Crescendo Breaks Ground at Link at Douglas Following $134 Million Construction Loan
The fourth and final tower at Link at Douglas, a transit-oriented development nearly a decade in the making, has officially broken ground. Known as Crescendo, the project is being developed by 13th Floor Investments in partnership with Barings, and represents the final phase of the large-scale community adjacent to the Douglas Road Metrorail station. The milestone follows the recent closing of a $134 million construction loan provided by Santander Bank alongside TD Bank and First Horizon Bank. The financing clears the way for full construction to begin on the 37-story tower. Crescendo is the latest addition to a development that has steadily transformed the area surrounding the station over the past several years. Earlier phases, Cascade and Core, have already been completed, while Cadence, the project’s third tower, recently broke ground and is now rising. Together, Cadence and Crescendo comprise the final two-tower phase of Link at Douglas and will be connected by a shared podium. According to finalized plans, Crescendo will deliver 392 apartments, with units ranging from studios, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and 3-bedroom residences. Most units will feature private balconies. The tower will join the 432-unit Cadence development, bringing the combined total across the two buildings to 824 residences. Residents will have access to a wide range of amenities, including a resort-style pool, fitness center, pickleball court, outdoor dining areas, resident lounge, pet spa, bike repair and storage facilities, mail rooms, and other shared spaces. The two towers will share a podium containing 920 parking spaces. While earlier concepts for the site included additional office and retail components, the newest phase is focused exclusively on residential uses. Retail and commercial space are already incorporated into other completed portions of the broader development. Once Crescendo is completed, Link at Douglas will contain more than 1,500 residential units across four towers, crystallizing its position as one of South Florida’s largest transit-oriented developments. “Crescendo is far more than the final tower at Link at Douglas,” 13th Floor Investments Chief Financial Officer Darly Shevin told CityBiz. “It represents the culmination of years of planning, investment, and partnership with Miami-Dade County to create a community that brings housing, retail, and transit together in one of Miami’s most connected locations.” The tower will also become the tallest building within the Link at Douglas community. Rising 37 stories, Crescendo is planned to reach approximately 417 feet, narrowly surpassing the nearby 404-foot Cascade tower. The design features a gray and white exterior accented by floor-to-ceiling glass, glass-railed balconies, and a podium wrapped in decorative perforated metal panels. Although Crescendo marks the final phase of Link at Douglas, it is unlikely to be the last transit-oriented development pursued by 13th Floor Investments. Earlier this year, the firm broke ground on Link at Boca, another residential project located within walking distance of a Tri-Rail station.
Sunbeam and Stiles Break Ground on 125-Acre Miramar Cove Development
One of South Florida’s largest mixed-use developments has officially broken ground, and it is anything but a typical suburban project. Known as Miramar Cove, the 125-acre development is set to transform one of Broward County’s last major undeveloped sites into a walkable mixed-use district. At its center will be a 5.5-acre basin designed to create a beach-like waterfront environment, despite being roughly 30 minutes from the Atlantic coastline. The project is being developed by Sunbeam Properties in partnership with Fort Lauderdale-based Stiles. City officials and project leaders gathered on May 27 for a ceremonial groundbreaking marking the next phase of the development. While the event signaled a major milestone, construction activity had already begun. Floridian Development previously reported that site clearing and demolition work commenced last month, making the groundbreaking largely symbolic rather than the official start of construction. At full buildout, Miramar Cove will deliver 2,874 residential units, the majority of which will be multifamily housing. Plans also call for approximately 400,000 square feet of retail space, a 35,000-square-foot grocery store, 125,000 square feet of Class A office space, and a hotel component. “For years, people have had to drive east for waterfront dining, entertainment, and that lifestyle experience,” said Sunbeam Properties CEO and President Andy Ansin. “Miramar Cove changes that by bringing a true waterfront destination to South Florida’s western communities for the first time. This is the kind of development that redefines a market.” Beyond the waterfront basin, the development is being designed as a pedestrian-oriented district in a region historically dominated by suburban development patterns and automobile dependence. Plans include approximately five miles of walking paths connecting the site, a 10-acre Founders Park, and a 25-acre natural preserve known as “The Estuary.” Together, those amenities are planned to create a community where residents can live, work, shop, and recreate without relying entirely on a vehicle. According to marketing materials shared by Miramar News, the project is expected to target renters between the ages of 25 and 45 earning approximately $150,000 annually. Upon completion, Miramar Cove is projected to accommodate roughly 8,000 residents. Stiles CEO Ken Stiles called Miramar Cove “truly unique for this market,” arguing that bringing a waterfront destination of this scale inland could reshape the area between Miami and Fort Lauderdale while creating a new focal point for residents and visitors alike. A grand opening is currently targeted for the fourth quarter of 2028. The development is positioned at a strategic location near Miramar Parkway and several major transportation corridors. It also sits a short drive from Hard Rock Stadium, an area where Miami-Dade County has expressed interest in expanding the Metrorail to.