Palatial homes in Bay Harbor
If Bay Harbor Islands ring a bell, you were probably a mega fan of TV’s “Dexter.”
A condo in the real-life island community of just 5,800 residents — located between ritzy Bal Harbour and even ritzier Indian Creek in Biscayne Bay — was used for the killer’s dated Florida digs.
While its fancier neighbors have seen a slew of splashy developments and mega sales, this little, walkable pair of lung-shaped islands flew very much under the radar. No more.
Deep-pocketed developers are now pouring concrete and cash into the area, dragging it into the spotlight.
“We had this massive influx of people coming to South Florida during the pandemic, and the premium spots on the ocean became out of reach even for wealthy buyers,” explains Jonathan Landau, who is developing a nine-unit luxury condo project on the southern end of the island, dubbed Indian Creek Residences & Yacht Club.
“Then people realized that yeah, the oceanfront is beautiful, but you can’t dock a boat. But you can dock a boat anywhere around this island.” Landau’s project launched sales in October. It comes with six yacht slips, white-glove service and one of the only private yacht clubs in the area. The eight-story building is designed by architect Kobi Karp with interiors by Linda Zarifi.
Spreads here range from three to five bedrooms and 3,300 square feet to 5,600 square feet, with prices from $5.6 million for a half-floor and penthouses starting at $11 million. (PH2 is the largest condo on the island.)
Meanwhile, woo-woo health hub The Well is choo-chooing towards the opening of its first branded residences here. With 54 one- to four-bedroom condos and 22,000 square feet of good-for-you amenity spaces, prices start at $1.3 million.
The six-story building, designed by Arquitectonica, is developed by Terra and slated for completion by December 2024. Clara Homes’ developer James Curnin’s Clara Bay Harbor will add 150 luxury rentals (starting at roughly $6,500 a month) to the northern tip of the island (steps from Dexter’s lair) next year.
Nearby, Miami real estate mogul Ugo Colombo is adding 41 condos and a 15-slip marina to the area with the eight-story Onda Residences, which completes early next year. Prices there range from $5 million to $8.4 million. Along the inner canal dividing the two isles is Origin Residences by Artefacto.
Launched in March, it has 27 two- to four-bedroom units, with prices ranging from $1.6 million to $4 million and a private marina.
Neither last nor least, developers Ari Pearl and Jonathan Leifer are building the Bay Harbor Towers, another eight-story job on the northside.
Sales launched on its 44 two- to four-bedroom residences last month, with a starting price of $1.9 million and penthouses starting at $16 million. “It’s serene. It’s beautiful,” Landau says of the isle. “And you get unbelievable sunsets, probably the nicest in Miami.”