Kar Properties' One River Point Launches $3.5 Million Sales Gallery

Over 600 of Miami’s real estate industry leaders enjoyed a curated experience on the Miami River on Wednesday, March 15 in celebration of the debut of One River Point’s new $3.5 million sales gallery. New York developer Shahab Karmely and his brand Kar Properties's One River Point sales gallery premiere showcased One River Point’s commitment to bringing ultra-luxury living to the Miami riverfront. One River Point will be designed by internationally acclaimed architect Rafael Viñoly and its stunning sales gallery reflects Karmely’s desire to introduce world-class architecture, international design, and luxe resort-like amenities to urban waterfront living in the heart of Miami. The 5,000 square foot sales gallery features exquisite displays of the kitchen, library, and master-suite bathroom, complete with walk-in shower and free-floating tub, all thoughtfully laid out in an unparalleled, art gallery-like setting. Guests received a preview of the exceptional finishes such as honed stone flooring and onyx accent walls that have been selected for the designer finished residences. Designer quality craftsmanship and meticulous attention to the finest detail are evident throughout featuring finishes and appliances by B&B Italia, Gaggenau, Arclinea and Flos, as well as a full presentation of the material palettes, state of the art technology, and an integrative site plan within the riverfront park. 

One River Point will feature approximately 380 bespoke residences, ceiling heights of 10 to 12 feet, expansive open layouts with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass walls, honed stone flooring, full slab onyx accent walls, designated art walls with task lighting, state of the art technology, as well as biometric security with face recognition. Additionally, the project will include 12-foot deep glass enclosed outdoor living terraces with sweeping vistas of the Miami River, Biscayne Bay and the city skyline. Residences at One River Point will range from approximately 1,000 to 12,000 square feet. One River Point will also include sky lofts and sky villas as well as state of the art technology plus biometric security, including face recognition. Set within One River Point’s piece de résistance, a three-story, floating sky bridge will connect the two towers on the top floors where the 50,000 SF Sky Club will be located.

“The compelling success of the initial sales process is a true testament to One River Point’s role in redefining luxury living in Miami’s urban core. We have a lot of excited guests here and reason to celebrate,” said Shahab Karmely, CEO of Kar Properties. KAR has made a significant entry into the Miami market with acquisitions and investments in excess of $200 million in established and emerging neighborhoods.

Among the many unique features in One River Point’s distinct sales gallery is the advanced audio-visual interactive platform, allowing buyers to experience in dazzling 3-D reality the designs of the extraordinary residences. The idea is for the buyer to go through a fully curated, progressive journey of the One River Point story, incorporating elements drawn from museum and gallery exhibits. Utilizing oculus rift virtual reality systems, interactive models, and floor plans as well as physical displays of materials, palettes, bathrooms, kitchens, and furniture, all combined to fully immerse the buyer in an experience unlike any other. The sales gallery for One River Point is located at 90 SW 3rd Street, just steps from the Brickell financial district and Brickell City Centre.

New Renderings Released of Artefacto's New 45,000 SF US Flagship Coming to Coral Gables

Miami-based Brazilian furnishings house Artefacto is bringing their US flagship showroom to Coral Gables and they just unveiled their eye-catching designs for its highly anticipated storefront. The design is by Miami-based architects DOMO Architecture+Design and features a Modernist concept. The new US flagship will be the largest upscale furnishings showroom in Florida spanning 45,000 square feet lined with sustainable materials and green walls as well as exclusive pieces from designers such as the Campana Brothers and Jader Almeida.

PROFILE Exclusive: Innovating Sustainable Modern Luxury in South Florida with Choeff Levy Fischman

Robin Hill Photography

PROFILEmiami had the exclusive opportunity to sit down with Ralph Choeff and Paul Fischman, partners at luxury architectural powerhouse firm Choeff Levy Fischman. Find out how they are using sustainability to transform and innovate when it comes to building modern luxury single-family homes in South Florida.

PM: What makes architecture and design in Miami so unique compared to other cities? 

RC: The climate. Our year round warm and breezy climate encourages indoor-outdoor living. This reinforces the use of vast opening sliding glass doors and the use of a substantial amount of glass to enhance the great view of the bays, canals and the ocean. The region is perfect for flat roofs and its origins are midcentury modern architecture that can be expanded upon. Because of our location, the use of materials natural to the area, such as wood, stone, stucco and natural concrete balance the architecture with the nature surrounding it. It does not feel out of place, rather as if it belongs.
 
PM: Choeff Levy Fischman has designed some of Miami's finest homes in one of the most competitive markets, what sets CLF apart from some of Miami's other great architects when it comes to luxury homes? 

