Miami World Center

I’ve been on vacation for the past week but I have kept up with the comments that have been left about the Arts District and Park West.  While both sides of the argument have valid points, I tend to side with AJ more than the others.  I don’t consider the Arts District or Park West dangerous.  It may have some shady characters at night but which neighborhood in a large city doesn’t?  When I lived in Chicago, I lived in a neighborhood called the Gold Coast for a few years.  It was, and still is, one of the best neighborhoods in Chicago.  A mile away, however, was the housing project called Cabrini Green which had the reputation for being one of the worst neighborhoods in the NATION!

Cabrini Green has since been relocated to another area.  My point is that large cities take time to transition.  Park West and the Arts District of Miami are in their early stages of transitioning.  There are several proposed city improvements for these two neighborhoods that will transform them.  One of these proposed improvements is the Miami World Center.  Take a look at their website to view various renderings of what the area behind 900 Biscayne Bay, Ten Museum Park and Marina Blue will look like once this plan is implemented.  Again, it will take some time, however.  The Miami World Center plan will probably not become a realization for another 5-7 years but when it does it will provide the infrastructure that is much needed in that area.  My bet is that Edgewater and Park West will be among the best neighborhoods to live in about 10 years.

Update: The Mall at Miami Worldcenter is scheduled to break ground by the end of 2014.  Reservations for condos at Paramount Miami Worldcenter will start on November 18, 2014.

The Ivy – A Photo Tour

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit The Ivy for the first time.  The Ivy is located on the Miami River just west of Downtown Miami in the only riverfront gated community.  I was given a tour of the amenities and a two bedroom condo.  As always, I brought my digital camera with me to shoot pictures to share with my readers. You’ll notice in the pictures below a heavy use of the colors white and green throughout the common areas at The Ivy.

Below, you will find a shot of the lobby at The Ivy:

The arcade room with ping pong and air hockey tables:

The billiards room at The Ivy:

The entrance to the women’s spa at The Ivy:

A shot of the shower, sauna and steam room at The Ivy:

A seating area off the spa:

The state-of-the-art fitness center at The Ivy:

An aerial shot of the lap and resort-style pool as well as the hot tub at The Ivy:

The grass-covered volleyball court:

The barbecue area at The Ivy:

The residents of the condominium buildings located within the gated riverfront communities such as The Ivy, Mint, Wind and Cima will be able to share the planned soccer field and tennis courts.  The shot below, located just north of The Ivy, is of the site where that will reside:

The clubroom at The Ivy:

Another shot of the clubroom:

The condos at The Ivy come “decorator-ready”.  Below is a shot of the kitchen which comes with stainless steel appliances.  The wrapping had still not been uncovered on the refrigerator, oven and dishwasher in this unit.

My favorite part of the condos at The Ivy is the glass shower wall with a view to the bedroom:

Another shot of the shower.  You also have a view out the balcony door from the shower as well.

The Ivy offers fabulous views of the Miami skyline.  Below is the type of view that you can expect from the units facing south:

Full-size washer and dryer:

Best Deal at Marina Blue – 1 Bedroom/1.5 Bath – Completely Built-Out – $295K

This 1 bedroom/1.5 bath condo, on the 20th floor, is the best deal currently available at Marina Blue.  The condo comes with marble floors throughout, Wenge built-in closets and window treatments in the living room and bedroom. The condo has 843 square feet of interior space, a 152 square foot balcony that stretches the length of the unit and comes with stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, custom Italian-style kitchen cabinetry and washer/dryer.

The lowest priced 1 bedroom condo currently offered at Marina Blue is listed for $290,245.  However, that unit is located on the 5th floor and comes “decorator-ready” (no flooring, no window treatments and no built-in closet).  Additionally, the view just doesn’t compare to this condo located on the 20th floor with direct views of Biscayne Bay, Key Biscayne and the Downtown Miami skyline.  The most comparable deal currently available at Marina Blue is located 3 floors higher and is listed for $319,000 but, again, it comes “decorator-ready”.

A picture of the kitchen in this condo at Marina Blue, as well as some of the living room space.

The view of Downtown Miami is great from this one bedroom condo at Marina Blue, as well as the view of the water.

A shot of the Wenge built-in closet in this 20th floor condo.

The balcony of this one bedroom condo at Marina Blue has 152 square feet of marble flooring.

Marble floors in the bathroom, dual sinks, a “Wet Room” with glass-enclosed shower and bath tub, a bidet and toilet.

The washer/dryer in this condo at Marina Blue resides in the half-bath located near the entrance.

Contact me if you’d like to view the best deal at Marina Blue in person.

Scoring Criteria for the Miami Condo Rankings Page

For detailed information regarding how these scores were created, please refer to the post entitled “Miami Condo Rankings Page Goes Live“.

Miami Green Spaces

Living within close proximity to a public green space is usually a pretty important factor, especially for dog owners, when considering places to live in a large metropolitan area. Miami is no different, which is why I’ve decided to discuss various public green spaces within walking distance to many of Miami’s new condo buildings. This post will probably be more informative to nonlocals but it actually still amazes me how many people living in Miami haven’t heard of nice parks such as Margaret Pace Park.

