Icon Brickell Tour – Condos
November 8, 2008 by Lucas Lechuga
The first condo I saw was a 2 bedroom/2 bath plus den. It has 1,503 square feet of interior space and 218 square feet of balcony.
The hallway leading to the condos at Icon Brickell.
A shot of the kitchen and dining area.
The living room and dining area.
A close-up of the kitchen with natural stone countertops and appliances by Sub-Zero, Wolf and Bosch.
The den area of this condo.
The master bedroom.
The master bathroom with French limestone flooring.
Another shot of the master bathroom with matching limestone vanity top and porcelain sinks.
A third shot of the master bathroom.
The second bedroom.
The view of Brickell Key, Biscayne Bay and Key Biscayne from this 2 bedroom condo.
The second condo I viewed was a 2 bedroom/2 bath with 1,314 square feet of interior space and 133 square feet of balcony.
The kitchen and dining area.
The living room.
The master bedroom.
The master bathroom.
The second bedroom.
The view of the Miami River and Biscayne Bay.
A few months ago, I was really looking forward to this building. It was definitely one of the projects I was giving serious thought about. However, based on all of the pics, outside of absolutely wanting a bay/city view (I don’t really care about that), and based on the common areas, I just don’t see why anyone would pay a premium to live in this building. The units look cookie cutter and no different than what you can purchase at Plaza or 500. Maybe the appliances are nicer and the finishes a little more refined. That however, doesn’t warrant paying a significant premium when compared to the alternatives. Mark my words, all of the one bedrooms in this building and the units facing Brickell avenue will take a major beatdown in terms of price.
Lucas – although you don’t want another Tibor situation…what’s your take on Icon overall? There’s a lot of product online or coming online in this stretch. Would you recommend this building over the alternatives? If so, why? Do the pictures not tell the whole story?
It’s seems that all I have to look forward to is Epic, Ugo never disappoints.
Keep up the great work Lucas!
When I look at these pictures and any others of condos, i can’t help but think they are just boxes in the sky. As a home one won’t be much different than another. A decent lobby would certainly be nice, but i’d only be pasing through. No hassle parking is important, but it is just a box and other than the quality of the views there is no significant reason to pay too many extra dollars for overly fancy or artsy fartsy trappings in a lobby. How much of a premium is someone going to want to pay to be in this building for a unit without the best views. I wonder.
For the majority of people working hard for their money, no matter how much they are making, I can’t imagine them wanting to blow it on this building as a home. With investment a goner, prices will plummet and closing will be incredibly slow.
No offense to anyone intended, but anyone who closes on their pre-con contract on this building doesn’t deserve to have themoney they used to close.
Who agrees or disagrees with my assessment?
I’ve got to agree with jcrimes on his point that these condos dont look any nicer or are in any way more appealing that whatever is already on the market. I was expecting a lot more to be honest. The first condo looks like something someone just threw together using clearance items from the Home Depot. This is a big disappointment for me considering ive been sitting out the market for almost 2 years now. I think this is final nail as far as me investing in anything in the Brickell area.
Coral Gables, here I come!
RCR – i agree – I still havent heard how much theses units are going for, either way I dont think i’d be interested. This one DOA as far as I’m concerned. This building belongs on the Jersey shore.
Why all the junk and trinkets in the model units? It looks cluttered and messy.
The first model does look like someone stopped by the Linens & Things store closing and pick up a few items of what was left and perhaps a few store fixtures to go with it! Maybe it was decorated as “Modernist Addams Family” for Halloween? The decor in the second one was nicer but you’d think there would be a separate water closet. I don’t like having all the plumbing fixtures in a row…esp at those prices.
This is a really good looking hotel. I would definitely want to stay here for the week. Can’t wait until the weekly rentals show up on Craigslist.
Also, forgot to mention it looks like the Trump Tower in Chicago (yes, the one that Apprentice Bill choose to work on a few years back) is in big trouble with the bank refusing to extend the loan a second time. Stay tuned. It is 486 condo units and 300 hotel rooms….small compared to ICAN’T. Chicago was not a big bubble market compared to Miami, nor did it have nearly as many condos being built, still overbuilt though.