RC: Our design of spacial layouts and floor plans in combination with our exterior design of these buildings sets us apart. If a plan is not functional and does not work properly, no matter how beautiful the exterior may be, the residence, or any building, will not work. Each residence is designed with the individual’s lifestyle in mind. We ask many questions how a person lives and functions in their residence. We study the patterns in which they move around and design our plans to complement their lifestyle. Our combination of midcentury architectural elements along with the use of natural materials completes the package. We also use large openings with open plans to make the transition between what is indoors and outdoors almost seamless  We blur the lines of what is man made from what is natural.

Robin Hill Photography

PM: You guys have been some of the major  innovators to bring a modern, luxury style to South Florida home design as opposed to the classic mediterranean design. How did this movement come about? 

RC: It started with one developer that had the vision and trusted us to deliver the product. This is how it all started and it just took off from there. Modern architecture has never gone out of style, it has always been here. These days there is an appreciation for it that lacked in some previous eras.
 
PM: When you look at a property as a blank slate, is there a room or a feature that you want to center the home around? How do you leave your signature?

RC: This really depends on the individual project and the owners we are designing for. Each person has their priorities and wants to feature different things. There is no one element to design around unless it involves natural elements such as water or nature. We want to take advantage of what nature provides us and combine it with what the owner is looking for.

VHT Studios

PM: What is the most unique feature that Choeff Levy Fischman has brought to a home in South Florida? 

PF: I got one. Having a batting cage with an oceanfront and Downtown view. An Indoor batting cage.

RC: Great example, because the first house we did for Alex Rodriguez he had a full 3,000 SF indoor batting cage. It had views that overlooked teh family media room, but the family media room had the large 2-story glass openings that also overlooked Downtown Miami and the water. 

PF: Even the new owner, he is an art collector not a baseball player, so he turned it into an office. The view was so great so he kept it.

RC: I'll tell you a feature that we brought to South Florid and expanded on, there is a form of construction called post-tension, which is normally used for apartment building slabs or office building slabs. It is so repatative that it is more inexpensive to do it floor-by-floor, but it wasn't used in single-family residences. I believe we brought that to South Florida because we wanted to capture a bigger slab and more mid-century modern features. That is unique to a lot of our designs. 

PF: Post-tension construction is really only used in large office buildings and large residential towers. My background before I joined Ralph was in that exact field. Ralph was trying to find a new way to express a mid-century modern motif with an exterior elevation. With my understanding of how the system worked Ralphs desire to work with these elements, we said why with the clientele we cater to, shouldn't we use this to create a very high-end residential even though it does cost a little bit more money. There are no beams so if you look at a condo all you see is floor-to-ceiling glass. There are no drops beams in the system. This allows for taller windows, higher ceilings, less mechanical penetration. We have found is it has become comparable cost-wise because we are actually using less concrete, less labor and less formwork. It presents its own challenges but the positives outweigh the negatives. Every client we have suggested it to has bought into-it. When we suggested it to Alex and his construction team, they were a little timid at first because they had never done a post-tension home, but when we had finished Jose, who is his (Alex's) VP of Construction,  told me it may have even been cheaper doing it post-tension as opposed to doing it the other way. All of the advantages I had touched on had ended up offsetting all of the extra costs. 

Alex Rodriguez's Coral Gables Home Designed by Choeff Levy Fischman | Lifestyle Production Group

PM: How has luxury home design in Miami changed over the last decade? Where do you see it heading? 

RC: Miami used to be mostly a vacation destination. Now Miami is a cosmopolitan city where people come to live and work. Because of this, the manner in which architecture is approached when it comes to residential design is totally different than it used to be. We now create a lifestyle, whereas before designs were predicated on short stays. We now design with the family in mind and the owner actually living in the residence long term. This is now the way of life here. People move to Miami to make a life for themselves rather than stay a week and leave. This will continue from now on.

PF: We are staying on the cutting-edge of LEED accreditation and sustainability. Now that we are dealing with the bulk of our clientele as end-users, we are implementing sustainable elements. It is typical for developers of condos, but the single-family market hadn't really touched on it. Now we are using sustainability elements like solar panels, rainwater reharvesting, all of these elements of sustainable design that cost 15% to 25% more up-front, but in these long-term homes the end up making their money back within a few years. We are reducing the carbon footprint and making homes that can be there for 100 or 200 years as opposed to 50 years which is the standard lifespan.

Mark Surloff

PM: How does architecture differ amongst the different neighborhoods of Miami? Does any stand out in your mind? 

RC: There are neighborhoods that are more forward thinking and then there are some that are set in their ways. There are also neighborhoods that want to maintain their history, such as Coral Gables, so Mediterranean architecture is encouraged there. Miami and Miami Beach tend to lean towards modern, with some historical elements to be respected in commercial areas of the city. Each demographic has a different way to think, thus the architecture reflects the demographics of each area.
 
PM: Where do you see Choeff Levy Fischman's role in Miami over the next five to ten years? 

RC: Our answers will differ here. You ask ten different architects, you get ten different answers. this is more of a personal thing. I want to expand the boundaries of modern architecture while learning and implementing the reduction of the carbon footprint as well. As technology changes so will we.

Alex Rodriguez's Coral Gables Home Designed by Choeff Levy Fischman | Lifestyle Production Group

PF: That is kind-of what I want to do as well. Really honing in on the sustainable aspects. In Miami we see global warming and sea level rise at many of our job sites. Elements of raising our sea walls on our properties 3 feet higher than we would have a few years ago. Its really addressing our climate and doing so in a manor thats really luxurious and not so that you feel like you are inside of a technological envelope. 

Alex Rodriguez's Coral Gables Home Designed by Choeff Levy Fischman | Lifestyle Production Group

About Choeff Levy Fischman

Choeff Levy Fischman’s partners have combined vast experience that includes custom single family residences in the modern style of architecture, commercial and residential hi-rise buildings, hotels, multi-family development projects and shopping plazas. Founded by Ralph Choeff, Raphael Levy and Paul Fischman, the trio joined-up as experts in the field of Tropical Modern architecture. Their designs maximize the use of indoor-outdoor living and spaces are emphasized and reflected in the projects. Choeff Levy Fischman has won several design awards for both residential and commercial design, and has had their work featured on television as well as major publications.

Ralph Choeff

Ralph Choeff is a graduate of Pratt Institute; where he graduated in 1978 with a Bachelor of Architecture degree. Upon graduation, Ralph moved to Miami where he went on to establish his own architectural practice in 1983. Since then, Choeff has established himself as a leader in the South Florida area in modern and tropical modern architecture. He has gone on to win several design awards, and has been published in many publications both nationally and internationally. 

Choeff is best known for his modern and tropical modern custom residential projects, although he has designed projects that include hotels, office buildings, shopping centers and multi-family developments. He has been commissioned by many celebrities to design their residences including Alex Rodriguez, Cher, Edward James Olmos, Matt Damon, Rony Seikaly, Barry Gibb, as well as many other professional athletes and high profile businessmen. He is also known for his work on recognized hospitality projects include the Mondrian South Beach Hotel and The Anglers on Miami Beach. 

Paul Fischman

Paul Fischman was born in Miami and raised in Vero Beach before leaving Florida to earn a Bachelor degree in Environmental Design from the University of Colorado’s School of Architecture and Planning. Fischman later returned to Miami to complete a Master’s of Architecture at the University of Miami while also working part time for Ralph Choeff. Eager to become a part of the redevelopment of South Florida, Fischman worked as project manager and designer for Arquitectonica, and then went on to establish his own firm where he worked on luxury single and multifamily residences, mixed-use buildings, architectural visualization, and interiors. He officially joined Choeff as a partner in 2012. 

With a background in environmental design, he strives to provide alternate, sustainable design and construction solutions in lieu of conventional methods, while educating his clients along the way. Paul is an active member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and is LEED certified.

Raphael Levy

Raphael Levy grew up in Miami and received a Bachelor of Design from the University of Florida. He later moved to New York to begin his career in architecture and earned a Master’s of Architecture from Columbia University. In 2006, he moved back to Miami, joined Ralph Choeff Architect as a project manager, and later became a partner in 2011. So far, he has worked on many high-profile luxury single-family homes and other major projects in South Florida, including the Mondrian South Beach and the relocation and renovation of a historic mansion on Star Island.

Check out our photo tour of the record setting Casa Clara, the Venetian Islands' $22 Million Home Designed by Choeff Levy Fischman

March Construction Update from Coral Gable's Merrick Manor

Construction on Astor Companies' Merrick Manor is now cruising at 301 Altara Avenue behind Merrick Park in Coral Gables. The 227-unit condo building will rise 10-stories and was designed by Behar Font & Partners with interiors by Steven G. Units come in one to five bedroom floor plans and start around $500,000, ranging up to $3 million. They will feature custom wood doors, spacious terraces and gourmet kitchens with white quartz waterfall island and countertops and Bosch and Duravit appliances. Merrick Manor will feature resort style amenities including pool, state-of-the-art gym, 24-hour valet, 24-hour concierge, business center and 19,000 SF of ground-floor retail. Merrick Manor is currently around 50% under contract and completion is expected in 2019. Check out their construction update video below.

