Demolition Progress at One Brickell City Centre: Permit Nears Approval
A significant milestone is approaching for the One Brickell City Centre site as the total demolition permit for a building on the property is back in review as of this morning. Only one final correction remains before the permit can be fully approved, signaling that the process is nearing its completion.
Even as the permit undergoes its last review, visible signs of preparation for demolition have already been observed at the site. Once the existing structure is taken down, the entire One Brickell City Centre location will be fully cleared, paving the way for future development. Notably, demolition of another office building on the same site was successfully completed last year.
Swire Properties and Related Companies had initially announced plans for a near-supertall tower at this prime location. However, in January, Swire disclosed that pre-leasing activity for office space had not met expectations. In light of this, reports have surfaced indicating that the site has been listed for sale. The potential sale of the property would allow Swire to redirect funds towards the development of two Mandarin Oriental residential towers nearby.
As the final steps in the demolition process unfold, the future of the One Brickell City Centre site remains a key point of interest in Miami’s evolving skyline. Whether through new ownership or the originally planned tower, the site’s development will undoubtedly play a significant role in shaping the city’s urban landscape.
Two Roads Development Joins Harvey Hernandez for One Brickell Riverfront Project Along Miami River
In an exciting development for Miami’s skyline, Two Roads Development has partnered with Harvey Hernandez’s Newgard Development Group for the highly anticipated One Brickell Riverfront project. This transformative three-tower development along the Miami River will span 2 million square feet and is valued at $1.5 billion, according to a press release.
Two Roads Development, led by Taylor Collins and Reid Boren, has acquired a 50-50 stake in the project. Collins and Hernandez, who have shared a 15-year friendship, saw this partnership as the perfect synergy.
“We’ve looked at a lot of deals together; he’s been working on this deal for a long time,” said Collins. Hernandez added, “It became apparent that the ideal thing to do was to collaborate on the whole thing.”
This collaboration reflects a growing trend in Miami’s development scene, where rising construction costs and interest rates have pushed developers to bring in equity partners.
Construction on the first phase, Lofty Brickell, is already in motion. The 44-story, 363-unit condominium is set to rise at 99 Southwest Seventh Street. The building, which is 94 percent presold, will feature 40,000 square feet of luxurious amenities, including:
A marina
Social club
Pool deck
Cigar lounge
Co-working space
Additionally, Avra Estiatorio, a celebrated Greek restaurant, will occupy over 10,000 square feet at Lofty Brickell, offering a 300-seat dining room with outdoor seating and riverfront views.
Lofty and a second branded condo tower are expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2026.
The One Brickell Riverfront project represents a bold vision for Miami’s future. With Taylor Collins and Harvey Hernandez sharing a unified outlook, the development promises to redefine the riverfront experience. Hernandez likened the partnership to a marriage, highlighting the trust and shared goals between the two firms.
Two Roads Development brings a wealth of experience to the collaboration. The firm has completed prestigious projects like Elysee Miami and Biscayne Beach in Edgewater. Currently, it is working on the Edition Residences in Edgewater, although that project has faced legal hurdles related to the termination of the Biscayne 21 condo building.
For Newgard, the success of Lofty Brickell adds to its portfolio, despite past challenges with other projects, including Natiivo Fort Lauderdale.
The collaboration between Two Roads and Newgard comes as the Miami River sees increased development activity. On the north side of the river, KAR Properties and Fortune International Group have partnered on the Faena-branded One River Point.
As new luxury projects reshape the Miami Riverfront, One Brickell Riverfront is poised to be a standout development, blending world-class design, amenities, and a vibrant urban lifestyle.
Two Tower Development by Swire Properties Revealed-One Island Drive Miami
One Island Drive, an exceptional residential and hospitality destination located on a private island sanctuary just minutes from Miami’s lively metropolitan core, has unveiled its first official features, according to Swire Properties. One Island Drive, which is surrounded by beachfront views, will be among the pinnacles of Swire Properties’ portfolio of world-class properties and is destined to become a distinctive landmark on the Miami skyline.
One Island Drive will be a tranquil haven with two magnificent buildings, situated at the southernmost tip of Brickell Key, the private island community that Swire Properties has been building for more than 40 years. The luxurious collection of 220 two- to four-bedroom private homes with expansive floorplans of up to 4,700 square feet and two prestigious duplex penthouses at the top of the building, each spanning over 6,000 square feet, will be found in the first tower, known as “The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Miami,” which rises to a height of over 800 feet. The second tower will rise 400 feet tall and will feature 151 rooms with the famous North American Mandarin Oriental Hotel in addition to 61 private Residences and 28 hotel Residences.
