Ultra Music Festival is Back After Two Years Off and We Have All the Details
The Ultra Music Festival is returning to Miami after a two-year hiatus and it is anticipated to be bigger than ever. Ultra will run from March 25 through the 27th at Bayfront Park in Downtown Miami.
Ultra in Miami is a must-stop on the international circuit for EDM aficionados all around the world. While the rest of the country is bundled up in parkas in anticipation of the summer festival season, Ultra fans are partying it up in sunny Miami. The performance is always full of surprises, both in terms of the musical performers and the people that attend.
As of 2018, the festival brought 165,000 guests to Ultra, and in 2019, 170,000. In the same year, Ultra moved from downtown to Virginia Key with the intent to shuttle more than 50,000 people on and off the island to downtown. The organizers for the showed banned taxis and ride-shares, leaving thousands stranded for hours on end. With this year in downtown Miami, there is more organization and no limits on the transportation situation.
The Ultra Music Festival will span over 3 days and nights and will include performances by Tiesto and Martin Garrix, Armin Van Burren, DJ Snake, and David Guetta. The festival will begin on March 25th at 4 pm. Ultra is currently sold out but you can get a ticket through 3rd party vendors but the price will likely be high.
Traffic will also be an issue this weekend because of the number of other events occurring downtown. Miami Heat will be playing the Brooklyn Nets at FTX Arena as well as performances by Anastasia at the Ziff Opera House.
Traffic will also be an issue this weekend because of the number of other events occurring downtown. Miami Heat will be playing the Brooklyn Nets at FTX Arena as well as performances by Anastasia at the Ziff Opera House.
Traffic will also be an issue this weekend because of the number of other events occurring downtown. Miami Heat will be playing the Brooklyn Nets at FTX Arena as well as performances by Anastasia at the Ziff Opera House.
Traffic will also be an issue this weekend because of the number of other events occurring downtown. Miami Heat will be playing the Brooklyn Nets at FTX Arena as well as performances by Anastasia at the Ziff Opera House.
New Miami-Dade County Legislation will Require Landlords to Provide a 60 Day Notice of Rent Hikes
Residential landlords in Miami-Dade County are now required to provide renters at least 60 days’ notice of rent increases of 5% or more, as renting in South Florida grow increasingly expensive.
The legislation was proposed by Commissioner Eileen Higgins and unanimously approved during the commission meeting on March 15th.
Throughout the country, renters are facing a massive rent spike by at least 50% and according to Miami-Dade County, they hope this legislation will help curb those numbers and make Miami more attractive to tenants.
This new legislation would apply to renters nearing the end of their contracts as well as those on month-to-month leases who are facing the 5% rent increase. Also in the new legislation is the notice on eviction time going from 30 to 60 days, including month-to-month leases that came from a 12-month lease.
According to a commissioner, landlords could bypass the new legislation by offering weekly leases. This new legislation can only be enforced in court.
Higgins stated during the meeting, “Thank you all for your understanding about how fair notice is the right thing to do, but not all landlords are doing the right thing. So, this requires them, if their mothers didn’t teach them to do the right thing.”
There are also 2 additional bills for rent control expected to be voted on by this summer, Tenant Bill of Rights and Rent Control. The tenant bill of rights would allow tenants to withhold rent for certain maintenance issues that the landlords haven’t repaired. Landlords would also be required to provide renters with information about their rental rights for state and county laws.
If approved the Rent Control legislation would put a cap on rent increases for 12 months. There would be many hurdles with this legislation that involved multiple votes by commissioners, the mayor, and Miami-Dade citizens.
Official Plans Submitted for Riverside Wharf
In December 2021, it was announced that a Miami Developer along with Driftwood Capital announced plans the rebuild The Wharf alongside the Miami River. Now, those plans have officially been submitted to Miami’s Urban Development Review Board.
The plans for this project include a hotel and an entertainment complex with retail, food, and beverage. The cost for the project is estimated at $185 million. The plans submitted include 174 hotel units operated by Dream Hotels and 91,733 square feet of commercial space.
A 16,000-square-foot restaurant, a 12,000-square-foot event hall, a 30,000-square-foot nightclub/rooftop day club, and 600 feet of river frontage are all planned for the 200,000-square-foot project. Garcia’s Fish Market may also set up shop on the property as a pop-up market. Its commercial fishing activity used to be located on the property.
