Aria on the Bay

Project Details

Project Description

FROM THE CLIENT:

The downtown Miami skyline’s newest architectural landmark is on the rise: Following months of foundation and piling work, vertical construction is officially underway at Melo Group’s Aria on the Bay condominium in downtown Miami. Last month, about 800 trucks completed a concrete foundation pour of more than 8,000 cubic yards of cement at the future site of the 53-story luxury tower, paving the way for vertical development to begin. Construction of the waterfront building, now rising at 1770 N. Bayshore Drive along Miami’s Biscayne Bay, began in May and is slated for delivery in late-2017. Aria on the Bay offers 648 one- to four-bedroom condos, as well as exclusive three-story upper penthouses, with prices ranging from the $400,000 to over $12 million.

“More than a decade after delivering our first Miami tower we’re proud to be building our firm’s most high-end and architecturally-stunning project yet,” says Martin Melo, Principal of the Melo Group. “With momentum building in the Arts & Entertainment District, Aria on the Bay will provide residents a walkable, family-friendly neighborhood surrounded by world-class cultural attractions.”

Aria on the Bay’s innovative architecture, interior and landscape design concepts are entirely the creation of internationally-acclaimed design firm Arquitectonica, whose projects have won several awards around the world. The project’s opera-inspired name serves as a nod to its location in the heart of downtown Miami’s burgeoning Arts & Entertainment District, surrounded by world-class cultural arts venues such as the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, the Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) and the upcoming Patricia and Philip Frost Museum of Science at Museum Park. The glass structure’s smooth architectural design and scalloped façade was influenced by the shapes of the wave crests in Biscayne Bay, combined with a series of curving balconies found in some of the world’s greatest opera houses.

"Two blocks north of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Aria's semi-circular balconies make reference to those inside the classic opera houses. They playfully stagger creating a series cylinders in performance. The arrangement could also be interpreted as a musical score, or a series of curves dancing to a tune," says Bernardo Fort-Brescia, Founding Principal of Arquitectonica.

Residences at Aria on the Bay will feature direct bay and city views, floor-to-ceiling glass, expansive wrap-around terraces, private elevator access, open-plan living areas, designer finishes and fixtures, European-style kitchens, and modern custom-designed cabinetry. Building amenities include a 14th floor resort amenity deck, four swimming pools, custom-seated fire pits, barbecue grills, and outdoor summer kitchens. Additional features include a private spa, massage treatment facilities, a state-of-the-art fitness center, yoga studio, indoor/outdoor social room, and a theater-style screening room. The project will also feature 20,000 square feet of commercial space on the lower floors, including office, retail and restaurant space at the ground level.

With more than 2,000 residential units developed since arriving in Miami from Argentina in 2001, Melo Group been a driving force behind the city’s real estate resurgence – with Aria on the Bay the firm’s 14th residential tower to be developed in the greater downtown Miami area. Melo was the first developer in Miami to implement the now popular cash-focused financing model to build a condominium project. The firm made headlines in 2011 when its 23 Biscayne project raised Miami’s first condo construction crane in nearly three years using the 50 percent cash-down model it leveraged to build its projects in Argentina.

“Beyond its prime waterfront location, magnificent bay views, and high-quality design features, Aria on the Bay benefits from the expertise of one of Miami’s strongest developers,” said Alicia Cervera Lamadrid, managing partner of Cervera Real Estate, the project’s exclusive sales and marketing brokerage. “Melo Group’s success is the result of more than sixty years of experience in the real estate industry and the firm’s track record for uncovering and investing in emerging neighborhoods. We are proud to be a part of their achievements in the U.S. and know that their keen and efficient business sense will ensure that they continue to develop in Miami for many more years to come.”