Condos and garage proposed above historic Biscayne Boulevard church, tour the 10 Frank Lloyd Wright buildings nominated as UNESCO World Heritage sites…and more

“Floating” parking garage, 352 residential units, proposed above historic Biscayne Boulevard church
1. “Floating” parking garage, 352 residential units, proposed above historic Biscayne Boulevard church [The Next Miami]2. Tour the 10 Frank Lloyd Wright buildings nominated as …

Construction contracts up by $3.4B in 2014, report shows

Construction in Midtown Miami
Construction contracts in South Florida are up — significantly, according to a report released Thursday.
From 2013 to 2014, there was an overall 52 percent increase in construction contracts awarded in the tri-county area, a difference of about $3.4 billion. That …

PHOTOS: On the scene at ribbon cutting of 55 Miracle Mile

A private equity asset management firm unveiled $1 million-worth of improvements to its 55 Miracle Mile property at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday.
City of Miami and Coral Gables officials, along with M…

FAA approves Met Square’s lofty height

Met Square rendering
The Federal Aviation Administration has given its final approval to MDM Development’s planned Met Square condo project, saying the tower does not pose a hazard to air navigation.
Met Square in downtown Miami was one of four proposed Miami-Dade County projects that recently…

County to invest $74M in Liberty Square public housing

Liberty Square Housing Projects
Liberty Square, one of Miami’s oldest and most dangerous public housing projects, may be getting a hardcore makeover.
Miami-Dade County is piecing together $74 million in public funds so Liberty Square can be demolished and rebuilt as a $200 million pr…

Edward Redlich Selected As Commercial Realtor Of The Year

The ComReal Companies are proud to announce that Edward Redlich has been selected as the “2015 Commercial Realtor of the Year” by the Realtor Commercial Alliance (RCA) of Miami.
RCA Miami is one of the largest commercial Realtor organizations in the country with approximately 1,700 acti…

South Beach rental transaction volume and rates rise in 2014

Peter Zalewski of CondoVultures
Question: What are the current rental market conditions in the South Beach neighborhood of Miami Beach?
South Beach — known for its hip culture, extensive dining options and legendary nightlife — is traditionally one of the top choices for existing an…

Flagler Station building sells for $11.25M

Flagler Station
A building at Flagler Station, South Florida’s largest business park, has traded hands for the second time in six months.
Vero Beach-based Dunnagall Partners paid $11.25 million for the industrial building at 10325 Northwest 112th Avenue in Northwest Miami-Dade. The seller…

GA Telesis leases warehouse space near Miami International Airport

Airport East Distribution Center
Fort Lauderdale-based aerospace firm GA Telesis is leasing 96,389 square feet at Miami’s Airport East Distribution Center, according to Cushman & Wakefield, which handled the deal.
The Airport East Distribution Center location — GA Telesis’ four…

Community activists push for better wages at Miami Worldcenter site

Community forum at St. John Institutional Baptist Church
A coalition of pastors, labor organizers and community activists vowed on Thursday to push for higher wages and permanent jobs from the developers of the massive $1.06-billion Miami Worldcenter development.
The multi-use project will be built …

Marina Palms tops off first tower in North Miami Beach

Marina Palms Yacht Club & Residences first tower and Plaza Group president Neil Fairman
Marina Palms Yacht Club & Residences in North Miami Beach celebrated the topping off of its first of two luxury condominium towers Friday.
Marina Palms will be the first luxury condo development with a ya…

Old Warehouse Space Still in Demand

MIAMI– Terranova and Blackrock acquired this industrial facility in September 2013 and have seen occupancy rise 31% in the past year….

Iconic Miami Beach Buildings Getting Makeover

MIAMI–“The historic architecture of Miami Beach is what defines the city’s spirit.”…

Coral Gables Office, Garage Goes for $14 Million

Read on…

GrayRobinson Annual Revenue, Profit Per Partner Up 2%

The Florida law firm generates $142 million in revenue, with growth driven by improvement in its real estate and financial services practices.     …

Commercial Real Estate News Roundup For January 29, 2015

Using events to anchor a co-workspace, using Chinese developers to pull towers out of San Fran ground, and using zingy jargon when consulting to convenience retail on how to sell more stuff — it’s all here in today’s Commercial Real Estat…

Donald Trump deemed deserving of a key to Doral, clerical error put BofA on wrong end of foreclosure case…and more

Donald Trump and Trump National Doral
1. Donald Trump deemed deserving of a key to Doral [Miami Herald]2. A clerical error put Bank of America on wrong end of foreclosure case Daily Business Review]3. MIA to get new Colombia and Mexico routes in June [Sun Sentinel]4. This is Renzo Piano’s desi…

Biscayne Fairholme museum and headquarters on hold

Rendering for 2626 Biscayne Boulevard
Plans for the windowless, pyramid-like design of the Fairholme Funds museum and headquarters on Biscayne Boulevard remain exactly that since Fairholme president revealed them in September.
Representatives from Fairholme haven’t been in touch with…

Gale boutique hotel and condos announced for Fort Lauderdale

Rendering of Gale Boutique Hotel & Residences in Fort Lauderdale
Newgard Development Group and Menin Hospitality announced their newest project on Friday —  Gale Boutique Hotel & Residences in Fort Lauderdale.
Both companies, along with Fort Lauderdale investor Dev Motwani&rs…

Developers and investors turning to Little Havana

Frank Rodriguez Melo, CEO of Melo Real Estate
Developers and investors are now reportedly turning to neighboring Little Havana for opportunities.
Melo Real Estate recently negotiated the $5.3 million sale of six multi-family properties in Little Havana, which comes out to $56,000 per …

