Cityscapes: The Morphing Miami Skyline

Even mundane parking garages can morph into artistic canvases in Miami.

At 27 Edgewater, a new mixed-use residential development planned for 2728 NE Second Ave., four levels of the pedestal garage above the ground-floor commercial space will feature a distinctive, colorful facade.

Albert Cordoves, principal of Corwil Architects Inc., explained how the building’s location – close to Edgewater and the Wynwood Arts District – inspired its design.

The creative team wanted to “integrate the vibrancy of Wynwood with Edgewater by playfully using the curve of the water’s edge,” he said. “The screening enveloping the open-air parking areas will be a wave pattern of curving aluminum ribbons.”

The angled blades will induce a sense of movement that will vary throughout the day dependent on the sun’s path. On a practical level, the screening also serves to provide natural light and ventilation for the interior parking areas.

Also noteworthy: A planned 18-story building being developed by 908 Group Holdings LLC. The project will include 108 various-sized multifamily apartments ranging from studios to four-bedroom units, a rarity in area residences.

Ultra-Luxe Gift With Purchase at Aston Martin Residences

If you’re going to buy a new downtown Miami residence bearing the name of iconic British car maker Aston Martin, a matching bit of luxury on four wheels will certainly add to its cachet. 

Buyers of the Signature apartments ($5.3 – $7.7 million) or penthouses (from $14 million) at the 66-story Aston Martin Residences located at 300 Biscayne Blvd. Way are offered either a DBX or DB1 model vehicle. Builder G&G Business Developments is offering an 800 horsepower V12 Vulcan, a hypercar valued at $2.3 million that requires special training to drive and is one of only 24 made, to the deep-pocketed super sports car aficionado who purchases the $50 million tri-level penthouse. 

The cars themselves are destined for some pretty pampered digs. Alejandro Aljanati, G&G CMO, said there are plans to build at least 10 “super garages” in the building’s parking structure with the help of Aston Martin’s automotive galleries and lairs design team.

“They will feature special flooring, wallcovering, lighting and unique cabinetry,” he said. “The garages will have the potential to be truly unique spaces for owners to enjoy their cars.”

“Shark”-infested Waters in Little River

If you watched “Shark Tank” on ABC in January last year, you may recall the pitch by Kreyol Essence for its hair and beauty products made with Haitian black castor oil. Now the company, which secured a hefty investment from “Shark” investor Kevin O’Leary, is opening a 6,400-square-foot store at 300 NW 73rd St. in Little River. Theirs is one of 13 leases recently finalized by Tony Arellano, managing partner of Dwntwn Realty Advisors on behalf of MVW Partners, a Miami-based real estate firm founded by Matthew Vander Werff that specializes in revitalizing urban areas.

This activity during a pandemic indicates positive long-term commercial prospects in Little River. As one of Miami’s oldest neighborhoods, it boasts a desirable location stretching approximately from NE 4th to NW 7th Avenues and NE 62nd Street north to the winding Little River waterway around NE 83rd Street.

Most of the new commercial activity is centered around NW 72nd and NW 73rd Streets between NW First and NW Third Avenues, with NW Second Avenue as its bustling hub. New arrivals include restaurants, a vintage clothing store, and a fine and rare wine emporium, plus a custom woodworking/furniture company and Uber’s electric bicycle and scooter sharing system. Event and service providers and several architecture and design firms are also moving in.

Little River rents compare favorably to nearby submarkets, coming in the low $20s per square foot (on a triple net, or NNN, basis) noted Arellano, who believes “Little River is what Wynwood was – the cool, creative business district for Miami’s urban core.”

Class A Offices: Working Well & With High Style

Wynwood, once a gritty industrial area, now flourishes as Miami’s epicenter for the arts with galleries and restaurants and – more recently – residential developments. Offices are now the next big thing. Wynwood‘s gateway location, enviable local lifestyle and supply of quality talent is attracting new Class A office buildings set to open within the year. Post-pandemic, they will emphasize safe and healthy working environments.