Swire Properties Announces One Brickell City Centre, Miami Office Space Market Gaining Steam

Despite all of the new development that Miami is currently experiencing, the rising population and the city's ability to attract new companies has put a strain on the supply of office space according to Guy Bradley, CEO of Swire Properties. Enter the next phase of Swire Properties's Brickell City Centre initiative, One Brickell City Centre, which is slated to break ground in 2018 and take advantage of an office market that is gaining steam. One Brickell City Centre will rise 1,049 ft, covering 80 floors, making it the tallest building in the Southeastern United States. The building is designed by Arquitectonica. Over 50% of the proposed project will be office space. On the same earnings call, Bradley touted the success of Brickell City Centre's retail portion, which is over 91% leased. This comes at a time when Swire Properties has seen condo sales in Brickell City Centre's Rise and Reach buildings come to a grinding halt, with just 4 units going under contract since mid-February. 

Art Dealer Gary Nader Still Set on Bringing Museum & Condos to 520 Biscayne

The drama at 520 Biscayne continues as art dealer Gary Nader told The Next Miami that he will be pressing forward in his quest to develop he waterfront, Downtown property into a mixed-use cultural center with a museum and condos. The development would include The Latin American Art Museum, which would house close to 1,000 pieces by Latin American artists including Roberto Matta, Rufino Tamayo and Fernando Botero. 520 Biscayne would also include a five-star hotel and two residential towers with 300-units each. The residences would be designed for art collectors, with strategically placed walls and windows to showcase art in addition to 12-foot ceilings and will range from $2 million to $25 million. Last year his unsolicited bid via his firm Nader + Museu, LLP. was passed over in favor of a bid by Related Group by the Miami-Dade College Board of Trustees, who owns the land. In October 2016, the MDC Board of Trustees officially rejected all bids to develop the property, leading to Related Group to file a formal protest with a settlement, which the Board of Trustees also rejected. In January 2017, it was announced that Related Group had officially withdrew their protest. Related Group's withdrawal has given Nader the opportunity to continue pursuing the rights to develop the property. 

Miami Downtown Development Authority Study Concludes It Will Be "Unprecedented" to Find a Downtown Condo for Under $750,000 in 2025

A study by the Miami Downtown Development Authority concluded that it will be "unprecedented" to be able to find a condo in Downtown Miami for under $750,000 in 2025. The study found that the market reached an equilibrium in 2016, with new construction and supply matching an increasing demand for Downtown Miami. Although the Miami condo market has seen a softening and has entered into being in a state of being a "buyer's market," prices have remained somewhat stable and can even hint at trailing up in certain areas. That said, the resale market regressed 7%, seeing a drop after five years of gains above 10%. In Downtown, 2,202 condos were delivered in 2016, another 3,456 condos in 2017, 2,846 in 2018 and 1,960 in 2019.

Gables Estates Mansion Owned by Alan Potamkin Sells for $43.7 Million

1 Casuarina Concourse is under contract for $43.7 million, which would be the most expensive sale in Miami-Dade County in 2017. The home is being sold by Alan Potamkin, Co-Chairman of Potamkin Automotive Group. He purchased the property in 1987 for $2 million before later building the existing house in 2000. 1 Casuarina Concourse was originally listed for $67 million in May 2015. The home includes 20,682 SF spread over 9 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, his and hers libraries, elevator, saltwater aquarium, boxing room, gym, spa & massage room, staff quarters and a 1,500-bottle wine room. Spread over 3-acres, the estate also features a koi pond, tennis court, beautifully landscaped pool, and over 1,000 SF of waterfront on Biscayne Bay.

Featured Listing: Classic Miami Beach Villa With Tons of Style Asks $2.4 Million

A classic Miami Beach villa located at 4437 Sheridan Avenue on Miami Beach has hit the market for $2.4 million. The home was built in the 1940's and features 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms over 1,843 SF. The home includes beautiful, lush landscaping and gardens throughout the property, a keystone pool with waterfall, chef's kitchen, vaulted ceilings and the finest attention to detail in the finishes. The home was owned by Vogue photographer Greg Lotus and orginally hit the market for $2.99 million in 2015. Listing and photos by One Sotheby's International Realty.

Gateway at Wynwood Proposed on North Miami Avenue

Gateway at Wynwood has been proposed by an affiliate of R&B Realty in New York, for a 1.1-acre site between Northwest 29th Street and 30th Street on North Miami Avenue. The project will be a 12-story, 464,700 SF office building designed by Kobi Karp with 184,000 SF of office space with 34,000 SF of ground floor retail, 574 parking spaces and a rooftop amenity deck. The proposal is currently under review by Miami's Urban Design Review Board.