Biscayne Landing project moves forward with construction approval

Biscayne Landing and Michael Tillman
The North Miami City Council streamlined the construction approval process for Oleta Partners’ Biscayne Landing project at a meeting on Tuesday.
Council members agreed to amend the city’s code and conditional use permit, which will expedite the develo…

Aloft and Element hotels in Doral marketed for sale

Aloft Miami at 3265 Northwest 107th Avenue
Aloft Miami and the nearly completed Element hotel in Doral are being marketed for sale, CBRE Hotels announced Thursday.
The two hotels, located on nearly five acres at 3265 to 3285 Northwest 107th Avenue, are in an area once known for industrial …

Sunbeam TV affiliate buys North Bay Village office building

1400 79 Street Causeway in North Bay Village and Edmund Ansin
A waterfront office building in North Bay Village traded for more than double its last sale in 2012.
Coral Gables-based Cofe Properties sold the 2.7-acre property for $13.8 million to Sunbeam Properties. Miami Beach-based Sunbeam Pro…

Miami-Dade to review plans for two residential developments

Manuel Grosskopf
The Miami-Dade County Commission will reportedly review requests for changes to two developers’ residential plans.
OROT Flagler, managed by Château Group principal Manuel Grosskopf, wants to build up to 240 multi-family units on the corner of Southwest Fourth Street…

Freedom Tower becomes “Media Hub of the Americas”

Freedom Tower and Miami Dade College President Eduardo Padron
Once the headquarters of the Miami News, Miami’s iconic Freedom Tower has long been a symbol of freedom for Cuban refugees and has been dubbed the “Ellis Island of the South.”
It even made an appearance in the 1983 …

Downtown Coral Gables office building sells for $14M

2199 Ponce de Leon Boulevard in Coral Gables and Pablo Cejas
A Coral Gables office building and nearby parking garage traded hands for $14 million last week.
P&C 2199 Ponce, a company headed by insurance executive Pablo Cejas, bought the two parcels at 2199 Ponce de Leon Boulevard and financed t…

Attorneys Point to 4 CRE Trends to Watch

MIAMI–I reached out to Holland & Knight to get a sense of what its attorneys see coming down the pike in 2015. Do you agree with these predictions?…

Power Lunch: At Epic’s Area 31, It’s All About the View

On the terrace, “the stellar view by itself makes it unique,” says Mika Mattingly, a commercial real estate broker who likes to power-lunch with out-of-town clients at Area 31.     …

How Many Homes Can Pulte Build on $48 Million Acreage it Purchased?

The 260-acre purchase off Interstate 95 in Palm Beach County is approved for 275 homes.     …

Seminole Hard Rock Gets Foot in NJ Door

New Jersey casino regulators approve a big by the Hollywood-based casino operator to open in Atlantic City or at the Meadowlands.     …

Royal Caribbean Revenue Drops as Outlook Disappoints

Revenue dropped to $1.82 billion from $1.85 billion at Miami-based Royal Caribbean. Analysts expected higher revenue of $1.87 billion.     …

Home Ownership at Lowest in Two Decades

The share of Americans who own their homes was 64 percent in the fourth quarter, down from 64.4 percent in the previous three months.     …

Are Real Estate Crowdfunding Firms Delivering the Goods?

Crowdfunding is still a relatively new phenomenon in the real estate arena with most firms having less than a year or two under their belts. The question is whether or not they are also delivering results on targeted returns. CLICK ON THE HEADLINE FOR MORE…

Judge orders Lennar to execute $114M land purchase, company to appeal, Marlins and county to arbitrate ballpark costs…and more

A Lennar development and the company’s president and CEO Stuart Miller
1. Judge orders Lennar to execute $114M land purchase, company to appeal [South Florida Business Journal]2. Marlins, county to arbitrate ballpark costs [Miami Today]3. Lawsuit: Harbourside’s Mastroianni illegally usin…

N.Y. developers add to Wynwood portfolio, buy entire block for $11M

Dan Arev, Chaim Cahane and Jon Krasner of Yellow Side Ventures
A joint venture between two New York investment firms just bought an entire block on the west side of North Miami Avenue, between 24th Street and 25th Street, in Miami’s white-hot Wynwood neighborhood.
The partnership, between Yell…

Second Miami Beach Whole Foods awaits Planning Board decision

Rendering of the the new Whole Foods on Alton Road
Crescent Heights real estate developers want to construct a second Whole Foods Market in Miami Beach, and the city’s planning board is expected to review the developer’s proposal today.
The 55,351-square-foot site at 1901 Alton Road is o…

Atlas Capital submits plans for resi tower on Biscayne Boulevard

1900 Biscayne Boulevard
Another day, another high-rise proposal submitted.
A New York developer submitted plans for a 36-story condo tower at 1900 Biscayne Boulevard in Miami. Plans include 429 units, 27 of which would be studio apartments, 248 one-bedroom units, 149 two-bedroom units and five penth…

Board recommends approval for mixed-use Wynwood site

Site for planned hotel in Wynwood
Last week, Miami’s Urban Development Review Board recommended approval of mixed-use plans for 2110 North Miami Avenue.
New York developer Sonny Bazbaz is planning to build a hotel in Wynwood, which is expected to feature 163 studio and one-bedroom apartments, …

Developers eyeing Doral, as land elsewhere scarce

Downtown Doral and Armando Codina
Known mostly for industrial warehouses and suburban gated communities, Doral in Northwest Miami-Dade is undergoing an urban transformation fueled by a strong office market, as well as massive mixed-use projects like Downtown Doral and CityPlace Doral.
“The gro…

When Simple Deals Get Complex

MIAMI–Sometimes deals seem straightforward until you are faced with obstacles in the middle of the process. Such is the case with the sale of an office building in Spectrum Office Park in Fort Lauderdale, FL….

