J. Michael Arrington-Founder of TechCrunch Buys Waterfront Home for $16 Million

Old Cutler Bay in Miami
Old Cutler Bay in Miami

In April 2021, J. Michael Arrington, Founder of TechCrunch, stated that “there is no better place to be than Miami.” So it is of no surprise that Arrington just closed on a waterfront property in Miami last Friday.

With a cool price of $16 million, this gorgeous home is located in Miami’s gated community of Old Cutler Bay has all the amenities that one could need. The gorgeous six bedroom home is perfectly sited on half of an acre with 140 feet of waterfront. This property is not limited in amenities! From the pool, wooden deck, coral rock fire pit, to the summer kitchen, it is absolutely stunning.

Patio View of Miami Mansion

The home was built in 2015 and designed by Florida architect, Cesar Molina. The 8,300 square foot home is complete with 6 bedrooms, 7.5 bathrooms, wine cellar, home theater, gym, and custom kitchen.

According to the Miami MLS, this property was originally listed in April with a price of $16.5 million. According to tax records, the sellers purchased the property for $10.4 million in November of 2018. According to the listing agent, properties in this neighborhood typically sell for over $10 million but this has been the highest sale price ever for this neighborhood.

Garden in Miami Mansion

J. Michael Arrington is the founder of the popular tech review website, TechCrunch and a cryptocurrency hedge fund, Arrington XRP Capital. Techcrunch which operates Crunchbase, was founded in 2005 starting off as an online encyclopedia with information on key people, funding rounds, and startups’ information. TechCrunch was later acquired in 2010 by AOL for $25 million.

Downtown Miami Introduces Gale Miami Hotel and Residences

Natiivo in Downtown Miami
601 Miami in Downtown Miami Renderings

A 51-story tower located directly in the heart of Downtown Miami, is the first ‘CondoHospitality’ tower in Miami with open-concept designs and killer views of the Miami skyline and Biscayne Bay as well as world-class amenities.

This new construction tower will house Gale Miami Hotel & Residences; Miami’s first wellness building, licensed for short-term rentals. Gale will occupy 7 floors (17 through 23) which will include 140 luxury condo hotel units, where owners have the option of utilizing the onsite rental program.

Gale Miami Hotel and Residences

These units will be fully finished and furnished with square footage ranging from 389 SF – 900 SF with pricing starting at $300,000.

Residence Features:

  • Urban luxury residences with modern open layouts from
  • Studio, one, & two-bedroom units
  • All residences are delivered fully finished and furnished with fixtures and furniture curated by Urban Robot
  • Panoramic Biscayne Bay, and Miami skyline views
  • Private balconies with most units
  • Ceiling heights 9 feet
  • Owner’s closet in every residence
  • Floor-to-ceiling windows and impact-resistant glass throughout
  • Advanced technology Smart Building wiring for HD TV, multiple telephones
  • Data lines and ultra-high-speed internet access
  • Washer/Dryer in the units

Kitchen:

  • Imported European cabinets with premium hardware
  • European style appliance package including refrigerator, cook-top, microwave, and sink
  • Elegant stone countertops and backsplashes
  • Contemporary under-mounted sink
  • Gourmet faucet with integral sprayer

Master Bathroom:

  • Imported European cabinets with premium hardware and drawer pull
  • Elegant imported stone countertops and backsplashes
  • Rectangular trough porcelain sinks with dual faucets
  • Custom-finished floors and walls in wet areas
  • Frameless glass shower enclosures
  • Premium European-style fixtures and accessories

Gale residents will have access to all of the amenities that 601 Miami has to offer including the social club, meeting spaces, coffee and juice bar, and media lounge.

Work Amenities:

  • Co-working spaces
  • Private offices
  • Flexible office arrangements
  • Video-capable conference rooms
  • Quiet rooms
  • Phone booths
  • Cutting-edge technology and connectivity
  • Office host
  • Coffee and juice bar
  • Amphitheater
  • Meeting/presentation rooms

Social Amenities:

  • Specialty restaurant and bar
  • Dining terrace
  • Social area with full-service cafe and cocktail bar
  • Drink and dine lounge areas
  • Media lounge
  • Live show and events lounge
  • The porch
  • Speakeasy
  • DJ and live performances
  • Programmed events
Splash Pad at 601 Miami Residences

The ‘Splash on 9th’ boasts 16,000 square feet of poolside bliss featuring a resort-style pool and cabanas.