Architect Kobi Karp said he designed The Gateway, located in Wynwood at 2916 North Miami Ave. on the midtown border, to be “environmentally responsible and coexist with the surrounding neighborhood.” The 460,000-square-foot building, which topped off in early December, includes ground-level retail, seven floors of office space with floor-to-ceiling windows, a private rooftop terrace and covered parking. According to Stephen Rutchik, a broker with Colliers International Florida who leads office leasing at the building for developer R&B Realty, the flexible floor plates of the building allow tenants to design their spaces in keeping with the best social distancing protocols. The property is also seeking LEED Certification for its sustainable construction practices.

The new 545wyn on NW Fifth Avenue at NW 26th Street is offering 298,000 square feet of Class A office space with oversized floor plates, ground-floor retail and on-site parking. The 10-story building, designed by Gensler, emphasizes well-being with touchless technology elevators for social distancing, touchless water fixtures and abundant outdoor space. Employees can enjoy balconies on office floors, a large indoor/outdoor amenity deck and a fitness center. Developer Sterling Bay’s focus on engaging the neighborhood plays out in 545wyn’s Paseo Park. This circuit of alleyways connecting NW 26th and NW 27th Streets will give tenants direct access to walkable, outdoor space. Tech and creative companies are a target market for Wynwood’s growing tech hub.

Hidden in Plain Sight: Neighborhoods to Know

Drivers rushing north on Biscayne Boulevard may not even notice the discreet entrance at NE 46th Street to Bay Point, one of Miami’s most prestigious communities.

The private gated enclave of about 243 homes on Miami’s Upper Eastside stretches east from the boulevard to Biscayne Bay, and south from Morningside at NE 50th Street to NE 41st Street. 

Bay Point has been dubbed the “Indian Creek of Miami” because the privately owned streets, maintained by homeowners, ensure total security. According to real estate ads it has one of the best 24-hour high-security forces in Miami. Houses in Bay Point are in demand at increasingly higher price points because of its privacy and location – it’s elevated well above sea level on Biscayne Bay’s wide waters; close to downtown, midtown, the Design District and Wynwood; and provides easy access to the causeway to Miami Beach and I-95, plus there’s a convenient Publix just up the boulevard.

Many of the area’s original houses, built between the 1940s and 1960s in a variety of architectural styles and aesthetics, are considered teardowns to be replaced by impressive new modern homes.

Julianna Castro, an agent at Compass Florida LLC who lives in and sells the community, explains that Bay Point is attracting professionals with young families. 

“The choice of good schools nearby is a big selling point,” she said. “Starter homes on dry lots are priced from about two million dollars, while waterfront homes in good condition or remodeled range from $6 million to $9 million plus.” 

A few new mansions are asking around $12 million up to $18.9 million for a spec house.

“People look for long-term residence here’’ added Castro. “Bay Point is more than a community, it’s a lifestyle.”

Ives Dairy has long gone, leaving only its name on a very busy road (aka NE 203rd Street) that traverses northeast Miami-Dade County and boasts an I-95 exit. Excavations for I-95 roadfill created the lakes for the Highland Lakes neighborhood to the north of Ives Dairy Road; single-family homes were built there from the late 1950s to 1970s. Now gated, the neighborhood extends east from I-95 to NE 26th Avenue and abuts NE 215th Street, the Broward County line. Access gates are on NE 26th Avenue and on Highland Lakes Boulevard. Once considered for incorporation into Aventura and later for forming its own city, the area remains unincorporated. There is no overall HOA or dues for the community.

Highland Lakes is popular because of its A-rated public schools, several houses of worship, convenient access to highways, shopping in neighboring Aventura and a rural atmosphere. The Oleta River flows through Highland Oaks Park, a green space resplendent with old oak trees and abundant wildlife.

According to Michael Benmeleh, broker-owner of Beach City Realty and local resident, the neighborhood’s range of single-family homes (basic ranch to custom one- and two–story homes) on nice-sized lots, appeals to young families. 

“As a result, there are very few homes for sale and well-priced listings receive multiple offers,” he said. “Prices have risen about $100,000 in a year.”

Modest entry-level homes of about 1,400 square feet were priced at $450,000, but with nothing available inside the gate, the current asking prices for the next level up are from the $600,000s to the $900,00s. Lakefront homes start in the mid-$700,000s up to $1 million or more, depending on condition and renovations. 

Helen Hill is a freelance writer specializing in real estate, design and lifestyle topics. Please send news items on local real estate to hhwrites@comcast.net.