NFTs, Velvet Ropes, and Miami

Club E11EVEN Introduces New NFT Division
Club E11EVEN Introduces New NFT Division

In partnership with Horizen Labs (a blockchain firm), club E11EVEN is teaming up to create a crypto-dedicated division referred to as ‘E11EVEN Crypto.’ This new division was announced last week and is planning to introduce NFTs (non-fungible tokens) to the Miami club scene.

NFTs have made huge headway in the US and especially in Miami. Private clubs, Art Basel, and real estate have all traded NFTs in the recent year and we can only expect that this blockchain market will continue to grow.

In order to understand the big news of E11EVEN, you must first understand what an NFT is. An NFT is a non-fungible token meaning that it’s unique and cannot be replaced with something else. If you look at bitcoin, you can trade one for another and you will have exactly the same thing with a set price. With an NFT card, if you were to trade it with another card, it will be valued at something completely different.

The collection of E11EVEN’s NFTs will be referred to as “11 Captain’s Club.” The artwork itself is inspired by the Miami club scene and will include the club’s iconic hat designs. Just one ETF will be priced at around $2,700.

Club E11EVEN has always been known for keeping up with trends and creating innovative revenue streams. The brand has its own vodka label, an apparel company, and even a real estate LLC that partners with FTX for its crypto operations. With this new NFT division, E11EVEN will pave the way for other brands to be involved in the crypto culture and club scene in the US.

According to the owner of E11EVEN, Michael Simkins, “We were the first major club to accept crypto as payment, and now we’ve processed over $5 million of it at the nightclub.”

Horizen Labs stated that they raised $7 million in August for the funding of this NFT division. E11EVEN is set to release the NFTs during the upcoming Bitcoin 2022 conference in April.

New York Developer Secures $108M Construction Loan for a 42 Story

Caoba Phase 2 New Construction Tower at Miami Worldcenter
Caoba Phase 2 New Construction Tower at Miami Worldcenter

New York developer has secured a $108 million construction loan to construct an apartment building at the 27-acre Miami Worldcenter development in downtown Miami. The site covers approximately 20,980 square feet and is located at 697 N. Miami Avenue.

The New York developer under the name Block G Phase 2 LLC, which is managed by Mark Lapidus received the mortgage from Los Angeles Cim Real Estate Credit. Lapidus is the former WeWork CEO.

This property will be part of the current tower at Caoba apartments and will be designated as the second phase of this current tower. The new tower will be connected to the amenity deck of Caoba, which was originally opened in 2019.

The tower was originally approved in 2018 and was reactivated again in September 2021.

Construction is already underway and this second phase will feature 420 units rising 42 stories. The square footage for this property includes a project of 473,330 square feet which will include 4,103 square feet of retail.

The renderings show that the tower will not a parking garage but will share the amenity pool deck. It will also be a bit smaller in height and width but should remain very similar to the current design of Caoba. The cost of the project is estimated to be $82,833,750.

Coastal Construction and AECOM Tishman, is listed as the general contractor. The project is projected to be completed in late 2022 or early 2023.

Plans Submitted for 48 Story Tower: Brickell Gateway

Brickell Gateway Tower in Brickell
Gazit Horizons Reveals Brickell Gateway

Israeli-developer, Gazit Horizons, is on track to bring a 48 story tower to Miami’s Brickell. Located at 90 SW 8th Street next to Brickell City Centre, will be the Brickell Gateway Tower. The 377,000 square foot project will bring residential units, office spaces, a hotel concept, and retail to the neighborhood.

Gazit Horizons acquired the land in July 2017 for $29.5 million and March 1, 2021, was the date that the developers submitted plans for demolition. The tower is proposed to include 500 condo units.

The demolition approval is still pending. According to the plans, the site only permits plans for a building up to 48-stories and they are taking full advantage.

The demolition costs for the property would total $139,698 with an estimated cost for completion at $150 million. BG Group is listed as the demolition contractor for the project. Once approved, the developers are aiming for a completion date in quarter 2 of 2023.

