Pharrell Williams Unveils Billionaire Boys Club’s Wynwood Flagship

Fans of the upscale streetwear company Billionaire Boys Club (BBC)/ICECREAM are in for a treat with its newest 5,000-square-foot location designed by Snarkitecture in Miami’s Wynwood. Pharrell Williams and NIGO founded the retail company, which has been shaping societal conventions since 2003 with its cutting-edge collaborations and statement artwork with a sporty flair.

Williams has a long history of influencing Miami culture through several hotel-related projects, most notably The Goodtime Hotel, which he co-founded with Groot Hospitality chief David Grutman. His most recent BBC location in Wynwood is sure to bring about a fresh surge of success for the retail industry.

According to Williams, “I’m very grateful that we have the opportunity to bring our flagship store to Miami. It’s going to be a place where people can come in to get inspired by the mix of fashion, culture, art, and design. I can’t wait for everyone to see what we’ve created here, it’s really special.”

By designing the store as an art gallery in an effort to inspire new forms of customer connection, the founders have produced an immersive brand experience that has transformed the D2C paradigm, the brand’s other U.S. flagship located in New York.

While the inside design was imagined through the eyes of an artist and will display regional and international works, the exterior walls of the store will act as a blank canvas for specific art installations by affiliated artists.

With its brick-and-mortar facility situated in a neighborhood infused with the same street spirit the company is established upon, BBC ICECREAM intends to tap into the creative energy of the locals.

The store, which is both modern and earthy, serves as an appropriate backdrop for enduring brands like Bee Line, Human Made, Adidas, MEDICOM, and more, as well as for special collaborative products from designers like Bunny Shapiro and CDG Play, selected by Sarah Andelman.

According to Alexandre, the overall goal of BBC ICECREAM is to act as a platform for creatives, which is what Pharrell and NIGO kept in mind while they created the brand and incorporated its numerous cultural facets.

MILA Miami Beach Expands Restaurant Space Unveiling a Member’s Only Club, Omakese, and Luxury Lounge

The Mediterranean and Japanese infused restaurant MILA Miami, is expanding its space with a second level at 7,900 square feet. The 2nd floor expansion will include the MM Club, MILA Omakase, and the MILA Lounge with other experiences that will be unveiled soon.

In the heart of Miami Beach, MILA is a magnificent space that perfectly combines an upgraded eating experience with cuisines that aim to take guests on a culinary journey through the shores of the Mediterranean and Japan while creating a creative expression of flavorful MediterrAsian cuisine. It is inspired by Asian and Mediterranean eating practices, both healthy and tasty, and embraces the importance of enjoying life.

Living by the motto “EUDAIMONIA,” which translates to “the contented, cheerful feeling you feel when you travel,” MILA symbolizes a multi-sensory gastronomic experience with unique Balearic music blends, delectable food, and a fun atmosphere to party the night away.

According to the CEO and Founder of Riviera Dining Group, Greg Galy, “We are thrilled to be expanding MILA, adding multiple new venues to our immersive and innovative space. The additional concepts provide the opportunity to lead the luxury and lifestyle industry in South Florida.”

For the select few who participate in Riviera Dining Group’s program, the ultra-private, members-only club known as The MM Club will offer a personal experience. Members will be welcomed into a dimly lit area that adds a luxurious touch to the traditional speakeasy and gives privacy to guests who want absolute discretion. Expertly prepared cocktails will be served at a sophisticated bar that is covered in warm, rust-colored carved marble.

Visitors at MILA Omakase will go on an unexpected culinary adventure. When visitors enter the confined space with the stunning omakase countertop and 10 seats, time stands still. French pipe organ maker and Guinness Book Award winner Matthieu Garnier constructed the countertop from a 300-year-old Red Camphor tree. In order to enhance the sensory experience, Garnier also constructed a 500-year-old hinoki wood cutting board (Japanese Cypress) for the area.

MILA is a part of the the Riviera Dining Group which was founded in 2021 with the original MILA South Beach location. Their main goal is to bring customers a innovative dining and gathering experience. This year, they have also opened AVA MediterrAegean in Winter Park, Florida and Casa Neos which is anticipated to open in this fall in Brickell.

Evenings continue at the MILA Lounge, where visitors can indulge in a luxurious and private nightlife experience. Light appetizers, creative mixology, and bottle service will be available to those eager to make an impression as they mingle and dance to music from leading industry DJs.

Riviera Dining Group is seeking 50–70 additional front- and back-of-house employees as it gets ready to open the restaurant’s expansion.

Former NY Yankees Player A-Rod Just Purchased a Star Island Home for $18.5 Million

For $18.5 million, a company run by former New York Yankees player Alex Rodriguez just purchased a mega-mansion on Miami’s infamous Star Island in Miami Beach.

Casa La Bonita, located at 14 Star Island Drive features 0.9 acres with over 100 feet of water frontage directly on Biscayne Bay. The estate was built by renowned Mexican developer, Carlos Gosselin.

