Our good friend and collegue Kevin Tomlinson wrote a great post on his newest ultra-luxury condominium for sale - The Apogee Penthouse.

Per Kevin’s custom website:

South Florida’s Most Dazzling Penthouse. Ever.

The radiant crown jewel of South Florida’s most regal, opulent condominium high-rise is now for sale in South Beach.

Apogee Penthouse A is arguably the greatest luxury condo residence to ever ascend on the Miami real estate landscape. The essence of lavishness and grandeur, Apogee is considered one of the most privileged addresses in one of the most fashionable and desirable neighborhoods in the world — South of Fifth (SoFi), also known as South Pointe.

With just 67 sublime bayfront homes, only a select few can live the Apogee fantasy. The stately property is indescribable, yet, at the same time, many words come to mind when you’re in its presence: refined, exclusive, intimate…sophisticated, exquisite, glamorous. Simply sensational.

Get a list of amenities, tour the photo gallery and check out The Apogee Penhouse right on Kevin’s website.

25 Bond is The Ultra Luxury!  Check out these pics on one of NYC’s best tastes…

Oh…and there is still one unit left for a cool $8M if you got it!  Interested?

Past Posts on 25 Bond: See them all here

Online real estate broker Redfin Corporation today relaunched its popular Sweet Digs blog with a new analytical format designed to give consumers insights on prices, inventory levels, bargains and open houses in San Francisco Bay Area and Greater Seattle neighborhoods. Redfin plans to launch Sweet Digs for Southern.

California and Boston later this summer.

The new format is the result of a ruling from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS), a broker-owned database of Seattle-area listings, which closed Sweet Digs on May 15; the NWMLS ruled that Sweet Digs’ in-person property reviews violated rules against advertising another broker’s listing.
According to a Redfin survey of more than 300 Sweet Digs subscribers on what data would be “very interesting,” 63 percent chose price reductions, 62 percent past sales, 61 percent inventory levels; in the same survey, 61 percent said the open house reviews were “very interesting.” Continued on Press Release of visit Redfin Corp Blog

Sign up for Sweet Digs Here (Boston, LA, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle)

Speaking of “SWEET DIGS,” Mr. Zilbert still has the Sweetest Digs of them all way down in South Beach! The branded “Beachhouse” is a voluptous $6M Il Villagio Miami Beach Condo from Heaven!

$2000 per square foot and you can’t even live in it year round!  Gotta love NY!

Now that the long-awaited plans for Trump SoHo have finally been approved by the city, the next question is: How much are these suckers going to cost? Although the sales office has yet to open (the offering plan will be ready “imminently,” we’re told) and our requests for specific pricing information have been unsuccessful, the parties involved predict the numbers will be unprecedented below 14th Street.

“The demand is going to create a price point that will set the benchmark for pricing downtown,” says Shaun Osher of Core Group Marketing, which will be selling the hotel-condo units. “It will be well in excess of $2,000 a square foot.”

Though Donald Trump Jr. notes that “$2,000 a square foot doesn’t have the shock factor it used to” (especially to foreign buyers taking advantage of the weak dollar), that price point is still high compared to the new Hudson Square buildings a stone’s throw west of Trump SoHo.  Continued…

Source: New York Post

For the same money of one of their high-end units, you could visit our SOHO fav - 25 Bond (with only one unit left).  Also, visit other NY Condos and condo-hotels here.

Rumor has it that one of the buyers of one of the $50 million-plus condo at The Plaza is Italian real-estate tycoon Luigi Zunino, the CEO of Milan-based Risanamento S.p.A., one of Italy’s largest real-estate development companies.

