). You won’t be disappointed!
New Renderings Released for Paramount Miami Worldcenter
Paramount Miami Worldcenter is one of just a few pre-construction condo developments of which I am eagerly awaiting to arrive. In my opinion, the designs, both interior and exterior, are a welcomed change from the overdone, drab designs we continue to see from other pre-construction condo developments in Miami. Recently, three new renderings were released, each conceptualizing different aspects of the development’s 12,000 square foot indoor and outdoor spa. The rendering shown above depicts the outdoor bath gardens while the two below illustrate its relaxation lounge and spa reception area.
The 12,000 square foot indoor and outdoor spa at Paramount Miami Worldcenter will include:
Outdoor Bath Gardens
Steam Room
Sauna
Yoga Studio
Treatment Rooms
Relaxation Lounge
Nail/Hair Bar
Word on the street is that pre-construction condo sales for Paramount Miami Worldcenter are going well and that the sales center, which is expected to open within the next month, is currently being built-out. The sales center will be located just a few short blocks from the construction site.
Brickell Flatiron Promo Video
Time and time again, real estate developer Ugo Colombo delivers luxury, condominium high-rises that are nothing short of spectacular. With highly revered developments under his belt such as Bristol Tower, Santa Maria, Grovenor House, and Epic, his reputation definitely supersedes him. Brickell Flatiron, his most recent project to launch sales, will be centrally located in Brickell at 1001 South Miami Avenue, just a few short blocks from Mary Brickell Village and the upcoming $1.2B+ mixed-use development called Brickell City Centre. The luxury, all-glass tower will rise 64 stories and offer spectacular amenities such as a rooftop pool, spa, and fitness center. In a recently released promo video for Brickell Flatiron (shown below), Ugo Colombo shares his vision for his latest project. He refers to Brickell Flatiron as a fusion of great architecture and art.
Work Begins on Front Entrance to the Upcoming Me by Melia Hotel at Marquis Residences
Work has begun on the front entrance to what later this year will become the Me by Melia Hotel. Yesterday afternoon, while out running errands in the neighborhood, I noticed fencing marking off the perimeter for the project. The area located immediately in front of Marquis Residences, and running parallel to Biscayne Boulevard, will see a complete redesign, including new landscaping. The rendering found at the end of this post shows what the finished project will look like. Notice the outdoor dining area and bar for the Rebel by STK restaurant. The one thing that Downtown Miami is lacking is a selection of fine dining options. Where others have failed, I hope to see Rebel by STK succeed. The neighborhood will see a complete transformation in coming years, so perhaps the timing is perfect.
