Work is now underway on Citadel’s new global headquarters at 1201 Brickell Bay Drive in Miami’s financial core, with crews beginning deep soil mixing on-site, marking the first visible step toward construction.
Deep soil mixing (or DSM) is a construction method used to strengthen the ground by blending cement with existing soil to form solid columns. This improves the site’s ability to support the tower and reduces the risk of settling, an important step given South Florida’s challenging soil conditions.
This early work comes after a delay in the project’s original timeline. Citadel had initially targeted a Q3 2025 groundbreaking, but with site activity now underway, vertical construction could begin in 2026, depending on permitting.
The project is being developed by Related Companies, with Foster + Partners leading the design. Field Operations is serving as landscape architect, Kimley-Horn as civil engineer, and Adamson as architect of record. The site sits along Biscayne Bay, where Citadel purchased the waterfront parcel for $363,000,000 in 2022, during a surge of investment in Miami that appears to be only accelerating.
Since then, costs have risen significantly. The project has grown from $1 billion to $2.5 billion, a $1.5 billion increase largely driven by higher construction costs. Even so, Citadel remains committed to moving forward.
Recent photos taken by Ryan Rea show DSM work actively progressing, reinforcing that momentum. This activity is backed by an approximately $11,000,000 soil improvement permit issued by Miami-Dade County. While permits for the foundation and vertical structure have not yet been filed, the start of ground work marks a key early milestone.
Visible equipment on-site includes a DSM rig used to drill and mix soil columns, along with a yellow silo labeled “Keller,” the foundation contractor overseeing the deep soil mixing work. The silo is used in the process to supply the cement used to strengthen the soil. Additional machinery is staged to support ongoing soil stabilization as further permits are pursued.
This type of ground preparation is not unique to the project. A similar approach was used at the site for Waldorf Astoria Residences Miami, the city’s only supertall under construction.
Once completed, Citadel’s headquarters will total 2,118,650 square feet. This includes 1,485,174 square feet of office space, 212 hotel rooms, 50 on-site parking spaces (with additional off-site parking), and ground-floor retail. The tower will rise 63 stories to a height of 1,043 FT.
At the ground level, the development will also reshape part of the waterfront. Plans call for a new baywalk segment with wider sidewalks, public art, and landscaped areas, designed to connect directly into the building while improving access along Brickell Bay Drive.
Inside, the tower will be organized in tiers. An elevated lobby will lead into office floors, followed by a hotel component extending to level 59. Above that, levels 60 through 62 will house mechanical systems and form part of the crown, while level 63 will feature a private amenity deck with pools, a bar, and other offerings.
Although no official completion date has been announced, the scale of the project suggests a construction timeline of at least five years. If a full groundbreaking takes place this year, completion would likely fall in the early 2030s.