We've searched Miami's most upscale neighborhoods to bring you properties and places New Yorkers will love.
SUNNY ISLES
A new oceanside condo raises the bar for luxury.
The Turnberry Ocean Club will offer sweeping ocean views.
In Miami, the words “real estate” and “Turnberry” have become practically synonymous over the course of the last half a century. “We built the city of Aventura,” says Dan Riordan, president of residential development for Turnberry Associates. “Not many developers can say that.”
Donald Soffer, Turnberry’s founder, snapped up a classic package of Florida swampland in the area that is now Aventura, lying just inland from the coast and close to the community of Golden Beach. The area has long been home to one of Miami’s best-known luxury shopping destinations, and now the members of the Soffer/Turnberry empire are turning to the oceanfront in Sunny Isles for their next venture: Turnberry Ocean Club (18501 Collins Ave., 305-702-8272), an almost all-glass building designed by Carlos Zapata.
The goal, Riordan says, is to create an iconic structure. “If you look around, a lot of the new condo towers haven’t been landmark designs. Now, a growing number will be legacy buildings, and ours will be among them.” The fact that Sunny Isles is one of the only stretches of Miami’s beachfront that permits buildings to rise above a dozen foors or thereabouts gives Turnberry a design edge, he believes. “We’ll have 54 foors—and six of them will be devoted to amenities.” That includes the three foors that start at the 30th foor, where the developers will incorporate sunrise and sunset pools for adults and even offer a retreat for residents’ pets.
The smallest unit in the building will have three bedrooms; Turnberry doesn’t want just anyone signing on the dotted line. “We’re not looking to fll up the building with investors,” Riordan says. At $1,300 to $1,600 per square foot, the residences will end up as some of the most expensive on that stretch of beach, but he isn’t worried. “We’re not trying to price ourselves out of the market, but we want each project we work on to be special and unique.”
MID-BEACH/BAL HARBOUR
Terraces at Faena House.
Terraces at Faena House.
Baz Luhrmann spent decades directing movies like Moulin Rouge! and the remake of The Great Gatsby, films that attracted as much attention for their astonishing design and dramatic visual effects as for the dramas themselves. His latest project? Providing a backdrop for the daily drama of the lives of some of Miami’s wealthiest residents as the creative director of the Faena Saxony Hotel (3201 Collins Ave.), an anchor of the six-block-long multi-use project (including luxury condos) at the heart of Miami’s Mid-Beach area. Luhrmann is just one of the star architects and designers that developer Alan Faena has enlisted to work on the multi-use project; others include Rem Koolhaas (the architect for the arts center) and Foster & Partners, which will design the ultra-luxury condos that the likes of Goldman Sachs honcho Lloyd Blankfein will call home.
Spanning Collins Avenue and stretching between 25th and 50th Streets, the Mid-Beach area is emerging as the luxury beachfront neighborhood of choice for many out-of-towners in downtown Miami. “Buyers coming from New York really want to be on the sand, and they particularly like these developments that have a hotel component,” says Jeffrey Fields, who has been working extensively with New York–based buyers. “They like the brands, they like the five-star ratings, and they like being taken care of in a full-service building—just as if their home had suddenly become a five-star hotel.” These buyers, eager for the intoxicating combination of luxury and the beach, “are transforming the area,” he says of Bal Harbour and its neighboring communities, where more such luxury condo developments are springing up.
Japanese eatery Makoto attracts Sofía Vergara and other celebs.
Who’s there: While some of Miami’s richest reside in the nearby Indian Creek Island (home to New York billionaire Edward Lampert and Victoria’s Secret model Adriana Lima), enclaves from Bal Harbour to Mid-Beach are home to power locals like Miami Heat owner Micky Arison.