The Plaza Residences Website

The Math:  9100 sq/ft X $6100 per sq/ft = $56,120,000 (bonus = free 500 sq.ft terrace)

Sources: The Real Estate Bloggers, Observer, NYTimes

Developer and philanthropist Steven Belkin is well known about town for his business acumen, incredible generosity and ownership of the Atlanta Hawks. Belkin was the sole bidder last fall when Boston mayor Tom Menino was looking for someone to develop a skyline-changing building. If all goes as planned the building at 111 Federal Street will be 1,000 feet tall and 80 stories with 1.3 million square feet of office space and 40,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space. It will also include an enclosed one-acre Town Green on the ground floor and a rooftop garden complete with trees.

Source: Greater Boston TV.com

Steve - Don’t forget a residential component.

There he was in Us Weekly, handsome Orlando Bloom. His left hand cradled a folder, the word ATELIER—as in the 46-story condo tower on way-west 42nd Street—printed on the front. Paparazzi moment or genius product placement?

It’s hard to tell, as projects entering the market are now linked with boldface names almost as frequently as Lindsay Lohan is with partying. (Lohan herself, in fact, is said to have poked around Atelier.) It’s a way to generate buzz for a new building, especially in a crowded field. Leonardo DiCaprio has been connected with Hudson Blue, Naomi Campbell with the Cipriani Club Residences, Scarlett Johansson with the Chelsea Club on West 19th Street.

Sometimes, developers give celebrities price breaks in return for cachet, says publicist Stephen Larkin. He says discounts can reach 20 percent. If celebrities are hosting condo launch parties, or lending their creative vision to the project, they’re probably getting paid outright. Continued…

See Atelier Condos 627 West 42nd (Triple Mint)

See more New York Condos

Source: NYTimes

Other Recent Movie Star Discounts:  Lindsay Lohan 1, Lindsay Lohan 2

Last week, developers Arthur and William Zeckendorf announced they had sold all of the building’s 202 units, 15 of them for more than $20 million, including an eight-bedroom penthouse to hedge-fund executive Daniel Loeb for $45 million.  Bob Costas one of the latest buyers at 15CPW.
Visit their website at 15CPW.com if you want to see on what you missed out on! And if your looking to drop in the $20M range…we still recommend our NYC fav - 20 Bond, I think $19M will buy you the entire floor (last unit). For all other New York Condos visit www.NY.condoDomain.com

The Department of Buildings on Tuesday approved the plans and the application for a building permit for Donald Trump’s proposed 42-story condo-hotel on Spring St. in a manufacturing district in Hudson Square, a project that has roused intense opposition from preservation advocates.
The approval of the application for 242 Spring St. at Varick St. did not yet include the actual permit to continue construction on the site, where the foundation is nearly completed, according to a department spokesperson.
The developer, actually Bayrock/Sapir Organization, with the participation of Trump and his grown children, still had to submit nearly 20 technical documents before a permit could be issued, according to a Department of Buildings statement.

Continued….

or visit the DEV WEBSITE:  www.TRUMPSOHO.com 

Source: The Villager

Our Pal Philippe Starck from London based design development firm YOO is on the loose again in New York City…this time in Gramercy Park!  After 2 super successful development (Downtown by Starck and the Jade), Starck is on to his third new condo development.  Victor Homes Development is behind this New York Condo.  Also, by the looks of the temp website, units will range from $500k to $2M+.  Contact Mr. SHVO for more questions (and let him know condoDomain sent ya).  Thx!

So for this new project on Gramercy Park - check out www.GramercyStarck.com

P&S Signed Today! Now that I am officially “in” … we will tell you a bit more about one of the coolest properties in downtown Boston. This sleek sexy new condominium brownstone has 3 floor-through units. #3 is mine , but 2 are still available. The project is a complete gut rehab so all 3 units will be bran-spankin-new. Walls of windows, custom kitchen’s and living layouts, these South End condos are made for true city-living.  In unit amenities are the best of the best and nothing was held back on…this developer went ALL OUT!