The property boasts imported entrance gates that welcome guests to the gorgeous Mediterranean-style estate opening to arched hallways and courtyards. Throughout the home, it is evident the custom-made Hindu doors, a movie theater, a poolside gazebo, an elevator, high-impact windows, a pool, and a boat dock.

Rodriguez is the manager of Star Island 14 LLC, which is the name of the purchaser of the home. The former MLB All-Star Rodriguez’s addresses in Miami and Woodland Hills, California, were included in the $20 million mortgage from First Republic Bank.

The off-market transaction cost $463 per square foot. In 2020, the house last sold for $24 million.

Rodriguez has purchased on Star Island before. In 2020, Rodriguez and singer/actor Jennifer Lopez bought the home next door, 13 Star Island Drive. Rodriguez and Lopez are no longer together and it is unclear if 13 Star Island will be sold or if either will take sole possession.

Related Group and Two Roads Propose New 24 Story Tower-The Residences of Bal Harbour

The Related Group and Two Roads Development are partnering to create a new condominium project in Bal Harbour, The Residences of Bal Harbour.

The developers paid $135.2 million for an existing 88-unit condo tower and land located at 10245 Collins Avenue.

The proposed tower is expected to rise 24 stories tall featuring 61 luxury residences and 160 parking spaces which will be located in the basement of the tower.

Residence Features:

• Waterviews from each residence
• Wraparound balconies of each residence
• 3 to 5 bedroom floor plan options
• 3,258 to 4,754 square feet
• High-impact floor-to-ceiling glass windows and sliding glass doors

Tower Features:

• Separate ground floor, state-of-the-art fitness center
• Ground-floor restaurant
• Rooftop pool
• Rooftop bar
• Groundfloor pool
• Private beach access

CFE is listed as the architect for the project with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill as the designer.

The Architectural Review Board is scheduled for October 6 to review an updated proposal for The Residences of Bal Harbour.

Invite Only New Construction Luxury 50 Unit Condominium to Break Ground on Fisher Island Miami

The Related Group is making waves in South Florida with their newest condominium project on the exclusive Fisher Island. The invitation only condo tower would include 50 luxury residences with a select number of penthouses.

The wealthy have long made Fisher Island, which is located at the confluence of Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean and is a seven-minute ferry trip from Miami Beach.

Oprah, Julia Roberts, and Mel Brooks are all known to have lived on Fisher Island in the past. The enclave has also received some accolades: Bloomberg found in April 2018 that Fisher Island, with an average income of $2.5 million in 2015, was America’s wealthiest ZIP code.

According to Jon Paul Perez, Related’s President stated, “We are currently working with our sales teams to develop our list of VIPs. People can live their entire lives on the island and, as such, develop close relationships with neighbors and fellow residents. That’s the feeling we want to create at our job. We want our buyers to get to know one another, and forge close friendships that elevate this beyond just another one of their homes.”

The proposed condo site, which is the last developable parcel on the 216-acre island, was just purchased for $122.6 million by Related Group, billionaire tycoon Teddy Sagi, BH Group, and Wanxiang America RE Group.

When the unnamed property is finished, units will cost about $30 million, while penthouses will cost more than $60 million.

Project Details:

• 3 to 5 bedroom residences
• Membership to Fisher Island Club
  • Golf course
  • Tennis facilities
  • Marinas

The project’s architect is listed as Kobi Karl with interiors by Tara Bernerd and Partners.

Sales are expected to begin at the end of 2022 with construction anticipated in quarter 4 of 2023.

Robert Rivani’s Black Lion Buys Retail Space at One Thousand Museum

Los Angeles-based investor Robert Rivani’s Black Lion paid $6.4 million for the ground-floor 6,500 square foot retail space inside the One Thousand Museum in Downtown Miami.

This week, the all-cash deal was completed. Black Lion intends to lease the area to a reputable hospitality company, but talks have not yet started, according to a firm representative.

Rivani stated, “One Thousand Museum is one of the most iconic and architecturally significant buildings in all of Miami. I knew we had to have a piece of it.”

The most recent purchase represents the investor’s tenth in South Florida during the previous two years, which also included a number of prestigious retail buildings.

Black Lion paid $13.5 million for the ground-floor retail space of the SLS LUX Brickell condo project last year. This space is now occupied by the popular Gekko steakhouse, a Bad Bunny and Grutman collaboration.

Additionally, the real estate investor spent $11.5 million and $19 million for retail condos in Miami Beach’s South of Fifth district. The company also owns the space that the popular upscale restaurant The Amara at Paraiso leases in Edgewater.

The 84-unit condominium was finished in 2019 by the developers of One Thousand Museum, a partnership made up of Louis Birdman, Gilberto Bomeny, Kevin Venger, Gregg Covin, and Todd Michael Glaser. They also sold the retail space to Black Lion.

Eco-Friendly Mixed-Use Building Proposed in Coral Gables

Along the well-known Miracle Mile district of Coral Gables, Terranova Corp. intends to construct what might be the first mixed-use carbon-neutral structure in South Florida.

The office and retail building will generate all of the energy required to run it on-site, according to the Miami Beach-based developer. Using photovoltaic glass to capture solar energy, battery systems to store it, and energy-efficient AC and elevator systems might be done.