Splash Amenities:

  • Sun deck
  • Poolside beverage and food service
  • Native tropical landscaping
  • Cabana bar
  • Pool towel services

‘The Fit on 10th’ features 16,000 square feet of health and fitness options.

Fit Amenities:

  • Juice bar
  • Yoga and pilates studio
  • Boxing ring with punching bags
  • Peloton equipment
  • Weight station
  • Cross-training/Crossfit
  • Spa/treatment rooms
  • Sauna/steam rooms
  • Locker rooms
  • Outdoor terrace/training
  • The Fit Boutique

Residents will also be able to enjoy 601 Miami’s 24-hour concierge, valet parking, and security.

Gale Miami Hotel and Residences will be the third property in the Gale Brand. The first hotel debuted in 2012 in Miami Beach, and the second one was Gale Hotel and Residences in Fort Lauderdale Beach.

The construction for Gale Miami Hotel and Residences has already started and the grand opening is anticipated to be in the fall of 2023.

Shoma Group Buys North Bay Village Land for $15.78 Million for a Proposed Mixed-Use Project- Shoma Bay

Shoma North Bay Village Rendering
Shoma North Bay Village Rendering

Shoma Group, led by CEO Masoud Shojaee has recently purchased a 1.79 acre lot in North Bay Village. The development group purchased the land through two separate deals for a total of $15.78 million.

The lot located at 1850 79th Street Causeway sold for $8.38 million while the lot with a current retail building at 1872 79th Street Causeway sold for $7.4 million. Both properties were purchased with a mortgage through North Bay Finance & Investments.

Shoma Bay Mixed-use Project in North Bay Village

The plans for the ‘Shoma Bay’ development were presented and approved by the North Bay Village in March 2021. The mixed-use development will house a 19-story tower that will include 333 residential units, 36,068 square foot approved Publix grocery store, 6,315 square feet of retail, and a 666 garage spaces. Ten of the spaces will be dedicated to electric charging vehicles, and the garage will be located on top of the Publix.

The amenities will include a pool, bowling alley, complimentary snack station, wework café, clubroom, and more to be determined.

MSA Architects are the lead designers on this project. MSA have also designed the Waverly at Surfside, Porto Bellagio, and the Marriott Miami Beach.

Miami Heat Guard Victor Oladipo Buys Miami Beach Mansion for $7.75 Million

Victor Oladipo Buys Miami Beach Home
Victor Oladipo Buys Miami Beach Home

A two-time Miami Heat All Star, Victor Oladipo recently purchased a Miami Beach mansion for $7.75 million with an original list price of $7.9 million.

The immaculate home located in a gated community on Hibiscus Drive features 6,900 square-feet of living space on 0.33 acres. Developed by Hassan Jalali of H2 Construction, this home was originally a spec home when it was first built in 2019.

This mansion features 7 bedrooms, 7.5 bathrooms, pool, and a pool house. According to the listing agent, the home is one of the largest non-waterfront homes in Miami Beach. It doesn’t take away from the gorgeous views of the wrap around pool with unique water features.

Victor Oladipo Miami Beach

The main floor features an open floor plan with a chef’s kitchen, formal dining room, and maid’s corner. The second floor is especially unique with two master suites and three en suite bedrooms.

Victor Oladipo played college basketball for the Indian Hoosiers where he was named Sporting News ‘Men’s college Basketball Player of the Year’, Co-‘NABC Defensive Player of the Year’, and a first-team ‘All-American’. In the 2013 NBA Draft, he was the 2nd overall pick by the Orlando Magic and was named NBA All-Rookie first team. Oladipo has also played for the the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers.

New Construction Tower-Ambienta Bay Harbor Islands Plans Ground Breaking for June 2021

Ambienta Bay Harbor Islands Rendering
Ambienta Bay Harbor Renderings

Ambienta Bay Harbor Islands is one of the newest condo developments in Bay Harbor Islands. Located at 9901 West Bay Harbor Drive, this 7 story and 30-unit building will feature quality craftsmanship, high-end materials, and flawless finishes that is truly awe-inspiring.