A very nice Condo Building that the Smart Money will be looking forward to picking up at least a half dozen of these for $125.00 per squre foot.
Keep yer powder liquid!
The Smart Money
Ace,
No! Don’t do it! You’re overpaying!
i agree this building is no different than plaza on brickell. just kitchen is more pumped up and common areas.
but location of plaza of brickell is better. if i would be on the market right now i would buy at the plaza on brickell. better location and better price. u can always upgrade kitchen and flooring
Lucas,
Hey, how come you did not tell me that the little eyes of the moai light up at night!!
–
For me that makes all the difference, I’m ALL IN!
wow, that decorator should try another profession. lol look at all that junk
I like the safari hat on the bed in the first unit photos….the guy must be tired from shooting all people whose trophy heads are on the wall behind the bed…spooky. In the other photos it is clear that this designer has a problem with “scale”….yes, it gets noticed, but it just looks dumb.
2nd living room looked nice with the corner floor to ceiling windows—but hello neighbors with the scopes
LOL!
That has to be the worst decorated unit I have ever seen. You could tell they are trying to make it look “Rich and luxurious” with bizarre art pieces but it just looks tacky and cluttered as all hell.
We should not judge Philippe Starck for the outcome of these horrible units as he is only satisfying the request from his client Related.
I would not even pay the prices they are asking for at Vue for this new units!
I disagree. Philipp Starck is as guilty as JOrge PErez in creating this monument to excess. One would say, hey, it si private money… No, it isn’t, it is loans to banks, and when they defaulted they afffecting everybody..
I cannot understand why anyone would pay up for these no-view condos, regardless of the amenities or location.
Oh my goodness this is a funny video….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNmcf4Y3lGM
1. The flats and the bathrooms look exactly the same as MB and 900.
2. The views are absolutely horrible. They just suck! If these are the views from “Model” flats, can you imagine what the views are from the rest of the flats? Looking into each other or at the Brickell Avenue? I don’t think any flat in this concrete jungle has direct/unobstructed bayviews.
3. The second bedroom looks tiny. Made for a 10 year old kid perhaps.
4. The first flat looks like it is decorated with someones discarded junk in front of their home before the trash picking up day. The second model flat is decorated a la IKEA. The Related marketing team did not pay attention here. Well they must have thought any effort will be like putting lipstick on a pig.
This is the most hopeless building I have ever seen. The building should be handed over to all the Universities in Miami so that they can house their students in them.
This one can be officially written off along with Marquis. Yet, I am eagerly anticipating the arrival of Paramount Bay, Everglades and Epic. Hope they don’t disappoint.
AJ
with respect to the views, i think the combo city/river view is actually pretty cool (although i wouldn’t shell out the cash they’re asking for it based on this type of floorplan) and the downtown brickell view for the corner 2/2s facing south is somewhat nice as well if you’re used to that type of view a la chicago (although you can get this view at a much cheaper price in several other brickell buildings). aside from that, i agree with the rest of your assessments.
btw, if that’s white carpeting in the hallways, then that’s another bad idea. give it a year, and all that stuff is gonna look awful.
I would have to agree with the views. Not that great here.
I’m sure the top floors are much nicer, but the lions share wont see much.
What’s the deal with all the goddamn chandeliers in the units and common areas? Stupid.
jcrimes,
For those of us from Chicago, NYC, London etc, the view of city lights and concrete buildings do not matter much. We want to look at Azure blue skies and Turquoise blue waters. That is why we all salivate at the choice waterfront Miami RE. If paying $600/sf in ICON gets you a sliver of water view or not even that, it just wont cut it, especially in the light of available A+ buildings in Park West, Pace Park with direct unobstructed water views for $400-$500.
Even if the price is slashed to half in ICON to $300/sf, I would still not recommend that building to any friend of mine. Getting in and out of that building will be a major deal with 1700+ cars trying to do it on a daily basis. Parking will be a nightmare for being south of the draw bridge. Living among 1700+ units, a majority of them looking into each other will make it feel like you are living in a big city low income project, not withstanding the fancy swimming pool. That project is 3 towers too many. It should have been ideally 2 towers only. Greed got in the way of good judgement. I dont know how many policy makers benefitted from approving this monstrosity. Mr. Jorge Perez, I know you are reading this. Sorry dude, you screwed up on this one.