The total square footage of the four-story structure at 93 Miracle Mile would be 36,482. The building would feature 26,167 square feet of area for shops and restaurants and the rest for offices. A rooftop terrace would also be present.

According to Chairman of Terranova, Stephen Bittel, “93 Miracle Mile will be a revolutionary project, not only as a platform to champion Coral Gable’s dignitaries as forward-thinking leaders in sustainable development but also a blueprint for other developers and city planners as we face a climate crisis around the world. The modern proposed structure respects the scale of Miracle Mile, and uses traditional stone materials on the exterior, while also incorporating the best environmental options for the future.”

The developer paid $6.8 million for the 10,164-square-foot site in 2021 through an associate. The 9,097 square foot retail facility that it currently has would be torn down.

The project’s design was created by Miami-based Arqutiectonica and is awaiting local permission. Onyx Solar, based in Spain, was chosen to supply the solar glass. The solar glass will help with insulating the building as well as generating solar energy. The rooftop design will create a trellis that helps support the suspended orchid garden.

Empira Group Purchases Building Site for an 85 Unit Residential Project-CoralGrove Brickell

Empira Group, a Swiss company, has recently invested $9 million in a multifamily building site in Miami’s The Roads neighborhood as part of its introduction into South Florida’s real estate market.

According to a news release from the developer, Empira plans to erect the eight-story CoralGrove Brickell project on a half-acre plot of land adjacent to Coral Way, between 3025 and 3051 Southwest Third Avenue.

The property currently consists of a two-story and a one-story apartment structure, both of which are vacant and scheduled for demolition this year.

CoralGrove will contain 85 units, ranging from one-bedroom to three-bedroom homes, and 900 square feet of ground-floor retail space.

According to Rafael Aregger, Empira’s head of investments in the U.S., the previously approved 79-unit proposal for the site is being modified by Empira to add more units and relocate a pool that was originally planned for a mezzanine level to the rooftop.

According to Aregger, Empira, which has its headquarters in the town of Zug, manages investments on behalf of German organizations like pension funds, insurance companies, and banks. Empira, led by CEO Marcus Bartenstein, manages $7 billion in assets.

The company entered the United States two years ago, but its primary area of interest is real estate in German-speaking regions of Europe. Together with its joint venture partner Zidan Management Group, it has since built up a 2,100-unit apartment portfolio in the Midwest. The company’s American headquarters are in Empira’s Miami location. Additionally, it maintains offices in Stockholm, Dubai, and London.

According to Empira, the business is considering future development in Sun Belt states including Arizona, Texas, and Florida.

Construction on CoralGrove Brickell is anticipated to begin in 2023 with a completion date in 2025.

Related Group Requesting Permission to Develop Mixed Use Project on Miami River

The Related Group’s affordable housing division, Related Urban Development Group, is requesting permission to develop a mixed-income housing development on Miami-Dade County property close to the Miami River.

The ground lease and development agreement with the Miami-based developer for the 1.05-acre site at 395 N.W. 1st St. and 25 N.W. River Drive will be up for consideration by the County Commission on September 1. There is a two-story county office building there right now.

The site is close to Interstate 95 to the west, Flagler Street Bridge to the north, and Lummus Park to the south.

In January 2021, the county released a request for proposals (RFP) to find a developer for the land, and Related Group was selected as the successful bidder.

The developer would lease the land from the county under the proposal for 75 years in exchange for a $1.54 million down payment and annual fee equal to 16.5% of the project’s revenue flow. Over the course of the lease’s 75-year term, the county calculated that the payments would total $238.8 million.

The Gallery at Lummus Parc was a project that Related Group predicted would cost $151.7 million to complete.

It would include 439 apartments in two 30-story towers, as well as 5,400 square feet of retail space, a 478-place parking garage, and a cultural installation showcasing Lummus Park’s heritage. An overpass over Northwest First Street would connect the towers.

On the eleventh floor, there would be an amenities deck with a pool, a club room, a workout facility, Zoom rooms, a game room, and a lounge.

Some of the apartments would have cheaper rents and be income-restricted. According to the agreement, 20% of the flats would be reserved for residents earning up to 50% of the area median income and another 20% for residents earning up to 140%. There would be no constraints on income for the remaining flats.

Miami’s average household income is $44,268. The Gallery at Lummus Parc is anticipated to fill some of that demand as local workers have found it more and more difficult to afford residences in the city due to recent double-digit rent increases.

The sizes of the flats would be between 495 and 1,220 square feet. There would be 28 three-bedroom homes, 99 studios, 177 one-bedroom units, and 135 two-bedroom units.

The Related Group representatives declined to comment. According to the proposal, a federal opportunity zone investment fund, Charlotte, North Carolina-based Grandbridge Real Estate Capital, and low-income tax credit equity from JPMorgan Chase and Raymond James would all contribute to the project’s partial funding.

The concept was created by Miami-based CFE Architects. The developer is represented in the application by Miami attorneys Terry M. Lovell and Al Dotson Jr.