Miami’s First Supertall Tower Takes Shape as More Projects Advance

A tower formed from nine unevenly stacked cubes is reshaping the view for commuters traveling from Miami Beach across the MacArthur Causeway. The Waldorf Astoria Hotel & Residences, scheduled for completion in 2028, will become Florida’s first supertall building, a designation for structures exceeding 300 meters, or 984 feet.

Designed by Uruguayan-Canadian architect Carlos Ott and the firm Sieger Suarez, the 100-story building creates an impression of precariously balanced blocks. Ryan Shear, managing partner at developer PMG, told WLRN that the appearance disguises a straightforward internal arrangement: the core and elevators rise vertically. The unusual exterior, he said, was intended to make the building an artistic and distinctive addition to the city.

Several other projects are set to follow. PMG is planning the Delano Residences Miami a block north of the Waldorf Astoria. One Bayfront Tower, proposed for the former VITAS building site, is preparing to begin construction and is expected to finish in 2030. Miami RiverBridge, planned for the James S. and James L. Knight Center and Hyatt Hotel site, also targets 2030 after winning voter approval in 2022. Dolce & Gabbana’s 888 Brickell Miami is expected to be completed in 2029.

The towers will rise no higher than the Waldorf Astoria’s 1,049 feet. Federal height restrictions protect aircraft approaching Miami International Airport, roughly five miles away. At the Waldorf Astoria construction site, about 600 workers currently rotate through shifts each day. The building is expected to reach its full height before the end of 2026, with daily staffing subsequently remaining around 400 to 500.

The development occupies a one-acre lot opposite Bayside Marketplace. Its lowest three cubes will contain a 205-room hotel and guest amenities, while the upper six will house 360 private condominiums. Shear said the vast majority of residences have sold. Much of the first cube will accommodate parking, with separate arrival levels for hotel guests, residents and visitors attending events at the ballroom and wedding venue.

The construction boom has also prompted questions about how exceptionally tall luxury buildings fit into city life. Kheir Al-Kodmany, an urban planning and policy professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, told WLRN that cities can plan such towers as centers around which development grows, citing Dubai and Shenzhen. He said Miami appears closer to the less coordinated approach associated with New York’s Billionaires’ Row.

Al-Kodmany argued that New York’s slender towers disrupt the skyline and make economic inequality visibly apparent. PMG co-developed one of those buildings, the 1,428-foot Steinway Tower at 111 West 57th Street. He also contrasted exclusive developments with towers that give residents access to elevated restaurants, gardens or observation areas, saying Miami appears to be pursuing a more private model.

The Waldorf Astoria will have a restaurant on its fifth floor and a ballroom on a lower level, but its upper six cubes will be reserved for private use. A penthouse spanning the top four floors will include panoramic windows, a gym, movie theater, spa and internal elevators. Listed for $50 million in 2023, it has sold for an undisclosed price.

Shear described the work required to deliver such a building as demanding, even as he expressed support for Miami’s continued vertical growth. “They’re very complicated. They’re very time consuming,” he told WLRN. “But they’re very special.”