Society Biscayne, a 49-story apartment complex, is rising amid the pandemic at 400 Biscayne Blvd., on the former site of the First United Methodist Church of Miami. When completed, it will offer rent-by-bedroom co-living units along with traditional rentals.
The project includes 1 million square feet with a lobby lounge open to the public.
It will also include 51,000 square feet of commercial space and 22,000 square feet of church space when it is complete, according to The Next Miami.
Construction began Sept. 23, according to the Golden Dusk Photography blog, a site focused on construction development.
New York City-based Property Markets Groups, the developer, has ongoing construction scattered throughout South Florida including Society Las Olas in downtown Fort Lauderdale and Society Wynwood.
The new tower will be adjacent to Building 3 of the Miami-Dade College Wolfson Campus, across the street from Bayside and near the entry to the Port of Miami, PMG announced construction of Society Biscayne in June 2019. The 1.15-acre site was bought by PMG in partnership with Greybrook Realty Partners, a Canadian company, for $55 million.
Ryan Shear, managing partner of PMG, said there haven’t been major complications due to the pandemic, though the company had to adjust to social distancing guidelines and rules.
“It’s challenging, especially with the virus still around,” he said. “We have sanitation sites in place for workers… It’s just been a normal project, other than sometimes people do get COVID and they have to be off for a while.”
The “few cases,” Mr. Shear said, haven’t caused much of a delay.
The company hires medical personnel to provide on-site, free COVID testing for staff who have contracted the virus.
“We have sponsored, as a development group, getting our staff tested by bringing nurses to the site,” Mr. Shear said. “No complications have been seen.”
Mr. Shear said he is confident that once a cure is found, residents and businesses will begin to recover from their financial losses. He is adamant that people will be confident to rent once a vaccine is found.
Construction is still underway and is projected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2021.