Although limited to 30 units, this tower will showcase two bedroom + den to three bedroom units ranging from 1,229 to 1,662 square feel. Upon entering the building, you will be greeted with a double-height lobby, glass façade throughout, and gorgeous gardens with tropical plants. Each unit will includes its own two parking spaces and a storage unit. The prices for these units will range from $761,000 to $1.2 million.

Balcony Rendering of Ambienta

Construction Information:

  • Developer: Ambienta Developers
  • Architect: Revuelta Architecture International
  • Landscape Design: David J. Odishoo
  • Interior Design: Bea Interiors Design

Building Features:

  • 360-degree Rooftop Oasis for outdoor enjoyment
  • Infinity-edge swimming pool
  • Outdoor yoga/meditation space
  • Children’s play area
  • Fully outfitted Fitness Center with cardio and weight training equipment
  • Resident’s social room with bar, large-screen televisions, and lounge seating perfect for events or meetings of any kind
  • Impressive double-height lobby with reception seating

Residence Amenities:

  • Two covered parking spaces per residence
  • Corner residences offer wrap-around terraces
  • High impact floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors and windows
  • All bedrooms have access to expansive balconies
  • Walk-in closets in master bedrooms
  • Master bathroom with double sink, glass shower enclosure with rainfall shower head and hand shower
  • Expansive glass-framed outdoor terraces accessible from bedrooms and living areas
  • Italian kitchens with custom quartz counter tops and Italkraft® cabinetry
  • Bosch® appliance suite includes induction cooktop, built-in stainless steel French door refrigerator, convection oven, microwave oven, and dishwasher
  • Private storage available on same level as residence
  • Bluetooth® enabled keyless entry system with camera technology

Sales have already started on this development and it is expected to break ground in June with a top-off date of July 2022. Closings are set to begin in spring of 2023.

Barstool Sports Founder Dave Portnoy Buys Miami Mansion for $14 Million

Dave Portnoy Buys Bayfront Mansion
Dave Portnoy Buys Bayfront Mansion

If you’re not familiar with Barstool Sports, then you have definitely seen their videos circulating the internet. What started off as a sport’s blog in 2003, Barstool Sports quickly turned into a multi-million dollar digital media company with focuses on videos, podcasts, and blogs.

Founder of Barstool, Dave Portnoy, has recently been using his massive social media platform to travel the United States and taste test pizza on his vlog called ‘One Bite’. These posts are featured on Barstool Sports as well as his blogs. Within the past month, Portnoy has been exclusively in South Florida documenting pizza joints.

It was rumored that during his visits he started renting Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s Miami beach front property for $200,000 a month. Now, it has officially been confirmed that he purchased a bay-front Miami mansion for $14 million.

The property located at 5811 North Bayshore Drive in the Morningside neighborhood was purchased in April under the name StellaBean Holdings, LLC., named after Portnoy’s dog Stella, who passed in 2019.

Featuring 6,100 square feet of living space with nine bedrooms, eight and a half bathrooms sited on 1 acre, including a pool.

Broker-Owner of Luxe Living Realty, Dora Puig, listed the property in November 2020. Property records show that the home previously sold in 2010 for $2.2 million.

Subway Corporate Makes its Move to Miami

Subway Sign on Storefront.

According to Restaurant Business Online; Subway, the Milford Connecticut based sandwich chain, will be relocating 10% of its operations to Miami. The new location is reported to be near Miami National Airport which also happens to be closer to home of John Chidsey, CEO of Subway, in Coral Gables.

In a statement following the company’s announcement, “A Miami presence allows us to keep our finger on the pulse of more cultural conversations and the evolving tastes of the modern consumer. With its dynamic business climate, diverse population and multicultural influences, it is the ideal place to transition some of our consumer-facing roles.”

The departments that are relocating include; marketing, culinary teams, and global transformation teams. This move will also make their U.S. and Canada based teams have stronger integration with their supply chains. Subway plans to move by the spring of 2022.

This change for Subway comes after a year of layoffs and an ‘executive overhaul,’ with a large number of store closings and buyouts.

Chidsey’s former chain, Burger King, is also located in Miami, as well as its sister company – Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen.