MIAMI | Development Thread

[dave8721]

Swire (developers of Brickell Key in Miami and numerous projects in China) plans to go through with a whopping 5 MILLION square foot mixed use project in Brickell after buying up the CitiCentre land and the Brickell Tennis Club lots. More details to come on what the project actually entials.

http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/110324/story6.shtml

Five million-square-foot Swire project to break ground in Miami within year


By Yudislaidy Fernandez
The real estate giant has awakened.
Hong Kong-based Swire Properties is moving forward to convert three Brickell sites into a 5 million-square-foot, mixed-use project centered on retail expected to begin construction by the second quarter of next year.
The prime Brickell sites at 601, 700 and 701 S Miami Ave. are destined for an artful mix of upscale components that are to fit well within this booming retail hub that includes the Mary Brickell Village complex and other nearby open-air shopping centers.
"It's a major project for Brickell and urban Miami," said President Stephen Owens.
The development company has hired Arquitectonica, which has designed several projects for Swire in the past, as the architectural firm to design the CitiCentre project.
"The reason why we picked Arquitectonica is because this is similar to other urban projects they have done for us in Asia," Mr. Owens noted.
Swire has developed other sophisticated urban projects of similar scale designed by the architecture firm, including Festival Walk, a multilevel shopping, dining and leisure complex with nearly 1 million square feet in Hong Kong.
The company is getting ready to open another development close to 4 million square feet known as TaiKoo Hui in mainland China that comprises a shopping mall, two office towers, a cultural center and a Mandarin Oriental hotel with residences.
"Arquitectonica has a particular talent for this," Mr. Owens said, "and they have performed well for us in projects in other areas."
Arquitectonica Founding Principal Bernardo Fort-Brescia said the firm has been working with Swire since 1993 on designing mixed-use projects in Asia and other parts of the world.
"This is a natural evolution of the relationship between architect and developer that has been building," he said. "We'll be designing this project in our hometown. It's very exciting. It will change that location and it's a historical project for Miami."
The planned Brickell development, Mr. Owens said, is to have significant retail as well as other mixed-use components. "It brings a significant retail opportunity to the urban area," he said.
If the majority of CitiCentre's planned 5 million square feet are designated retail, it would create a giant shopping hub unlike anything in the state.
Today, Dolphin Mall in Doral has about 1.4 million square feet of retail space, while Sawgrass Mills Mall in Sunrise, considered the second largest mall in the state, has almost 2.4 million square feet of retail.
Swire, which has been developing Brickell Key for decades, bought the first two sites at 700 and 701 S Miami Ave. more than two years ago from iStar Financial for $41.3 million cash.
Last August, the company erected signs for the project on the 5.65-acre land, but at the time executives didn't publicly discuss development plans.
Those two parcels are along Miami Avenue, bordered by Southeast Eighth and Seventh streets. The parcels are boxed in on the west by Southwest First Avenue and to the east by the Eighth Street Metromover Station.
Earlier this month, Swire acquired a third 2-acre site at 601 S Miami Ave., which houses the Brickell Tennis Club, for $14 million from an affiliate of Millennium Partners, the developer of Brickell's Four Seasons Hotel & Tower, whose project plans for the parcel never took off.
Brickell has been bursting with pedestrian activity after 5 p.m. since the addition of multiple condominiums in recent years. The growing condo community and office population are fueling more demand for retailers, eateries and entertainment venues within walking distance.
Swire promoted Christopher Gandolfo, who has been with the company 12 years, to vice president of development in late 2010 to focus on its local projects.
He rejoined the Miami team after spending two years working for parent Swire Properties Limited in Shanghai.
Mr. Owens said he couldn't provide more CitiCentre details because plans are still underway for this large-scale complex.
But he did add that this mixed-use project "will be a significant game-changer for Brickell and urban Miami."

[brickell]

Great news if this comes to fruition. It's been a huge donot hole in Brickell for far too long. You can see it here - http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...03433&t=h&z=19

[N830MH]

Originally Posted by bobdreamz

^ looks to be on the top level of the Intermodal Center, love the jellybean shape of the station!



^ Tri-Rail /Amtrak track terminus can be seen at the lower left.


pics by ArcBalto1906

Wow! Very nice! I can't wait to see it!!! What about MIA people mover from the terminals?