Cheers! Beer Warehouses in Doral and Homestead Sell for $44 Million

An Illinois food service company acquires two South Florida facilities from Gold Coast Beverage Distributors.     …

Amazon.com Warehouse in Miami Florida

Amazon.com Warehouse at 1900 NW 132nd Place in Miami, FloridaIn the Summer of 2014, Amazon.com leased their Miami warehouse located at 1900 NW 132nd Place aka the Miami International Distribution Center located within the Pan American West Business Park in Miami. The free-standing, class A building …

NAI Miami Negotiates Five-Year Lease For Pure Barre

Brandon Weiss and Josh Rodstein have completed over 5 transactions for Pure Barre throughout the state of Florida in the last year. CLICK ON THE HEADLINE FOR MORE…

Mooyah to enter Florida with Miami location…and more

Case-Shiller index shows more softening of home prices in South Florida
1. Case-Shiller index shows more softening of home prices [Sun Sentinel]2. Mooyah to enter Florida’s “better-burger” fray with Miami location [South Florida Business Journal]3. Scott pledges support for Evergla…

JLL closes 324K-sqft industrial lease in Miramar

Countyline Business Center
In the largest industrial lease signed in South Florida so far this year, JLL said it has just completed a 324,000-square-foot lease in Miramar with an existing tenant, Floor and Decor Outlets of America.
The property, Countyline Business Center in Miramar, is owned by Ind…

FPL sells vacant downtown Miami lot for $21M

Vacant lot at 201 Southwest Second Avenue in Miami
Florida Power & Light sold a vacant lot in downtown Miami for $21 million last week.
FPL sold the 2.2-acre site to Miami Bridge Lot Ventures, a partnership between Ytech International and Miami investor Carlos Mattos, according to a news re…

Miami Beach mayor fights to ban gaming in proposed convention center hotel

Miami Beach Convention Center rendering
Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine made it known on Monday that he does not want the hotel developer or operator for a proposed Miami Beach Convention Center hotel to be involved with any gaming operations now — or ever.
“The city of Miami Beach …

Landmark Fort Lauderdale tower receives $58M loan

Las Olas City Centre at 401 East Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale
JPMorgan received a $58 million mortgage for its prime downtown Fort Lauderdale office tower.
Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America is the lender on the mortgage for Las Olas City Centre, a 15-story Class A office…

O Residences prepares Bay Harbor site for waterfront condo project

Rendering of O Residences, Claudio Stivelman and Marc Schmulian
S2 Development and its joint venture partners BH-LK Investment Group said Tuesday they have begun demolition for their 41-unit waterfront condo project in Bay Harbor.
Aventura-based S2 developers Claudio Stivelman and Marc Schmulian tol…

Fort Lauderdale office building sells for $8.5M

1801 West Spectrum Boulevard
A Dallas-based real estate company sold a Fort Lauderdale office building for $8.5 million last week.
Flotrix Inc. sold the nearly 6-acre property through RM Realty Group to a Georgia limited liability company. CBRE represented the seller.
Citrix Systems, …

South Florida condo market braces as Russia’s credit rating downgraded

Sunny Isles Beach (inset: Peter Zalewski)
Condo developers who are relying on foreign buyers to purchase a significant number of the more than 41,000 new units proposed for South Florida during this cycle were stung with more bad news on Monday.
Less than two weeks after central bank monetary maneuv…

Coconut Creek apartment complex sells for $62M

Community pool at 5401 Wiles Road in Coconut Creek
A Boca Raton-based developer sold an apartment complex for $61.8 million in Coconut Creek.
Altman Companies, a developer that specializes in apartment complexes, sold its 270-unit community to an affiliate of Farmers Insurance company on Jan. 16, Br…

Slew of Little Havana Multifamily Units Sell

MIAMI–With so much activity in Downtown Miami, some developers and investors are turning to nearby Little Havana for opportunities….

Two-Part, $11 Million Deal Creates New Home for Towing Company

Using a 1031 exchange transaction to save on taxes, Miami’s Downtown Towing is expanding its operations and moving to larger quarters.     …

$27.5M Settlement Reached in Fontainebleau Las Vegas Bankruptcy

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge A. Jay Cristol signed a settlement that ends litigation brought by the trustee against Jeffrey Soffer and his family’s Turnberry companies.     …

Acre in Miami’s Wynwood Sells for $7 Million

A New York investor extends its substantial Wynwood holdings at $138 per square foot.     …

Shops at Bottom of Continuum Sell for $18.2 Million

Read on…

International Companies Drawn to This Office Complex

MIAMI–Waterford at Blue Lagoon is seeing massive leasing traction, and one 88,000-square-foot building is about to be completely vacant. Find out how Taylor & Mathis is maneuvering the office landscape….

Three Walls: You’ll Never Think About The Cubicle The Same Way Again

As a researcher in commercial real estate, it’s not often I find a documentary film director turning their camera to an everyday interior feature of our industry to tell a compelling story, but that’s exactly what Three Walls delivers. It’s a Canadian filmmaker’s look at the…

Most popular on The Real Deal

Current reader favorites:1. Wynwood condo development nearing sell-out as area heats up1. Settlement approved in Turnberry’s Fontainebleau Las Vegas bankruptcy3. Miami home sales set record in 2014, report says4. Hunt Construction withdraws from Miami Beach convention cente…

International Companies Drawn to This Office Complex

MIAMI–Waterford at Blue Lagoon is seeing massive leasing traction, and one 88,000-square-foot building is about to be completely vacant. Find out how Taylor & Mathis is maneuvering the office landscape….