The zoning requirements for this type of proposal would include 417 parking spaces but the developers are requesting a 50% reduction in parking by the entertainment and hotel spaces sharing parking. Once approved, the parking spaces will be offsite.
A part of the proposed development includes public used land, which will require a special election. That election is currently scheduled for August 23 and it will involve a potential lease of the public property to the developer.
The 1.5-acre Miami River property at 114 Southwest North River Drive will be developed by MV Real Estate Holdings and its partner, Coral Gables-based Driftwood Capital. Nitin Motwani, the managing partner of Merrimac Ventures and the developer of the Miami Worldcenter, is also a general partner in the project, according to Mantecon.
The Miami Urban Development Review Board is scheduled to review the development proposal on March 16, 2022.
Revealed: St. Regis Residences Sunny Isles Beach
Developers, the Château Group and Fortune International Group have officially revealed the highly awaited St. Regis Residences Sunny Isles Beach. Located at 18801 Collins Avenue in Sunny Isles Beach, this beachfront ultra-luxury residential complex will consist of two 62-story towers that will add to the already growing Miami skyline.
St Regis Residences Sunny Isles Beach will be designed by Arquitectonica with interiors by So Paulo-based Anastassiadis and landscaping by EDSA. The site itself will feature 435 feet of beachfront property with panoramic views of both the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean.
The two towers will be referred to as the north and south towers. Sales will be launched on the South tower first with options of 194 residences that range from 2 to 4 bedroom floor plans including a selection of penthouses. The North tower is planned to feature 180 residences but sales will launch at a later date.
The residences themselves are exactly what you would think of when you hear the name St. Regis, and that’s luxury.
Residence Features:
Spacious floor plans boasting unobstructed ocean, city, and Intracoastal views
Ceiling heights clearing 10ft in regular units and 12ft in penthouses
Fully finished with flooring and closets
Private elevator and entry foyer in all residences
Service elevators
Italian designed kitchens with Quartz countertops
Miele appliances including wine cooler
Walk-in closets in all primary bedrooms
Laundry rooms with full-size washer and dryer
Smart home technology ready
Service quarters in select residences
Full floor residences with spacious floor plans
East and West terraces with pool on the east
Spacious terraces with luxurious private pool and jacuzzi
Summer Kitchen
Custom-designed Italian cabinetry
Graciously appointed primary suits and separate service quarters with separate entrance
Stunning, 360-degree views of the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway
Indoor BBQ
Indoor/Outdoor living space
Spread throughout the 2 towers will feature 70,000 square feet of amenities.
Managed by the St Regis Hotel Company, without hotel premises.
Grand entry driveway and 2-story porte-cochere
Impressive two-story lobby
10 Guest Suites per Tower
Concierge Services
Pet-friendly and much more
Private beach facilities
Oceanfront and sunset pools
A signature restaurant
Wellness center
Spa
Athletic club
According to the President and CEO of Fortune International Group, “It’s a very exciting time in the South Florida market and it’s been an honor to continue to elevate luxury residential living with our projects.”
As for the CEO of Château Group, Manuel Grosskopf, “Without a doubt, The St. Regis Residences, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami embody these coveted touchpoints and we look forward to releasing more details of the project as we come to market.”
The construction plans show 1,000 parking spots available for residents and the starting price for units begins at $3.5 million. The project is expected to begin in 2023 and be delivered in 2026
MSC Cruises USA Breaks Ground on PortMiami Terminal
MSC Cruises USA has recently broken work on an extensive cruise terminal at PortMiami as it expands operations at the congested port. The cruise line is based in Switzerland but the US locations are currently in Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, and now Miami.
The terminal building itself rises 4 stories and will spread over 490,000 square feet. The building itself will cost $350 million. Once the project is complete in 2023, the capacity of the terminal can hold 36,000 passengers daily. The terminal can hold 3 cruise chips at once and it will include the MSC Seascape (a 2,270 cabin).
The project will also have a 2,400 space parking garage and lot. MSC Cruises utilizes LNG (liquified natural gas) powered ships. The ships can also connect to shore power while docking which creates a more fuel-efficient ship.
According to the President of MSC Cruises USA, Rubén Rodriguez, “Our new terminal at PortMiami represents MSC Cruises’ commitment to growing in North America and will help drive our expansion in South Florida and beyond.”
