701 Brickell Office Tower Sold for Record-Breaking $443M
The prestigious 701 Brickell office tower has been sold for a staggering $443 million, setting a new record as the highest price ever paid for an office building in the Brickell area. This sale also represents the second-largest office building transaction in Florida’s history, trailing only the $540 million sale of the Southeast Financial Center in 2016.
This 32-story, 685,279-square-foot building, completed in 1986, has long been a landmark in the Brickell business district. Property records show that it last sold in 2002 for $172 million, making this latest deal a remarkable return on investment. The sale comes shortly after the completion of a $30 million capital renovation plan that modernized the property, enhancing its appeal to high-profile buyers.
The buyers, Morning Calm Management and an undisclosed partner, now hold a key piece of Brickell’s real estate landscape. Interestingly, a Bloomberg report from last month had indicated that Elliott Investment Management and its partners were in contract to purchase the property, adding an intriguing layer to the final transaction.
This sale is not just a reflection of the high demand for office space in Miami’s thriving financial district but also highlights Brickell’s growing stature as one of the most desirable office markets in the U.S. With its prime location, state-of-the-art amenities, and recent renovation, 701 Brickell is poised to remain a flagship property in the area for years to come.
Miami’s First Swiss Luxury Watchmaker Audemars Piguet to Open at Eighteen Sunset in Sunset Harbour
Miami Beach’s Sunset Harbour district is poised to redefine luxury with the imminent arrival of AP House. Crafted by the esteemed Swiss luxury watchmaker, Audemars Piguet, this boutique hospitality gem will occupy a sprawling 11,841 square feet within the iconic Eighteen Sunset. This landmark mixed-use development, currently the sole Class A+ office project under construction in Miami Beach, is set to be unveiled later this year, paving the way for AP House’s grand opening in 2024. A mere two office spaces on the fourth and fifth floors await tenants.
AP House is not just a space; it’s an experience. Envisioned as a residential salon, it promises an ambiance perfect for relaxed browsing, social interactions, and elite gatherings for both existing and prospective Audemars Piguet aficionados. This Miami Beach addition will be the 16th in AP House’s global portfolio, joining illustrious counterparts in global hubs like Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, and Zurich, to name a few.
Bradley Colmer, the visionary founder of Deco Capital, remarked, “Miami and Miami Beach’s burgeoning population of affluent individuals and top-tier businesses has amplified the demand for unparalleled brand experiences. Audemars Piguet’s foray, in its most elite avatar, underscores Miami Beach’s metamorphosis into a premier global luxury destination, replete with world-class offerings.”
Guests of AP House will be ushered into an exclusive ground-floor lobby within Eighteen Sunset. A private elevator will transport them to the pinnacle of luxury, where panoramic vistas of Biscayne Bay and Downtown Miami await, framed by expansive windows and complemented by lavish wrap-around balconies.
Eighteen Sunset is already home to an impressive roster of elite tenants, including Pretium, a distinguished investment management firm, and Uchiko, an avant-garde restaurant by the acclaimed Hai Hospitality group.
Nestled in the heart of Miami Beach’s Sunset Harbour, a hotspot for upscale shopping, dining, and lifestyle, Eighteen Sunset is Deco Capital’s flagship mixed-use venture. Spanning five stories and overlooking the serene Biscayne Bay, it boasts 17,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space on the ground floor, ample parking on the second, and 40,000 square feet of Class A+ office space on the subsequent floors. The cherry on top? An exclusive penthouse with a stunning rooftop deck.
Stephen Rutchik of Colliers International, who represented Eighteen Sunset’s ownership alongside Neil King of CBRE, extolled, “Eighteen Sunset is unparalleled in Miami Beach and the broader Miami region. Its unique blend of tenants, unmatched finishes, and prime location make it a rival to the top office properties in the Financial District. Yet, it retains the charm of a boutique establishment nestled in one of South Florida’s most coveted lifestyle locales.”
