Lofts are the Newest Craze in South Florida

Author:	Lucas Jones
Source:	Homes Discovered
Date:	March 24, 2006

Loft living is a favorite in older cities such as New York and Chicago.  Lofts in these cities are nothing more than revamped rundown industrial or commercial buildings used for homes and workspaces. In south Florida where there is a lack of old, run down buildings, developers are building a new breed of loft from scratch. "Lofts here in South Florida are a new, hip, raw space, rather than a chopped-up one that is defined by interior walls," says architect Kobi Karp, the designer of such loft projects as Uptown Marina Lofts in Aventura and Absolut on South Beach. "Designing a loft means different things to different people--to me it is an opportunity to design a space with volume that people can use and developers can sell." The characteristics that make these "lofts" instead of unique condos is high ceilings and an open floor plan.  Even if these newly constructed "lofts" are not true lofts what is clear is that they are routinely meeting pre-sale expectations and satisfying buyers seeking real estate's next big thing. From downtown Miami to Fort Lauderdale to Delray Beach, many real estate speculators are sure that potential buyers will have no problem buying lofts as a creative alternative to the more structured high-rise condos. "Lofts--the moniker seems to be kind of the rage right now," says City of Miami Commissioner Johnny Winton, whose district includes downtown Miami. "There seems to be a lot more designs out there now, and whether they are true lofts or not isn't really important. As far as I'm concerned, the more options open to people to move downtown, the better. Lofts are just one of the elements that are bringing people in." One of the purest of loft designs, in terms of the traditional red-brick appearance, is ParcLofts, a 72-unit, high-end building in Miami's Performing Arts District that is expected to open in the next 12 to 14 months. "We sold out the majority very quickly. We didn't have to do much advertising--the way to sell them is just to build them," says ParcLofts developer Henry Harper. "People here in South Florida know lofts from movies, but they've never been in one. And I think the success of the loft depends also on the energy of the neighborhood--people like something and someplace different, they like to be pioneers." Other projects are attempting to revitalize true in-city living to draw the attention of prospective real estate buyers.  One example is The Related Group of Florida, successful developers in South Florida's luxury  condo market, who recently broke ground on The Loft Downtown, a 23-story, 196-unit building right in the middle of downtown Miami. These new in-city lofts from The Related Group of Florida are targeting the middle class and are offering incentives to move downtown.  Some incentives include close parking and modest prices.

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