Live the Luxury Loft Life: Inside The Ritz Carlton Residences Miami Beach’s Loft Residences
One of the most ambitious redevelopment projects I have seen is preparing to open in a few months, The Ritz Carlton Residences Miami Beach. For those who aren’t familiar, the project is a redevelopment of the Miami Heart Institute, which was shuttered in 2004 after it was purchased by Mt. Sinai.
For years, nobody knew what would become of this eyesore on a great waterfront lot. Due to building regulations, the structure could not be torn down and rebuilt at the same size. In order to keep the height and size of the structure, all they could do is redevelop the existing structure. It took until 2012 when Lionheart Capital stepped in to propose a new Ritz Carlton designed by famed Italian architect, Piero Lissoni. Why not, right?
Well, here we are in 2017, the project is getting ready to open within the next few months, and 70% of the 126 residences have been spoken for. There are still 4 remaining loft residences with double height ceilings and increased feeling of privacy, let’s have a look at these plans…
This plan is a corner apartment that has southern exposure with a private plunge pool and summer kitchen. One of my favorite aspects of this plan is the bedroom and den upstairs, making it a great guest suite.
This is the last remaining loft with a direct view of Lake Surprise. It also has a private elevator and all of the bedrooms are upstairs, leaving the downstairs perfect for entertaining.
Another of the lofts with southern exposure, Loft 218 also has the plunge pool and summer kitchen on the terrace and guest quarters upstairs.
Loft 217
4 Bedroom | 4.5 Bath
4,033 square feet
$3,065,000
This is the last available four bedroom option, although the fourth bedroom could also be converted into a study. It also has a junior master suite upstairs and extra space on the terrace.
L’Atelier in Miami Beach Receives $57 Million Construction Loan
North Beach’s L’Atelier Residences, which broke ground in December of 2015, has received a $57 million construction loan to carry them through to completion of the boutique oceanfront development.
The super-luxury development is currently in the vertical stage of construction and expects to top off later this year. Residences are expected to be delivered in 2018. The project is currently 80% sold, with 5 units remaining priced between $3.6 million up to $4.5 million for flow-through residence and the $25 million oceanfront penthouse with 8,000 interior square feet and 8,500 square feet of outdoor amenities including a rooftop terrace with a 40′ foot private pool.
Have a look at their sales brochure, with more renderings of the apartments and a preview of the interiors by famed designer Holly Hunt.
Brickell City Centre’s Rise Penthouse Has Sold For $5.75 Million
Even before the offering was able to be made to the public, an undisclosed buyer has snatched up the upper penthouse at Brickell City Centre’s Rise tower. This is an amazing sign, in a time when the news media continually injects fear and dread into our real estate market. Although the number of buyers are undeniably less plentiful, the buyers who are looking into Miami purchases are very serious about getting what they want and after you see the floor plan, it won’t be a surprise that this gem sold before it hit the market.
The duplex penthouse boasts approximately 4,500 square feet of interior space plus roughly 4,500 square feet of outdoor space. There are 4 bedrooms including a junior master suite plus service quarters and a den. There are 3 balconies, two on the first level and one on the second level off of the master suite. Each level has a terrace overlooking Brickell and the Biscayne Bay. On the first floor, the terrace includes a summer kitchen and a private swimming pool. A private jacuzzi overlooking the city is located on the terrace off of the master suite.
This comes on the heels of another recent noteworthy sale, when a South African buyer purchased a waterfront teardown for $10 million. We have learned that the buyer of the Brickell City Centre Penthouse is not a foreign investor, just a very private American with very good taste. The final sale price was $5.75 million.
Allison Ortiz from Fortune International’s in-house sales team was the one to put the deal together. She is someone who has worked with the Miami Condo Investments team for many years, even back when Brickell City Centre was just a spark in Stephen Owens’ eye. We have been fortunate to have her as an asset for our clients at Brickell City Centre, Infinity at Brickell and also Met1 in Downtown. The earlier projects have since sold out fully, but she always goes the extra mile for our buyers and the clients we have worked in those buildings have all been extremely pleased with their purchases. Congratulations to Allison on a job well done and congratulations to the buyer on a beautiful property!
Just Listed – Lower Penthouse Condo at Villa Regina with 11-Foot High Ceilings
I am pleased to announce that I’ve listed for sale an exceptional and very spacious lower penthouse condo at the iconic Villa Regina located at 1581 Brickell Avenue. It’s a fully furnished and fully renovated 2 bedroom, 2 bath unit with 1,895 interior square feet, 400 square feet of balcony, lots of closet space, and 11-foot high ceilings with floor-to-ceiling glass windows. It has marble floors in the living room and bathrooms, wood floors in the bedrooms, custom millwork, custom lighting, custom doors, front-loading washer and dryer, stainless steel appliances, and Nest Thermostat. It also offers tons of natural light along with breathtaking water and sunset views. This exquisitely designed residence is a true “home” in every sense of the word!
The master bedroom suite is exceptionally roomy with over 500 square feet including its own private balcony; large, walk-in closet; linen closet; and fully renovated bathroom with white marble floors, double vanities, and tiled stone walls.
The second bedroom has balcony access, built-in closets, and its own fully renovated bathroom.
Below is an HD video of the property including aerial footage of Villa Regina. The building was completed in 1982 but recently underwent a number of renovation projects. For example, the lobby, fitness center, and spa, which are nearly completed, are currently under renovation; the building was freshly painted within the past two years; and the “Queen’s Room” was remodeled into a children’s playroom. Additionally, a project to rebuild the seawall is expected to begin “very soon” according to management.