My not liking this project has nothing to do with the ghastly decor. Decor can be gutted and fixed down the road, albeit at a considerable expense to the homeowners. The first time I saw the artist’s rendering of this project in the sales brochures, I said to myself, who ever books a flat in this craziness is a fool. (With sincere apologies to all those who booked a flat in ICON)
Nothing says you’ve got money and class like Icon Brickell and marble columns.
http://www.truveo.com/Marble-Columns/id/139289156
People are going to look at your condo and say “Who lives there; the pope?”
I actually really like the decor. The lobby has a cool, eerie feeling to it. Reminds me of being stuck in the movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas. However, I agree with most of the other posters, that all the rooms are way too cluttered. The views seem decent at best, but nothing that could command such a high price tag. I would be tempted to dive in if the price was around $200/ sq ft. I would be tempted to decorate the rooms pretty similar, minus the raindeer head in the kitchen and the lavender rooms.
And who ever said that all developers are not responsible? 1800 Club got permission from the city to build 700+ flats and lofts. The developer wisely chose to scale it down to 450 flats as he realized that it will be very foolish to build 700+ flats in that plot of land and the location with out sacrifising safety, comfort, luxury and sanity. The result, an impeccably planned delight of a building called 1800 club. Bravo to at least one responsible developer.
Such a thin line between finer living and yard sale furniture.
I definitely would feel awkward in that one bedroom with all the faces on the wall looking at me.
AJ
I think a direct water view with nothing else to look at gets boring fast. Although not exactly similar to Icon, some of the best views in Miami can actually be found in the 2/2 units at Akoya facing south. You get the ocean, beach, view of Miami Beach and downtown Miami on the horizon (with the causeways filling in the gaps). At twilight, it’s spectacular.
Depends on preferences I guess…
Jcrimes,
Direct ocean view is pitch black, eerie and deppressing at night. No doubt about that.
But direct bayviews on mainland Miami such as the ones from Park West and Pace Park buildings all have the twinkling lights of the causeways, Port, SOBE in addition to the water views. I agree with south facing lines of Akoya. Also North facing lines 7 & 8 of Continuum II are the best.
This place really needs a Blimpie or Subway for the renters. The roof top nightclub is going to rock. It will be as peaceful as the Gavensport.
I heard Luther Campbell is going to manage the lounge. Should be nice.
Note to developer or owners who will be attempting to rent all units: include a specific tenant-responsibility damages provision in your lease agreement pertaining to all the faux-Renaissance Era portraits throughout the premises. I can already see the drunken college-aged renters defacing the life-size prints in the lobby with drawn-on moustaches and devil horns.
The building(s) are not that bad. An oversupply of units like anything else right now in Miami maybe. But look pass the excessive bad or good taste décor but at the units themselves.
Having a more modern interior design especially for the lobby may change the minds of some people. I really like the exterior of the building but the interior design well the design accessory components of the buildings are what some people may have a hard time getting over. But it seems odd to have a post modern design building, and then decorate units with rococo ornamentation furniture for showing. You can decorate in your on unit how you want but this style of décor is not for everyone.
Unit D, and Unit A in tower 1(north) face east may have a better view of the bay and Miami Beach than the ones we have seen, but Brickell Key sits right to the east so having an unobstructive view may not be possible unless you’re on a higher floor of T1 or T2. Living on Miami Beach seems to have the best views to me. You can see the ocean, the bay, and Miami.
The third tower is supposed to be part Viceroy Hotel?
How do you guys figure out if the walls are thin in these condos? I rent in a new construction unit currently and I can hear my neighbor talking on the phone, having sex, talking to her cats, watching TV, listening to music, opening draws….pretty much everything. I wear earplugs every Fri and Sat as she brings home a new dude on those nights….
Do you just have someone go into the unit next door and scream???
opening drawers…
All these condos except Apogee have the same construction. The concrete block or poured concrete divider walls do not offer good sound insulation. Concrete is very dense and any vibration will transfer through the walls.
http://www.kineticsnoise.com/arch/isomax/index.aspx
You need to isolate the wall and floor materials. Many ways too achieve this. All of which are too costly for the average box condominium.
