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Boxy, nondescript condo towers—each around 20 stories high—and parking structures line a wide, uncrowded boulevard ten miles up the road from Miami Beach. Aside from the palms peppering the avenue and the white sand beaches just beyond, this strip of Hallandale Beach, Florida, feels more like a generic semi-urban sprawl than the sexy metro area within striking distance. But developer Shahab Karmely is banking on a change; in fact, he hopes to spur it. The principal of real estate development and investment firm KAR Properties, Karmely purchased a prime piece of waterfront land along South Ocean Drive, and hired all-star designers and architects to transform it into the area’s first luxury condominium high-rise in Hallandale Beach.
Called 2000 Ocean, the sleek glass tower—with architecture by TEN Arquitectos—will be 38 stories high and contain half- and full-floor units, each with panoramic views, expansive terraces, and private elevator landings. The oceanfront plot, which was formerly owned by developer B & H Fort Lauderdale Beach LLC, featured an original concept design for the parcel by Kobi Karp Architecture & Interior Design. Since KAR purchased the property in 2014, TEN Arquitectos took over the tower's design. For the interiors of the project, which broke ground last week and plans to wrap up in 2020, Karmely commissioned 70-year-old Italian furniture brand Minotti to devise the building's shared spaces, and—a unique position for condominiums of this caliber—create custom interior-furnishing packages for each unit, which buyers can select. If new residents elect to forgo their designated furniture package, they can still enlist Minotti’s interior design service at no extra cost. Although new luxury condominium units are often gutted by wealthy buyers who prefer to bring in their own designers after purchasing a space (no matter how high-grade the finishes), KAR is confident that the opposite will happen at 2000 Ocean because of Minotti’s reputation for quality and the overall value of these packages.
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Miami is in the midst of an architectural renaissance that is transforming the city’s skyline and making its way up the beach. “Five or six years ago, the majority of the projects in Miami or Greater Miami were done by three or four major architectural firms, which are local,” Karmely says, “and now you have ten of the world’s leading architects engaging in projects here.” Cases in point: Rem Koolhaas’s OMA, Bjarke Ingels, and Rafael Viñoly all have newly built or in-progress towers in the city.
Still, much of 2000 Ocean’s allure is unexpected for a project of its scale, luxury, and location. Hallandale Beach, which is next to the posh village of Bal Harbour, is still relatively untapped in terms of notable new developments. This is one reason that Enrique Norten, principal of TEN Arquitectos, was excited to jump on board. TEN has already completed multiple projects in Miami and was a key player in transforming the Miami Design District. “It’s like setting up the first stones,” says Norten. “This is the first project of this new generation of architecture that is happening in that area. So what we’re doing, we think, is setting up certain basics and certain standards so that other people will come and complement [our work] in these unbuilt parts of the city.”
Of course, developing on oceanfront land in Florida is complicated by climate change, which is coupled with weather shifts especially felt in coastal communities. "There are zones you can't build on for environmental protection," Norten says. He explains that existing building regulations prohibit interaction with dunes, the raised area that separates the beach from the earthen terrace beyond, the site of construction. This natural hill of vegetation acts as protection from rising tides and other ocean elements. 2000 Ocean's construction will not touch the existing dune.
The team expects this area to undergo a transformation in years to come. Karmely is certain that Hallandale Beach’s proximity to major cities means that growth into this area is inevitable. “This is a Miami story,” he says. “Hallandale is the midpoint between Fort Lauderdale and Miami, so it’s very well positioned in terms of access to major transportation.” Norten agrees, noting, “The markets will come, the location is fantastic, it has these beautiful beaches that people seek… and we have the chance to be the first ones to get in there, so that’s a very enticing condition.”
Considering the current landscape, TEN’s design for 2000 Ocean is a bold statement. Sixty-four residences are encased in floor-to-ceiling windows. Building amenities include two swimming pools with sunrise and sunset views, a private valet entrance, and a freestanding spa pavilion. A considered landscape by firm Sasaki will include a sculpture garden. And the lucky owner of the building’s crown jewel “sky villa” will possess a duplex unit with a private pool deck. Half-floor residences have a starting price of $2.8 million, while full-floor units start at $10 million, according to the Robb Report. 2000 Ocean’s full-floor units are, unsurprisingly, the most expensive listings on South Ocean Drive.
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For 2000 Ocean’s interiors, KAR took an approach to development not often seen in today’s luxury condo towers: investing in high-level interior furnishings and even an option for turnkey residences, outfitted in predesigned packages by Italian furniture giant Minotti. Karmely brought Minotti on the project as a partner, enlisting them to design and furnish all common spaces, model units, and individual units whose owners so choose. According to the brand, this is Minotti’s first fully integrated project of this scale Stateside, a substantial investment from KAR.
Karmely sees 2000 Ocean’s alignment with Minotti as a cornerstone to the project’s success rather than a branding angle. “I despise branding,” he says, calling out other Miami projects nearly by name that have taken brand marketing to a new level. (Porsche, Pininfarina, and Aston Martin all have “themed” high-rises in South Florida.) Though Karmely believes that a car has nothing to do with buildings, he has deduced that design partners are effective in adding real value for prospective buyers.
Babak Hakakian, managing partner of Minotti Miami, explains the total package: “The offering would be a complete turnkey package curated by Minotti including living room, dining room, and all the bedroom furniture. In addition, we will provide accent lighting, rugs, and a full accessory package that complements the furniture.” When buyers close on a unit, they are presented with a contract with a custom-created furniture package by Minotti. They can take this contract into a Minotti showroom and either accept the complementary package, or—with some additional payment—mix and match the furnishings any way they’d like. Regardless of what a buyer decides, Karmely explains that every buyer can receive free interior design services from Minotti.
Hakakian adds that this concept required a notable investment from KAR. “While it was a significant financial commitment in a project of this size, the developer recognized the inherent and unparalleled value of the collaboration,” he explains.
Asked if this is a marketing move, Karmely’s response is surprising: “I would hope so!” Mentions of Minotti and Minotticucine—a separate company that devised the kitchens and baths—are frequent across 2000 Ocean’s website. “Some buyers are focused on price, some buyers are focused on quality, but the smart buyers are most focused on value,” Karmely says. In this case, he believes that these heritage brands add value to the project in a distinct and practical way. Since many uber-luxury condo buyers tend to renovate a unit upon moving in—no matter how new the space is—Karmely hopes that these brand partnerships will allow residents to skip this step, an undeniable value-add to the consumer.
Has this strategy proven effective? According to Karmely, the Minotti interiors have been met with excitement. No prospective buyers have asked to forgo the package. “One person asked to change the color palette, which we could do, except for the balcony,” Karmely says. “There’s a lot of flexibility at this point."
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