Residence Features
Panoramic views of Biscayne Bay
Resort-style podium
100,000 square feet of amenities
Multi-tiered landscaped infinity pools
Private cabanas
Work lounges
Private dining room
Chef kitchens
Top-notch restaurants
Signature spa
Cutting-edge health and wealth facilities
An award-winning international design team, each at the top of their respective industries, will work together to create One Island Drive, a landmark of understated elegance on the waterfront. The bold exterior design by Kohn Pederson Fox Associates (KPF) will redefine the skyline; the interiors of The Residences by Parisian designer Tristan Auer; the interiors of the hotel by AD 100 and Elle Décor A-List Parisian designer Laura Gonzalez; and the landscape architecture by renowned Thai firm Shma. For Auer, Gonzalez, and Shma, this is their first commission for new development in the country.
One Island Drive will be the first residential building to be constructed on Brickell Key in the last 15 years. Pricing will begin at $3,500,000 when sales begin in the latter half of 2023.
Supertall Tower One Brickell City Centre Breaks Ground
Miami’s first ever supertall office tower just broke ground in Brickell.
The groundbreaking includes the demolition of a parking structure that is currently on the site. Major Suarez, representatives from Swire and Related were in attendance.
Project approval came in September 2022 after city commissioners voted unanimously on the 1,049 foot One Brickell City Centre. The 80 story tower will be crowned the largest building ever building in the city of Miami
The skyscraper will be connected to Brickell City Centre, which was built by Swire Properties and has over 500,000 SF of retail, eating, and entertainment space, and will be situated at 700 Brickell Avenue and 799 Brickell Plaza. The project will feature 1.6 million square feet of office space.
The news represents strength and expansion for the Miami office market, which continues to draw major financial and technological firms from high-tax areas like New York and California.
Swire Properties and Related are listed as the developers for this project.
Fun Fact Friday: Every Building Swire Builds Is Blessed By Monks… Twice
We find ourselves praising Swire Properties regularly. They move trees from their development sites to local parks rather than cutting them down, they donate money to The Underline (Miami’s answer to New York’s High Line), they spend $31 million on a climate ribbon that cools their shopping center, protects shoppers from the elements and looks really nice from every angle. Now, we also learn that each and every building that Swire Properties builds is blessed by monks at least twice.
The Hong Kong based developer has a tradition of flying monks to their build site at groundbreaking for a blessing ceremony. The ceremony is repeated once the project is complete. In 2005, Carbonell was even able to be blessed by the Dalai Lama himself! Brickell City Centre was blessed multiple times. First, there was a blessing ceremony at groundbreaking, then the East Hotel was blessed upon completion. Reach and Rise received their own completion ceremonies with the East Hotel receiving an additional blessing at this time. When the mall opened, the entire project was blessed again. Talk about counting our blessings! Here are the other buildings in the area that were built by Swire Properties:
One Brickell, Related Group’s riverfront mega-project in Brickell, appears to be on hold until at least 2022. The 1,400 unit waterfront project was slated to be developed in 3 towers at 444 Brickell Avenue, where Capital Grille currently stands along with a 10 story office tower. Previously, it was scheduled to break ground in 2016.
Since the news broke in late 2014 that the towers were on their way, the developer had stopped pushing for new tenants in the office building. They were still signing new leases, yet requiring a 6-month kick out clause, allowing Related to have a vacant building when it came time to begin construction. Since the kick out clause isn’t an ideal situation for tenants, not many offices complied.
As of today, Related is heavily marketing the office tower to tenants. They are pushing for the property to be leased up within 6 months, offering incentives for deals up to 10 years. The lease terms offered are between 2-10 years, with higher incentives for longer leases. New leases signed with a term of up to 5 years also do not have the kick out clause, meaning that Related cannot develop the land until those leases expire.
There has not yet been an official announcement made, but this isn’t the first tower to be put on hold. Auberge in the arts district has also been effectively placed on hold. They are still offering units for sale but have stopped marketing the project. In September, Jorge Perez said at the “State of the Market Conference” in Wynwood that he expects a market slowdown and that his company will not bring a project out of the ground if it is not at least 70% pre-sold with 50% deposits. Since One Brickell had not yet released pre-sales, it seems we have a confirmation after all.