The developers met with the City of Miami on February 15, 2022, for review. The current status of the project is still in redesign.

You may be familiar with the current site of the proposed tower. It is a black building with magnificent artwork portraying soccer-based graffiti. The soccer club, Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami, that houses the building has been renting the space since 2018. David Beckham is the Miami MLS Owner and President of Football Operations.

Brickell Gateway Tower in Brickell

Kushner Acquires Multiple Edgewater Sites for a 1,100 Unit Development

Kushner Acquires Edgewater Lot
Kushner Acquires Edgewater Lot

In two separate transactions totaling $37.64 million, a Kushner Cos. subsidiary purchased an entire block in Miami’s Edgewater neighborhood.

Biscayne and 19th Street LLC in Miami, owned by Enrique Manhard, sold the 1.33-acre site located at 1900 and 1920 Biscayne Blvd.; 221, 231, 237, 261, 269, and 281 N.E. 19th St.; and 222, 230, 244, and 250 N.E. 20th St. to buyer, Laurent Morali, President of Kushner Cos.

Manhard’s firm built the property with agreements totaling $18.4 million in 2017, $2.52 million in 2018, and $1.64 million in 2020, resulting in a significant profit. The only lot that is not included in the block is the Advance Auto Parts on NE 2nd Avenue.

Several office and residential buildings are located on the land. Some were constructed in the 1920s. The 1900 Biscayne Blvd. site has the same zoning as the nearby 32,775 square foot lot at 2000 Biscayne Blvd. That property was also bought by Kushner for $20.5 million from a firm run by Manhard in July 2021. Its proposals for the other property include 420 units spread across 36 stories.

Kushner executives have stated that they intend to develop around 1,100 residences in Edgewater and their hope is to capitalize on South Miami’s hot market.

Kushner Cos. financed the property through MSD Partner in New York with a $20 million mortgage.

Charles Kushner, the father of Jared Kushner, former President Donald J. Trump’s son-in-law, leads the corporation.

December 2021 Posts Best Sales Month in Miami-Dade Real Estate History

Miami Dade Sales for December 2021
Miami Dade Sales for December 2021

This year has been a record-breaking year for Miami-Dade County real estate. Quarter one, we saw median sales prices reach record numbers as well as the number of homes sold. In the second quarter for 2021, a new record was set for the most home ever sold in that quarter.

In the third quarter, records for highest condo prices sold. And now, Miami has had its best December sales month in history with total homes sales, highest annual total dollar volume, most condo transactions, and most single-family home sales.

According to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for quarter 4, there has been 49% more sales and 103% more dollar volume in 2021. Year 2021 ended with 39,394 existing total property sales, up 49.5 percent from the 26,345 transactions in 2020 and 31.1 percent from the previous annual high of 30,041 transactions in 2013. Miami’s sales in dollars totalled $30.3 billion in 2021, an increase of 103.4 percent year over year.

The total sales record actually broke in October 2021 (10 months) which is a record in itself. In just nine months in 2021, Miami broke its all-time yearly condo sales record, selling 23,689 units, an increase of 80.9 percent over the previous year. Miami set a new record for annual single-family home sales in 11 months, with 15,705 units sold, up 18.5 percent from 2020.

Total home sales in Miami-Dade County increased 14.8% year over year in December 2021, from 2,990 to 3,433. While single-family house sales in Miami fell 1.2 percent, from 1,372 to 1,356, existing condo sales in Miami rose 28.4%, from 1,618 to 2,077. It’s the 15th month in a row that condo prices have risen by double digits year over year.

Nine of the top ten best house sales months in Miami history occurred in the year 2021. The month of June 2021 (with 4,057 total transactions) is still the most active in Miami’s history. Since MIAMI began keeping statistics in 1993, December 2021 (with 3,433 sales) has been the sixth-best sales month overall.

