Brickell City Center record-setting office tower nearing

Demolition crews are hard at work in the heart of Miami’s business district at the site of what will be the most spacious and tallest commercial skyscraper in the southeastern United States.

On May 4, excavation equipment smashed through the windows of the former Eastern National Bank at 799 Brickell Plaza while a crowd gathered to celebrate another step toward construction of the largest office building on the East Coast south of New York City. The super-tall tower at 700 Brickell Ave., One Brickell City Centre, will crown Miami’s skyline and stand 1,040 feet once completed.

The high-rise is part of the second phase of Brickell City Centre, a sprawling 4.9-million-square-foot, $1 billion mixed-used development that opened in 2016. The tower is expected to be finished in 2027 and feature 1.5 million square feet of office space across 68 floors.

Swire Properties Inc., the US arm of Hong Kong-based Swire, headquartered in Miami since 1979, is the mastermind behind Brickell City Centre. In June 2022, the company announced a collaboration with New York-based Related Companies to construct the soaring tower at One Brickell City Centre. Miami architectural firm Arquitectonica is responsible for the project’s design.

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez; Henry Bott, president of Swire Properties; and Stephen M. Ross, chairman and founder of Related Companies, were at the groundbreaking last week.

“It’s incredibly important for so many reasons,” Mr. Suarez said about the tower. “First of all, the companies bring high-paying jobs, and number two, you have construction jobs throughout the project.

Asked if any office space had been leased yet, Mr. Bott said they’re working on it. “We’re making progress and that’s supported by the events today, showing prospective tenants that we have clear momentum,” he said.

The new tower is to offer oversized office spaces with 15-foot to 20-foot floor-to-ceiling windows and outdoor terraces on every level. In September 2022, the city commission approved the largest office floor plates ever used in Miami for the project, ranging from 25,000 to 53,000 square feet.

Other services at the site are to include a covered vehicle drop-off, dedicated fitness and wellness suites, multi-purpose event spaces and a rooftop helipad.

The building also will boast a direct connection to the Metromover light rail system and access to the first phase of Brickell City Centre, which encompasses 500,000 square feet of retail shops, restaurants and amenities.

A full demolition permit is still in review by Miami’s building department. On March 20, a partial electrical demolition permit was issued, and a plumbing permit was approved April 27 to install temporary toilets for construction workers.

Mr. Bott described the Class-A office tower as a “beacon for Brickell” and said design plans are being concluded, after which construction will begin in 2024 and take about three years to finish.