Design & Real Estate

Pinnacle Of Success

In 1990, CMC Group launched what would become more than 25 years of vertical development along Brickell Avenue. Over 150 towers have risen since and Miami’s urban core has become a tropical version of Manhattan. CMC bookends this more than a quarter-century of unparalleled development with Brickell Flatiron.
Text by Sandy Lindsey | February 28, 2019 | Design & Real Estate

Between 1992 and 2007, when competing firms were racing ahead with dozens of projects and hyping sales, CMC Group built only 5 projects in a 15-year span. Even today, they only build one project at a time. “We believe that slow, steady development fuels a sustainable market,” says Ugo Colombo, Founder of CMC Group. “Because we pace our development, we are able to focus on details and on sourcing the best materials such as Italian marble, Venetian stucco and the highest-quality glass available in the market.”

Initially developing along South Brickell in the 1990s, the company shifted its focus toward the River with EPIC in the 2000s, and finally ended up in the heart of the action with Brickell Flatiron, which will be one of the tallest towers South of Manhattan. “Since I first started developing in Miami, I have envisioned Brickell’s potential as a high-end residential neighborhood,” says Colombo. “We began investing here in the early 1990s with Bristol Tower and Santa Maria. We took a risk at the time, but we felt that this setting could be unique for its urban environment and proximity to the water. At the time, Downtown Miami was not proven as an urban neighborhood. Fast-forward 20 years and today Brickell Avenue is known throughout Latin America and around the world as a top destination for business, tourism, investment and lifestyle.”

CMC Group was always optimistic that the Brickell brand would sell, but Brickell Flatiron has exceeded their expectations as they approach the 90% sold mark. The real surprise has been the diversity of the buyer mix. “We started out with a majority of our sales coming from Latin America, and that trend has since shifted toward domestic buyers,” he says. “Two years ago, 70% of our sales were to foreigners. Today, 70% of our sales are to U.S. buyers. The numbers have flipped.”

In fact, current buyers include people who live and work in Brickell and are looking for the best the neighborhood has to offer. They want a lifestyle where you can walk downstairs and everything you need is at your doorstep, just like in Manhattan. In fact, today’s domestic buyers are placing great value on the benefits of urban living. Many of them are coming from cities like Chicago, New York and Boston. The urban lifestyle is familiar to them, and they can purchase a top-line unit in Miami for far less than what it would cost in New York. “We have always attracted a broad market at CMC Group and we find that our projects appeal to a discerning buyer who is willing to pay a premium for higher-quality materials,” he says. “Our product is unique, we apply cutting-edge methods and have done so for each of our past projects starting with Bristol Tower, Santa Maria, Porto Vita, Grovenor House and now Brickell Flatiron.”

All CMC Group buildings have their own distinct personality — crafted to embody a unique lifestyle that speaks to a specific type of buyer. Brickell Flatiron reflects Miami’s coming of age as a cosmopolitan city with a thriving downtown at its heart. This building has the goal of bringing spaces that are extremely livable to young professionals that are opting out of the suburban lifestyle and preferring a more urban lifestyle.

The architecture introduces flowing curvilinear forms that accommodate spacious floor plans in a slender glass tower that soars 64 stories high — providing expansive bay and city views. “To bring this vision to life, I partnered with master designers who I have worked with in the past, Italian design architect Massimo Iosa Ghini and acclaimed Miami architect Luis Revuelta, to outline the building’s sleek amenity spaces, creating a seamless transition from exterior to interior,” he says. “I had previously worked with Luis Revuelta on many of our luxury projects throughout Miami, including The EPIC Residences & Hotel, Bristol Tower and Santa Maria in Downtown Miami/Brickell; Porto Vita in Aventura; and Grovenor House in Coconut Grove. I also previously worked with Massimo Iosa Ghini on 4000 Ponce/The Collection in Coral Gables.”

Brickell Flatiron is home to 549 stunning luxury units including a Penthouse Collection that features expansive single-story residences along with two-story duplex and three-story triplex upper penthouses located on the 50 through 64 Floors. With layouts measuring up to nearly 6,500 square feet in size, residences will include 10- to 11-foot-high ceilings, premium finishes and fixtures and panoramic views of the Miami skyline and Biscayne Bay. Two triplex penthouses will feature private terraces with rooftop pools, summer kitchens and changing rooms, as well as private elevator vestibules within each unit providing access to all three levels.

The building’s 64th Floor rooftop amenity paradise will encompass a Sky Spa, Sky Pool and Sky Gym with 360-degree panoramic views of the Biscayne Bay and Downtown Miami’s glimmering cityscape. What’s more, residents will have access to a host of therapeutic services and other offerings including private steam, sauna and locker facilities, and a 6,300-sq.-ft. state-of-the-art fitness center with Pilates, yoga and aerobics studios. Additional features include a resort-style lap pool and children’s pool on the 18th Floor, a private movie theatre with stadium seating, billiards and cigar room, wine cellar, 24-hour concierge and parking valet, on-site vehicle washing and detailing, and electric car-charging stations

While Brickell Flatiron boasts top-notch amenities, premium imported finishes and functional living spaces, it will stand out above all for its unique luxury lifestyle. It will be woven into the urban landscape so seamlessly that residents will walk outside their door and find themselves in the heart of a major city — a few steps away from the best shopping, restaurants and nightlife that Miami has to offer. Residents will be a block away from the recently opened Brickell City Centre that has over 120 shops and eateries featuring Saks Fifth Avenue, La Centrale Italian Food Hall, CMX Cinema and Apple. It is also just steps away from the Metromover, and within walking distance to the newly launched Brightline train station. With Brickell Flation’s crane coming down this summer, CMC Group is capping a 5-year period of development that has helped transform our urban core into a glowing metropolis.

Brickell Flatiron is located at 1001 South Miami Ave. For more information, call 305.704.9349 or visit BrickellFlatiron.com/Team.