Miami, the magic city, is on track to become the next Silicon Valley as the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has brought people flocking to South Florida. Florida saw the second highest population growth over any other state in 2020, following Texas, adding over 240,000 new residents in a single year. The influx of new residents is being driven by those looking to take advantage of remote-working opportunities or seek a state that has let business remain open and has pro-business tax structure. This has led to Miami and Palm Beach real estate pricing and absorption reaching near record highs.
Not only are the new residents flocking from the high-tax New York, at the same time as South Florida’s population boom, the San Francisco Bay Area has seen an exodus of venture capitalists and tech entrepreneurs. Mayor Francis Suarez has opened up the city to tech entrepreneurs and has expressed interest in bringing innovative companies to the magic city and making Miami a global tech hub. Mayor Suarez recently announced he will be appointing a Chief Technology Officer for the city.
Miami’s office market is being a surge in demand and setting record high pricing. Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) is one of the major tech firms looking to move to Miami, the multinational software provider is actively in negotiations to lease 30,000 square feet of space at OKO Group’s 830 Brickell, a 56-story office tower adjacent to Brickell City Centre which is currently under construction. Pricing is still relatively cheap compared to other major markets, asking rates at 830 Brickell are reportedly in the $70’s PSF range. Ken Griffin’s Citadel Securities hedge fund is also reportedly looking at office space in 830 Brickell as is the Chicago-based law firm Baker McKenzie.
The biggest news came when Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk tweeted that he had talked with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis about building a tunnel system underneath Miami to eliminate traffic and pollution. Mayor Suarez tweed that “we will do it,” and invited Musk to visit him at City Hall. In the past Miami has had success building tunnels at a comparatively low cost. The initiative would be led by Elon Musk’s Boring Company, who is getting ready to reveal the Vegas Loop to the public, a 4,475’ tunnel loop under the Las Vegas Convention Center. In the Las Vegas Loop passengers will reach speeds up to 155 mph and will ride in Tesla Model X’s, Model 3’s, and a 16-passenger modified Model 3. Las Vegas in now working with the Boring Company to build a citywide network of tunnels.
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