When I first walked the building about a month ago I got that lower Manhattan feel.  I felt like I was in a new construction private brownstone….similar to hmmm, Tribeca.  Lined on a great city-street with the hustle and bustle of active people and fun spots to scoop into at anytime of the day or night.
Anyway, 2 units have killer deck’s off the kitchen and the penthouse has killer ceiling height, sky-lights and a “secret detail” only visitors and guests will ever get to know.

Interested in these units … let us know and we will hook you up with the broker. Expect to pay some $$$ but they are worth every penny.  If you are looking for a unique piece of Boston Real Estate in one of the hottest neighborhoods (South End), let us know.

Hey…if you decide to buy…we will be hallway-neighbors (I am a quiet neighbor, well it doesn’t even matter because of the sound proofing that was installed.)

Looking forward to sharing more on my experience with this exciting new South End Condo.  Wish me luck!

No, we are not talking about a yard sale.

We have all been to a hotel where we love a piece of furniture or decorative item and wished we could just buy it (unlike the towels we just steal).  Well, now more and more hotel’s are doing this.  The W Hotels which have led the industry in creative luxury overnight-stay’s is now allowing you to live it year round in your own home.  Of course you could always buy a condo-hotel from Starwood Group and have it be done,  but we are talking about going shopping for that cool, hip modern furniture that is always so hard to find and having it delivered to your own home.

Visit The W Hotel Store:  They have everything from footwear and music to bedding and furniture.  Pretty neat right?

We took a few days off this week and kicked back at The Standard in Miami. Got to hook up with Kamal Hotchandani from the elite ever popular Haute Living Magazine, Joey Goldman from Goldman Properties Miami and also a blogging friend from Aventura, Peter Santiago.

Took a little cruise of downtown Miami’s waterfront and all the new condo development. Passed by one of my all time favorite buildings - Ten Museum Park. Enjoy the pic’s.

Ten Museum Park Rendering from website.

Congress Street or Summer Street — which will be the coolest?

Two development teams are competing to create the new “main street” in a reinvigorated neighborhood of old wharf buildings across the Fort Point Channel from downtown Boston.”Summer Street is the spine,” insisted Tony Goldman, who has done stylish urban redevelopment before, in New York’s Soho and Miami’s South Beach, and now has a portfolio of 11 brick buildings, clustered around Summer, that he’s intending to develop.

A block to the north is Congress, the center of a chunk of buildings owned by Berkeley Investments Inc.

“Congress is going to be where a lot of restaurants and stores are — the heart of the whole district, where people want to hang out,” said Young K. Park, Berkeley’s president. “Summer is much too wide, much too trafficked,” he said. Continued…

Source: Boston Globe

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We are so excited to see this development neighborhood built…in our opinion it is all going to be awesome! Each property has put up their temporary website. Goldman’s - www.BostonWharf.com and Park’s - www.fp3boston.com. Park does though have his fair share of work cut out for him to stand next to Goldman’s not only experience in leading neighbohoods such as SOHO and South Beach to worldwide status….but his creativity & passion that he put into every pieces of his product will be tough to top. Hes wanted to do a project like this in Boston his whole life…and now he finally has got his shot.

Above Left to Right - RG Kahoe, Kelly Chase, Tony Goldman from the  Goldman Properties team and Tony Longo from condoDomain

Got a sneak peak email from Goldman Properties Managing Partner Albert Price today. He shared with us that the 25 Bond Street website is live as of right now!

If you are truly looking for a ‘one of a kind’ home in Manhattan 25 Bond has just 2 units left. Check it out at www.25bond.com and if you have discrete inquiries about the property which spans 100′ of street frontage on Bond Street in New York ….then contact them!

More to come 25 Bond soon!

[ Schrager Goldman Dance on Bond Street ]

CONDOS: WHAT’S IN – WHAT’S OUT 4/09/07

by Kevin Ahearn, President of Otis & Ahearn, Inc.
Investor, condoDomain.com

Forget fashion ins and outs (who can keep track anyway?). It’s the ins and outs of home design that really have an impact on how many of us live. So, with a new year getting underway, check out some of the newest trends in condominium design, as spotted by expert eye Kevin Ahearn, president of leading Boston-area condo brokerage and marketing firm Otis & Ahearn.

