SkyRise Miami to be Tallest Florida Tower

By Barbra Murray, Contributing Editor

An iconic destination is in the making in Miami. Berkowitz Development Group Inc. has announced plans to erect SkyRise Miami, an observation tower that will hover 1,000 feet above the city and carry the title of the tallest building in the state of Florida.

Berkowitz has brought the architectural firm of Arquitectonica aboard to orchestrate the design of the tower, which will sit on a 1.6-acre spot at water’s edge, appearing to jut right out into the ocean from the Bayside Marketplace. But SkyRise, which will be a key component of downtown’s Bayfront Entertainment Center, will serve as more than a sky-high perch from which to view a world-class vista. The tower will also feature a 500-seat ballroom, meeting space and retail tenants in the form of a restaurant, clubs and lounges.

Tishman Construction and Coastal Construction are the contractors on the project, and the team is on track to commence building activity in 2014, with a completion date in 2017. If all goes as planned, SkyRise will be the second tallest tower in the U.S., right on the heels of Las Vegas’ 1,148-foot Stratosphere Tower.

“I really hope it gets off the ground,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez noted in a prepared statement. “It would be a signature structure for Miami.”

According to Berkowitz’s calculations, SkyRise will attract more than 3 million visitors annually.