The Waldorf Astoria hotel and residences in Miami is officially taking off in downtown.
Stakeholders gathered Thursday to break ground on this groundbreaking structure on Biscayne Boulevard and 4th Avenue.
“It's a big moment for us as a company, for me as a Miamian, not all breaking grounds is equal,” said Ryan Shear, managing partner of the project. “This one is special for us.”
Once complete, the building will resemble a pile of glass blocks toppled on top of each other. The building will be 1,049 feet in the sky; just one foot short of the Empire State Building in New York City.
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“1,049 feet doesn’t get built often in any city. It’s the tallest residential tower south of New York and tallest tower south of Atlanta," Shear said. “By definition, it has to change the skyline.”
The project is 87% sold and has generated more than $1 billion in sales.
“The strip of 1st to 14th is the postcard strip of Miami,” said Shear. “Downtown for me is the core of the city.”
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This is the first time in its 90-year history that Waldorf Astoria has planned a hotel in Miami.