Timing is everything for Related Group with Brickell Heights, more…

Related Group’s Brickell Heights project
1. Timing is everything for Related Group with Brickell Heights [South Florida Business Journal]2. Snow cancellations hit South Florida flights, airports [Miami Herald]3. Strip clubs linked to crime, but ban them? The law’s on their side [Palm Bea…

Sun Life Stadium among four seeking funds for 2015

Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity announced Friday that lawmakers could possibly approve four professional sports facilities that are seeking state tax dollars to help pay for construction projects.
Seven million dollars has been set aside this year for…

Q&A with Carol Brooks: From yoga to reviving Downtown Dadeland

Carol Brooks, co-founder and president of CREC
On the heels of representing the largest office deal of 2014, Carol Brooks, co-founder of Continental Real Estate Companies, sat down with The Real Deal to discuss her passion for health and wellness, how she incorporates that into her business and what…

Related’s 1100 Millecento in Brickell completed

Related’s Carlos Rosso and 1100 Millecento
More than two years after it broke ground, a pre-housing crash condo tower in the Brickell neighborhood is finally complete.
The high-rise, which broke ground in September 2012 — 1100 Millecento — will feature an infinity pool, spa and a c…

Terra Group begins demolition of MiMo-style North Beach hotel

Former Howard Johnson hotel at 8701 Collins Avenue and a former rendering of the site
Community members are up in arms over Terra Group’s demolition of a North Beach hotel.
Terra applied for a demolition permit back in November and reportedly started the process of tearing down the Morris…

South Beach retail site sells for $18M

500 South Pointe Drive in Miami Beach
A prime piece of South Beach retail space sold recently to a Montreal-based company for $18 million.
An affiliate of the Development Group of South Florida sold a retail building just north of South Pointe Park and west of the Continuum South Beach on Jan. 15, M…

Developers are tapping art curators at luxury projects

A sculpture on display at Abington House and 400 Park Avenue South in New York where Emily Santangelo was tapped to curate artwork
From the New York site: Developers have long been using art to draw the wealthy to their latest luxury building — particularly in South Florida, where co…

Luxury Condo Developer Putting Soccer Field on Roof

MIAMI–Developers are working hard to differentiate their Downtown Miami condos, but the market hasn’t seen anything quite like this yet….

Latin America Full of CRE Investment Opportunities, Says Hospitality CEO

PHILADELPHIA, PA–With the US government’s recent moves to relax tensions with Cuba, the entire Caribbean region is getting new attention as investment opportunities for commercial real estate development expand, particularly in the hospitality sector, according to Alejandro (Alex) Zozaya, chief exe…

Farmers Insurance Pays $62 Million for Broward Apartments

The gated 79-unit Altis at Coconut Creek complex sells for $782,000 per unit.     …

Who Gets to Keep Court Registry Fee? Miccosukee Tribe Does in This Case

A state appeals court rules the tribe should get back its $72,000 fee spent successfully appealing a $4 million judgment.     ….

DR Horton Profit Beats Estimates as Home Sales Jumped

D.R. Horton Inc., the largest U.S. homebuilder by revenue, reported fiscal first-quarter earnings that beat estimates as sales jumped. The shares rose as much as 6.1 percent.     …

Most popular on The Real Deal

Current reader favorites:1. Miami Beach home prices just keep on goin’ up, report says2. Wynwood condo development nearing sell-out as area heats up3. Vacant Edgewater lot sells for $64M4. Preconstruction buyers of brand name condo towers face new risk5. Paramount Miam…

Big ideas abound for better Miami-Dade transit service, South Beach apartments trade at 10 times prior value…and more

Big ideas abound for better Miami-Dade transit service
1. Big ideas abound for better Miami-Dade transit service — but how to pay for it? [Miami Herald]2. South Beach apartments trade at 10 times prior value [South Florida Business Journal]3. ALTA Developers dedicates Habitat home [GlobeSt.com…

Settlement approved in Turnberry’s Fontainebleau Las Vegas bankruptcy

Jeffrey Soffer
A Miami bankruptcy judge has approved a settlement in the  litigation against former officers and directors of the Fontainebleau Las Vegas, topping off years of legal wrangling related to the failed project spearheaded by Aventura-based Turnberry Associates’ CEO Jeffrey Sof…

Hunt Construction withdraws from Miami Beach convention center project

Miami Beach Convention Center rendering
Hunt Construction Company formally withdrew its bid for the $500 million renovation and expansion of the Miami Beach convention center, The Real Deal has learned.
In a memo obtained by TRD from Miami Beach City Manager Jimmy Morales to Mayor Philip Levine and …

Miami Beach plans to raise West Avenue due to rising sea level

South Beach
In anticipation of rising sea levels, Miami Beach city officials want to raise West Avenue — one of the lowest points of Miami Beach —between one-and-a-half to two feet, during the next few years. The first phase is expected to begin in February and last until Augus…

Howard Tullman Of 1871 Talks Office Space, Workforce Mobility

At RE/Journal CRE Forecast Conference this week at Chicago’s Hyatt Regency, the proceedings kicked off with a one-on-one with Howard Tullman, CEO of 1871, the non-profit startup hub located in Chicago’s Merchandise Mart.
1871′s reputation as a hotbed of technology startu…

2015 Economic Outlook. Blue Skies Ahead.

Renowned economist Hugh F. Kelly (PhD, CRE), Clinical Professor in New York University’s Schack Institute of Real Estate and the 2014 national Chairman of The Counselors of Real Estate, led a discussion at a CREW-Miami luncheon regarding issues affecting the commercial real estate market in 20…

