Sunbeam Properties, affiliated with WSVN 7News, has launched the first phase of its contentious multi-block redevelopment in North Bay Village. The project is part of the Sunbeam NBV SAP, a master plan approved in 2022 outlining proposals for towers soaring up to 650 feet. Encompassing 13 acres, the master plan imagines a mix of residential, retail, office, and hotel space, with Isle of Dreams marking the first step in bringing this vision to life. Isle of Dreams, designed by Arquitectonica, will be a 39-floor residential tower with 246 units, 7 floors of parking, and 23,043 SF of commercial space.
Although renderings are not yet available, the project’s elevations offer insight into its height and overall form. The development will rise to 490 FT at its tallest measurable point, making it the highest tower within a two-mile radius until reaching the 492 FT Akoya Condominium, which is only two feet taller. To help balance the tower’s height, developers have proposed several setbacks, as proposed in a letter of intent submitted for the Miami-Dade Shoreline Review. A 35-FT setback from the bay is planned, aligning with standard requirements. However, given the tower’s 490-foot height, a larger setback of 75 FT is required: something Sunbeam Properties has not included. Instead, the developer will take advantage of an exemption permitted under code by incorporating a public bay walk.
The company must also address visual corridor concerns. To accommodate this, a 68-FT-wide setback will be included on the west side of the property, exceeding the required 57 FT. Additionally, the tower’s curved design creates further visual corridors at higher elevations. Site plan details underline retail spaces along Adventure Avenue and the newly proposed bay walk. Likewise, the property will be complemented by about 18,720 SF of landscaped area, encapsulating dog parks, sidewalk greenery, and bay walk beautification.
The developers must first demolish a 4-story office building on site, constructed in 1957 and located at 1400 79th Street Causeway. The property is owned by Sunbeam properties, and while phasing is unknown, previous statements from the company indicate confidence for the project’s speed. This submission also fulfills a city requirement mandated in late 2022, requiring Sunbeam Properties to file building permits within 2 years.