Where to hang out: What better to attest to the popularity of Mid-Beach (between 23rd and 63rd Streets) than its spate of new hotels and restaurants. The trendy Miami Beach Edition (2901 Collins Ave., 786-257-4500) marks hotelier Ian Schrager’s return to Miami. At the Thompson Miami Beach (4041 Collins Ave., 786-605-4041) award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein opened Seagrape to rave reviews. It quickly became a power-crowd favorite. At Bal Harbour Shops, Cindy Crawford and Sofía Vergara are fans of the upscale Japanese eatery Makoto (9700 Collins Ave., 305-864-8600), known for its robata-style dishes.
Sunset drinks: At Mid-Beach, the newly opened patio bar 27 at Freehand Miami (2727 Indian Creek Dr., 305-531-2727), designed by power duo Roman & Williams, is quickly becoming a must-stop spot for weekend drinks.
Where to shop: Miami’s luxury shopping mecca Bal Harbour Shops (9700 Collins Ave., 305-866-0311) is adding 250,000 square feet in 2015 to accommodate the lengthy waiting list of luxury brands, with Richard Mille and Tomas Maier set to debut this summer.
Culture: The public art program Unscripted Art Projects commissions a series of site-responsive contemporary art pieces and programs throughout the public areas of Bal Harbour Village.
DOWNTOWN MIAMI
This cultural mecca is hotter than hot and projected to see the greatest growth in the next five years.
The pool at Centro Lofts in downtown Miami.
Miami’s downtown core, long the overlooked cousin to Brickell just across the river, is about to emerge as one of its newest residential hubs. “Downtown is the area that will see the most growth in the next fve years,” says developer Harvey Hernandez. The restaurants are already there, and like many of Miami’s prime residential neighborhoods, the beach is no more than 10 minutes away. “You can buy tremendous views for a fraction of the price,” he says.
“One night we were in downtown Miami and there was a traffic jam; I looked out and felt exactly the same buzz that I feel when I’m in New York!” says Daniel Kodsi, principal and CEO of RPC Holdings. Kodsi is among the developers behind one of the biggest real estate projects that Miami has ever witnessed: Paramount Miami Worldcenter (1010 NE Second Ave., 855-756-0123). Part of a 27-acre multi-use development (a mall anchored by Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s, a giant hotel, and a conference center in addition to condos, all on the site of the former Miami Arena). The condos’ amenity deck is what has grabbed attention: Built atop the mall, it will even have a soccer feld.
And from downtown, developers are starting to inch northward, to Edgewater, on the other side of the museums and the art center and a stone’s throw from the Design District. Reid Boren, managing partner of Eastview Development, is overseeing the Biscayne Beach Condo construction (701 NE 29th St., 305-409-5722). He says over 90 percent of the project has been sold, and a fifth has gone to New Yorkers and other Northeasterners. “Bit by bit,” Boren says, “people are discovering new parts of Miami they want to live in, just as happened in New York. Downtown and Edgewater have been the benefciaries.”
Area 31’s outdoor dining terrace.
Who’s here: What was once considered a 9-to-5 business district is now emerging as a dense urban center, as restaurants, cinemas, and major commercial developments like the Miami Worldcenter attract young professionals and families. The new Zaha Hadid-designed residences at 1000 Museum is sure to serve as catnip for New York hedgies who might otherwise opt for a condo on the beach.
Where to eat: Area 31’s spectacular view of the Miami skyline attracts power couples like Gloria and Emilio Estefan. Organic seafood and an extensive wine list lure Miami’s stylish set to The River Seafood Oyster Bar (650 S. Miami Ave., 305-530-1915), while hip, well-heeled crowds head to Ceviche 105 (105 NE Third Ave., Miami, 305-577-3454) for authentic Peruvian fare and an artsy setting.
After hours: At Touché Rooftop Lounge & Restaurant (15 NE 11th St., 305-358-9848), an Italian eatery with a sleek lounge, you’ll find Jamie Foxx and Derek Jeter cheering on the Heat. Just downstairs is e11even (29 NE 11th St., 305-829-2911), Miami’s first and only 24/7 nightclub and cabaret that counts Russell Westbrook and Ryan Phillippe as fans.
Where to shop: The Seybold Building (36 NE First St., 305-374-7922) is home to more than 280 jewelers. The upcoming Mall at the Miami Worldcenter (5201 Blue Lagoon Dr., 305-262-4974) will house a 120,000-square-foot Bloomingdale’s and an outdoor promenade of specialty shops.
Culture: For a taste of historic Miami, the Olympia Theater at Gusman Center for the performing arts (174 E. Flagler St., 305-374-2444), a beautiful Mediterranean-Revival theater, is home to the Miami International Film Festival.
BRICKELL
An urban lifestyle, with palm trees.
Condos at Echo Brickell are averaging $1,200 a square foot.
Go to Miami and not live right on the beach? At one time, the mere idea would have been heresy. But that was before a bunch of canny developers decided that Brickell Avenue, which in the 1900s had been known as Miami’s “Millionaires’ Row,” could be so again, with the addition of luxury condominiums among the cluster of office towers and hotels that dominated the landscape. Back in the 1970s, recalls Related Group’s Jorge Pérez, the streets in the area were empty on any weekday after 5 pm, and those on the north side of the bridge in the heart of downtown were vacant even during daylight hours.
Pérez was one of the developers who fought to change that vibe. His Philippe Starck–designed Icon Brickell (475 Brickell Ave., 305-371-1411) is only one of a vast array of condo towers that have made Brickell one of the most densely populated neighborhoods in the country—and one of the hottest areas for Miami’s urban afcionados. In spite of all the frenzied building in Brickell over the last decade, real estate price tags remain well below those that buyers would confront for beachfront property, often topping out at around $1,000 per square foot. And they are getting higher—Property Markets Group’s Echo Brickell properties (1451 Brickell Ave., 305-931-6511) are being offered at a record $1,200 per square foot. A 10,500-square-foot penthouse is on the market for $40 million—a breathtaking sum for a property that faces Biscayne Bay rather than the ocean.
Still, those aren’t Miami Beach prices. And it’s that relative value proposition that tempts early players in Brickell to keep returning. One of these is Ugo Colombo, whose latest Brickell project is a 65-story glass tower, the Brickell Flatiron (1001 S. Miami Ave., 305-400-7400), which will have Julian Schnabel as “artist in residence.” Schnabel will play a role in the design, and his work will be showcased throughout the public spaces. “Living with art is the most luxurious amenity I could provide,” says Colombo.
Cebiche Clásico at La Mar, made with fluke, cilantro, and red onions.
Who’s here: Once a millionaire’s playground where South American and European business whizzes liked to buy second homes, the neighborhood now attracts up-and-comers from abroad as well as the northeastern US, who scoop up properties for year-round use.
Where to eat: At Japanese hot spot Zuma (270 Biscayne Boulevard Way, 305-577-0277), expect a starry crowd, including Bill Clinton and David Beckham, who like to dine on the riverside terrace. Daisy Fuentes and Will Smith head to La Mar at the Mandarin Oriental (500 Brickell Key Dr., 305-913-8358) for celebrity chef Gaston Acurio’s menu, known for its authentic ceviches, while the modern American fare at OTC restaurant (1250 S. Miami Ave., 305-374-4612) is a magnet for Miami’s young creatives.
Happy hour: Mary Brickell Village has a lively happy hour scene with hangouts like Perricone’s (15 SE 10th St., 305-374-9449), noted for its wine list. For a glam stop, head to Tamarina (600 Brickell Ave., 305-579-1888), where Michael Caine likes to grab a glass of bubbly at the alfresco Champagne bar.
Where to shop: When the Brickell City Centre (801 Brickell Ave.) opens this year with 500,000 square feet of retail stores, including Saks Fifth Avenue and Apple, luxury shoppers will have an alternative to shopping mecca (and codeveloper) Bal Harbour Shops.
