MIAMI—Defying the naysayers, Downtown Miami is officially thriving as a 24-7 neighborhood, attracting condo buyers from around the world to the city's urban core. Now, Newgard Development Group is breaking ground on the first condominium to rise from the dirt in Miami's Central Business District since the 2008 economic downturn.

Newgard and The Tilia Family of Companies commemorated the groundbreaking of Centro, a 352-unit loft-style condo tower, on Thursday. The site of the 37-story mixed-use condo tower is located at 151 SE 1st Street.

“As the first project to break ground this cycle in the heart of Downtown Miami, Centro is revolutionizing the future of urban living in Miami,” says Centro developer Harvey Hernandez, managing partner of Newgard. Preconstruction prices start in the low $200,000s and top out in the mid-$400,000s.

Playing off Downtown Miami's emergence as a pedestrian-friendly district with a variety of transit links and alternative modes of transportation, Centro is Miami's first residential building to have a fleet of on-site Smart Cars through a partnership with the Car2Go vehicle sharing program. The Miami Trolley, Metromover, and Metrorail, which provides access throughout Miami-Dade with frequent direct service to and from Miami International Airport, are also within walking distance from Centro.

Yves Béhar, founder of San Francisco-based design agency fuseproject, is the interior designer. Béhar's vision for Centro combines sustainable designs with a modern, efficient, integrated lifestyle. Some of his most notable design projects include Jawbone's JAMBOX Bluetooth speaker; the SodaStream Source home soda maker; the LEAF light and other furniture projects for Herman Miller; and footwear brand PUMA's Clever Little Bag.

“The innovative design, cutting edge features, and prime location of Centro has enabled our sales team to get the attention of buyers both locally and abroad,” says Cervera Real Estate managing partner Alicia Cervera Lamadrid. “As the tower moves full steam ahead to vertical construction, we still have premium units available for buyers seeking an urban lifestyle in the heart of Miami's vibrant downtown neighborhood.”

Building amenities will include a two-story penthouse recreation area featuring a rooftop pool with 360-degree views; health club and spa facilities; and resident's Skylounge. Additional perks include full-service valet parking; exclusive outdoor pet area with access controlled entry/exit; 24-hour reception desk; multiple fully-wired shared workspaces; and ground-floor anchor restaurant and retail space. Designed by Miami-based architecture firm Sieger Suarez Architectural Partnership and constructed by Tutor-Perini Building Corp., Centro's loft-style residences will include one- and two-bedroom units with open-concept floor plans; 10-foot ceilings; floor-to-ceiling windows with energy-efficient, sound-reducing glass; and balconies with views of the city lights.