Wild Bill, does that stuff work? How well? How much would you estimate installation in a typical 1200 sf 2 bedroom condo would cost?
Questions,
Yes, it does work. Cost will probably run you from $5.00 a sq. ft. and up. It depends if you want to do just your common wall or also the ceiling. Sound vibrations will tend to “leak” around and find a path of least resistance. You have to factor in isolation clips, drywall, acoustical caulk and additional items. It gets costly.
If these buildings used additional soundproofing it would be in their brochures. These buildings all stink acoustically. It is very common to hear a slamming toilet bowl lid from neighboring units. Listen carefully at night and you will be able to recognize what that slamming sound is.
It’s also easier to install these improved drywall products. Nobody does.
http://www.quietsolution.com/html/quietrock.html
http://www.supressproducts.com/products/
i dont think pictures do the icon justice…. you really have to see it for yourself…
The Icon is not a mere condo… it’s an experience. It is metaphysical. It can not be quantified in mere dollars and cents because it is pure essence like water and fire… and like beauty and youth… priceless. The Icon is a new paradigm. Not last year’s new paradigm nor this year’s new paradigm but the Future’s new paradigm. In fact, it is so far in the future, it loops back to the past. But let’s not digress. To argue against the Icon is to argue against all change that is good in this world.
Can we all love this condo? YES WE CAN. Can we all agree yellow tint on windows is the future? YES WE CAN. Can 1700 of us find it in our hearts to pay $600 sq/ft? YES WE CAN. Oh YES WE CAN because at this defining moment in the Miami condo crisis, change has come to America. Each and every one of you reading this blog, take it upon yourself to purchase a unit in Icon. This is our moment. This is our time; to restore condo flipping; to reclaim the American Dream of sitting on your butt while getting wealthy by purchasing and flipping multiple condos on credit. YES WE CAN.
Questions – I have seen several noise dampening products and the link looks to be something I hadn’t see before but looks to be an improvement on resilient channels for drywall installation. For sound dampening/abatement you need to consider the different frequencies and this looks like a good product to use in conjunction with others. I have seen where resilient channels are installed incorrectly thus negating a good amount of their effectiveness. In noise abatement, the most important thing is designing a floor plan that to avoid conflict on adjoining walls between units (such as putting closet along the common wall), but that can not always be done….it is one of those things to look out for but most people find out too late….after they move in.
Anyone wanna trip on shrooms and go hang out in the common areas?
JL,
#42- f***ing hilarious! Thank you, I needed to belly laugh!
Wild Bill & Questions,
Thx!
That was a great question, Questions and useful info Bill.
JL,
NO WE CAN”T!
Muir,
Thank you.
Every building should include one of these at the closing. Least they could do.
http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?CATID=100328&id=prod2244551
Are they kidding-while I do say I enjoy the living at 500 Brickel right across the street as a RENTER-I as a developer wouldnt even consider paying two hundred thousand for a one bedroom anywhere as the finishes are all cookie cuttter obviously a developer deal and kickback from the manufacturer and what the price is any different-you want view well soon you will be looking directly at yourself and if you let these idiots decorate it reminds me in heinsight of a bad movie reality I once saw Groundhog day but this time with apts….
Icon Brickell is not the hope and change I was waiting for 🙁
I’ve lived in three newly-built miami condos in the past five years (always a renter, thank goodness) and I can say sound seepage through walls is just a given. used to be a real problem in my previous home as the aspiring DJ next door sent a throbbing base line into my skull at all hours on a daily basis. (my revenge is revelling in the knowledge that he has a $420K mortgage on a unit he’d be lucky to get $125K for today….)
as for my current digs, the walls are paper thin. luckily my neighbor girl doesn’t listen to music, or else we’d have problems. but I hear her every move, when she is in her closet it sounds like someone is rummaging through my closet, and I am awakened probably once a week to the sound of her getting humped. (this is probably too much info, but I think I can tell when she has a partner and when she is self-srvicing.) I am afraid to turn my lights on at 5am as I think it might light up her room as well.