• Margaret Pace Park – Of the public green spaces mentioned in this post, Margaret Pace is my favorite. It is located in the Edgewater Miami within walking distance to Quantum on the Bay, 1800 Club, Cite on the Bay and the future Paramount Bay. Margaret Pace Park offers a number of activities such as tennis, volleyball, basketball and soccer. It’s typical to see volleyball and basketball games continue well until the sun goes down. You’ll also see runners dashing around the parameter of the park and dog owners playing with their pets and mingling with other dog owners. Those with small children will also appreciate the children’s park at Margaret Pace park.

• Museum Park (formerly Bicentennial Park) – This public green space was recently renamed Museum Park. It will be a collaborative effort by the Miami Museum of Science and the Miami Art Museum. Museum Park is located just south of the I-395 expressway and just north of the American Airlines Arena. It is walking distance to Ten Museum Park, 900 Biscayne Bay, Marina Blue and the future Marquis in the Downtown Miami neighborhood of Park West. Currently, this is probably the most underutilized public green space by locals throughout Miami. You’ll occasionally see soccer games taking place, as you do in the picture above, but that’s about it. Museum Park is home to a variety of music events, with the largest being Ultra Music Festival held in March. It’ll be nice to see the transformation of Museum Park within the next 1-2 years.

• Bayfront Park – This public green space has a children’s park, an amphitheater (not seen in the picture above) and a helium balloon ride, called Miami SkyLift, that unfortunately hasn’t taken off in quite a while. Bayfront Park is also home to the Flying Trapeze School and offers yoga classes three times per week. Bayfront Park is located in Downtown Miami just south of Bayfront Marketplace and just north of the Intercontinental Hotel. It is walking distance to condominium buildings such as 50 Biscayne, the Loft Downtown, Loft 2, One Miami, Met 1 and the future Everglades on the Bay (now known as Vizcayne).

There are a variety of other public green spaces throughout Miami not mentioned in this post. However, these are the ones located near many of the new condo buildings in Miami. Unfortunately, there currently aren’t any public green spaces in Brickell.

Marina Blue Through the Eyes of a Professional Photographer

About a month ago, I shared a bunch of pictures that I shot while touring Marina Blue. Someone left a comment remarking that my amateur eye didn’t fully encompass Marina Blue in all its glory. I think you will all agree, after viewing this post. Fortunately, the people at Posh Condos were nice enough to share with me some professionally shot photos that they had someone shoot for them. They agreed that I could share these amazing pictures of Marina Blue with my readers, so enjoy!

The lobby seating area at Marina Blue.

The hallway to elevator core 3 and the beautiful orange round-chair at the end.

A shot of elevator core 1 at Marina Blue.

The entrance to the Sky Beach Fitness Center on the 14th floor at Marina Blue.

This amazing view should inspire quite a few to get their cardio workout in each day.

The two hot tubs at Marina Blue.

The sunrise pool at Marina Blue and the Downtown Miami view.

The poolside eating area off the club room. The barbecue grills aren’t installed yet but they will be.

The poolside lounge area at Marina Blue.

The rock garden at Marina Blue. I never knew rocks could look so beautiful.

The putting green. I think there’s about 5 holes in all.

A shot of the circular beds off the sunset pool at Marina Blue.

The sunset pool. You can work on your tan all day until the sun fades into the horizon. The sand volleyball court was being set up the last time I was on the pool deck at Marina Blue.

Most people hate to see an unfinished unit with concrete floors. Above, you’ll find a finished condo at Marina Blue with painted walls, flooring, baseboards and window treatments. The view is killer even from this condo on a relatively low floor. Last week, I got a rental listing on the 5th floor and received an offer that was accepted after just one showing. All Marina Blue condos have a direct water view.

This is the kitchen at Marina Blue from a 12 line unit with tiled floors. The 12 line is a 2 bedroom/2 bath corner unit with direct views of Biscayne Bay and Miami Beach from the living room and master bedroom and views to the north and west from the kitchen and second bedroom.

A sick view to the east at Marina Blue.

A view down Biscayne Boulevard. Yes, the traffic may be congested at times, although you don’t see it in this shot, but isn’t that what urban life is all about? I honestly can’t wait for there to be more traffic in Park West, Brickell and the Arts District. The infrastructure will follow.

I’m originally from Chicago. A few years before I left Chicago, nobody wanted to live south of Congress. The infrastructure wasn’t in place at the time because there wasn’t much interest to live there from young professionals. Now, it’s a totally different situation. Development has pushed more south with each passing year and what was formally known as the “hood” has become a place that young professionals actually enjoy living.

There’s no doubt that the same will happen with Miami. Six months ago, I used to show condos at Loft 2 and 50 Biscayne and hardly anybody lived there. Now, the foot traffic that goes through the lobby of each building each hour is incredible. I showed a condo for sale at Loft 2 this evening and I couldn’t believe how many people actually live there now. It was a sight to see! It’ll definitely take some time for the market to digest the new inventory but, when it does, Miami will be hot again!!!

