Porsche. Fendi. Armani. They’re among the most famous names in couture and high-performance automobiles. But the sleek lines and careful tailoring for which they have become known are no longer found only on the runway and the causeway. Today, these famed brands are helping to transform the South Florida coast with one-of-a-kind high-end real estate offerings. And now you can add another celebrated name to the list: Aston Martin.
The Aston Martin Residences, a 66-story Miami waterfront tower featuring 390 condominiums with bay and skyline views, quickly became the most-talked-about new addition to the Miami real estate landscape before even a single nail was hammered. Now the brand has announced that sales will officially begin at the end of April, together with the opening of the Sales Center. G and G Business Developments, the developer of the property, is now in the “Friends and Family” pre-sales phase, according to Aston Martin, who is eager to put its iconic stamp on a new branch of the luxury brand.
Aston Martin Residences
“Aston Martin’s involvement in this project is far more than just the use of the Aston Martin name,” said Katia Bassi, VP Aston Martin and Managing Director AM Brands. “The Aston Martin design team will be making a significant design contribution to the project, working closely with the architect and G and G Business Developments to create a look and feel that will reflect the Aston Martin DNA. This contribution is an important distinction that sets us apart from other projects where the brand is simply a marketing tool.”
So why are so many luxury brands thinking four walls and a roof instead of four tires on the ground or $4,000 handbags?
“Brands have long been established in real estate using well-known architects, interior designers and landscape architects.Buildings and homes are often referred to by their designer or architect,” said Jill Eber of The Jills, the No. 1 real estate team in Florida per the Wall Street Journal. Eber and her partner Jill Hertzberg are experts in branding in their own right. They are aligned with the strong international brand of Coldwell Banker®, yet possess their own elite status as an established brand known for selling high-end luxury residences in Miami. She continues: “What’s unique is when branding is attached specifically to a new project, which allows the new construction to utilize the brand in launching and establishing itself as a way to stand out in the middle of a crowded market. Everyone knows Porsche, Fendi, and Aston Martin. If that causes a high-end client to notice their building or to be attracted to the building because of the brand, that creates a unique advantage.”
That advantage extends to perceived value; global research on the trend “shows that developers can increase profits by around a third by building ‘branded homes,’ fully-serviced designer luxury pads that separate them from the rest of the real estate pack and appeal to an aspirational clientele,” according to CNBC. The research looked at property in 17 cities around the world and found that branded residences “had an average 34 percent value above their non-branded counterparts.”
Armani is the latest (but certainly not last) to bring its branded luxury to the Sunshine State, where glass and metal structures are rising like marquee monuments on the shore, creating a whole new level of real estate desire. Of course, Miami hasn’t cornered the market on branded residences—Bulgari Resort and Residences has four such offerings around the world, in Milan, London, Tokyo, and Bali, with two more opening this year in Dubai and Shanghai.
But, luxury brands are loving South Florida right now, which comes as no surprise to Jill Hertzberg. “Miami is the perfect city to launch a project like this as we are the international gateway to South America, Europe, Canada and now Asia. Our diversified community comes from all over the world, but the one thing they have in common is they know luxury.”
Here’s what you need to know about these high-profile branded Miami residences.
Aston Martin
Location: Downtown Miami next to the Epic Hotel and Residences
Projected Completion Date: 2021
Key features: 66-story building with 390 units ranging from 698 to 18,811 square feet
Amenities: A members-only club; rooftop helipad; pool; fitness center and spa; business center; art gallery; theater; playroom; teen center; game room; virtual golf; beauty salon; art gallery; and an exclusive yacht marina
“Aston Martin’s design team, led by Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman, will design the interior spaces including the two private lobbies, the two-level fitness center with ocean views and the full-service spa amongst other shared spaces in the development,” said German Coto, CEO G and G Business Developments, developer of the project. “The Aston Martin signature understated elegance, authenticity of materials and clean lines will be evident throughout and residents will experience the Art of Living by Aston Martin at every touch point. Highlight features will include doors with bespoke artisan Aston Martin handles, number plinths and kestral tan leather door tabs. Aston Martin-designed reception desks featuring craftsmanship from the company’s halo products will adorn each lobby, along with key design features in all shared areas, including a beautiful infinity pool located on the 55th floor”.
Said Eber: “There is certainly a buzz about the project particularly due to its location right on Brickell. “It’s right on the tip and within walking distance to some of the finest restaurants in the city including both Zuma and Cipriani.”
Porsche Design Tower
Location: Sunny Isles Beach
Projected completion date: 2017
Key features: Sixty floors featuring 132 luxury condos with 3,800 to 9,500 square feet; ocean-to-Intracoastal views; oceanfront terraces, some with plunge pools
Amenities: a spa; ballroom; movie theater; game room with race-car simulators; oceanfront pools with sundecks; concierge and valet services; and the feature everyone is talking about: a robotic parking system with a glass car elevator that allows residents to pull into the building and ride their car up to the “sky garage,” parking next to their condo
Fendi Chateau
Location: Surfside, Steps from Bal Harbour
Projected completion date: Now open
Key features: Fifty-eight gated oceanfront residences spread out over 12 floors, with 3,300 square feet to more than 7,000 square feet in the three penthouses; Fendi Casa kitchens; direct waterfront views
Amenities: Three hundred feet of private beachfront; oceanfront pools with cabana; private restaurant and cinema; lounge; business center; ocean-view fitness center; spa with indoor, European thermal pool; kids’ club; concierge; and doorman and valet services
“Brands carry cachet in all facets of luxury, whether it is jewelry, clothes, cars or residences,” said Hertzberg. “What is unique in real estate, though, is their ability to leverage their brand as well as add amenities to the project that are unique and appealing, which, in the Fendi Chateau residences, would be the oceanfront access, spas, and white glove service.”
Residences by ARMANI CASA
Location: Sunny Isles Beach
Projected completion date: Early 2019
Key features: Three-hundred-eight oceanfront units on 60 floors, with two to four bedrooms in 1,350 to 4,250 square feet; designed by renowned architect Cesar Pelli; oversized terraces with water views
Amenities: Private cabanas on three floors; full-service restaurant; spa and fitness center; oceanfront pool and sundeck
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