Out: The traditional tub in smaller units – studios and one-bedrooms
In: Spa-like bathrooms with oversized luxury showers (rain faucets, steam options, seats).

Out: The commercial, industrial, stainless steel kitchen (except in lofts).
In: Kitchens that blend more seamlessly into the living area, with refrigerators hidden behind wood-paneled doors and dishwashers and microwaves tucked into fitted cabinetry.

Out: The half bath or powder room in larger units.
In: Plumb for it but give the owner the flexibility to use it as a home office. Let the guests wash their hands in the other two bathrooms. Most condos are occupied by couples and they find two bathrooms sufficient. They seem to have a greater need for computer work areas.

Out: The one big, walk-in closet.
In: Twin “his and hers� walk-in closets. No one wants to share.

Out: Using the kitchen simply for cooking.
In: The kitchen should contain a flat screen television plus a computer. Who knows when you might need to Google a recipe?

Out: Charcoal cooking on the terrace, patio or deck (forbidden by most city ordinances).
In: Gas lines plumbed from condo units out to the terrace for easy gas grilling and entertaining.

Out: Only granite and marble counters.
In: New ceramic finishes and glass tiles, which are easier to maintain and come in limitless colors.

Out: The breakfast bar.
In: Large dining island with dining chairs. Who wants to perch on a stool early in the morning or later, when enjoying a wonderful dinner?

Out: The big entertainment center.
In: Discreet, tucked away cupboard….or space specifically designed for wireless home theater.

Out: The understated entry.
In: Oversized front door. Entry with dramatic lighting and room for welcoming furniture. Everyone wants the “wow� factor.

Over all, says Ahearn, rather than sleeping and eating quarters, apartments are becoming multi-purpose activity centers, with areas designed for work, sophisticated home entertainment, gourmet cooking and spa-like relaxation. And this multi-tasking design is accented with a demand for drama: high-impact architectural features like innovative lighting, glass walled rooms and oversized windows. Apparently, it’s a harsh world out there: who wants to go out when you can stay in?

The Perrinepod is a self-contained, stackable housing unit that can be placed within a month of ordering. Mother in law moving in? Adding a home office? No problem for a Perrinepod dweller. Just order a second unit and plug it in. Buyers with large extended families will be happy to know the pods can be stacked to 30 stories high.

Made from polished concrete, aluminium and glass, Perrinepod’s standard colours are grey and white, but the concrete can be toned to any natural pigment, including black and shades of brown. Its pod-like looks are enhanced by a lack of joins and sharp corners. Making it nearly as plug-and-play as an iPod, internal wiring and plumbing are built in, and utilities are hooked up at one central point.

Perrinepods come in three sizes: one, two and three bedrooms (AUD 99,000 - 200,000), with external dimensions of 8 x 6m, 8 x 9m and 8 x 12m. The units are designed and manufactured in Perth. Prices include delivery to metropolitan areas in Australia, erection of the Perrinepod, and all interior fittings.   Continued…

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I guess if you stack one pod over the other…it’s now a condo pod!

Latest news from my Lindsay Lohan Condo Post yesterday…is that she was actually given the Condo, and she did not purchase it.

As noted in the article, many high-end developers will do this to attract more PR around the development.  If you think about it, it costs just about the same to kick off a killer PR campaign with print advertising and its NOT as cool as having a celeb in your condo building!

Condo Developers of these luxury lifestyle buildings are using everything from world renown artists like Philippe Starck, Designers like Armani Casa in 20 Pine downtown NYC and Ian Schrager world renown hotelier in 40 Bond Street in NOHO and even Jade Jagger, Mick Jagger’s daughter designing the Jade in Chelsea (as you can see NYC is taking the lead in branded condominium buildings!)…. and its the buyers are eating it up. 