Paramount Miami Worldcenter: new soccer field rendering

Paramount Miami Worldcenter’s soccer field rendering
Heading toward its goal of creating a soccer field on Paramount Miami Worldcenter’s ninth floor, the project’s developer just released the first rendering of the amenity, complete with players and spectators.
Daniel Kodsi, develo…

Movers & Shakers

Metro 1 promoted Stacey Glassman Mizener as the company’s first community executive director. Mizener is now responsible for all fundraising and programming for the company’s community outreach br…

South Florida by the numbers: 2015 look ahead edition

“South Florida by the numbers” is a web feature that catalogs the most notable, quirky and surprising real estate statistics.
The past is prologue, and Miami’s future is so bright, we gotta wear shades. (Especially in this “hot even by Florida standards” winter!) As we …

City of Miami trying to annex 1,600 acres

Miami River
This week, the city of Miami began a lengthy process of trying to annex about 1,600 acres near the Miami River and Miami International Airport — including valuable neighborhoods that are home to about 100 international corporations such as Burger King and Toyota.
The areas aff…

Akoya condo site in Boca Raton sells for $13.5M

Akoya rendering and Siemens CEO Richard Siemens
A Boca Raton developer paid $13.5 million for the site of the Akoya condo project.
An affiliate of the Boca West Country Club sold the 6.8-acre site to a Siemens Group affiliate, the South Florida Business Journal reported.
Akoya, expected to break gro…

Wynwood ranked SoFla’s hottest neighborhood

Wynwood and Redfin chief economist Nela Richardson
Wynwood is the hottest South Florida neighborhood in 2015, according to a Redfin ranking released Thursday.
Coral Terrace, South Golden Glades, Buena Vista and Golden Pines followed. The median sales price in the Wynwood Art District was $373,0…

Massive Edgewater Development Site Sells

MIAMI–This deal marks one of the largest non-waterfront land transactions in the Edgewater area….

Plenty of Capital Options for Wynwood Developers

MIAMI–Just after a Wynwood asset sold at near record price, construction is soon getting underway at 250 Wynwood….

Datura Place Purchased for $6.5 Million

Read on…

Iconic Miami Tower’s Broken Elevators Anger Tenants and Law Firms

Tenants at the iconic 47-floor landmark are irate about broken city-owned elevators serving the office building’s garage. Twenty-minute waits have become commonplace.     …

Panorama Tower to boast views as far as Bimini

Panorama Tower to have views of the Bahamas
The 83-story Panorama Tower in Brickell will feature expansive views from the top floor – reportedly all the way to Bimini.
The $800 million building – the tallest on the East Coast outside New York – is to rise to 830 feet aft…

New York’s Quality Meats opening in South Beach in February

A rendering of Quality Meats in Miami Beach and the restaurant in New York
New York restaurant Quality Meats is launching its first eatery in Miami Beach in the former Bancroft Hotel, now under renovation.
The restaurant, which will open in late February, will represent the second location for Quali…

Miami Beach Art Deco hotel to reopen as The Hall

Guest room at The Hall
A landmark Art Deco hotel in Miami Beach will reopen this summer as The Hall.
Formerly the Haddon Hall hotel, the Commune Hotels & Resorts property and adjacent apartment building will become a 126-room hotel, according to a news release.
The building was designed by famed…

Vanguard Logistics to relocate to Flagler Station

Aerial of Flagler Station
Vanguard Logistics Services has leased 135,000 square feet at Flagler Station in Miami.
Vanguard, a supplier of warehousing, inland distribution and cross-dock services, had been looking for a single site to incorporate all of its operations, which had been housed in two bu…

County recommends turning lot on Miami River into greenspace

Rendering of River Landing’s retail space
Miami-Dade commissioners have reportedly recommended handing over a county parking lot on the Miami River to the River Landing Conservation Foundation so that it can be developed into a public green space.
The foundation, affiliated with…

CREW-Miami Recognizes Local Leaders

MIAMI–The Commercial Real Estate Women recently handed out its top awards, including the Deal of the Year honor which was shared by the $49-million sale of The Atrium office property in Coral Gables and the $18.2-million sale of Distribution Center at NW 33rd Street and NW 91st Avenue in Doral….

Vacant Edgewater lot sells for $64M

Aerial of Rebuild Miami-Edgewater’s site, formerly owned by BDB Miami (via CBRE)
The city of Miami’s oldest cemetery will have an upcoming neighbor, after investors bought an adjacent site for $64 million.
A Miami-based company purchased the vacant lot north of the City Cemetery in …

$10M subsidy approved for Miami Ocean Studios

Rendering of Miami Ocean Studios complex in Miami Gardens
County commissioners reportedly voted to approve $10 million subsidy for the planned Miami Ocean Studios in Miami Gardens.
Once the $265 million project, which includes a hotel, sound stages and a huge water tank for filming underwater scenes…

Coconut Grove retail and office site sells for $14M

3444 Main Highway in Coconut Grove and Peter Gardner
Pointe Group Advisors, a Miami-based real estate company, purchased three Coconut Grove parcels last week for $14 million.
The commercial properties, totaling 1.4 acres along Main Highway,  were sold by Grover Commercial Enterprises.
&ld…

Downtown Miami Office Sale May Signal Redevelopment

Aztec vice president Jason Katz says Miami’s central business district is “one of the last bastions of dealmaking with Miami locals.”     …

Miami Free Zone Brands Itself Anew

Entering its 36th year, the Miami Free Zone has been re-branded from a trade zone to an international trade facility…

Transit Oriented Development Critical to Metropolitan Growth

Urban Development: Faster Greener Commutes Key to Sustained City Growth, a report released in October 2014 by Cushman & Wakefield, provided insight into Transit Oriented Development as it explored “the consequences of rapid population growth in 10 major North American cities”—w…