Key International Sets Sights on Miami’s Financial District with a Pioneering Office Tower
In the heart of Miami’s bustling Financial District, Key International, under the leadership of co-presidents Inigo and Diego Ardid, is poised to redefine the skyline with their ambitious plans for 848 Brickell Avenue. This isn’t just another office building; it’s a statement of intent, a 50-story beacon that promises to elevate the standards of Class-A office spaces.
The architectural maestros behind this venture are none other than Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the globally acclaimed firm responsible for iconic structures such as the Burj Khalifa and One World Trade Center. Their involvement alone signifies the magnitude and prestige of this project.
Positioned strategically in the sought-after Brickell neighborhood, the tower will be a stone’s throw away from the Brickell City Center and a plethora of upscale dining and retail establishments. Once completed, it will soar to an impressive height of approximately 761 feet, making it a dominant feature of Miami’s skyline.
Diego Ardid, co-president of Key International, shared his vision for the new 848 Brickell. He envisions it as more than just a workspace; it’s a testament to architectural prowess combined with unparalleled amenities that will reshape Miami’s work culture. This isn’t just about meeting expectations; it’s about surpassing them.
The tower is meticulously designed to cater to the burgeoning demand for luxury office spaces in Miami. Boasting 750,000 square feet of office real estate, prospective tenants can expect floor plans ranging from 19,000 to 27,000 square feet, tailored to accommodate diverse sectors such as law, technology, and notably, finance.
What truly sets this building apart is its emphasis on holistic well-being. It’s not just about work; it’s about wellness. The building champions both LEED and WELL rating systems, underscoring its commitment to environmental sustainability and the health of its occupants. Features such as residential-style balconies foster a connection with nature, while a sprawling 40,000-square-foot amenity level, complete with outdoor meeting spaces, lounges, a state-of-the-art gym, an outdoor walking trail, and two regulation-sized Padel courts, ensures that work-life balance isn’t just a catchphrase—it’s a reality.
The Pinnacle of Miami’s Skyline: A New Luxury Office Tower by One Thousand Group
In a move that underscores the ever-evolving skyline of Miami, the One Thousand Group, spearheaded by industry stalwarts Louis Birdman, Michael Konig, and Kevin Venger, has unveiled plans for a state-of-the-art office tower. This ambitious project, set to rise adjacent to the iconic Miami Design District and offer panoramic views of Biscayne Bay, is a testament to the city’s burgeoning status as a global business hub.
The proposed edifice, a 47-story marvel stretching 635 feet into the Miami sky, is the brainchild of KPF Kohn Pederson Fox, a New York-based architectural giant renowned for its global footprint in designing iconic office towers. Their illustrious portfolio boasts landmarks such as One Vanderbilt, the Hudson Yards trilogy in New York City, 52 Lime Street in London, and 18 Robinson in Singapore, to name a few.
The project, tentatively titled “Tower 36,” is set to be a beacon of modern architecture and design. Encompassing a sprawling 1.6-acre plot at the nexus of Biscayne Boulevard and 36th Street, the plans detail over 29,000 square feet of commercial space housed within the building’s podium. Additionally, the tower will feature over 312,000 square feet of premium office space, complemented by a parking facility accommodating 671 vehicles. In total, Tower 36 promises over 610,000 square feet of cutting-edge infrastructure, all while adhering to the Miami 21 Zoning Code.
The One Thousand Group’s vision is clear. As they elucidate, the ongoing migration of corporate giants like Citadel and Microsoft to Florida underscores Miami’s emerging prominence. The intersection of Biscayne and 36th Street is not just a geographical landmark; it symbolizes the confluence of the vibrant Design District and the waterfront splendor of Edgewater. As businesses recalibrate post-pandemic, the demand for world-class office spaces in strategic locations is paramount. The One Thousand Group’s blueprint seeks to amalgamate luxury, top-tier amenities, unparalleled security, and a holistic work environment, reminiscent of their ultra-luxury residential ventures.