These aren’t sales tactics, they are positioned marketing & designer goods that last.  They have staying power and tell a story.  This is what actually attracts me to the urban condominium marketplace.  I believe we are just scratching the surface of creativity, luxury & lifestyle aspects of “Branded Buildings”.

Your thoughts on branded condo buildings?

25 Bond Street (above) was unveiled this weekend.  SOHO visionary Developer Tony Goldman who is also currently involved with projects in Boston, Philly & Miami, unveils his new NOHO masterpiece!  Eight stories of hefty rough-cut Jerusalem limestone partnered with details of dark bronzed steel. It’s been designed by architect George Schieferdecker of BKSK Architects as six stories of four bold asymmetrically arranged sections with recessed windows down below and a couple of stories of contrasting steel crowning the top. The building runs for a full 100 feet along Bond Street across from Ian Schrager / Herzog and de Meuron’s all glass palace at 40 Bond. What a pair these two make. As different as Archy and Mehitabel.

Schrager’s 40 Bond Below.

Source:  Curbed

Famed Jorge Perez and John Hitchox / Philippe Starck Killer Combo has done Mexico with their new project Icon Vallarta.  See the new property here. 

This is a very exciting new pre-construction opportunity on the beaches of Puerto Vallarta. The Related Group has announced it is developing Icon Vallarta in partnership with YOO by Philippe Starck. The beachside project will feature three 26-story high-rise luxury towers comprised of 336 condominiums with 7 spectacular pool side villas all fronting the Pacific Ocean and minutes away from historic downtown Vallarta.  

Condo Property Here

Philippe Starck Here

Related Group Here

YOO Here
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Trilobis 65 is a semi-submerged
dwelling environment. Reaching 20 metres in length designed by Giancarlo Zema for habitation by six people at sea. It is ideal for living in bays, atolls and maritime parks. The main aim of the project is to allow anyone to live in a unique environment through a self sufficient, non-polluting dwelling cell in unison with their ocean surroundings. Trilobis 65 has been designed on four separate levels connected by a spiraling staircase.

More details hear!

Why Dubai condos are not like Miami and will avoid a real crisis.
The overbuilding of Miami condominium buildings is worrying realtors. They point to 10,000 completions this year and 10,000 next year, while only 11,000 units were absorbed by the market in the previous decade. Importantly the developers are highly leveraged and so are the off plan buyers of many of these units.

Check out this powerpoint on Dubai Condo Hotels.  This makes us want to open condoDomain Dubai asap!  For now we will let these pictures tell the story.

 

 

Quick Quiz:  Did you know that 20% of the worlds active cranes are in Dubai right now?

Has the “WOW” Factor finally come to Boston?  New York developer, Extell Development, may have brought a piece of the Big Apple to Boston!  The new model homes have opened up at the Residences at the InterContinental.  Fine design stylized by The Orpin Group - Susan Orpin & Celeste Cooper.  The brand new luxury condominium & hotel residences are now open for first hand viewing from the gleaming glass tower in downtown Boston.  A taste of the Residences 2bed & 3bed + library model home below.  One word to describe them…”Stunning!”

Want more information - click here.

 

 

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WATCH THE MOVIE

One of the most fun film shoots we have been on and one of the most luxurious properties we have ever seen exists here…in Providence Rhode Island.  The Residences at the Westin Hotel are GORGEOUS!

Imagine a space tailored to your dreams. A home in the center of a bustling downtown with gorgeous views of the city around you. A haven for your mind, body and soul. Imagine lavish surroundings with all the services and comforts of a Four Star hotel including around-the-clock security, wellness spa, concierge, valet, room service, 24-hour chauffeur and housekeeping. This is high-rise luxury living. Imagine yourself at The Residences at The Westin Providence.

WATCH THE MOVIE

or

Click Here for More Info on the Residences

Visit here for more info on Providence Condos