Marina Blue Condos For Sale

Marina Blue Rentals

Photo Tour of 900 Biscayne Bay

This past week, I had the opportunity to take a very extensive tour of 900 Biscayne Bay. I couldn’t wait to see if 900 Biscayne Bay held up to its high expectations. I took a ton of pictures that day and wanted to share them with everyone. Above, you see the nice water feature that greets you as you drive into the valet area at 900 Biscayne Bay.

The lobby at 900 Biscayne Bay is two stories. The first story is for guests entering off the street while the second story welcomes those entering through the valet area. The grand spiral staircase at 900 Biscayne Bay, in the photo above, takes you to the second level.

The Infinity-edge, resort-style pool at 900 Biscayne Bay was beautiful. I’m sure residents will make full use of the large bar behind the pool while sunning themselves as well. There’s also a fire pit and hot tub available on the same level.

The lap pool was closed, so unfortunately I wasn’t able to get some laps in while my clients were talking about the great amenities that 900 Biscayne Bay has to offer.

Another great water feature pictured above. This is the entry-way to the amenities found at 900 Biscayne Bay shown in the pictures below.

Here we have the theater room at 900 Biscayne Bay. It’s the best theater room that I’ve ever seen in a condo building in Miami. It has a 153 inch screen and seating for 35 people. I doubt many people will actually make use of this room but it’s still quite impressive to have in your building.

Many of the rooms found on this level at 900 Biscayne Bay come equipped with the above technology. Mount your iPod and enjoy the sounds of your own tunes throughout the room.

The club room at 900 Biscayne Bay with a grand piano and kitchen.

The conference room at 900 Biscayne Bay.

The entry-way into the men’s and women’s spa at 900 Biscayne Bay which is each equipped with a steam room, sauna and hot tub.

Tell me that it doesn’t look inviting. This is the hot tub in the women’s spa at 900 Biscayne Bay. I’m hoping that this isn’t the last time that I get invited into the women’s spa at 900 Biscayne Bay. In my mind, I already had my shoes and socks off, but unfortunately the tour wasn’t over.

Another shot of the women’s spa.

The fitness center at 900 Biscayne Bay was a nice size. It wasn’t overly impressive but it had plenty of free weights, machines and cardio equipment. I would have preferred a view of the bay to the east, however.

I took a look at about 3 condos at 900 Biscayne Bay that day. Here’s a shot of one of the kitchens with dark cabinetry. Another kitchen I saw that day had beige colored cabinets.

Here’s an east view from one of the condos I saw at 900 Biscayne Bay. I think this was a shot from the 34th floor.

Overall, I felt that 900 Biscayne Bay exceeded my expectations. I think Pedro Martin and Terra Group delivered an outstanding condo development. Of all the new condo buildings that I’ve been in that have been completed within the past three years in Miami, 900 Biscayne Bay is on an entirely different level. The quality of the building is unsurpassed of the new condo buildings that I’ve seen. I haven’t been in Asia yet but I think that will be the only other recently finished condo building in Miami that may be able to measure up to 900 Biscayne Bay. The quality does come at a price, however. Expect to pay more than you’ll find at Marina Blue or Ten Museum Park, but like I said, the quality is unsurpassed.

900 Biscayne Bay condos for sale

900 Biscayne Bay condos for rent

Incredible Views from the 50th Floor at Marina Blue

Once again, I visited Marina Blue yesterday afternoon. This time, clients accompanied me to see a 1,754 square foot 2 bedroom on the 50th floor. This is one of six units at Marina Blue with this floor plan.

Take a look at the views that you get from a condo this high. You see everything! Biscayne Bay, Miami Beach, the Atlantic Ocean and a number of islands such as Watson, San Marco, Palm, Hibiscus, Star and Fisher.

Later, we also saw a 2 bedroom loft unit which I had been looking forward to seeing for quite some time. Unfortunately, I wasn’t very impressed. To me, the floor plan felt much smaller than the 1,457 square feet stated in its floor plan. Has anyone else had a chance to walk through one of the loft units at Marina Blue?

Marina Blue – A Look Inside Biscayne Boulevard’s Newest Condo Development

Earlier this week, I took a look at an 01 condo at Marina Blue. I was also able to see the common areas and views from the Sky Deck located on the 14th floor. Below, you’ll find some great pictures that I was able to take during my visit to Marina Blue.

The sunrise pool and views at Marina Blue:

The sunset pool at Marina Blue:

The putting green at Marina Blue:

Lounge in style at Marina Blue:

The club room at Marina Blue:

Fitness center and yoga studio at Marina Blue (the free weights are in an adjacent room):

Overall, I was very pleased with the common areas during my visit at Marina Blue. I didn’t get any shots of the 01 condo that I saw because the unit had contractors in it working on the floors. The unit was a mess. It did seem a bit smaller than the stated 1,315 interior square feet. Maybe it was because of the big column in the corner of the living room.

Here are two shots that I took from the balcony of the condo at Marina Blue:

I’ve heard that 900 Biscayne Bay is scheduled to begin closings towards the end of this month. I think when everything is said and done, 900 Biscayne Bay will turn out to be the most desirable address on Biscayne Boulevard. Here’s a sneak peak of the pool deck at 900 Biscayne Bay: