The South Beach Jazz Festival is Back for Another Year
The South Beach Jazz Festival is back for another year and we can’t be more excited! Scheduled for this weekend you can find some of the top jazz performers at venues throughout Miami Beach.
The show is set for January 7-9, 2022, and was designed to showcase the musical abilities of people with disabilities. According to the new President of Power Access, the non-profit organization that hosts the festival, “It is in our mission to provide opportunities for musicians with disabilities and so at least one musician in each group does have a disability,” states R. David New.
New himself became blind, deaf, and partially paralyzed due to a rare disease but later regained his ability to hear and walk. With his personal experiences, this festival is very close to him and he is happy to be able to continue the tradition for 2022.
The pre-festival show will take place at the Faena Theater on Thursday, Jan. 6th. The performers will include pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba and singer Aymee Nuviola. Their recent 2020 album was nominated for a Grammy Award in the “Best Latin Jazz” category. The album is a tribute to their mothers as well as their home, Havana.
The opening act on Friday, January 7th is Grammy Award-winning Blind Boys of Alabama. Also performing is New Orleans saxophonist Donald Harrison and drummer Art Blakey’s famed Jazz Messengers. Also in attendance will be the University of Miami Jazz Quintet with Kaleen Barton.
The opening pre-festival and the Friday shows will be a ticketed event while the other shows are free.
As for COVID protocols, all performances are expected to be outside except the pre-festival show. According to R. David New, “We are taking every precaution possible to make our event safe and enjoyable for the entire community.” Social distancing and masks will be encouraged. To see a full list of performers as well as their locations, click here.
Another Former Miami Heat Player Sells Miami Mansion
We have been seeing a lot of Miami Heat basketball players, as well as former players, sell their Miami homes. Now we can add former center, Meyers Leonard to the list with his recent sale of a Bay Point waterfront home for $10.89 million.
Leonard and his wife, Elle purchase the home in February of this year for $7.78 million. The property is located at 741 Buttonwood Lane features 6,819 square feet of living space sited on 0.43 acres on an interior lot in a canal with direct access to Biscayne Bay.
The modern waterfront with vine-covered loggias surrounding the exterior showcases 7 bedrooms with 8.5 bathrooms. The estate was built in 1996 and was renovated in 2018 to feature high ceilings, Italian cabinetry by Italkraft, oak hardwood floor throughout, and stainless steel appliances. Outdoors, you will find a 2 car garage, entertainment area with custom seating, and a heated pool/spa. The new owners will also enjoy the aluminum deck with a boat lift.
Eduardo Marquez and his wife Gabriela are listed as the buyers for this property. Marquez is the President of Lucky Player Vodka (located in Miami). The mortgage for the buyers was provided by Citibank for $6 million.
Meyers Leonard, originally from Virginia, played high school basketball for 2 years then was drafted into the NBA in 2012. He was a first-round draft pick but 11th overall. He was traded from the Portland Trail Blazers to the Miami Heat in 2020 where he assisted the Heat to reach the NBA Finals for that year. In 2021, he re-signed another contract with Miami but ended up injuring his shoulder in January 2021.
In a recent Instagram post, Leonard stated on his future of the NBA, “I’m simply not healthy enough to play.” He also stated that he is looking forward to 2022 and what is in store for his career and family.
The Real Wolf of Wall Street Now Calls Miami Home
We can’t stress enough how hot Miami is right now! And we aren’t talking about the temperature. Notables, celebrities, and execs are moving to Magic City daily and another one just joined the ranks. Recently announced that the real ‘Wolf of Wall Street,’ Jordan Belfort is Miami’s newest resident.
Recently, Belfort eloped in Las Vegas with model and now wife, Cristina Invernizzi. Invernizzi is originally from Argentina and is listed as Belfort’s third wife. Belfort and Invernizzi are moving from Las Vegas.
So who is Jordan Belfort? You may have seen the 2013 The Wolf of Wall Street movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio portraying Jordan Belfort. But to dive deeper, Belfort was a former stockbroker who pleaded guilty to multiple crimes related to stock market manipulation and the running of a long-term scam involving penny stocks sending him to prison.
Belfort grew up in Queens, New York where he began selling at a young age. His friend any him would sell Italian water ice desserts out of inexpensive styrofoam coolers at a beach during the summer months where they would earn around $20,000 every summer. Belfort later went to American University where he studied biology and later went to dental school for a short period. In the 1980s Belfort founded Stratton Oakmont, an over-the-counter brokerage house and financial firm that did remarkably well until he was later caught.
Since his sentencing and prison sentence, Belfort has profited off of 2 memoirs that discuss his life during the Stratton Oakmont era, as well as a self-help book on persuasion and influence.
More recently, Belfort has been participating and becoming fully engulfed in the Miami scene. During Art Basel week, he released his very first NFT. The NFT portrays Belfort partying on a yacht surrounded by models, helicopters, and helicopters flying overhead. One of the fascinating depictions includes the yacht being surrounded by FBI agents. David Yarrow is the photographer for the piece.
Another announcement includes Belfort’s announcement for his very own tequila coming to a shelf near you, Mezcel Santo Inferno. We can’t wait to see what else The Wolf has in store for Miami!
Moishe Mana Expands Portfolio to 3 Buildings for $25.4 Million in 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.
Miami Real Estate Sets Another Record for its Best Sales Month for November in History
Miami-Dade has seen yet another record smashed for real estate sales this year. November is now officially had its best sales month in history following highest total home sales, highest condo sales, and highest single-family home sells.
As of November, Miami has officially hit 35,961 total home sales with the previous record hitting 30,041 transactions for 2013. Although November has the highest home sales for any November in History, June 2021 is still considered the number one sales month in Miami history. November is ranked the 8th best month overall.
Total home sales for Miami-Dade County rose 22.9% for the month of November to 3,021 sales. This is up from 2,459 sales compared to October sales. Single family home sales have increased 1.2% to 1,168, while condo sales have seen a dramatic increase of 42% at 1,853.
For November, Miami home sales showed an increase at 48.6% compared to November 2019. For home sales, transactions saw a 20.2% increase and a 74.6% for condo transactions compared to November 2019.
Luxury single-family home sales saw an increase in 28.2% at 209 sales for November 2021. While luxury condo sales rose 115.6% at 207 transactions.
As for the Miami home sale supply, luxury single-family home sale are 3.6 months and luxury condos remain at 8.4 months with a trend downward month after month.
Single family homes saw an increase of 15.1% between the prices $400,000 to $600,000 with 405 transaction in November. Condo sales that were in the same price range also saw a 132.6% increase at 321 transactions.
The dollar volume totaled $2.2 billion for November with an increase in single family home volume by 14.9% and condo dollar volume at 92.8%.
For the state of Florida, closed single-family home sales totaled 27,541 bringing the total sales up 4.3% compared to last year. Condo sales are down 5.4% at 11,598 total sales.
Median home sales price rose 19.6% with a median sales price $364,900, while the condo sales price is up 19.9% with units median sales price averaging in $273,270.
Cash sales accounted for 60% of all Miami home sales more than the national average for November 2021. For closed sales, cash represented 38.4% of Miami closed sales. For condo sales, cash represented 46.9% while 24.9% represented single-family home transactions.
The demand for Miami real estate continues to increase. The factors that have caused this increase include travel restrictions being lifted to the states, low interest rates, and lack of covid restrictions.
Sell of Star Island Waterfront Mansion Sets New Miami Record
Star Island has seen many record sales in the past year but a new sale has just topped them all. A mansion on Miami Beach’s Star Island sold for $75 million, setting a new record for any single-family home in Miami-Dade.
The 16,619-square-foot mansion located at 8 Star Island Drive was sold by Dr. Lourdes R. Sanjenis, an internist in Miami. In 2013, Sanjenis inherited the home from Modesto M. Mora, who originally built the home in 1993.
Sitting on 1.84 acres, the home features 9 bedrooms, 8 full bathrooms, and 3 half bathroom. The mansion showcases over 20,000 square feet of luxury. Throughout the home, touches of Mediterranean and Caribbean architecture is evident.
Amenities include a beautiful pool overlooking the gorgeous manicured yard and an expansive dock with Port of Miami and Miami skyline views. The property also features an elevator and a commercial generator.
Star Island is a man-made island located in Miami Beach along Biscayne Bay. Made up of just a few dozen homes, Star Island is one of the most coveted and exclusive island in South Florida. Star Island is within close proximity to Hibiscus Island, the Venetian Islands, and Palm Island. Each waterfront lot offers at least 40,000 square feet of unobstructed water views and frontage.