Arquitectonica is the designer of the building while Italy-based Fincantieri Infrastructure is listed as the developer for the project. The old renderings for the terminal included a separate building for the USA headquarters for the cruise line but the plans transitioned into more space for customers. There are talks of leasing office space in other areas of Miami.
PortMiami has seen a lot of construction over the past year. Larger cruise lines are expanding their fleets like Royal Caribbean Group, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, and Virgin Voyages.
1.3 Million Square Foot Development is in the Works for Aventura
In Aventura, developer Dan Kodsi is planning to build a large mixed-use building featuring residences, offices, and high-end residential shopping. Kodsi’s company paid $39.1 million for 9.6 acres on the northwest corner of Biscayne Boulevard and Northeast 213th Street that they plan on building this mixed-use property.
Not only is this site being used for this massive mixed-use project but other lots in the area are currently under contract. These lots include 10 acres surrounding the development site.
Kodsi hasn’t named partners in the project or for the additional sites but stated that the project would cost over $500 million. According to Kodsi, the total site now consists of land and tiny residential structures that Aventura-based Rieber Developments successfully rezoned to allow for 1.3 million square feet of mixed-use development.
Aventura commissioners approved the zoning amendment in June 2021, permitting a 693-unit high-rise residential building; a 120-key hotel; 67,743 square feet of workplaces; 161,270 square feet of retail; and a 120-bed assisted-living facility.
Kodsi has yet to determine whether he would adhere to these guidelines or revise the development plans. According to him, the basic concept is for multifamily, offices, some of which will be used for medical purposes, and high street retail, which will serve as an alternative to the neighboring Aventura Mall.
The retail side of this development will be similar to the Miami Worldcenter but not as large. Kodsi constructed the Paramount Miami Worldcenter and is now building the Legacy Hotel & Residences at Miami Worldcenter.
Mast Capital Unveils Plans for a 3 Tower Development in Brickell: Cipriani Residences Miami
Another development has just been announced and this one is massive. Coming in at 2.6 million square feet, plans for this 3 tower development in Brickell have been revealed: Cipriani Residences Miami. Developer, Mast Capital paid $103 million mark this transaction as one of the largest in Miami-Dade in 2021.
Mast Capital’s proposal for the site involves a master-planned development that will comprise of 400-unit condominium tower and two more high-rises totaling 850 premium apartment rentals, created in collaboration with Rockpoint Group.
The property located at 1420 S. Miami Ave, has been inactive for over 15 years following two failed development initiatives. This property is one of the last remaining raw pieces of land accessible in the vicinity to undertake a project of this magnitude.
Development Information:
One 80 story condo tower
Two multifamily towers (one at 50 stories and one at 60 stories)
1,250 residential units
400 condo units
850 rentals
1,650 parking spaces
Ground floor retail
For this specific project, Mast Capital has partnered with a private real estate equity firm, Rockpoint, which will be responsible for the multifamily component. Mast Capital will be utilizing MSD and CanAm for financing. Arquitectonica will be the architect for the proposed tower.
The developer is expecting a sellout of approximately $1 billion. The groundbreaking is anticipated for the end of 2022 with a top-off date in 2025.
Most Romantic and Unique Miami Restaurants to Book this Valentines Day
With Valentine’s Day falling on a Monday this year, you’re probably trying to decide what day to celebrate this year’s romantic occasion. While we can’t help you choose the day, we can help with dinner!
This year we have compiled some of the most unique and romantic restaurants that we love and that we think you’ll love too.
Sexy Fish
Sexy Fish’s menu is a work of art, featuring classics influenced by Asia and Japan. Bjoern Weissgerber, the Chef Director, has produced delectable dishes such as Duck Salad, Smoked Tuna Belly, Black Cod, King Crab, Bone Marrow, and crispy Eringi Mushroom. Don’t miss the Sexy Gold Fish or Crispy Caviar with gold-flake sea bass marinade. There is also a large wine and champagne selection, as well as unique cocktails such as Chocolate and Wine, Yuzu, and Elderflower.
Sexy Fish, designed by SeaVisions, exudes an aquatic ambiance with a big-lit fish tank that spans the wall of the private dining room and serves as the restaurant’s focus. Throughout, you’ll find stunning artwork by Damien Hirst as well as 26 bespoke fish lights designed by Frank Gehry. Click here to make reservations or browse the menu.