Rick Case auto group to open world’s largest Kia store in Sunrise, over 300,000 square feet of retail proposed in Palm Beach County site…and more

Rick Case auto group to open world’s largest Kia store Sunday in Sunrise
1. Rick Case auto group to open world’s largest Kia store Sunday in Sunrise [Sun Sentinel]2. Over 300,000 square feet of retail proposed in Palm Beach County site [South Florida Business Journal]3. Wawa to unveil Pa…

2015 report ranks South Florida high in job growth

Marcus & Millichap’s 2015 National Apartment Report  shows economic and investment conditions in South Florida and nationwide are the healthiest they have been in years.
Fort Lauderdale ranked 4th, and Miami 7th, in markets with the highest expected 2015 employment growth. Fort Lauder…

Miami real estate agent and former “Amazing Race” contender in bitter divorce battle

Lisa Thomson (credit: CBS) and Drew Rosenhaus
Miami-based sports agent Drew Rosenhaus filed for divorce Tuesday in Miami to end his 13-month marriage to real estate agent and former “The Amazing Race” contestant Lisa Thomson.
Rosenhaus said he has claim to their Miami Beach home, accordi…

Wynwood condo development nearing sell-out as area heats up

Rendering of 250 Wynwood
An 11-unit, upscale condo project under construction in the heart of Wynwood has sold nine, or 82 percent, of its units, underscoring demand for residential developments in the burgeoning, artsy Miami neighborhood.
Among the units placed under contract at 250 Wynwood &n…

$26M Design District sale sets record

3800 Northeast Miami Court in the Design District
A $26 million sale in the Design District reportedly sets a record for the last four years.
Chicago-based real estate investment firm L3 Capital closed on the 22,248-square-foot two-story retail building Wednesday, according to a press release.
The c…

Comcast to lease office space in West Palm Beach

1700 Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard in West Palm Beach
Comcast will be leasing office space at a West Palm Beach office center.
The media giant will occupy the 11,500-square-foot space at 1700 Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard on May 1.
The property was built in 1988 and was recently acquired by Breaker C…

Walmart opens in Liberty City area of Miami-Dade

Walmart at 3200 Northwest 79th Street in Miami
Walmart opened a new 182,000 square-foot store in the Liberty City area of Miami on Wednesday, saying it is the first new development in the neighborhood in decades.
Walmart has been opening new stores in South Florida at a rapid pace and bought the 23….

Lantana shopping center plans submitted

Lantana site aerial view
Kenco Communities submitted its plan for the former A.G. Holley State Hospital site in Lantana last week.
The 72.79-acre development will include a commercial area of 34.36 acres lining Lantana Road, with restaurants, a grocery store, a pharmacy, a fitness center and a bank….

Developer seeks approval for $70M Broward high-rise

Rendering of Riva Residences
A 100-unit mixed-use development went before the Fort Lauderdale planning and zoning board this week.
Premier Riva’s $70 million Riva Residences would be built on 15,000 square feet at 1180 North Federal Highway. The project would be a redevelopment of a vacan…

This 100-Acre Industrial Park Demands Attention

MIAMI–Dubbed the Florida Commerce Park, it’s is one of the largest non-residential land developments in recent South Florida history. Get all the details….

New Northside Miami Walmart Opens

MIAMI–The new Walmart at 3200 NW. 79th St in North Miami opened for business after a ribbon-cutting ceremony today…

Adler Group Expands Third-Party Brokerage

MIAMI–Adler Realty Services, a division of the Adler Group, has expanded its third-party brokerage team and looks to more than double its team by the end of this year….

Shocking Accusation: Activists Say Miami Allows Developers to Displace Poor

As the real estate boom makes Miami increasingly unaffordable, activism around affordable housing and gentrification is heating up.     …

Miami Merchandise Mart Heads To Auction With Over $8M In Taxes Owed

Advertised as low as $2,000 per unit, with sizes ranging from a few hundred square feet to 5,000 square feet, the 325 retail units are up for auction on Jan. 21 and 22. CLICK ON THE HEADLINE FOR MORE…

Real Estate Joint Venture Tips

A recent New York Times article described the increased presence of New York developers in the South Florida condominium market. The fact is that Miami real estate market has always been a seductive one for out of state developers, and the upside in the development opportunities in the South Fl…

Sun Life Stadium renovations in high gear, real estate broker sent to prison for fraud…and more

Sun Life Stadium renovations are in high gear
1. Sun Life Stadium renovations in high gear [Sun Sentinel]2. Real estate broker sent to prison for fraud [South Florida Business Journal]3. Baha Mar mega resort in Bahamas to open — finally — in March [Miami Herald]4. Fines piling up against…

Gooal! Next in amenities — a soccer field at Paramount Miami Worldcenter

Paramount Miami Worldcenter
How’s this for a different kind of luxury condominium amenity to appeal to Latin American buyers? An outdoor soccer field.
Daniel Kodsi, developer of Paramount Miami Worldcenter, unveiled plans to The Real Deal for his 60-story project, which will include a soccer f…

All Aboard Florida hires Fort Lauderdale contractor

Rendering of the All Aboard Florida station in West Palm Beach
Fort Lauderdale-based Moss & Associates is all aboard as the general contractor for two South Florida stations of the planned high-speed rail service.
Construction on the West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale stations is expected …

Palm Beach Shores condo complex 50 percent sold

Rendering of Ocean Eighteen
Ocean Eighteen, an 18-unit boutique condo development in Palm Beach Shores, is reportedly 50 percent sold.
The three-story project, developed by Prodesa U.S., will have oceanfront units of approximately 1,700 square feet priced between $769,000 and nearly $…

