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The Grovenor House, a
32-story luxury condominium with 151 residences near
local restaurant and raw bar Monty's on Bayshore Drive,
began sales in June. By mid-July three-fourths of the
building had sold--at prices averaging $450 per square
foot. "I got taken by surprise by the sales," Grovenor
developer Ugo Colombo says. "My plan was to sell the
building as it was built." Colombo was in the sales
office one Saturday morning and was shocked when they
sold $5 million in condos in 45 minutes. "I think there
is a demand for large units in the Coconut Grove and
Coral Gables area," Colombo says. "There is no luxury
building in that area." While this building has sold
faster than Colombo's projects in the Brickell area, he
says there is little likelihood that he will do another
project in the Grove. He does not see any other
waterfront property that can still be developed.
As it was, developing the Grovenor House site required
several compromises with Coconut Grove residents,
including the relocation of a historic 100-year old,
300-ton oak tree and several other trees to the back of
the property. Also close by is the
Beacon Harbour Condo
Coconut Grove located t 1660 S Bayshore Dr.
For more information,
please click:
Grovenor House Coconut Grove
From the April 9,
2004 print edition
Ed Duggan
The market seems insatiable for new residential
projects, as no week passes without the announcement of
one or more major developments.
Two ultra-luxury South
Florida condominium projects are under way - the
Grovenor House in Coconut Grove and The Landmark at the
Gardens in Palm Beach Gardens.
Together, they will
account for nearly a third of a billion dollars at
sellout, with the Grovenor House estimated at more than
$200 million and $125 million for Landmark at the
Gardens.
Experienced Miami-based developer Ugo Colombo, of the
GMC Group, is developing the 33-story Grovenor House. It
will have 151 residences ranging from 1,600 square feet
to 7,000 square feet and is pre-construction priced from
the $600,000s to more than $5 million. The average unit
will have more than 3,000 square feet with 90 percent of
the units with waterfront views.
The 3.5-acre land tract at 2627 Bayshore Dr., was
purchased for $14.4 million in May 2000 and underground
utilities work has begun. A sales center opens in May.
"Grovenor House is the only luxury bayfront project in
Coconut Grove," Colombo said. "My only regret is that I
should have started it a little earlier. We are
targeting the local luxury market, not offshore
investors."
Colombo is owner of the Coral Gables-based Collection, a
major exotic car dealer for Porsche, Jaguar, Ferrari,
Audi, Lotus and Aston Martin. As much as he loves fine
cars and auto racing, he favors real estate development
for what he says is its "creative appeal."
He is just wrapping up Porto Vita in Aventura, a
partnership with Turnberry Associates, and is in the
design stage for the Dupont Plaza.
"I like to do two projects at the same time," he said.
"We do everything in house and the workflow keeps
everyone busy."
Wedding cake shape
Just 85 miles north from the Grovenor House is The
Landmark at the Gardens, a building designed in the
shape of a wedding cake overlooking a 20-acre lake. The
central core of the tower will be 17 stories tall with
flanking 14-story shoulders.
Panasonic Brings High-Definition
Aquarium To Grovenor House Coconut Grove Condo 65” pro
plasmas centerpiece of luxury interior design (March 14,
2006)
Mounted behind two large portholes cut
in a lobby wall, the plasmas play HD underwater video so
lifelike that visitors mistake it for an actual
giant-tank aquarium. Two Panasonic 65" high
definition plasma displays are on the cutting edge of
interior design in the luxury condominium Grovenor House
lobby in Coconut Grove, Florida. Mounted behind two
large portholes cut in a lobby wall of the
just-completed $200 million Grovenor House, the plasmas
play HD underwater video so lifelike that visitors
mistake it for an actual giant-tank aquarium. Colorful
high definition fish swim from one porthole to another
surrounded by the beautiful corals of Australia's Great
Barrier Reef.
The two video portholes are key
elements of the Grovenor House lobby's elegant decor
designed by the Florentine architect, Michele Bonan,
whose recent work includes several luxury hotels for
Ferragamo. Bonan and the Grovenor House developer, Ugo
Colombo, initially planned to install a huge salt-water
aquarium until they realized that HD video would be more
beautiful and much easier to maintain. Frederick
Grossberg of Washington DC-based Mill Reef Video was
brought in to produce the piece, and he immediately
specified the Panasonic professional plasmas for their
brilliant images and durability. Mill Reef is a video
design firm that produces ambient video to enhance the
interiors of homes, restaurants, and public spaces.
About Ugo
Colombo
Simply put,
Ugo Colombo has come to define and dominate the niche,
high-end condo market. In fact, Colombo may have
invented what refined luxury means in residential
development. His wealthy, Italian upbringing, coupled
with a natural meticulous eye for detail, has given way
to a hands-on, innovative approach to development. From
Bristol Tower to Grovenor House to his still unnamed
current undertaking, Colombo has given birth to some of
the most elegant and exclusive landmark condominiums in
South Florida. At 54 stories, Santa Maria surpassed all
other residential developments as the tallest building
south of New York City at the time. Porto Vita, a $400
million Mediterranean-style village in Aventura, set 375
exquisite homes on an expansive 18-acre development. For
Grovenor House, Colombo commissioned fellow Italian,
Michele Bonan, to create an enchanting, nautically
inspired lobby. He ushered the acclaimed designer over
land and sea to ensure the space would represent a
radical departure from traditional condominium
developments. All of Colombo’s creations incorporate his
own sense of style, elegance and privacy, and represent
prime examples of legendary living.
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