EXCLUSIVE: By next summer, Miami’s skyline will be shaped by a new architectural landmark, bringing a fresh wave of corporate titans and global elites into the heart of South Florida.
As Cipriani Residences Miami officially topped off its approximately 950-foot construction project — the tallest residential tower in the city — the 85-story tower stands as a physical monument to the Magic City’s evolution from a sun-soaked vacation spot into a permanent capital for international wealth.
Cipriani revealed to Fox News Digital that its first ground-up residential development in North America is more than 80% sold, and will welcome buyers from over 30 countries who are now calling Miami their primary home.
“Residential living is a natural extension of hospitality, but it was important to us to do it in the right way,” Giuseppe Cipriani exclusively told Fox Digital. “With Cipriani Residences Miami, we found the right city, location and a great partner… Our family has been closely involved in shaping the design and the overall experience so that it reflects the same traditions we have carried with us for generations. For us, it is not simply about putting the Cipriani name on a building. It is about creating a home where the way you live is the way we would live.”
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“Every time I drive by it, my emotional reaction is, ‘Wow.’ I am humbled by the fact that we’re building something of this scale, because when I started my business, although I always aspired to get here, I didn’t know when it would happen — and it has happened,” Mast Capital founder and CEO Camilo Miguel Jr., the developer behind the building, also said. “One of the biggest challenges was actually the upfront planning part, because when you’re building a 950-foot building… the engineering that goes into that is quite different than building something that’s 20 stories.”
The leading international markets for buyers, in order, come from Mexico, Italy, Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, Canada, France, Spain and the United Kingdom. Domestic buyers continue to flood in from high-tax states like New York and California, too.
“There are countries that are having a lot of their own economic challenges and headwinds and political challenges and headwinds, as well… And people are not only buying in Miami as [an] investment, but people are actually buying in Miami to live. And people were looking at Cipriani and saying, ‘This is going to be home,’” Miguel said.
“We have some buyers who have bought for their whole family and intend to move everybody into the building,” he added.
“Every city has its own character, but what people appreciate about Cipriani is remarkably consistent: warmth, discretion, good service and a sense of familiarity,” Cipriani said. “Miami is a very international city, and that has always felt natural to us. People come here from all over the world, just as they do in Venice or New York. The lifestyle naturally is shaped by its beautiful weather, its connection to the water, its seamless relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces. Cipriani Residences Miami brings that way of living into our world.”
“People are increasingly choosing Miami not only as somewhere to visit, but somewhere to live,” Cipriani continued. “They want privacy, comfort, good service and a quality of life that feels effortless.”
Earlier this month, the New York Post reported that soccer superstar Lionel Messi had purchased four units in the building, followed by a wave of other Argentine players. Buyers also allegedly include executives from Citadel and Amazon who are relocating from New York and California.
“We don’t change who we are depending on the guest. That has never been our philosophy,” Cipriani said. “For nearly a century, our family has welcomed people from many different countries, culture[s], generations and paths of life. Royals, aristocrats, powerful businessmen but also writers, intellectuals and all kind[s] of interesting people have been coming to our locations — as human beings.”
“That sense of warmth and understated elegance that comes from our Italian heritage, and it remains at the heart of everything we do, fortunately has appealed to many of them,” the grandson of the Cipriani patriarch added.
“One of the main reasons that people are choosing Miami over New York City right now is the pro-business mentality. I mean you live in a business-friendly city and a business-friendly state, and the growth and the global nature of our city,” Miguel explained. “And you realize quickly that as a hedge fund or a financial institution, you no longer just need to be in New York City to be relevant and be successful.”
“These are big companies that are moving here, signing leases, taking space, and moving their top executives to Miami, their high-income earners. And these individuals are buying homes and condos across Miami,” Miguel said.
The development is also on track to become the only new residential tower in the Brickell neighborhood, delivering completed homes in 2027.
“We are very proud, of course, of what has been built, and of where the company is today, 95 years after the opening of that small bar in Venice. Seeing the tower reach its full height makes us even more excited to bring that spirit to life for the residents who will call it home,” Cipriani nodded to his grandfather’s founding of Harry’s Bar in 1931, where the Bellini was born and “warmth, simplicity and genuine care” became Cipriani’s brand.
“The principles have never changed,” he said. “Whether it is a restaurant, a club, a hotel or now a residence, the idea is the same: people should feel comfortable, free and at home. The world changes, but our hospitality values do not.”
“This is really about heritage, about people, about a family,” Miguel agreed, recalling his first time at a Cipriani restaurant. “What I really liked about it is that subtle elegance that you feel when you walk in, and the fact that everybody that works there is smiling, everybody that’s there is welcoming and everybody that is there is hyper-focused on making sure that you have a positive experience.”
“I never dreamed of Miami being what it is today,” Miguel said, “and I think the sky’s the limit.”
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