The unit includes hurricane shutters plus 1 assigned parking space. The monthly condo dues are $1,447 per month. The asking price is $875,000, making it THE best priced 2 bedroom unit in the entire building. The last time that this property hit the market, which was in 2013, it received 3 offers and went under contract in 2 weeks. Since listing the property this past Sunday night, I’ve gotten a lot of interest and expect that it won’t last long.
Gorgeous Spec Home at 6440 North Bay Road Reduces Price to $26,950,000
After a brief hiatus, the newly constructed spec home at 6440 North Bay Road has returned to the market with a $2 million price chop, asking $26,950,000. The home has 15,519 interior square feet with 7 bedrooms and 9 baths.
The tropical-zen inspired home blends contemporary interiors with the outdoors and features sliding glass walls throughout much of the space. There is an office, gym with outdoor yoga area, a theater and a separate 2 bedroom guest wing with a private staircase and dedicated terrace and living area.
Outdoors, there is a separate cabana with retractable canvas awning surrounded by tall, mature landscaping and infinity-edge pool. The lot features 100 feet of bay frontage with a wooden dock.
The North Bay Road home was developed by Peter Fine’s To Better Days Development, that is based in New York. Have a look at the MLS photos below..
Check Out The Virtual Reality Tour Of Chateau Beach’s $18.5 Million Sky Villa
Perched near the top of the 33 floor glistening beachfront tower, Chateau Beach in Sunny Isles, is a duplex sky villa that will blow your mind. The sky villa is located on the 24th and 25th levels and features 8,272 interior square feet with 2,402 square feet of terrace space that includes a private pool. Properties like this are too beautiful to get the message across with only photos, so we have tracked down a virtual reality tour, essentially putting you in the villa from the comfort of your home.
The villa is being sold fully furnished for $18.5 million and features 5 bedrooms, 7.5 baths with gorgeous ocean views. Here is a floor plan of the property, so you don’t get lost.
South of Fifth’s newest boutique development, Louver House, is headed for the finish line of completion, with closings expected next month. In honor of the architecturally significant building, let’s have a look at their signature features… LOUVERS.
Louvers are architectural details, sometimes window blinds or shutters, that have horizontal slats that are angled to admit air and light, but to block rain and direct sunshine. They date back to the middle ages, when they were used to ventilate large kitchens without allowing rain and snow inside. Today, they have a more luxurious application and are typically used for those who love to enjoy the fresh air of a patio, but prefer to stay dry and save the tourist-level sunburn for the beach.
Louver House’s aluminum louvers tout over 15,000 linear feet of louver blade, which is almost 3 miles. That’s enough material to form a radius stretching across the Intracoastal, reaching both the Julia Tuttle and MacArthur Causeways, encompassing most of Virginia Key and all of the islands in between the causeways.
Combined, they weigh well over 50,000 lbs and have over 30,000 screws and bolts holding them together. All of the materials of these particular louvers are sourced from American-made products from American suppliers and are proudly made here in the US.
Now that they are installed, you can see that they beautifully create privacy and intimacy, while still allowing for views of the lush neighborhood and architectural detail to the building.
Louver House Construction Progress
Louver House is developed by Mast Capital and is located at 311 Meridian Avenue in the South of Fifth neighborhood of Miami Beach. They have only 12 residences in 5 floors. The grounds feature a host of various gardens and relaxation areas, with a rooftop swimming pool overlooking Miami Beach. Each of the residences at Louver House has expansive outdoor living areas and large interior layouts. The smallest layout is over 2,000 square feet of interior space and all layouts have 3 bedrooms with 3 bathrooms and a powder room.
Prices for the remaining four condo residences at Louver House average $1,250 per square foot.
GlassHaus in the Grove Releases Introductory Prices & Renderings
Coconut Grove is getting a new boutique condo development. It isn’t waterfront, it isn’t a high rise, and it isn’t located on South Bayshore with the other luxury developments, but it is giving me a serious throwback to the Jardins neighborhood of São Paulo, and I like it.
For those who don’t know, Jardins is an upper-class neighborhood within São Paulo. It is located just blocks from countless restaurants, lounges and bars. There are museums and high-end shopping steps away, yet the homes are nestled in peaceful seclusion amongst the lush greenery and mature hardwood trees.
GlassHaus may not have been aiming to be the Miami embodiment of São Paolo’s natural elegance, but they’re delivering it anyway. The modern minimalist design juxtaposed with the tropical hardwood hammock located just blocks away from the city hustle and bustle just works.
GlassHaus will have just 5 floors, the first level has three residences with the ambiance of garden living. There are shade trees and large outdoor terraces. The 4 floors above each have five residences per floor ranging from 1-3 bedrooms. On the roof, Glasshaus residents will enjoy a fully-equipped summer kitchen and dining area, with a pool, sundeck and lush landscaping to match the environment below.
The floor plans for Glasshaus range from 1,080 to 2,380 square feet with between 1 to 3 bedrooms. Each residence has 11 foot ceilings with floor to ceiling glass. The current prices at Glasshaus start at just under $600,000 for a 1 bedroom up to $1.3 million for a southeast corner residence with 3 bedrooms and 3.5 baths.
Below are some Glasshaus renderings. What do you think?
Video Tour of 3 Bedroom Condo at Biscayne Beach
As the new darling on the block, Biscayne Beach has garnered much interest from buyers, renters, and Realtors alike. Many are eager to see its finishes, views, and floor plans. Last week, a client of mine closed on a spacious, 3 bedroom unit at Biscayne Beach. Located on the southeast corner of the 30th floor, it boasts breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean, Biscayne Bay, and city skyline from its 10-foot high floor-to-ceiling glass windows. Judge for yourself, but I consider it one of the best views in Miami.
The unit will hit the market next week with an asking price of $1.75M. It will include two side-by-side parking spaces located on the 1st floor.