Monarch Alternative Capital Buys 801 Brickell Office Tower for $250 Million
The 801 Brickell office tower in Miami is being purchased by Monarch Alternative Capital and Tourmaline Capital Partners for roughly $250 million.
This 28-story building is anticipated to close in the next week. According to property records, the building was finished in 1984 and has a total square footage of 695,000 square feet, 415,000 of which are offices. The building was purchased in 2002 for $80.3 million by Nuveen, the financial division of the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America, or TIAA. Over 90% of units at 801 Brickell are leased.
Among the tenants are the bank Cassel Salpeter, the investment business Selvatra, and Swiss Re AGroup. The 7,000 square foot office will be opened in the fourth quarter by BNP Paribas Securities Corporation, a division of the European bank BNP Paribas. Komodo, a restaurant owned by Groot Hospitality, has a location at 801 Brickell as well.
Approximately 60% of the purchase price is being financed by 801 Brickell’s buyers.
Apollo Capital Management, Canadian asset management CI Financial, and private equity company Thoma Bravo are three financial institutions that have recently leased space in Brickell. Also relocating from Chicago to Brickell is billionaire Ken Griffin’s Citadel and Citadel Securities.
Since Griffin’s $286.5 million purchase of the structure at 1221 Brickell Avenue in the summer of last year, Monarch and Tourmaline’s acquisition is the largest office transaction in South Florida.
With some asking rentals over $100 per square foot, the number of tenants has driven Brickell rents to all-time highs. The 801 Brickell acquisition is partially a bet on rental growth at the tower because, according to sources, new leases are signing for over $100 per foot, which is significantly more than the rates for existing leases.
According to its website, Tourmaline is an office investment company created in 2021 that has made $3 billion in deals and has 1.4 million square feet under construction. Brandon Huffman is in charge of it.
The Citigroup Center in downtown Miami, located at 201 South Biscayne Boulevard, is likewise a property owned by Monarch and Tourmaline. The 34-story tower also has CP Group, formerly known as Crocker Partners, is listed as a co-owner.
Eco-Friendly Mixed-Use Building Proposed in Coral Gables
Along the well-known Miracle Mile district of Coral Gables, Terranova Corp. intends to construct what might be the first mixed-use carbon-neutral structure in South Florida.
The office and retail building will generate all of the energy required to run it on-site, according to the Miami Beach-based developer. Using photovoltaic glass to capture solar energy, battery systems to store it, and energy-efficient AC and elevator systems might be done.
The total square footage of the four-story structure at 93 Miracle Mile would be 36,482. The building would feature 26,167 square feet of area for shops and restaurants and the rest for offices. A rooftop terrace would also be present.
According to Chairman of Terranova, Stephen Bittel, “93 Miracle Mile will be a revolutionary project, not only as a platform to champion Coral Gable’s dignitaries as forward-thinking leaders in sustainable development but also a blueprint for other developers and city planners as we face a climate crisis around the world. The modern proposed structure respects the scale of Miracle Mile, and uses traditional stone materials on the exterior, while also incorporating the best environmental options for the future.”
The developer paid $6.8 million for the 10,164-square-foot site in 2021 through an associate. The 9,097 square foot retail facility that it currently has would be torn down.
The project’s design was created by Miami-based Arqutiectonica and is awaiting local permission. Onyx Solar, based in Spain, was chosen to supply the solar glass. The solar glass will help with insulating the building as well as generating solar energy. The rooftop design will create a trellis that helps support the suspended orchid garden.
Ken Griffin’s Citadel Continues to Purchase Land and Properties in Miami
With a record-breaking purchase on the South Florida waterfront months ago, Ken Griffin has officially moved the Citadel’s headquarters from Chicago to Miami at the 830 Brickell new construction tower.
Along with the move and the purchase of a private residence, Griffin and his company were responsible for the $363 million acquisition of a 2.5-acre (1-hectare) unoccupied land at 1201 Brickell Bay Drive. Since the transaction closed in April, the buyer was hidden behind a limited liability company with a mailing address in Chicago.
