Wynwood welcomes Dante’s Hifi, the newest bar and listening lounge that will have you stepping into a different era. Think vinyl-covered walls, low lighting, and big leather couches that create a retro yet vintage vibe.
One of the cool things features of this bar is that it is similar to a speakeasy. With no front door, the entrance is in the back through a courtyard.
The intimate bar and lounge located at 519 NW 26th St., Miami was founded by Sven Vogtland, DJ Rich Medina, Alan Drummond, Jourdan Binder, and Arturo Nuñez. The inspiration behind the bar was from listening rooms in Japan. The group also wanted to offer a unique musical experience and not just another Miami nightclub. Medina wanted to bring “listening at a higher level” to Wynwood.
Vogtland being a massive vinyl collector states that “It’s a real cultural thing there, having a cocktail and enjoying vinyl. “That’s where Dante’s came from. I came home and told my business partner: ‘Miami is craving something a bit different.”
According to the owner’s Medina’s album collection is what’s playing at Dante’s HiFi and that around 40% of the records are still in the process of being moved from New York. One of the best things about the music is that there is a specific genre. According to one of the owners, “there’s room for everything.”
Starting the night off, the music is very laid back and chill. After hours, the music picks up and changes into more of a club-like vibe.
Dante’s can only hold around 50 people so reservations are not required by highly recommended with a $25 reservation fee that is applied to drinks.
Speaking of drinks, the cocktail menus are focused on highball that is made with Japanese whiskey and served in a great glass boot. There is also beer, wine, and other cocktails to choose from.
Membership options are also available.
Alaska Airlines Announces Daily Flights from Miami to Seattle
Coming in June 16, 2022, Alaska Airlines will begin daily transcontinental flights from Miami to Seattle. This will be Alaska Airlines’ 100th nonstop destination.
As of March, Miami has joined Oneworld Alliance. Oneworld Alliance was founded in 1999 as an airline alliance featuring 14 airlines that have flight patterns all over the world.
Alaska Airlines currently partners with American and maintains the Miami hub for the Latin America and Caribbean sectors, so it’s no surprise with the recent announcement.
According to the Alaska press release, “Think Seattle to Miami, then onward to locations such as Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.”
American is currently the only carrier that flies from Seattle to Miami. The return of the Alaska Airlines flight will be the first time in a decade. The last time the company serviced the area was in 2012 around the same time the company cut operations to Florida.
The company will be using a 737-900 plane and will be the longest continental U.S. flight by distance. The flight itself will take 6 hours from west to east and 6 hours and 30 minutes from west to east.
The airline also services Fort-Lauderdale International Airport with expansions into Lost Angeles, Cleveland, San Francisco, and San Diego.
Related Group Announces Casa Bella Tower with Sales Beginning Soon
The Related Group is on the verge of launching sales for their newest tower in downtown Miami; Casa Bella. This residential tower will be built at 1400 Biscayne Blvd in the Miami Arts and Entertainment District and is on the same site where Auberge Residences was originally planned.
According to the renderings, it appears Related is continuing with the same design and specifications that were planned for Auberge. Those designs include full glass exteriors in a wave-like pattern, as well as the unit floor plans. According to The Real Deal, the Related Group is likely reusing them since they have already been approved and to fast-track construction.
Casa Bella will feature 3 towers and 2 will rise 60 stories while 1 will rise 50. The first tower will feature 300 luxury units although 1,430 residential units have been approved for the site. The towers will have 1,629 parking spaces and will be connected by a podium.
The newest tower will feature 1 to 5 bedroom floor plans with only 6 units per floor. Interiors will be designed by Pierro Lissoni with landscape architecture by Enzo Ena. The double-height lobby will also be designed by Lissoni and will feature a mixture of sophistication and modern designs with a permanent collection of museum-quality art located throughout.
The location of this tower places residences near the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and the Miami Internation University of Art and Design. The Omni Station Bus Loop is also 1 block away.
With the reopening of borders and the lifting of the pandemic restrictions as of November 8, 2021, we will likely see an increase in international buyers, especially for the new construction towers. Currently, international buyers are representing around 50% of new construction developments when earlier in the year, they were only representing 20%.
Construction for the development is estimated for spring of 2022 with an anticipated completion date of 2024. If you or someone you know have an interest in purchasing at Casa Bella, please contact Lucas Lechuga via email at [email protected] or by phone at (786)247-6332.
South Miami Welcomes NYC Restaurant in Summer 2022
Over the past year, Miami has seen a swarm of NYC eateries heading south including Carbone and COTE. Now we can add the Parisian-style bistro Pastis to the list. Pastis is famous for being the go-to French fare in the Meatpacking district and many celebrities have been known to frequent this famous restaurant.
Stephen Starr, James Beard Award-winning chef, and Keith McNally are the masterminds behind Pastis that have been in business for nearly 15 years. The new location is expected to open in the summer of 2022 at 380 NW 26th Street in the Wynwood neighborhood.