[bobdreamz]

^N830MH the MIA peoplemover to the Intermodal Center is already built and they are already testing the cars. I posted pics of it somewhere on this site. The entire Intermodal Center should be operational in April of 2012.

[pj3000]

Originally Posted by brickell

Great news if this comes to fruition. It's been a huge donot hole in Brickell for far too long.

I can do without a downtown shopping mall with another hotel and office development. There are PLENTY of other areas where something like this can go. I favor street-level shopping in urban zones.

I would have liked to see all of those S. Miami Ave parcels become high-quality urban parkland, and extended north to the river. Downtown Miami is severely lacking in green space. The Brickell area with its ever-increasing residential population would really benefit from a real park. Now, I realize Miami will never have a Central Park or Boston Common, but...

a Miami version of a Rittenhouse Square or something similar would be nice.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:RittenhouseSquareNE.jpg

Great cities have great urban parks. Miami has a long way to go in becoming a great city, but this would help in that effort.

Boston Common

http://www.uptake.com/blog/landmarks/boston-revealed-a-locals-perspective_345.html

Lincoln Park, Chicago

http://dianhasan.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/the-worlds-greatest-urban-parks-lincoln-park-chicago/

[bobdreamz]

^ I absolutely agree that Miami could use more urban parks even if they aren't that large. Pocket parks could work downtown and in Brickell since there aren't huge tracts of land available. Rittenhouse Square looks great!

[brickell]

Originally Posted by pj3000

I would have liked to see all of those S. Miami Ave parcels become high-quality urban parkland, and extended north to the river. Downtown Miami is severely lacking in green space. The Brickell area with its ever-increasing residential population would really benefit from a real park. Now, I realize Miami will never have a Central Park or Boston Common, but...

I agree in principle. But this would require foresight and money, neither of which the City of Miami has. Given that we've been staring at two empty lots with a chain link fence around them, I'll take what we can get though.

[pj3000]

Originally Posted by brickell

I agree in principle. But this would require foresight and money, neither of which the City of Miami has. Given that we've been staring at two empty lots with a chain link fence around them, I'll take what we can get though.

Yeah, I don't like to see the empty lots in the heart of Brickell either. I'm sure the proposed development is impressive, given Swire's involvement.

It's just that relatively large plot of land north of 8th St to the river is perfect for a great urban park, in my opinion... something that Miami really lacks as part of its urban environment. Residential property values near it would increase and an overall more pedestrian-favorable atmosphere would automatically be promoted in Brickell and downtown. With that atmosphere, comes the types of commercial/cultural development which create the true street/sidewalk vibrancy that Miami still really lacks. A mega mall and condo/office/hotel development with an enormous parking garage actually does far less in that department.

For all of its construction in the past decade, Miami still needs to decide if it wants to continue to be the overgrown beach resort town with fancy shopping/dining/entertainment/living options that allows real estate developers to dictate how the city's landscape will appear, or does it want to take steps becoming one of our great urban centers of the future?

[Prahaboheme]

While the idea of a public garden sounds great for Miami, I think a better use of space would be to create a vibrant plaza in Brickell where people can congregate for commerce. Mary Brickell Village is a bit too mall-esque to fit that bill. It would need to be something more public/private, and in the Miami tradition, why not draw inspiration from Latin American colonial cities, nearly all which are build around a central square/plaza?

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico:


Morelia, Mexico:

[pj3000]

Originally Posted by Prahaboheme

While the idea of a public garden sounds great for Miami, I think a better use of space would be to create a vibrant plaza in Brickell where people can congregate for commerce. Mary Brickell Village is a bit too mall-esque to fit that bill. It would need to be something more public/private, and in the Miami tradition, why not draw inspiration from Latin American colonial cities, nearly all which are build around a central square/plaza?

I'm not against the idea of a civic plaza, but the downtown area already has that in effect with Bayside, and with the planned urban commercial plaza off of Biscayne, and we'll get something similar with the planned Bayfront Park/Museum Park. In fact, the whole area north of 395/MacArthur causeway where the performing arts center is located, will basically function as that as well. Miami needs a urban PARK, period... and that acreage on S Miami Ave to the river is as perfect as there is in the city.