The company announced last week that it intends to collaborate with developer Sterling Bay to design and construct an office tower on Brickell Bay, which is located in the city’s economic district and spans less than a mile.
Another LLC purchased a 28-story office building at 1221 Brickell Avenue earlier this month for $286.5 million across the street from the 1201 Brickell Bay site, according to public papers. Randall Davis, who also acted in this capacity for the 1201 LLC, is the authorized signatory for the 1221 Brickell LLC. Emma Bass and Angela Cusumano, the witnesses in a 1221 Brickell filing, also work at Sterling Bay.
The relocation of Citadel by Griffin represents one of the largest financial company expansions in Florida. Developers in Miami applauded the decision and said it would encourage more businesses to look for space in the city. Among the companies that have grown in the state recently are Dan Sundheim’s D1 Capital Partners and Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Griffin, 53, just relocated to Miami with his family and has a personal wealth of $29.1 billion. He has recently expressed his dissatisfaction with the governmental leadership in Illinois and Chicago’s crime rate, although he has long been investing in real estate in Florida, where he was born and raised.
Over the past ten years, the millionaire has amassed property in Palm Beach that has cost at least $350 million. During the Covid-19 epidemic, some of Griffin’s traders fled their offices in Chicago and New York and took over the Four Seasons Palm Beach.
Griffin recently purchased a number of properties in the Miami area, including homes on the prestigious Star Island in the middle of 2020 and a $45 million mansion in the Coral Gables district in April. An individual with knowledge of the situation claims that he has had Citadel personnel assess the commercial real estate in the city for at least two years.
CP Group and DRA Purchase Miami Tower for $163 Million
The famous Miami Tower was just purchased by CP Group and DRA Advisors for $163 million.
Since its completion in 1987, the 47-story office skyscraper by the late Pritzker-winning architect I.M. Pei has served as a landmark in Downtown Miami, illuminating Miami’s skyline with light displays.
The 636,000-square-foot skyscraper has 37 levels of offices, 10 floors of parking, an on-site Metromover station, and street-level retail space. It is situated at 100 SE 2nd Street, a block from the Miami River.
Leading hedge fund Citadel and its sister company Citadel Securities, a market maker, recently announced plans to move from Chicago to Brickell, Miami’s financial area. The company’s creator, millionaire Ken Griffin, paid $287 million for the office building 1221 Brickell and $363 million for a beachfront property on Brickell Bay Drive where he plans to erect an office skyscraper.
Miami Tower traded with a loss, as opposed to 1221 Brickell, which reported an 85% gain from its most recent sale in 2017. According to public documents, Sumitomo Corporation of Americas, the seller, paid $220 million for the property in 2016.
Losing a significant tenant contributed to Miami Tower’s depreciation. Last year, the law firm Carton Fields moved into the MiamiCentral building, leasing around 95,000 square feet. Currently, Miami Tower is only about 65 percent occupied, down from almost 100 percent in 2016.
According to a source, the property’s renovation by the new owners will probably cost more than $20 million.
The agreement is CP and DRA’s second joint venture in South Florida. For $320 million, New York-based DRA acquired CP’s majority ownership of the Boca Raton Innovation Campus office development. It continues to be the largest office trade in South Florida in terms of gross volume.
830 Brickell Tops off Construction in Miami’s Financial District
As it nears completion later this year, Civic Construction has topped off 830 Brickell, Miami’s first Class A office tower to be constructed in the urban core in more than ten years, at 55 floors (724 feet tall).
In addition, 830 Brickell is the only Class A office tower being constructed in Miami’s Financial District at a time when national and international businesses are relocating and developing there. It was developed by OKO Group and Cain International.
Microsoft, Blackstone, Thoma Bravo, A-CAP, CI Financial Corp., Marsh Insurance, AerCap, and WeWork are just a few of the prestigious tenants that have signed leases on the 640,000 square foot office skyscraper, which is already more than 60% leased. One of the biggest airplane leasing firms in the world, AerCap, obtained a 20,000 square foot lease in February and will be moving its new offices to the entire 50th floor.