Q&A with Ezra Katz: Notable deals and what lies ahead

Ezra Katz
Ezra Katz has handled multi-million dollar transactions in South Florida, ranging from the Fontainebleau Hotel financing (twice) to portfolios of office buildings in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
Katz, the founder and CEO of the Aztec Group and Mayan Properties, sat down with …

Investor to auction Miami Merchandise Mart units

Miami Merchandise Mart
Like the saying goes, get ‘em while they’re… saddled with liens?
Miami Merchandise Mart investor Robert Wohlfeld is auctioning off 325 retail units on Wednesday and Thursday. But future buyers might be paying much more than the advertised…

Metrorail bike path redevelopment plan in the works

Rendering of the Underline at the Metrorail University Station and Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez, who has backed the proposed redevelopment.
The paved path that runs underneath the Metrorail, from Brickell to Dadeland, might finally be transformed into Miami-Dade’s equivalent of the Hig…

Developer plans Pembroke Pines townhome project

Villas at Antique Row in West Palm Beach and developer Harry Posin
A developer in Pembroke Pines has plans for a townhouse project that mirrors those in West Palm Beach.
Harry Posin, president of Label & Co. Developments Inc., is planning an 89-unit townhome development in eastern Pembroke Falls…

Marina Palms condo project taps Coastal Construction for second tower

Marina Palms Yacht Club & Residences
Marina Palms Yacht Club & Residences, which is nearing completion on its first condominium tower in North Miami Beach, said it is sticking with Coastal Construction to build its second tower. Groundbreaking is expected in mid-February.
Coastal Constructio…

Naples’ Most Dramatic Turnaround Story

MIAMI–13th Floor Investments principal Michael Nunziata tells GlobeSt.com’s Jennifer LeClaire how his firm repositioned this distressed asset for success….

Beware: Construction Costs Rising Rapidly

MIAMI–“We anticipate that today’s robust South Florida construction demand will intensify in private and public sectors throughout 2015,” Miller’s Brian Sudduth tells GlobeSt.com’s Jennifer LeClaire….

3 Land Use Legal Battles Worth Noting

MIAMI–Attorney Manny Farach points to the battle over waterfront rights and two other land-related legal battles that shaped the industry in 2014….

Bankruptcy Court Approves Canyon Ranch Sale

MIAMI– Will the new owner fare better than Lehman?…

Moss & Associates to Build 2 All Aboard South Florida Stations

The general contractor will supervise construction of All Aboard Florida stations in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.     …

Plan calls for Miami-Dade mayor to take reins on sea rise, New Whole Foods under an active construction site…and more

Flooding in Miami Beach in 2013
1. New plan calls for Miami-Dade mayor to take reins on sea rise [Miami Herald]2. Yes, the new Whole Foods is under an active construction site [Curbed]3. Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. to open two stores in Broward County [South Florida Business Journal]4. Delray …

Sunset Harbour Shops to add three new restaurants and market

Sunset Harbour Shops in Miami Beach
Miami Beach’s Sunset Harbour Shops, developed by Scott Robins Companies in a public/private partnership, has signed leases with new retail and restaurant tenants to reach 100 percent occupancy.
The property, in the hot Sunset Harbour neighborhood, will soon …

Concrete Beach Brewery to open in Wynwood

Concrete Beach Brewery bar and Amicon CEO Adam Mopsick
The concrete has been poured, now it’s time for the beer.
Amicon Construction, which specializes in upscale commercial interiors, is completing Concrete Beach Brewery in Wynwood.
The brewery, located at 235 Northwest 24th Street, was a vac…

Lincoln Road building looks for buyer for flagship retail space

311 Lincoln Road and Jason Rubell of the Rubell family that owns the site
311 Lincoln Road is prime for a flagship retail store – and the property’s owners are looking for a buyer to redevelop its existing office and retail space.
The building, attached to the Albion Hotel and owned…

Luxury communities, without the golf, on the rise

A 4,700-square-foot Seven Bridges home
Back in 2010, Sunrise-based builder GL Homes kept hearing from buyers of all ages that they wanted a country club setting — except without golf, and its fees, ranging from $1,000 to $4,000 a month.
So GL built The Bridges in Delray Beach,&n…

A closer look at Jeff Greene’s $195M Beverly Hills listing

From left: Jeff Greene and Palazzo di Amore
From the New York site:  Billionaire real estate tycoon Jeff Greene calls it a “reasonable” price. Real estate experts say it’s a marketing tactic. Either way, its $195 million asking price makes Greene’s sprawling Beverly…

Atlantic|Pacific Companies buys six multifamily communities

Carrington Green, Shiloh Valley and entrance to Shiloh Valley
Bay Harbor Islands-based real estate firm Atlantic|Pacific Companies said Monday that it has expanded its properties with the acquisition of six Class A multifamily communities, totaling 1,941 units, in Georgia and Texas. The total cost o…

48-story Solitair in Brickell to begin building soon

Rendering of the Solitair
A 48-story apartment tower near Brickell City Centre will reportedly begin construction soon.
Solitair Brickell, at 86 Southwest Eighth Street, is approved for a height of 555 feet.
The Orlando-based developer, ZOM, has a permit to demolish a ramp that connec…

Convent in Palm Beach County sells for $6M

Cenacle Sisters of Lantana convent at 1400 South Dixie Highway
A recently sold convent in Palm Beach County will be developed into a waterfront residential and retail project.
Cenacle Convent of Palm Beach County sold the nearly 10-acre site to a subsidiary of Trinsic Residential Group on Jan. 8, Pa…

Outlook strong for Lincoln Road, Doral’s 2015 retail, Scott recommends $100M for Florida charter schools…and more