The design of the new location will be similar to NYC’s location. Designed by Paisely Design, the Miami location will feel like a “time-worn Parisian bistro.” Hardwood plans, a curved zinc bar, dark banquettes, subway tile, and vintage mirrors will flow effortlessly through the space. Handwritten daily specials along with the mosaic-tiled floor will bring the space together forming the vibe of the bistro.
According to Starr, “For the last few years, I’ve had my eye on Wynwood. I’ve witnessed the vibrant and artistic neighborhood transform into a booming cultural hub with an incredible dining scene. People want great food, energy, and a great location; Pastis Miami will be a perfect addition to the community.”
Pastis originally opened in 1999 in Manhattan, while quickly becoming the “go-to” spot for a-listers. In 2014, the building that the restaurant was in sold, and in the summer of 2019, they reopened and Starr joined the team.
Their classic menu includes French classics like steak tartare, onion soup, snails with garlic butter, trout amandine, filet au Poivre, and tuna Crudo.
Hors D’oeuvres
Oysters
Tuna Crudo
Shrimp Cocktail
Oeufs Mimosa
Sardines en Conserve
Artichokes
Entrées
Trout Amandine
Grilled Branzino
Half Roasted Chicken
Moules Frites
Duck à l’Orange
Grilled Lamb Steak
Lobster Frites
Dessert
Profiteroles
Paris-Brest au Chocolat
Vanilla Crème Brûlée
Baba Au Rhum
U.S. Lifts Restrictions for International Travelers November 8th-Will this Change the Miami Real Estate Market?
Since the pandemic, the Miami condo market has flourished with record-breaking sales, massive tech companies making moves to Miami, and new developments being announced every day. One of the biggest variables that South Florida has always counted on was the international buyers, but due to travel regulations, foreign buyers have dwindled.
In the past 12 months, homes sales for international buyers have dipped to 31% making it the lowest since 2011, with Florida having the most sales to foreign buyers. Although Miami has seen a surge in condo sales this past year, the majority were domestic buyers.
With President Biden’s announcement of lifting travel restrictions for foreign travelers from certain areas in Canada and Countries in South America, this is big news for the real estate market itself. Beginning November 8th, vaccinated travelers can resume travel into the United States. With this, we can expect to have an increase in international buyers.
According to the Miami Chairman of the Board (MIAMI Association of Realtors), Jennifer Wollmann, with international travel resuming in the United States in November, the expectation is that foreign home buying will grow in the coming months.
According to Biz Journals, elections in Peru and Colombia are soon and South Florida may see an influx in buyers from those areas. The Senior Vice President of the Related Group, Eric Fordin has stated that he was surprised at the number of international buyers taking an interest in the District 225 project. According to Fordin, the new construction tower has over 100 buyers that are from Colombia.
Even with the increase in new construction towers, inventory remains at an all-time low for single-family homes and condominiums. Currently, there are only 631 condos in new or under construction remaining unsold.
According to The White House press release, there will be a second phase to requirements for all inbound foreign travelers in January 2022.
The Related Group Plans for Demolition of Site for New Tower-Miami Station
In January 2021, the developer, the Related Group revealed plans for a proposed transit-oriented tower called Miami Station. Now, plans are rolling out to begin demolition and preparation for construction.
The pre-construction site located at 525-533 NW 2nd Ave in the Overtown district of Miami recently filed to begin demolishing the current parking garage that sits on the site. The remains of the parking garage is that of the Logik office tower that stopped mid-construction during the recession in 2008. The concrete shell of the garage has never been utilized.
A separate lot is adjacent to MiamiCentral Station and is also the former site of the Krystal Tower that was never completed. A separate lot next door with the once planned tower, Avery MiamiCentral will eventually be added to the Miami Station site plan.
Once construction begins, the proposed tower will rise 41 stories at 459 feet tall. The proposed plans would include 309 apartments, over 200,000 square feet of office space, over 8,000 square feet of retail, and 510 parking spaces.
Units will feature studio to 3 bedroom floor plans a well as a few penthouse units ranging from 460 to 1428 square feet of living space.
The office space will occupy the first 12 floors with 13-foot slab to slab heights. The residential units will occupy the higher floors with 10-foot slab to slab heights.
Development Information
Developer: The Related Group
Demolition Contractor: BG Group
Architect: ODP
Structural engineer: B+J Consulting Engineers
MEP Engineer: Feller Engineering
Landscape Architect: Dixie Landscape
Exterior and Finishes: Facade +Envelope
Amenities
22nd-floor amenity deck
rooftop pool
Landscaped deck
Dog park
Several outdoor terraces
The date for the groundbreaking has not been set.
Miami Dade County Breaks More Records for Home Sales in September 2021
Home sale records continue to be crushed month over month for Miami-Dade, marking its best September sales in history and setting the bar for the most condos sold in a year’s time. The previous annual record was 17,142 in 2013, while the current condo sales have equaled 17,942 with only 3 months to go!