An investment company from Canada called CI Financial stated a month earlier that it would quadruple the size of its lease at 830 Brickell, increasing it from the previous 20,000 square feet to around 40,000 square feet for its American headquarters.
To house its Latin American regional team, Microsoft inked a lease for 50,000 square feet in September. Private equity firm Thoma Bravo also negotiated a lease for 50,000 square feet, beginning in the spring of 2021.
In Miami, where the city’s business-friendly atmosphere, quick population expansion, and appealing climate are promoting office investment and development, 830 Brickell is currently the largest office skyscraper under construction. As of June, the active pipeline consisted of nearly 2.4 million square feet of office space spread over 18 sites, according to data from CommercialEdge. The Brickell submarket and central business district saw the most of the construction.
In Miami, where the city’s business-friendly atmosphere, quick population expansion, and appealing climate are promoting office investment and development, 830 Brickell is currently the largest office skyscraper under construction. As of June, the active pipeline consisted of nearly 2.4 million square feet of office space spread over 18 sites, according to data from CommercialEdge. The Brickell submarket and central business district saw the most of the construction.
In a prepared statement, Vlad Doronin, chairman and chief executive officer of OKO Group, stated that 830 Brickell is meeting the needs of prestigious users from all over the world who are drawn to the tower’s new quality of construction, technology, and design-led services.
The $300 million construction loan from MSD Capital, secured in 2019, was used to fund the project, which was created by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture. Once the COVID-19 pandemic started in 2020, building plans were modified to include the most recent health standards for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, as well as contactless entrance and exit technologies. Construction started that year.
The property, which will be near the intersection of Brickell Plaza and SE 9th Street, will feature sweeping views of both the city and Biscayne Bay. Iosa Ghini Associati, an Italian architecture and design firm, is creating the interiors of the tower.
Building Amenities:
Rooftop bar/lounge
Fine dinning restaurant
Health and wellness center
Conferencing facilities
Outdoor terrace
Cafes
Street level retail
The Metrorail and Metromover, the Brightline, walking and cycling trails, and bay access points are just a few of the close transportation alternatives. Design District, Wynwood, Edgewater, and Miami Beach are just a few of the best residential and lifestyle neighborhoods in Miami that are close by.
Brick & Timber Collective Recently Purchased a Wynwood Mixed-Use Property for $9 Million
Brick & Timber Collective just increased their Wynwood portfolio with an off-market $9 million purchase of a newly finished mixed-use property.
The developer and real estate asset manager from San Francisco purchased a 3-story office and retail property at 2724 and 2734 Northwest First Avenue.
The mixed-use property is located across the street from Wynd 27 and Wynd 28. Kushner Companies and Block Capital Group are developing the site, with 152 apartments, 79,500 square feet of office, and retail space.
The building was purchased for $900 per square foot by Brick & Timber Collective, managed by partners Jesse Feldman and Glenn Gilmore. The property is leased to a bay area tech business that finished a 10,000 square feet makeover was finished one month ago.
According to public records, the seller, a subsidiary of Miami-based Fortis Design-Build, paid $1.8 million for the two properties in 2018.
The structure, designed by Florida International University Dean of Architecture Jason Chandler, has ground-floor retail, second-floor office space, and a rooftop deck that may be expanded, according to Polinsky.
This isn’t the first Wynwood project Brick & Timber Collective has been involved in. The company purchased a Wynwood Annex Class A office building in February for $49 million but plans on buying more properties in Wynwood in the future.
Brick & Timber Collective specializes in leasing office space to technology startups, and has been exploring Miami, notably Wynwood, for more than a year. “We were scanning the rest of the country to see which market would profit from the tech industry in the same manner that San Francisco has and we landed in Miami and Wynwood. There is a significant migratory change in progress.”