ZZ’s Sushi Bar
ZZ’s Sushi Bar menu includes classic tuna and salmon selections, as well as unique salads and Wagyu meat. ZZ’s also has the greatest assortment of Wagyu beef in the country. Don’t miss out on one of their most well-known specialty dishes, the Caviar Temaki.
The first level is bursting at the seams with bentwood banquettes, sculptural, handpainted finishes, and animal print rugs. Every surface is adorned with antique furniture and brass lights. The terrace is dubbed a “tiki bar on acid,” with wicker furniture and banana prints complementing the futuristic building.
Although ZZ’s is advertised as a member-only restaurant, there is an optional invite-only membership available, so as long as you can secure a reservation, you may enjoy all of the amenities that a member does! Click here to make reservations or browse the menu.
Carbone
Carbone has become a South Beach neighborhood mainstay in such a short time, thanks to its exceptional food, retro-style French décor, and landmark location. Raw-bar platters with stone crab claws, crab knuckle sandwiches, spicy rigatoni, or veal parmigiana are some of our favorite menu items.
The sumptuous Ken Fulk design, as well as the Captains dressed in Zac Posen tuxedos, guide clients through menu selections, and salads are produced tableside for the entire Carbone experience. The atmosphere continues with intimate tables, low lighting, and classic French and Italian music playing. Did we forget to say it’s Michelin-stared? To make a reservation or to browse the menu, click here.
Elcielo
Located in Brickell, Elcielo features modern yet classic Colombian dishes. Chef Juan Manual Barrientos uses an avant-garde approach to cooking the signature Latin dishes. Barrientos utilizes small and medium plates that feature avocado tempura, Colombian Arepas, Tuna Tartare, and Yuca Gnocchi.
The delectable food is served with breathtaking river views and stylish décor enhanced with flora, leather, and wood. Private dining experiences for couples or groups are provided in VIP lounges. The Experience menu will have more than 22 moments.
The Waterfront Terrace is great for special occasions and gatherings. Enjoy our a la carte food and beverages while listening to upbeat music, surrounded by palm trees and flora, the breeze, and river views. Check out the menu or make a reservation here.
Cote Miami
Executive Chef David Shim, a native of Seoul, South Korea, is responsible for the one-of-a-kind masterpieces at Cote Miami. Shim acquired expertise and recognition in New York City at Gramercy Tavern, Veritas, and L’Atelier de Jol Robuchon. Chef Shim’s specialty dishes include 45-day USDA dry-aged beef, delectable side dishes, stunning slices of Korean beef, and a Steak OmakaseTM experience. Other menu items include East/West Coast Oysters, Maine Lobster, caviar service, steak tartare, and Korean bacon.
COTE Miami has a 100-seat dining room with interactive smokeless state-of-the-art tabletop grills at each dining table, a dry-aging room, and two private dining rooms. The setting is intimate and pleasant, and the meals are incredibly innovative and awe-inspiring! Click here for their full menu or to make reservations.
Expansive Mixed Use Tower Planned for Downtown Miami
Miami-Dade planners are working hard on reviewing the pre-application for a large mixed-use project in Downtown Miami.
The property located at 1370 NE 2nd Ave is within the Metromover Subzone of the Rapid Transit Zone District. Within this zoning district, some rules apply which includes up to 1,535 units permitted as well as the 40% glazing requirements.
The tower is anticipated to rise 649 feet tall at 43 stories. Passing the district rules, the tower is proposed to have 1,441 residential units.
The tower will be designed by Rafael Viñoly architects but the city planners are asking for clarification on some of the design elements throughout the project.
The county has stated that the awnings, balconies, and weather protection elements need to be at least six inches from the curb face but the plans appear to encroach on the curb face. Specifically the parking garage for levels 2 through 12 are encroaching.
The open space and landscaping code also needs clarification.
Amenities for the tower will spread over 5 stories and include a state-of-the-art-gym, pool, office elements, and more.
There will be offices dedicated to the auditorium for the Miami-Dade County School Board which will spread over 100,000 square feet. Offices for Crescent Heights will also utilize 19,673 square feet of space.
The plans also show that there will be 9 levels of parking and an expansive ground floor designated for commercial space.
There are currently no scheduled dates to review revised plans but if approved, the ground breaking would begin in 2023.
