Miami’s most Decadent Luxury Condo Amenities …

Via Condo Blog

Miami’s thriving market for luxury condos is all about raising the stakes.

Offering better and better amenities, building more opulent residences and driving the city’s standard of living further into the stratosphere—these kinds of things are a daily practice down here in the Magic City.

But what do you do when you finally hit that ceiling?

What do you do when every other new building in town is offering the same stainless steel appliances, extra-large terraces and 24-hour valet/concierge services that you were hoping would distinguish your building from the rest?

Well; if you’re a real Miami condo developer, then you’ll just keep pushing the boundaries harder and harder. In true “Magic City” Spirit, you throw caution to the wind and develop some of the most decadent, some of the most creative and indulgent luxury amenities in the world—for your new building.

What results is an out-of-this-world experience … a “wow” moment that for some condo owners will border on Science Fiction—but down here in South Florida, it’s just the everyday.

So today, we’re going to take a look at some of the creatively radical (and perhaps gaudy) new luxury amenities that developers are offering in and around Miami. From rooftop soccer fields to lobby center shark tanks, these buildings are going above and beyond the call of duty to “have it all” for their discerning buyers …

Unbelievable Amenity #1: The Lobby Shark Tank

Right here we have the rendering that launched a thousand ships as it were—the picture that prompted us to write this article—a new image of what Echo Brickell’s lobby will look like once its planned 12,000 gallon shark tank has been installed.

At first blush, we thought this addition was a means for them to appeal to the highly sought-after niche of Bond villains; aka the folks most likely to appreciate an in-house shark tank just a few steps from their condo’s front door (we’re sure they’ll limit the hours in which you’re allowed to feed your enemies to the sharks).

All seriousness aside though, it’s a pretty powerful image for the building’s lobby. High-powered executives would definitely be energized at the sight of a few apex predators subdued in their lobby. While so many other buildings are struggling to make a statement through lobby art or bold staircase design, Echo Brickell is putting the power and the beauty of tropical South Florida on display for all its residents.

But that’s definitely not the only thing driving buyers to Echo Brickell …

Designed in collaboration with well-known architect Carlos Ott, Echo Brickell is scheduled for completion in 2017, with some 85% of its planned units already sold. And most of what’s left are Penthouses and high-ticket units running up to $18 million in price.

What about the mundane amenities? Our favorite of those is the complimentary dog-walking service (didn’t Bond villains prefer cats?)

Ubelievable Amenity #2: Icon Brickell’s Art Deco Acid Trip …

Swimming in a sea of luxury offerings, Icon Brickell is either a “diamond in the rough” or an awful pastiche of aging Art Deco influences and modern artistic sensibilities:

It all really depends on your own personal taste. If lively spaces and creative design schemes are your idea of heaven, then Icon Brickell is the place for you. There’s simply nothing else like it in Miami—perhaps even the world. You’re basically living inside of an artistic masterpiece, influenced by “yoo inspired by Starck” (from Phillipe Starck’s design company).

If nothing else; and regardless of anyone’s opinion, Icon Brickell represents a bold, risk-taker’s approach to redefining South Florida luxury. It’s an expression of pure personal style, but on a massive scale. And for many—it works perfectly …

Located between 5th and 6th Streets on the east side of Brickell Avenue, Icon Brickell was once a lightning rod for those looking to decry the city’s crash in condo prices. These days, it’s another thriving residence in the increasingly popular downtown district of Brickell.

Unbelievable Amenity #3: Careful Russians

This one is honestly less of an amenity than it is a “non-amenity,” as it were. We thought this one merited inclusion not just because it was a rare example of Russians being careful with their money … but also an example of some of the backlash we might see against Miami’s increasingly luxury-oriented condo market …

Boy Band Reunion or hot new Russian Development Group? You decide …

The Verzasca Group is a new development company founded over the last year by a few peculiar Russian buyers. These guys are hoping to pile $700 million into Miami’s Real Estate market over the next three years.

But instead of spending it all on developing hot new luxury properties, Verzasca President Darius Kasparitis says he’s hoping to build new high-rises “at a realistic price that’s affordable to everyday workers.”

We’re curious to see how they plan to do this; in part because any Miami local will tell you the city’s growing less and less affordable by the day. It’s an interesting angle that could serve them well if the up’s and down’s of Miami’s condo market become more intense than they’ve been in the past.

Unbelievable Amenity #4: Pretty much Half of the
Paramount Miami WorldCenter Building

These days, one of Miami’s most popular nicknames is the “Capital of South America,” and few pieces of news reinforce this fact so much as the announcement that Paramount Miami Worldcenter’s roof would be the location for a spacious new soccer field on the property.

To native Miamians, the idea of luxury condos having soccer fields (in a city where even David Beckham can’t get a field built) seems a bit silly. But to the well-heeled South American buyers flooding Miami’s condo market, it’s a sweet little addition and a perfect symbol of wealth.

Besides, we can’t wait to see what a soccer ball can do to one of our windshields when it’s drop kicked off the 500-foot high roof of Miami WorldCenter.