Construction has officially kicked off at the site of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Residences, one of Miami’s most closely watched condo and hotel developments. Crews recently began deep soil mixing ahead of the development’s planned October groundbreaking date, a technique essential for towers of this scale. The process strengthens the ground before foundation work can start, which is particularly important given Miami’s sandy, often unstable geology. With that process underway, the 294-unit, 149-key development is on track to begin rising next year across its two planned towers.
This progress comes not long after the original Mandarin Oriental hotel was brought down to make way for it. Built in 2000 and home to 326 hotel rooms, relatively young by most building standards, the tower was demolished in a controlled implosion that drew onlookers from across the city. In the months since, debris cleanup from that demolition has neared completion, and in the areas already cleared, deep soil mixing is now moving forward.
Below is a video outlining recent construction milestones. Click to view and expand.
That sequence of ground preparation before vertical construction is not unique to this site. A similar approach is playing out a short distance away at Citadel’s new global headquarters, a project Floridian Development has also covered, where foundation work is only now getting underway after months of soil improvement. The parallel makes sense: Brickell Key is an artificial island, which makes this kind of ground preparation especially critical.
None of that work is happening without oversight. The construction activity, located at 750 Claughton Island Drive, is backed by a steady stream of county permitting, with several permits either issued or under review. These include approvals for soil improvement tied to the deep soil mixing, site cleanup, a foundation permit for the hotel tower, and a master building permit for the residential structure. According to the issued master building permit, the project carries an estimated cost of $226 million and will add 1,286,326 square feet of new construction to the site.
Much of the momentum behind this groundbreaking can be traced back to strong sales performance, with units in both the north and south towers repeatedly breaking records when they first hit the market. That demand stems in large part from the site’s location. Positioned on Brickell Key, the property offers one of the few unobstructed waterfront views left in Miami, with water visible in three directions, a rarity that has commanded both premium pricing and sustained buyer interest.
It’s a location that will pay off further once the towers themselves take shape. Upon completion, the development will offer some of the highest vantage points in Miami. The taller of the two towers will rise 66 stories to a height of 850 feet, while the shorter hotel tower will reach 33 stories and 426 feet. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, both structures will be wrapped in balconies and floor-to-ceiling glass, with an ornate crown detail capping each tower.
Within those towers, the residential and hotel components are split by structure. The south tower, the taller of the pair, will house 228 residential units, while the north tower will include 66 residences alongside 121 hotel rooms and 28 hotel-branded residences. Across both, residents will have access to an extensive amenity package, including multiple outdoor spaces with sweeping views, pools, private waterfront cabanas, sports courts, a spa, a wellness deck, and resident lounges.
Some pieces of the picture, however, are still coming into focus. Details such as commercial square footage or parking spaces aren’t yet available, since Swire Properties and Mandarin Oriental have not submitted those plans to public boards for review. Even so, the development is likely to feature commercial space and adequate parking for each resident once those details are finalized.
Construction is expected to conclude in 2030.