El-Ad Properties Proposes North Bay Village’s Tallest Building Yet at 7931 East Drive
North Bay Village is being pushed to new heights, quite literally. Yesterday, El-Ad Properties, a subsidiary of the national real estate developer El-Ad Group, proposed plans for two towering condo towers along the city’s East Drive corridor: one rising 39 stories and the other 46 stories. Designed by ODP Architecture and Garcia Stromberg, the development would feature the tallest building ever constructed in the city if the plans materialize, a sign that developers have quickly begun to see the potential of this quaint island town. Located at 7922 East Drive and 7925-7931 East Drive, the development would span five properties, three of which are currently vacant grass lots while the other two are home to low-rise residential buildings. El-Ad Properties has already purchased the vacant properties, but the two residential buildings remain under different ownership. They are owned by Luis Navas, who originally sold the three grass lots to El-Ad last year for more than $19 million. Given that the two entities have already worked together before, the remaining lots will likely switch hands soon. According to plans submitted to Miami-Dade County, the development would feature 165 units, ranging from one-bedroom, two-bedroom, three-bedroom and four-bedroom residences. The units would be “family” oriented, with the smallest residence measuring 1,238 square feet. To achieve this density across the property, the development team utilized multiple mechanisms, among the most important being the purchase of 27 allowable units from the city to achieve the project’s final density. Residents would have access to a wide variety of amenities, including a private drop-off zone, a pool and various indoor amenity spaces. Across the street, a clubhouse would provide even more amenities, including a fitness center, spa, sunbathing areas, outdoor terrace space and other uses. Meanwhile, the ground floor would introduce a significant amount of public-facing space to the development. Plans call for 5,295 square feet of restaurant space facing the water, alongside a large, expansive island walk, also known as a baywalk. On the northern portion of the site, more than 10,000 square feet of landscaped park space would be provided, equipped with a yoga lawn, mini amphitheater and other event spaces. To handle demand from the residences, restaurant space and other uses, the development would include 427 parking spaces. Those familiar with zoning in North Bay Village would immediately flag the proposed height of the development as non-compliant. In fact, the towers would rise far beyond the maximum height currently allowed. Hence, the development team is proposing a SAP, or Special Area Plan, which would allow the project to achieve substantially greater height and density than otherwise permitted. Specifically, the shorter tower would rise 465 feet, while the tallest tower would reach 518 feet. Mechanical levels would bring the taller structure to roughly 540 feet. If constructed as proposed, it would become not only the tallest building in the city, but also the tallest building in Miami-Dade County outside of Miami and Miami Beach. Architecturally, both towers would feature floor-to-ceiling windows, facades largely composed of glass, glass balconies, curving forms and beige stucco. The podium would also incorporate a living green wall and ventilated aluminum screening, adding a different material treatment to the base of the otherwise glass-heavy towers. While a timeline for the development has not been revealed, that is likely because approvals will take some time. Before construction can begin, the developer will need approval for the development from both the county and city, as well as approval of the Special Area Plan being proposed to achieve the towers’ height. Once the project does break ground, however, construction would take place across three phases. The tallest structure would rise first, followed by the second tower, while the third and final phase would consist of the clubhouse across the street.
Edge House, Biscayne 18, and 1775 Biscayne Advance Through Foundation Work, Bringing 2,330 Units
Three construction sites, all sitting across the street from one another, are quickly moving through foundation work to deliver three residential towers in one of the most concentrated pockets of development in the country. Located within walking distance of Margaret Pace Park along the Biscayne Boulevard corridor, Edge House, Biscayne 18, and 1775 Biscayne Boulevard will soon rise alongside each other, transforming a stretch of the neighborhood that has waited decades for this moment. The three towers are being developed by Grupo T&C, The Melo Group, and LCOR, respectively, and all three broke ground on foundation work around the same time, though Edge House, led by Grupo T&C, has pulled ahead, having started construction months before the other two. Once complete, the corridor will deliver 2,330 units combined across rental and condo product, a dramatic shift for lots that sat undeveloped for decades. The last single-family homes and miscellaneous structures on these parcels were demolished back in 2009, and it wasn’t until 2026 that construction on all three sites finally got underway, capping off nearly two decades of waiting. Edge House Edge House hit a major milestone in mid-July with the completion of its foundation pour. Led by general contractor Thornton Construction Company, the pour required more than 7,000 cubic yards of concrete, delivered by over 700 trucks across a 30-hour stretch. It marked the largest construction milestone on the project since it broke ground in the spring of 2025. Grupo T&C General Manager William Ticona called it “an incredibly proud moment for our entire team,” adding that the firm remains focused on growing its footprint in one of the world’s most active real estate markets. The project has since moved into the early stages of vertical construction, with rebar columns now rising to outline the first floor and the elevator shafts that will form the tower’s structural core, according to an Instagram post from the developer. When Floridian Development visited the site in mid-August, two cranes were already erected and operating, equipment that will remain in place until the tower tops out at 56 floors, or 630 feet, sometime next year. Once finished, Edge House will bring 608 units and 293 parking spaces to the corridor, along with a wide range of amenity spaces and unit types. Kobi Karp is serving as architect. View this post on Instagram A post shared by G&E Florida Contractors (@gefloridacontractors) 1775 Biscayne New York-based developer LCOR is also progressing through foundation work on its site. Permits filed with the City of Miami show the project has already secured both a foundation permit and a vertical construction permit, with only minor corrections pending on the master permit. That approval structure allows the project to move directly from foundation work into vertical construction without waiting on further permit sign-off. On site, crews led by general contractor Coastal Construction are currently installing rebar columns, laying the groundwork for an eventual foundation pour. At the current pace, a topping out toward the end of next year appears likely. While 1775 Biscayne won’t rank among the tallest towers in the area at 42 floors and 446 feet, its scale will still be enough to create a canyon-like effect along Biscayne Boulevard, a reminder of just how far Miami’s skyline has come when a 446-foot tower barely registers as tall by comparison. Upon completion, the project will include 544 rental units, 628 parking spaces, and 9,772 square feet of ground-floor retail. ODP is the architect. Biscayne 18 Melo Group’s next rental tower project is getting underway as the firm wraps up construction on Downtown 6th, also known as Central Tower. Recent photos posted by Ryan RC Rea on X show Biscayne 18 progressing through foundation and rebar installation in similar fashion to LCOR’s 1775 Biscayne, with rebar cages, heavy machinery, and other equipment visible on site. Permitting records show a site preparation permit for foundation work has already been issued, with construction handled by Melo Contractors Corp, the developer’s in-house contractor: a strategy the firm uses to keep costs down. The project is still awaiting approval on both a phased vertical permit and a master building permit, though given how quickly Melo Group has moved on past projects, those approvals are likely to come soon. Once complete, Biscayne 18 will deliver 1,178 rental units split evenly between its two towers, 589 units each, along with 37,010 square feet of commercial space, 17,670 square feet of office space, and 1,472 parking spaces. Each tower will rise 46 floors to a height of 465 feet. Given Melo Group’s track record of moving fast, a topping out next year seems all but guaranteed, with full completion expected sometime after. G3aec and Melo are responsible for the tower’s design.