Showstopper spotlight
The 1 Hotel & Homes South Beach boasts an impressive 29 posh penthouses.
But its crown jewel — the $20 million, 3,955-square-foot duplex topper (the development’s largest and priciest) — remains the most drool-worthy, informed by the 1 Hotel brand’s embrace of luxe eco-conscious living and health-focused comforts.
Along with ocean panoramas, floor-to-ceiling windows, a gourmet kitchen and double balconies, the airy spread offers “eco-glam” perks, like organic dry cleaning, housekeeping and grocery-shopping services, and living-art installations (not to mention a Tesla house car reserved for residents making quick trips).
Miami-based interiors firm Rose Ink Workshop dressed the pad (which co-starred with Venus Williams on a recent Alexa cover) in sophisticated beachy furniture that subtly frames the stunning views.
The penthouse’s new owners will also get breezy access to other on-site wellness amenities: sunrise rooftop yoga, a SoulCycle, the first Bamford Haybarn Spa location in the country, a massive Spartan Gym and four restaurants, including the just-opened Habitat by chef José Mendín and a vegan eatery. The greatest luxury of a home? Never having to leave it.
The high life
Miami has plenty of soaring amenity-clad properties, but a class of newcomers is (literally) reaching new heights.
The 70-story, 789-foot Four Seasons Hotel and Tower, long Florida’s tallest edifice, was eclipsed this spring by the topping off of the 85-story, 868-foot Panorama Tower. This massive mixed-use structure will boast 821 luxury rental dwellings (prices to be determined), as well as high-gloss amenities like three theaters and private dining rooms.
It’s joined by a cadre of other developments that are slightly smaller but will still scrape the sky. “As waterfront land in Miami runs scarce and developers turn to infill development, sky-high buildings offering unique sky-high amenities to match are in high demand,” says Ugo Colombo, founder of CMC Group, the developer of the 64-story, 736-foot Brickell Flatiron, whose top level will boast a spa, a gym, a pool and, of course, panoramic water and city vistas (549 units; one-bedrooms from $500,000).
“Sky amenities” will also abound at the 66-story, 817-foot Aston Martin Residences, which recently began construction (391 units; one-bedrooms from around $600,000), and will include an art gallery, a boxing gym and a bar.
Also flying high: the 60-story, 700-plus-foot Paramount Miami Worldcenter (525 units; one-bedrooms from $750,000) and the 62-story, 709-foot One Thousand Museum, designed by the late Zaha Hadid (83 units; three-bedrooms from $5.8 million). It’s all proof that Miami is definitely growing up.
In the Grove
Miami’s leafy Coconut Grove — long composed of single-family residences — is seeing a new wave of condo development.
It’s no surprise, given the success of Grove at Grand Bay, an expanse of 98 dwellings in twin 20-story towers that’s nearly sold out (one penthouse remains, for $28 million). Other draws — including CocoWalk’s redevelopment into an upscale destination for dining, shopping and entertainment, along with the community’s coveted location near other Miami attractions — has luxury builders leaping. “You’re very close to Miami Beach and Brickell, but you don’t live in that chaos,” notes Cervera Real Estate’s Karen Elmir, who hails from Coconut Grove herself.
And “pretty much all the best schools are there,” adds Douglas Elliman’s Jay Parker, who’s representing two new developments. One, the OMA/Rem Koolhaas-designed Park Grove, will have 276 units and prices from $1.95 million for one-bedrooms.
The other, Arbor — a verdant 52-unit residence with interiors by Samuel Amoia and prices from $799,000 (for two-bedrooms) — broke ground last month. The Fairchild Coconut Grove, meanwhile, offers 26 homes with private outdoor spaces and roomy walk-in closets (three-bedrooms from $1.6 million).
And the Bauhaus-inspired, 23-unit Glasshaus will boast a roof-level pool and dining area (one-bedrooms from $607,180). For greater intimacy, Grove Palms will have just six single-family homes, whose chic design accents include terraces, swimming pools and gated walls for privacy (four-bedrooms from $995,000).
Pillars of the community
South Florida is famed for its stylish waterfront real estate, but the reality of our changing environment may result in damage that’s anything but chic.
A recently published study claims that nearly a quarter of Miami area homes (property valued at more than $200 billion) could face catastrophic flooding and damage should waters surge by six feet. Designers are responding to such climate threats with innovative new construction.
Architect Rene Gonzalez has been commissioned by private clients to create a series of elevated, jewel-box homes. One of those, the nearly completed Prairie Avenue residence in Miami Beach, stands on stilts more than 10 feet above ground, hovering over a storm-resistant rolling garden that doubles as a lush outdoor living area. “It allows people to see you’re not simply acting on defense, but you’re creating something beautiful and poetic that can enhance [the living] experience,” Gonzalez says.
Architectural firms Kobi Karp and Ateliers Jean Nouvel collaborated on Monad Terrace (two-bedrooms from $1.7 million), which recently began construction in South Beach. Perched 11.5 feet above the ground, it protects all living spaces (including garages) from future flooding.
Meanwhile, the Sieger Suarez-designed condominium Privé at Island Estates (two-bedrooms from $2.2 million) is set to take things even higher when it opens this month.
The lobby sits 33 feet above sea level, while dwellings — which boast floor-to-ceiling glass, 10-foot-deep balconies and stretch up to 9,000 square feet — begin at 67 feet above the water. Putting the high in high class.