Tower proposed as place where artists work, live
A proposed Miami condo project on the north bank of the Miami River may take art to another level.
The $100 million Basel Miami, at 205 SW Third St., is envisioned as a 36-story tower with a public art museum on the ground floor featuring works created by the artists who live there. The base of the tower would have studios for the artists to live and work, then eight stories of offices immediately above that, followed by 10 floors of hotel rooms and topped with 17 floors of condos, according to the Miami-based developer, Bly’s Plank Inc. London-based architect Jo Palma, whose work includes projects in Brussels, Dubai and China, is designing the project.
“We want the building to breathe creativity as the occupants/visitors live, work and play,” said property owner and developer Sean McCormick. This is “not just about paintings on the wall or putting sculptures out, [but] seeing the creativity from the artists’ eyes and feeling what they feel when they create their pieces.”
He anticipates the condo own-
ers to be both “collectors and art aficionados.” The square footage and range of costs for the condos have not been set.
The tower’s amenities would include pools, hot tubs and gyms — one set of amenities on the east side of the tower for the condos, and a second set on the west side for hotel guests.
Land for The Basel Miami is one of the designated
“Opportunity Zones,” which was created by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Opportunity Zones are “not usually in downtown areas,” he said, adding that the chance to build in this location, coupled with a tax break, makes this project “a winner.”
If approved, the building could break ground in late 2019, McCormick said.