One Thousand Museum’s Likely Impact on the Neighborhood

January 8, 2013

Last month, it was announced that world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid has been appointed to design a luxury skyscraper in a neighborhood of Downtown Miami know as Park West.  The residential high-rise, known as One Thousand Museum, will be developed by Gregg Covin, the developer behind Ten Museum Park, and Louis Birdman.  The planned project will be erected in what is the current location of a BP gas station which neighbors Ten Museum Park at the intersection of Biscayne Boulevard and Northeast 10 Street.  Sales information is expected to be released during the first half of 2013.

There always seems to be a sense of excitement surrounding the announcement of a new development in Miami and the news of 1000 Biscayne Tower was no different.  Not everyone, however, shares the same sentiment.   Residents in the immediate area are not always thrilled about the inevitable noise, traffic congestion and their views potentially becoming obstructed due to the new construction.  Taken yesterday evening, the picture above shows not only the site of the BP gas station but also its neighboring condo developments – 900 Biscayne Bay to the south and Ten Museum Park to the north.  Due to their proximity, it should be clearly discernible that views in each high-rise from units closest to 1000 Biscayne Tower will be significantly affected.  To be exact, there are three lines in each development which will have their views hindered: the 08, 10 and 12 lines at 900 Biscayne Bay and the 01, 07 and 08 lines at Ten Museum Park. The following site plans illustrate where these lines reside on each building.

Below is my assessment on how the view of each of these lines will be affected:

900 Biscayne Bay

• 08 line – Earlier this morning, I showed an 08 line at 900 Biscayne Bay and made sure to make a mental note of what the view looked like from the living room.  In this floor plan, the master bedroom is to the left of the living room and the second bedroom is to the right, with all three rooms facing in the same direction.  Of the three lines at 900 Biscayne Bay that will be affected by the erection of 1100 Biscayne Tower, the 08 line will be affected the least.  Notice the setback that Ten Museum Park has from the sidewalk.  1000 Biscayne Tower will have a similar setback and, therefore, the water view from the 08 line will, for the most part, not be obstructed.  Having a massive building directly in your line of view is definitely less than optimal but at least these residents won’t have their water view compromised.
• 12 line – At first glance, it might appear that the 12 line will have their views most adversely affected due to it being the furthest line away from the street but that’s not the case.  There’s no doubt that its water view will be most compromised of the three lines but one must remember that this uniquely situated floor plan also has views to the south and west.  The west view at night is stunning and the development of 1000 Biscayne Tower will in no way take anything away from that.  These residents will still be able to enjoy a view of the sunset from within their unit and should still be able to enjoy a view of the sunrise from their balcony.
• 10 line – In my opinion, residents who live in a 10 line at 900 Biscayne Bay have the most to lose in regards to their view being obstructed if a high-rise is indeed constructed on the current site of the BP gas station.  The 10 line is boxed in on either side by the 08 and 12 lines and will look directly into the southern end of 1000 Biscayne Tower.  Their water view will likely go from unimpressive to highly obstructed in a jiffy.  Any semblance of a view that might remain will be further compromised by the almost certain development of the Miami Herald site in the future.

Ten Museum Park

The impact such a development will have on the views of the units located on the southern end of Ten Museum Park is much easier to assess.  The footprint of the building is perfectly symmetrical and, therefore, the units located on the northern end which look into Marquis Residences serve as a perfect example for what views will look like from the 01, 07 and 08 lines in the future if a development is constructed at the site in question.

• 01 line – This line offers a direct water view and the water view will in no way be affected by the development of 1000 Biscayne Tower.  Privacy from the living room might be a concern but it’s nothing that solar shades or long curtains can’t fix.  Besides, privacy at this end of the building hasn’t been expected since 900 Biscayne Bay began closings in 2008.  Take a tour of an 04 line to get a sense for what it will feel like to have a building so close.
• 07 line – Like the 12 line at 900 Biscayne Bay, this line offers a view to the south and west.  Its southern view will be compromised but its view to the west will be unaffected.  Your view of the water will be slight at best.  Take a tour of an 06 line to see what I mean.
• 08 line – The view from the 08 line will be obstructed the most by the development of 1000 Biscayne Tower.  Residents will look right smack into the northern end of the planned high-rise.  The 05 line will give you an uncanny feel for what life will be like having a view of the side of a building.

Within the past five years, Park West, the neighborhood name given to the area immediately west of the upcoming Museum Park, has undergone a transformation that has been nothing short of amazing.  One could argue that the addition of 1000 Biscayne Tower, as well as the oft-mentioned 700 Biscayne Bay which will be located just south of Marina Blue, is just another step in the progression of Downtown Miami.  Such additions should no doubt strengthen Park West’s positioning as one of Miami’s most luxurious neighborhoods.  I wrote about this inevitable progression in a blog post back in July 2007.  In it, I referred to the neighborhood’s development as Miami’s equivalent to Manhattan’s Park Avenue.  There’s no question that Park West has not yet arrived at its potential but there is little doubt that it is well on its way.  While short term demand for condos in the lines mentioned above will likely wane due to having to deal with construction noise outside your window as well as the loss of views and privacy,  it is difficult to jump ship from a neighborhood that is heading in the right direction with lots of upside potential.  Across the street, the $220M Miami Art Museum at Museum Park is scheduled to open later this year with the Miami Science Museum following about a year later.  Additionally, there has been a lot of talk as of late regarding Miami Worldcenter indicating that the mega-development may not be a pipe dream after all.  If Miami Worldcenter is formerly announced and becomes an actuality then, mark my words, Park West will become the most highly sought after neighborhood in Miami.  You can take that to the bank!