Culture: The new Museum Park, located between American Airlines Arena and the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, is home to the buzzy Herzog & de Meuron-designed Pérez Art Museum (1103 Biscayne Blvd., 305-375-3000). In 2016 the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science (3280 S. Miami Ave., 305-646-4400) will make its debut with interactive exhibits and an aquarium within its 250,000-square-foot space.
FORT LAUDERDALE
Developers and buyers head north of Miami for good value and a laid-back vibe.
The new Paramount Fort Lauderdale Beach condos.
Fort Lauderdale, long the domain of retirees and college students on spring break, is starting to emerge as an alternative of sorts to Miami for those who want a bigger bang for their buck. “A growing group of people are thinking Miami is either too expensive or at least that the values are more interesting here.” says Harvey Hernandez, whose Newgard Development Group in addition to developing loft-style apartments at Centro Lofts Miami (96 NE Second Ave., 305-938-5321) in downtown Miami is renovating a historic Fort Lauderdale beachfront hotel, which will also have luxury condo residences and will be called Gale Fort Lauderdale Boutique Hotel and Residences (2900 Riomar St., 954-296-6741). “The gap in valuation between Miami and Fort Lauderdale is wider than it has ever been,” thanks to the rapid surge in condo prices in the last few years, says Hernandez. A beachfront property that might fetch $1,500 per square foot in Miami may be half that in Fort Lauderdale, and you’re likely to end up with some of the same amenities.
He isn’t the only developer eyeing Fort Lauderdale. So many are now launching new projects in the city that crane spotters.com, the Miami condo database and consulting fi rm that tracks new construction, expanded its bus tours for industry watchers and potential buyers to include Fort Lauderdale as of February. Among the projects they’ll be eyeballing are the Auberge Beach Residences (2200 N. Atlantic Blvd., 954-883-9575; aubergebeach.com), a Related Group and Fortune International venture with Fort Lauderdale’s Fairwinds Group: The 171 condos will be the priciest in town at $1,000 per square foot. Developers Nitin Motwani, Daniel Kodsi, and Art Falcone—all active in Miami’s downtown—have broken ground on Paramount Fort Lauderdale Beach (N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., 954-514-7492), where prices will start at $1.2 million. “It’s all about the beach, whether it’s in Miami or a bit farther away,” says Motwani, whose brother, Dev Motwani, will be bringing a new Four Seasons to Fort Lauderdale in 2018.
W Hotel’s Steak 954 attracts an art-savvy crowd.
Who's there: A below-the-radar billionaire hideaway (home to Subway restaurant’s Fred DeLuca and serial entrepreneur H. Wayne Huizenga), the city is now attracting creatives from all over the world who are eager to be part of the South Florida scene without Miami Beach prices.
Where to eat: Newlyweds Kaley Cuoco and Ryan Sweeting brunch at the W Hotel’s Steak 954 (401 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., 954-414-8333), where the ultra-contemporary design attracts a young, art-savvy crowd. Todd English’s da Campo Osteria (3333 NE 32nd Ave., 954-226-5002) is a favorite of NBA Hall-of-Famer Scottie Pippen. Alec Baldwin opts for vegan dining at Sublime (1431 N. Federal Hwy., 954-615-1431).
Where to hang out: Las Olas Boulevard, anchored by the happening bar at Yolo (333 E. Las Olas Blvd., 954-523-1000), the brainchild of famed Miami restaurateur Tim Petrillo, whose muchanticipated sky bar at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort (505 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., 954-414-2222) is set to open in October.
Where to shop: The Galleria at Fort Lauderdale (2414 E. Sunrise Blvd., 954-564-1015) and Harbor Shops (1900 Cordova Road), while smaller boutiques and artisan shops can be found along Las Olas Boulevard.
Culture: The Broward Center for the Performing Arts (201 SW. Fifth Ave., 954-462-0222), opened skybox-style seating last year. Meanwhile, the NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale (1 E. Las Olas Blvd., 954-525-5500) anticipates a revamp, helmed by new director Bonnie Clearwater, the lauded former director of North Miami’s MOCA.