Ugo Colombo Make Waves This Condo Cycle

MIAMI—Ugo Colombo's CMC Group has developed some of Miami's most iconic luxury condos and commercial projects, from the 40-story Bristol Tower, Santa Maria, and Porto Vita in the 1990s to Governor House and Epic Hotel & Residences in the 2000s.

In this cycle, the Italian-born developer busy with 64-story glass skyscraper Brickell Flatiron and The Collection Residences. Colombo's strategy is quite the opposite of firms like The Related Group, which builds, builds and builds.

GlobeSt.com caught up with the 52-year-old Colombo to find out more about what he's working on in part one of this exclusive interview. Be sure to check back in this afternoon's Miami edition for part two.

GlobeSt.com: CMC Group's approach to developing few projects each cycle is unique in the South Florida market. Why do you refrain from engaging in larger-scale development?

Colombo: CMC Group has always developed at our own pace, typically building only one or two developments at a time. This is how we've operated since the early 1990s.

Some firms race to build the most product in the shortest amount of time, but we believe there's value in being deliberate when it comes to planning, designing, constructing and selling a project. This allows us to emphasize the highest degree of quality over speed and volume. If a project takes a little more time and money to construct, so be it. In the end, the finished product will be stronger and more valuable to the end user.

GlobeSt.com: Where does your newest development, Brickell Flatiron, currently stand? What's the timing for construction?

Colombo: We are focusing on three projects right now, Brickell Flatiron, Beach House 8, and The Collection Residences. They will each share the same qualities that make our developments unique: intense focus on design, details and timelessness.

Brickell Flatiron is a 549-unit, 64 story high-rise in the heart of Brickell. We launched sales six months ago and are more than 40% sold.  We will break ground this year. 

Brickell Flatiron will have 35,000 square feet of ground-floor restaurant and retail space and a top floor devoted to common areas and amenities including a fitness center and sky spa that will feature the largest open-air rooftop pool in the southeast US. We'll also have a significant art collection by Julian Schnabel.

GlobeSt.com: What's the status of your next project in Coral Gables? When can we expect to learn more about that development?

Colombo: The Collection Residences is a boutique condominium we are developing in partnership with Masoud Shojaee and Shoma Group in Coral Gables. The development will include 128 condos and townhomes averaging 2,500 square feet located just two blocks from the Village of Merrick Park.

We think the ample size of our units and easy-to-access, walkable location will appeal to locals and empty nesters who are looking for added convenience, white glove service and luxurious amenities that come with our concierge lifestyle. We're planning to offer hotel-type amenities and services, as well as street-level space for retail and cafés. Arquitectonica designed the building, Duany Plater Zyberk is the project's historical architect, and Massimo Iosa Ghini, an award-winning architect based in Italy, created the interiors.