As developers seek new ways to stand out and create buzz in an increasingly crowded luxury real estate market, one firm bets it can lure buyers with serenity features, including a walking trail featuring antidepressant and energizing stations. Walking and hiking trails are not uncommon in luxury real estate developments, but a new waterfront condominium in North Miami Beach, set to break ground this winter, plans to offer more than physical exercise. The Harbour, by Miami-based real estate investment and development firms Key International and 13th Floor Investments, looks to highlight its natural surroundings with an “Aromatherapy Trail” just under 2,000 feet long. The trail will feature antidepressant, energizing and pain relief stations with plants such as chamomile, lavender and mint, known for their medicinal properties to treat, among other things, muscle spasms and chest pain. The trail will also feature refreshment stops serving coconut water, and lemon and green teas. For the development’s canine residents, the project includes a fenced dog park.
The Harbour's planned Aromatherapy Trail.
RENDERING: THE DESIGN AGENCY“Miami is becoming too urban, and we wanted to return to Miami’s natural beauty,” said Inigo Ardid, vice president of Key International. According to Ardid, 80% of the project has been reserved since sales started about six months ago and 65% is under contract, with a high number of international buyers. Latin Americans from Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela make up 35% of those who have already reserved a unit at The Harbour. Europeans represent another 20%. Marketed as an “eco-serene luxury development”, The Harbour is yet another example of the kind of amenities Miami condo developers are adding to their offerings; an ultra-competitive wooing list that includes personal plunge pools, ice-skating rinks, private elevators for cars, cigar cellars, virtual racecar simulators and regulation-size soccer fields.
RELATED: Unique Amenities Abound in Miami's Competitive Condo Market Located on Biscayne Boulevard, The Harbour’s plans include two 32-story waterfront towers overlooking Biscayne Bay, featuring 425 residences situated on over 4.5 acres that will also include a marina. With an average of $650 per square foot, one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments will sell from $550,000 to $1.794 million. There will also be 14 penthouses, with one to four bedrooms, available from $1.2 million to $1.9 million.
The Harbour's beachfront.
RENDERING: THE DESIGN AGENCY“Prices never before seen for condo living at this caliber,” said the developers, who plan to complete construction in the summer of 2017. All units will still offer the expected luxury features: private elevators, expansive balconies and water and city views. There will also be an “Aqua Club” with personal activity coordinators to assist residents with activities, including kayaks, sailing and scuba diving, and a Beach Club with an indoor/outdoor restaurant and bar.