By Angela Betancourt
For the past several years there has been a lot of excitement about new residential and mix-use developments being built across Miami-Dade County.
Brickell and Miami Beach often steal the spotlight with their billion dollar projects, luxury new residences, and all the opulent amenities that come along with them. However, there are several other neighborhoods experiencing their own share of new development projects, among them is Coconut Grove.
This historical area is one of Miami’s oldest and most charming neighborhoods. Dating back to 1925, Coconut Grove is known for its parks and gardens, hammock trees, art festivals, shopping, and historical landmarks. Coconut Grove is located approximately 10-15 minutes from Brickell, yet this proximity has not had an effect on this neighborhood’s unique identity.
These characteristics were part of what caught the attention of the Terra Group and The Related Group. The two powerhouse developers have joined forces for the first time to create The Residences at Park Grove on a 5.2 acre property directly across from Biscayne Bay. The architecture is led by OMA and Rem Koolhaas in collaboration with kitchen and bath designer William Sofield, and Enea Landscape Architecture.
The project masterminds recently came together for a design talk event to showcase building renderings and discuss the vision behind the design. A crowd of 250 top-tier brokers, buyers and tastemakers gathered to hear legendary architect Shohei Shigematsu from OMA and famed landscape designer Enzo Enea, dis- cuss the past and future of Coconut Grove as well as their take on new trends in residential architecture and how they perceive design and development in Miami. Both Shigematsu and Enea revealed how their designs look at urbanism and historical elements specific to the Grove’s existing climate and culture; and their in- tentions to “elevate” Coconut Grove while honoring its historical elements.
The hour-long discussion was moderated by Ted Loos, a design expert and regular contributor of Architectural Digest and hosted by co-developers of the property: David Martin, President of Terra Group and Carlos Rosso, President of Condo Development The Related Group.
The Residences at Park Grove is set for completion in late 2016. The units will range between 2,500 to 3,500 square feet. Glass walls will give residents end- less views of the marina and Biscayne Bay as well as an abundance of natural light. From the expansive balco- nies, spacious living areas, airy dining rooms, and fully equipped kitchens, the designers did not cut any cor- ners. In addition to amenities that rival those found at any world class luxury resort, Park Grove will also have a private rooftop pool deck with views of the city.
The meticulous attention to detail extends beyond the individual residents and out into the buildings two- acre sculpture park where Enea set out to create a se- rene and lush garden for residents to enjoy.
The Residences at Park Grove will increasingly draw more attention as it unfolds in one of Miami’s most established neighborhoods; bringing in new elements and establishing roots of its own.
Photography Courtesy of THE RELATED GROUP AND TERRA GROUP
Click here to view post on the January/February 2015 issue.