According to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), homes sales for Miami Dade have risen 20.2% at 3,031 transactions. This is up from the 2,521 transactions that occurred in 2020. Simultaneously, we saw a dip in single-family home sales at 3.6% at 1,241. This may be due to the lack of single-family home inventory. Condo sales have exponentially increased at 45.2% at 1,790 for September.
According to the Miami Chairman of the Board Jennifer Wollmann, with international travel resuming in the United States in November, the expectation is that foreign home buying will grow in the coming months.
Miami is also on track to have its best year ever for single-family home sales. For September, single-family home sales have increased by 35.3% at 3,031 total transactions.
Miami condos sales have increased by 45.2% in September with major increases in pricing for properties over $250,000.
Luxury sales have also been in the records spotlight with a 31.4% increase with 209 sales for September. For properties $1 million and up, sales have increased 96.5% at 167 transactions. Currently, there is a 3.9 month of supply for luxury single-family homes and a 9.4 month supply for luxury condos.
Single-family home pricing falls between $400,000 to $600,000 increasing by 27.4% higher than September 2020. Condo sales also saw a heavy rise at 161.1% with sale prices between $400,000 to $600,000.
Inventory has decreased for both single-family homes as well as condominiums. Inventory single-family homes decreased by 42.1% since 2019. Condominiums have decreased from 68.8% since 2019 as well.
Single-family home median prices have increased by 11.5% from $435,000 to $485,000. Condo median prices have increased by 24.5% from $265,000 to $330,000
Miami-Dade cash sales are up by 62.2% and represent 37.3% of Miami’s closed sales in September. According to statistics from the National Association of Realtors, almost 23% of all United States home sales are cash. Cash sales count for 45.9% of Miami condo sales with 24.9% for single-family sales.
New Gin Focused Restaurant Opens in Coconut Grove
Photo Credit: Botánico Gin and Cookhouse
Botánico Gin and Cookhouse has officially opened its doors in Coconut Grove’s Cocowalk and it’s exactly what you think it is! Botánico is the first ‘gin-centric’ eatery offering the most extensive and unique gin-focused cocktails in Miami.
The co-owners, Ricardo Ordoñez and chef Gerardo De Negri are the brains behind the menu and unique concoctions. Ordoñez and De Negri have created such a unique dining experience focusing on modern American cuisine that highlights some Ecuadorian ceviche family recipes.
The gin menu includes 15 gin and tonic botanical variations infusing lavender, lemon, grape, crystallized ginger, and/or green apple. Whether you enjoy citrus, herbs, or fruits, flavors can be fully modified to appeal to any gin connoisseur. Not only does it have a well-versed gin menu but it also features a fully stocked bar with an extensive wine menu.
Photo Credit: Botánico Gin and Cookhouse
Botánico not only features the best gin drinks in Miami, but they also have an extensive wine program featuring over 2,000 bottles from around the world including; Mexico, Croatia, and Uruguay. The wine is stored in a state-of-the-art glass-enclosed and temperature-controlled cellar.
If the cocktail menu doesn’t appeal to you, then you will definitely be satisfied with the food options. The menu highlights octopus carpaccio, duck confit, short rib, and pulled pork. French-themed burgers, marinated shrimp, and their artisan cheese boards are the stars of the menu.
Botánico’s atmosphere is a relaxed sophistication with marble touches, porcelain tiles, and natural woods strategically placed throughout. The rainforest green marble bar wraps around the space creating the perfect ambiance. Two expansive patios with lush landscaping will create the perfect al fresco dining experience. The building itself located at 3015 Grand Avenue, Suite 123 is a 3,009 square foot space with 150 seating availability.
Photo Credit: Cocowalk
JSX Announces ‘Hop-On Jet Service’ Flights from Miami to Texas and New York
Miami welcomes JSX, a “hop on jet service” with crowd-free flights on private planes. With JSX’s announcement comes all the special privileges of a private jet without the hefty price tag.
Their East Coast routes will link Miami International Airport to New York and Texas with flights beginning November 18th. Fares from Miami to Westchester County, New York start at $749 one way, and Miami to Dallas start at $499 one way.
The best part of JSX flights is that they offer guests the ability to check-in for flights 20 minutes prior to departure between private terminals at Miami International Airport. Not only do they have a quick check-in, but there are also no crowds and 30-seat jets with business class legroom. JSX also offers two free checked bags, free snacks, and drinks.
According to the CEO of JSX, Alex Wilcox, “Since day one, our Customers have asked JSX to serve the East Coast and I am thrilled to say that our distinctive style of flying has finally arrived. It’s no secret that demand from New York and Dallas to Florida is at an all-time high, and we are delighted to bring our hop-on jet service to these vibrant markets ahead of the busy holiday season.”
JSX created this flight experience for anyone who values their time and wants a world-class experience, from business travelers, first-class fliers, to families looking for quick flights.
JSX is the first and only carrier that links Westchester County to Miami International Airport and the first “uber-like” plane carrier linking Dallas to Miami. Welcome to flying redesigned!