Star Island can be accessed through one bridge with a guard house entrance. A large number of celebrities live or have owned on Star Island. Some notable include Gloria Estefan, P. Diddy, Lea Black from the Real Housewives of Miami, and Jennifer Lopez.
The buyer for the Star Island mansion record sale has yet to be disclosed.
M Tower Redesign Renderings Revealed
Located at 56 SW 1st St and 65 SW 2nd Street, M Tower will rise 49 stories in Downtown Miami. Recently, the developers released renderings for a redesign of the tower. M-Tower will be developed by the Miami Parking Authority and a private developer in a partnership.
The old plans showcased the property reaching 53 stories, 440 condo units, and 818 parking spaces. The tower was proposed to encompass 622,783 square feet total with 25,732 square feet of office space and 1,089 square feet of retail. These previous designs were created by Zyscovich Architects.
The new designs showcase 624 condo units, ground floor retail, offices for Miami Parking Authority, and 717 parking spaces. The architect for the redesign is NBWW Architects located in Coral Gables.
In the previous design, the older garage on the property was to be refinished and incorporate some of the new design but the current plans show an entire demolition of the site with plans to rebuild.
The property that the proposed M Tower sits on sold earlier this year to an affiliate of the Lion Group NYC for $10 million.
If the new redesign is approved by all parties, then construction will begin in 2022.
Developers for Legacy Hotel & Residences Receives Third Largest Construction Loan Ever in Florida
Developer Dan Kodsi’s Royal Palm Companies recently received a $340 million construction loan for Legacy Hotel & Residences. New York-based real estate lending joint venture Silverstein Capital Partners, provided the loan for a condo-hotel construction tower that will be located in Downtown Miami at Miami Worldcenter.
According to a press release, the financing is the third-largest construction loan ever made in Florida, behind two others for projects in Miami-Dade. The other two loans were for the building of The Estates at Acqualina in Sunny Isles Beach ($558 million) and Five Park in Miami Beach ($345 million).
Legacy Hotel & Residences began selling in late 2019 and despite the pandemic, it is already entirely pre-sold, with $160 million in sales.
The luxury tower located at 942 Northeast First Avenue, will rise 50 stories at 668 feet tall making it the second tallest tower at Miami Worldcener. This mixed-use development will feature 312 residential units, 262 luxury hotel rooms, a business center, medical office, retail space, and rooftop atrium.
The residences will include studio to 2 bedroom floor plans with 368 to 964 square feet options. The units will be fully finished and furnished. One of the unique things about Legacy is that residents will be able to rent their units without any restrictions. This includes utilizing a short-term rental company, whether its the Legacy’s rental program, Airbnb, or VRBO.
Not only is this loan one of the largest construction loans in Florida but this is also Silverstein Capital Partner’s first South Florida loan. Larry Silverstein of Silverstein Properties is an affiliate of the financial group and also led the development of the World Trade Center after 9/11.
Kobi Karp Architects, Design Agency, and ID & Design International designed the structure.
The ground-breaking for Legacy Hotel & Residences occurred in August 2021 and is expected to reach top-off in 2024.
Plans for a 23 Story Tower Proposed in North Miami Beach
Miami-based Humberto Ramirez Developers are currently under contract on a North Miami Beach office building with plans to a 23-story condo-hotel.
Officially scheduled for December 13, North Miami’s City Planning & Zoning Board will be presented the proposal for the tower located at 2040 N.E. 163rd Street. The 1.09-acre site currently holds a 3 story 26,766 square foot office building with a medical practice and a consulting firm as the current tenants. The property is currently owned by North Miami Beach company, 2040 Investments.
Designed by Bermello Ajamil & Partners, the proposed tower would feature 334 condo units, 30 hotel rooms, and a 410-space parking garage (13 electric car spaces) totaling 272,660 square feet. According to the proposed plans, 144 one-bedroom units, 162 two-bedroom units, and 28 three-bedroom units.
The property would also feature 7,328 square feet of retail space. The parking garage would rise 7 stories tall and the hotel rooms would line the front of the garage.
Amenities for this tower would feature a pool deck above the parking garage, game room, and fitness center.
North Miami Beach has adopted revised zoning for its eastern portion in recent years in order to stimulate construction and increased density. The city hopes to attract additional people as well as business development to the region