Home sales in Miami are also up considerably from December 2019. Total home sales in Miami increased by 41.6 percent in December 2021 compared to December 2019, from 2,424 to 3,433. Single-family house sales in Miami are up 15.5 percent, while condo transactions are up 66.2 percent, compared to December 2019.

In December 2021, single-family luxury ($1 million and more) transactions in Miami increased 18.6% year over year to 262. Existing condo luxury ($1 million and over) sales in Miami increased by 100% year over year to 264 transactions.

Luxury single-family homes have a 3.2-month supply, while luxury condos have a 7.5-month supply. Month-over-month and year-over-year, luxury months of supply continues to decline for all property categories.

In December 2021, 535 single-family houses priced between $400K and $600K sold in Miami, up 25.6 percent year over year. Existing condo sales in Miami increased by 101.7 percent to 359 deals, with prices ranging from $400K to $600K.

Single-family median prices in Miami-Dade County grew 15.4% year over year in December 2021, rising from $454,900 to $525,000. The median price of a single-family home in Miami has grown for 121 months in a row, a stretch of 10.1 years. The typical price of an existing unit grew 29.3% year over year, from $274,500 to $355,000. In 123 of the last 127 months, condo median prices have risen.

In December 2021, Miami’s total monetary volume was $3.1 billion. The dollar volume of single-family homes climbed 27.7% year over year, from $1.31 billion to $1.67 billion. Year over year, condo dollar volume increased 68.5 percent, from $853 million to $1.4 billion.

In December 2021, cash transactions accounted for 40.4 percent of Miami closed sales, up from 32.2 percent in December 2020. According to the most recent NAR statistics, cash sales account for about 23% of all house sales in the United States. Cash sales made up 49.1% of all existing condo sales in Miami and 27.1 percent of single-family home sales.

Do these Miami Restaurants have the Best Sandwiches in the US?

Best Sandwichs in US
Best Sandwichs in US

Who has the best sandwich in Miami? According to a consumer poll on Mashed.com, two of the best sandwiches in the United States are located right in our very own Miami. The sandwiches we are referring to include a cheesesteak sandwich from Batch Gastropub in Miami and a croqueta preparada from Sanguich de Miami located in Little Havana.

The Batch Gastropub creates a heavenly sandwich by brushing a smoke paprika aioli stacked with shaved ribeye that’s covered with white American cheese. The “cherry on top” is the sautéed hot cherry peppers and onions.

According to mashed.com, “The steak is juicy and exquisite, the bun is light, fresh, and a little crispy, and the pickled hot cherry peppers have just the right amount of heat to shine through all of the richness.”

The croqueta is in a whole other league with stacked high slices of ham and roasted pork topped with Swiss cheese. Extras include croquettes, mustard, and pickles.

“There’s a lot to appreciate about this sandwich, but the real stroke of genius is the choice to masterfully tuck a few croquettes in between all the unctuous meat, briny pickles, and melted cheese,” according to the review on this sandwich form Saquich de Miami.

Other restaurants that have made best food lists include Makoto in Bal Harbour and Itamae in Miami.

Estate Featured on Miami Vice Sells for $13.9 Million

Miami Vice Waterfront Home
Waterfront Mansion in Miami Beach
Photo Credit: Jill Eber

Andian Group, a Miami-based development firm led by Andres Isaias and Alejandro Diaz Bazan recently purchased a Miami Beach waterfront home for $13.9 million. What a deal for the estate that was originally on Miami Vice.

The property is located at 1415 North View Drive on Sunset Islands. The property itself features 7,748 square feet sitting on 0.6 acres. With 6 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms, the contemporary design showcases custom walls, marble flooring, and soaring wood-beamed ceilings.

Skylights and large windows center on the incredible outside views. The home also features a custom bar in the main living area, a gourmet eat-in kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances. Carrara marble unfolds throughout the bathrooms making the home a luxurious retreat.

The exterior of the home feature an in-ground pool with a fountain, 97 feet of water frontage, and the ability to place a long boat dock.

Miami Vice Waterfront Mansion
Photo Credit: Jill Eber

The home was originally built in 1983 and was utilized from 1984 to 1990 for the filming of the original Miami Vice.

The property records state that the seller is Lions Global Venture out of Miami. Lions Global purchased the home in 2013 for $7.6 million.

The Andian duo plans to renovate and sell the home for profit. They have been very active in Miami Beach and have recently sold a home on the Venetian Islands for $15.1 million.

Miami Vice Waterfront Home
Photo Credit: Jill Eber

Miami Heat Player PJ Tucker Rents $22,000 Waterfront Home in Coral Gables

Miami Heat Star Forward Moves to Coral Gables
Miami Heat Star Forward Moves to Coral Gables

Anthony Leon “P. J.” Tucker Jr., NBA Star Forward for the Miami Heat recently rented a waterfront property located in Coral Gables.

The rental located at 25 Arvida Parkway, was last listed for $22,000 monthly. The waterfront home is located in the gated community of Gables Estates that sides to Biscayne Bay.

The property was built in 1968 and sits on 0.68 acres with 100 feet of Biscayne Bay water frontage. The open concept mid-century home features 7,343 square feet of living space with 5 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms. Marble floors span throughout opening to floor-to-ceiling windows.

What makes this home so spectacular is the 2 grand living rooms, a formal dining room, and the spacious chef’s kitchen. The home also features a 3 car garage, a deck, pool, dock with a boat lift. The seawall has also been recently replaced. According to the listing, there is an application fee of $35,000 as well as acceptance by the community club.

The estimated worth of the home is listed at $30 million.

Tucker began playing ball in college for the Texas Longhorns. Some major accomplishments include his 2008 Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP and his Israeli Super League. This year, Tucker also won an NBA Championship with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Other notables that reside in the community include rapper and songwriter, Pharrell, healthcare billionaire, Mike Fernandez, and another Miami Heat Player, Alonzo Mourning.

Moishe Mana Expands Portfolio to 3 Buildings for $25.4 Million in Miami

Moishe Mana Purchases 3 Properties in Downtown Miami
Moishe Mana Purchases 3 Properties in Downtown Miami

Miami’s biggest landlord, Moishe Mana, has bought three additional buildings to add to his forever expanding portfolio. As part of his aim to convert the Downtown Miami into an innovation and cultural centre, he plans to create, Mana Common. Moishe Mana has spent much of this year investing in commercial properties as well as residential properties in Miami that he has been making a big time profit on!

Mana paid a total of $25.4 million for the three properties at 100 North Miami Avenue, 173 Northeast First Street, and 124 Northeast Second Avenue. The buildings total 50,197 square feet, and are part of Mana’s portfolio of more than 60 properties in and surrounding Downtown Miami.

According to property records, the two-story, 18,535-square-foot structure at 100 North Miami Avenue was built on 0.2 acres in 1941. According to state corporate filings, the seller Flexini Investments is led by Mario Sapoznik. The two-story, 7,200-square-foot building at 124 Northeast Second Avenue, erected in 1922 on less than 0.1 acre, is two blocks west, according to property records. On 0.3 acres, it lies next to the two-story, 24,462-square-foot structure at 173 Northeast First Street. The two buildings were sold by SG & S, which was led by Ana White.

The majority of his properties are older low- to mid-rise buildings with small businesses including clothes boutiques, pawn shops, and cafes.

Mana intends to repair or redevelop his properties to establish Mana Common, a campus-like space aimed at integrating Latin American and American digital companies. Despite the fact that Mana has started work on several of his properties after years of land acquisition, he has run across some roadblocks recently.

Mana had commissioned engineering inspections prior to beginning repairs, which revealed the buildings had “significant structural issues.” Mana Common’s representative declined to provide an update on the buildings. Some of the buildings that he has started repairs include the Nikola Tesla Innovation Hub, a fashion mall, the Flagler Studios, and another building on East Flagler Street.