Lincoln Road’s retail outlook in 2015 is strong.
1. Lincoln Road, Doral’s 2015 retail outlook is strong. But why? [Daily Business Review]2. Scott recommends $100 million for Florida charter schools [Miami Herald]3. Boca Raton office building faces $9M foreclosure [South Florida Business …

Furniture manufacturing company wants $126K in incentives

An anonymous outdoor furniture manufacturing company, going by the identity of “Project Trooper,” wants to create 21 jobs in a new 100,000-square-foot facility in Miami-Dade County. It just needs incentives to do so.
According to published reports, it is seeking $126,000 over six years t…

eMerge Announces Major Partnership

Once again, Miami is making headlines as it continues to establish itself as a burgeoning tech hub. The upcoming 2nd annual tech conference eMerge Americas, scheduled to take place on Miami Beach on May 1-5, 2015, has a new partner: On Wednesday, NBC Universal and Telemundo announced a mul…

West Palm CRA to hear former City Hall site plans

Former West Palm Beach City Hall
Proposals for the former West Palm Beach City Hall site will be heard at a Community Redevelopment Agency meeting on Tuesday.
The CRA’s director said it’ll be an easy pick, according to published reports, but did not specify which of the two pitches …

5 Real Estate Law Cases You Should Remember

MIAMI–Manny Farach, an attorney with the West Palm Beach office of law firm Richman Greer, is pointing to several significant cases highlight issues and trends the Florida real estate lawyer must know in this EXCLUSIVE interview….

Bankruptcy Court Approves Canyon Ranch Sale

MIAMI– Will the new owner fare better than Lehman?…

US Container Volume Forecast To Rise In First Half Of 2015

According to the latest National Retail Federation report, import volume through the top U.S. port gateways is expected to increase 6.8 percent the first half of 2015 compared to 2014. CLICK ON THE HEADLINE FOR MORE…

NAI Miami Brings 10 Year Lease To Coconut Grove

With the signing of this lease, only two storefronts remain available for retailers and restaurants at Oak Avenue Plaza. CLICK ON THE HEADLINE FOR MORE…

Notorious Miami-Dade psychiatric jail ward finally shuttered, Skyline bling: A $430M hairpin tower bid for tourism…and more

A Miami-Dade County jail
1. Notorious Miami-Dade psychiatric jail ward finally shuttered [Miami Herald]2. Skyline bling: A $430M hairpin tower bid for tourism [Daily Business Review]3. U.S. eases travel and trade restrictions to Cuba [Miami Herald]4. South Florida rated worst for science, technology…

County on its way to accepting bids for courthouse

Miami-Dade County Courthouse
A proposal for a new Miami-Dade County courthouse and jail won initial support on Wednesday thanks to the county commission’s public safety committee.
Private contractors and investors would build some, or all, of the justice-system’s facilities for the count…

Deadline looms for West Palm mayor and developer over 2.4-acre site

Rendering of proposed medical complex at downtown West Palm Beach “tent site”
The clock is ticking for a West Palm Beach developer and the city’s mayor.
Developer Michael McCloskey reportedly has two weeks left to reach an agreement with Mayor Jeri Muoio on his proposed office…

Fort Lauderdale Strikers looking at potential stadium sites

Plans for the Strikers new stadium, location to be determined, and former soccer star Ronaldo.
Former soccer star Ronaldo Luis Nazário, also known as Ronaldo, is looking at potential sites for a new stadium and soccer academy in Broward.
A new member of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers ownership,…

Historic Lincoln Road building to be recreated

Historic Lincoln Road renderings
The rather glum-looking storefront of artist Romero Britto, which has graced Lincoln Road for years, is getting a facelift in reverse to look a lot like the facade it had back in 1935.
The original design by Miami architect Russell Pancoast consisting of shiny black …

N.Y. Rubin Museum of Art founders buy $9.6M Continuum unit

Continuum South and Shelley Frost Rubin
The mysterious couple who recently bought a Continuum Miami Beach unit for $9.6 million is Shelley Frost Rubin and Donald Rubin, art collectors and founders of the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City.
Shelley Rubin bought unit 2904 in the Continuum South on D…

Lennar nets $81M more in fourth-quarter earnings

Lennar Corp. development
Miami-based homebuilder Lennar Corp. reportedly increased its fourth-quarter earnings by about 50 percent.
Lennar, the biggest U.S. homebuilder by market value, sold more homes at higher prices, bringing in about $245 million in the fourth quarter from $164 million a year ea…

Palm Beach affordable housing project files Chapter 11

School at 675 Auburn Avenue
The developer of a Delray Beach affordable housing project filed Chapter 11 last week.
Developer Auburn Trace’s largest creditor is Iberiabank, which filed a foreclosure lawsuit in October with a claim of $4.2 million — targeting the 157 affordable h…

Miami Beach to analyze MacArthur traffic for Flagstone project

A rendering of the hotel, retail and mega-yacht marina project proposed by Flagstone Island Gardens
Miami Beach residents spoke out against the controversial Flagstone Island Gardens project — a mix of luxury hotel, upscale shops and a yacht marina on Watson Island — at a …

Where CMBS Fits Into Retail Lending

MIAMI–Aztec Group’s Jason Shapiro tells GlobeSt.com’s Jennifer LeClaire what options retail property owners face as billions in CMBS-backed debt comes due in the years ahead in part two of this EXCLUSIVE interview….

You Just Have to See Kluger Kaplan’s Art Collection, It’s a Feast For the Eyes

Miami law firm Kluger Kaplan plans tours of the renowned Latin American artwork that now adorns its new space at the Miami Center in Downtown.     …