Villa Magna Project Lives On…
July 3, 2008 by Lucas Lechuga
...at least for the time being. The "Miami Today News" reported last week that the Villa Magna project is still pushing forward. I guess we can all scrap the inkling of a dream that the land would become a public park. I don't think any of us actually thought it would be turned into a park but rather just wishful thinking that the city wanted a nice green space for the residents of Brickell. The Villa Magna project will reside on the last bayfront lot in Brickell. Now, we can all move on to hoping that the Brickell CitiCentre land will become a public park.
The same issue of the "Miami Today News " also discussed the relocation of the Camillus House. For those not local to Miami, the Camillus House is a homeless shelter located in the neighborhood of Park West, a few blocks west of new luxury condo high-rise buildings such as Ten Museum Park, 900 Biscayne Bay, Marquis and Marina Blue. The good news is that the relocation of the homeless shelter is still going to happen. The bad news is that the move won't happen until 2010. I think residents of these condo buildings are highly anticipating that day to arrive. The neighborhood will see a dramatic improvement and, as the article mentions, commercial developers will be more prone to open retail space in the neighborhood. 2010 will be a great year! The Super Bowl will be returning to Miami and Camillus House will be heading west!
Update: I do plan to update this blog on a more frequent basis like you had enjoyed in the past. I took some time off but now I'm back in full blogging mode. The new "Condo Deals" page is coming along nicely and should be rolled out by the end of next week. I'm looking forward to that as well as a few other changes that I think you'll all enjoy.
hey lucas…I could not resist the temptation of making the first comment on this new blog entry. 🙂
The renderings of villa magna look great. I like the pool in the middle of the two towers. Also, the location is good.
There are too many condos built in not so nice areas and that gamble is not going to pay off. Driving to design district from downtown is a scary experience at night. The area north of AA arena is not very pleasant either.
Brickell is a much safer bet and a more established area.
Lucas =s The Man.
btw, I noticed they’re resuming excavation at the Capitol location next to One Broadway. In NYC broker parlace, that’s gonna be yuge.
Carry on.
what madness.
Is there one new building within a kilometer of this site that isn’t sucking wind? How much of Jade, right next door, is on the market or in foreclosure? I bet you it is more than 20%. (if a McDonald’s is bleeding money, do you build a burger king right next door?) two blocks away you have One Broadway. in my opinion the best constructed of any 5-year or younger building in the area, but they had to make this one in to a rental. You’re one block from the Club or the Vue. Two catastrophes. and also near The Sail. (which should be renamed “The Sale.”)
Is there one success story within a mile radius of this site?
Although there have been alot of foreclosed buildings around the Villa Magna site…I think it was more about timing rather than location. Jade is still one of the best buildings in brickell….its problem was not about the location…but more about the greedy speculators and fraudsters out there taking advantage of the overheated market.
Villa Magna will probably be built eventually. I don’t think it will happen before 2010. I personally thing it is a ugly building…they could do alot better with that site.
BTW….I think One Broadway is also a very plain building.
The perfect place for a park……NOT another condo….
The building is hideous. Who will buy those inside units looking into the neighbors’ apartments? No one will, there are too many better choices available.
Its not pushing forward. They are just sitting on the property. Maybe in 10 years it will be built.
Zero chance for it to become a park. City of Miami has no money to purchase prime waterfront land.
I actually like the building….It has a very traditional style
Traditional Brickell style*
I agree with Bill, terrible design!
Imagine spending at least 500K and having your neighbor staring right at you. Even if you buy the units facing south or north you’ll still have other buildings to each side. And the pool, it will have sun from 6 am until 10 am at the most, and that is during the two months the sun hits it just right. Let’s just hope it’s a hotel we’re people wont mind staring at another building for a couple nights. Sad really… with that piece of land.
won’t even be two months of the year the pool gets direct sunlight. two weeks at best.
this building is designed for speculators and people who get excited by glossy brochures, not end users. Best of luck to them finding “greater fools” to buy.
Try and drive down Brickell on a weekday. Good luck. And to think these monoliths are about 1/3 full. Urban planning is dead.
Anyway, the structure itself looks nice. Yes, you will be looking at your neighbor in a lot of these units. Welcome to City Life.
Hahahaha come on, really? is this necessary? can we build anything other than condos?
They should turn the axis of the building and give all units direct water views. It may result in fewer units but they’ll get more for them.
There is definate plus when you buy in this building. You may never see the sun, thus no risk of sunburn. Is’nt this like buying in the middle of a highrise canyon, with glimmers of hope that the sun may filter down into the canyon. Maybe models who are worried about over exposure to the sun will buy here?
I think the building is ugly. Pushed all the way up to the water. It is like a big wall on the sides.
«The building is hideous. Who will buy those inside units looking into the neighbors’ apartments?»
Those who don’t buy inside units can look forward to look into their neighbor’s at the South face of The Mak.
Almost touching distance, because the V Magna mounstrosity has no setback from the street.
If I know anything about bums in Miami it is that they are stubborn, have a lot of balls (will walk right up to your picnic in the park and start helping themselves to your food like they are part of the family) and that they like the luxurious, fun area’s just as much as you do.
There is an endless supply of bums on south beach even with no homeless shelter because it is a really nice place to live.
If any of you think moving the homeless shelter will get rid of the bums you are mistaken. They will keep sleeping in the park like always.
The bums are here to stay, just look to south beach if you don’t think so.
Such a lame design!
lol…the parking garage looks like it has a nice view!
Oh..I lived at One Broadway for two years…good place to rent…$600 bucks for my dog was excessive but all those rules did keep things calm in the building*
Build and they will come LOL
What foley!
The smart money stands fast.
This design is architecturally challenged