Sunbeam Properties has unveiled new renderings for the first phase of its massive North Bay Village development, a tower coined Isle of Dreams. When Floridian Development initially reported on the project, details were still in the early stages. At the time, there were no official renderings; in fact, only elevation drawings were available that offered a basic outline of the tower’s form.
Now, as Sunbeam Properties seeks approval from Miami-Dade planners for several special exceptions, setback deviations, and other changes, the developer is preparing to move forward with construction. Andy Ansin, the owner of both Sunbeam Properties and WSVN Channel 7, has previously expressed that financing will not be an issue. Built-up cash from years of operation has led the company to develop the property no matter the market condition.
According to the new application, there have been no major updates to the tower’s design, including its unit count, commercial space, or other key components. As a recap, Isle of Dreams is set to include 246 residential units, 23,043 SF of commercial space, and seven levels of parking. The tower will stand 39 stories tall, reaching 460 FT to the roof and approximately 490 FT to its highest architectural point. Arquitectonica, the project’s architect, designed the tower as a landmark development that intentionally pulls the building mass away from the waterfront to prevent the “walled off” appearance often seen in similar projects, according to a letter of intent.
A standard and required feature of all new developments in North Bay Village is the inclusion of an Island Walk, and in this project, it will span over 200 FT in length and 15 FT in width. Lined with greenery, the walkway will offer direct access to waterfront retail and provide seating areas where residents are given unobstructed views of the water.
While Isle of Dreams and its accompanying Island Walk are the first glimpse into the development, there will be an additional 7 to 9 more towers. In total, the Sunbeam mega-development is aiming to construct 1936 units, close to 5000 parking spots, 300 hotel rooms, 670,000 SF of commercial space, and around 200,000 SF of office space. Towers, like this one, will rise between 240 to 650 FT, marking them as the tallest buildings in Miami-Dade outside of Miami and Sunny Isles Beach.
Before work on the Isle of Dreams can start, the developer must tear down an existing 4-story building on the property. In addition to launching the first phase, the developer has already demolished two radio towers on an adjacent parcel to make way for phase 2.