[pj3000]

UM Receives $20M to Build New Student Center

http://www.miami.edu/index.php/news/...tudent_center/

April 06, 2011 — Coral Gables — The University of Miami announced today that it has received an extraordinary lead gift of $20 million from the Fairholme Foundation to build a new, state of the art, 119,000-square-foot Student Activities Center on its Coral Gables campus.

“Student involvement has always been a vibrant part of life at the University of Miami,” said President Donna E. Shalala. “As the University continues to move up in the ranks nationally, it is facilities like this that enhance the student’s success.”

“The new Student Center Complex will provide students with an ideal home for programs, services and collaboration that will support their academic pursuits,” said Patricia A. Whitely, Vice President for Student Affairs at UM. “This magnificent and multifaceted complex will fulfill a variety of functions vital to student life at the University of Miami.”

... Miami-based design firm Arquitectonica and Pittsburgh-based WTW Architects are engaged in the project, which is expected to commence in June 2011 and open in August 2013.

[bobdreamz]

This project has been on hold since June 2009 & financing has been secured.



Florida East Coast Realty, headed by Tibor Hollo, is hoping to get its construction permit from the City of Miami by month's end to begin building the 35-story Sonesta Mikado Hotel & Residences in the Omni area.
Construction of the hotel, residences and office space is estimated to cost north of $78 million, said Jerome Hollo, Florida East Coast Realty vice president.
"We are in the final reviews on the permit side," he said. "We are hoping by the end of this month to have a construction permit and could get started shortly after. That's our hope."
With financing secured for the project, slated for an empty site at 1701 NE Fourth Ave., this could be the first high-rise development to start in the Omni area this year.
The only other project soon to rise in the neighborhood is a Publix supermarket at 1776 Biscayne Blvd.
Last month, Miami's Omni Community Redevelopment Agency approved giving Florida East Coast a break on tax-increment fund contributions.

read more here: http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/110414/story5.shtml

[QuantumX]

Check these out!



DSC_1224 by Quantum2010, on Flickr

Originally Posted by Endeavor305

That building is badass man. Looks like it's from the future.

Originally Posted by QuantumX

DSC_1256 by Quantum2010, on Flickr

This is going on the Brickell Avenue side.

chase-logo by Quantum2010, on Flickr

I think the Chase logo makes it look even more futuristic! What do you guys make of it?


DSC_1431 by Quantum2010, on Flickr

[dave8721]

I always half expect Jawa's to come walking out. Or maybe its just me who always thinks of the similarity whenever I see this building:

[bobdreamz]

^ haha! that is a funny comparison!

[pj3000]

Jawas!

Never been a real big fan of this building. Considering that the majority of downtown/Brickell seems to be made up of residential buildings, I guess I just hoped for something better for a new office tower. To me it looks futuristic... if it still was 1984.

[skyscraperfan23]

Originally Posted by QuantumX

Check these out!



DSC_1224 by Quantum2010, on Flickr





I think the Chase logo makes it look even more futuristic! What do you guys make of it?


DSC_1431 by Quantum2010, on Flickr

Has that cool miami vice style to it.

[Onn]

I agree, that's pretty darn cool looking! It's a great building!

[QuantumX]

Originally Posted by dave8721

I always half expect Jawa's to come walking out. Or maybe its just me who always thinks of the similarity whenever I see this building:

I always thought it would make a good corporate symbol for Prudential.

Originally Posted by pj3000

Jawas!

Never been a real big fan of this building. Considering that the majority of downtown/Brickell seems to be made up of residential buildings, I guess I just hoped for something better for a new office tower. To me it looks futuristic... if it still was 1984.

Not sure how you get this impression. I've never seen anything quite like this design. I just wish it has been 200 feet taller and the back looked as good as the front.

Originally Posted by Onn

I agree, that's pretty darn cool looking! It's a great building!

DSC_1468 by Quantum2010, on Flickr


DSC_1467 by Quantum2010, on Flickr

[mechanesthesia]

Originally Posted by QuantumX

I always thought it would make a good corporate symbol for Prudential.



Not sure how you get this impression. I've never seen anything quite like this design. I just wish it has been 200 feet taller and the back looked as good as the front.




DSC_1468 by Quantum2010, on Flickr


DSC_1467 by Quantum2010, on Flickr

AWESOME! Looks like the building from tron!