Four Seasons Coconut Grove: Why This 70-Unit Waterfront Tower Changes Everything for the Grove

I’ve been selling luxury pre-construction real estate in Miami for over 21 years. I’ve watched neighborhoods transform, seen developers come and go, and guided my clients through every cycle this market has produced. And in all that time, very few projects have stopped me the way Four Seasons Private Residences Coconut Grove has. This is not just another tower going up on the waterfront. This is the convergence of the right developers, the right brand, the right designer, and the right neighborhood — all arriving at precisely the right moment.

Let me walk you through exactly why I believe this project represents one of the most compelling pre-construction opportunities in South Florida right now, and why my clients who are paying attention are taking it very seriously.

The Neighborhood: Why Coconut Grove, Why Now

Coconut Grove is Miami’s oldest continuously inhabited neighborhood, and for good reason. While Brickell has become a canyon of glass towers and Downtown continues its evolution, the Grove has maintained something increasingly rare in Miami: character. The canopy of banyan trees, the walkable streets, the bayfront parks, the boutique dining scene along CocoWalk — this is a neighborhood that has always attracted people who want a life that feels lived-in rather than performed.

But here’s what’s shifting. Over the past five years, the Grove has quietly undergone a transformation that’s positioning it as one of Miami’s most desirable ultra-luxury addresses. The renovation of CocoWalk brought new retail and dining. The Underline continues to connect the neighborhood to Brickell and Downtown with a world-class linear park. And the wealth migration into South Florida — driven by tax policy, quality of life, and the maturation of Miami as a global city — is bringing a buyer profile to the Grove that didn’t exist five years ago.

When I talk to my clients about Coconut Grove’s position, I frame it simply: this is the neighborhood in Miami where you actually want to live. Not just invest. Not just park capital. Live. And that distinction matters enormously when you’re talking about a Four Seasons residential product, because these buyers are discerning enough to understand that lifestyle and location are inseparable.

The address — 2699 South Bayshore Drive — sits directly on the water with unobstructed views of Biscayne Bay. There is no building in front of you. There is no road between you and the water. That kind of positioning in a neighborhood with this kind of identity is extraordinarily difficult to replicate, and that scarcity is a fundamental part of the value proposition here.

The Developers: CMC Group and Fort Partners

I always tell my clients the same thing: before you buy the building, buy the developer. Their track record, their capitalization, their attention to detail, their ability to deliver on time and on spec — these are the things that protect your investment. And with Four Seasons Coconut Grove, you have a partnership that I would put against any development team in the country.

CMC Group and Ugo Colombo

Since his arrival in Miami in the ’80s, Italian-born Ugo Colombo has played a pivotal role in the reinvention of the city’s skyline. With his company, CMC Group, Colombo designed and built a series of luxury high-rises on Brickell Avenue — including the sought-after Bristol Tower, Brickell Flatiron, and Santa Maria — that raised the standards for high-end condominiums in South Florida. He also played a role in the rejuvenation of Miami Beach’s Ocean Drive by redeveloping two important Art Deco hotels: Waldorf Towers and the Casa Grande.

What I respect most about Colombo is that he builds for people who actually live in his buildings. These aren’t speculation machines. They’re homes. And that philosophy shows up in every design decision, every material choice, every service standard. If you’ve ever walked through the Santa Maria or Bristol Tower, you understand what I mean. These are buildings that still feel impeccable decades later.

Fort Partners and Nadim Ashi

Nadim Ashi founded Fort Partners in 2012, and his trajectory since then has been remarkable. Fort Partners’ first project was the Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences at The Surf Club — a project that immediately established the company as a force in luxury hospitality development. Over the past 12 years, Ashi’s extraordinary vision has led him to expand substantially, and he now holds ownership of all Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts on the coast of Florida. He’s working on 14 important projects across Europe and both coasts of the United States.

Here’s the critical point for buyers: Fort Partners doesn’t just develop Four Seasons properties. They own them. They operate them. They have a vested, long-term interest in every property performing at the highest level. When you buy at a Fort Partners Four Seasons project, you’re buying from someone who will be your neighbor in perpetuity — not a developer who sells out and moves on.

The combination of Colombo’s residential pedigree and Ashi’s Four Seasons expertise creates a development team that I genuinely believe is best-in-class for this kind of product.

The Product: What Makes These Residences Exceptional

Let’s talk specifics, because the details here are where this project really separates itself.

Four Seasons Coconut Grove is a 20-story tower with just 70 residences. That low unit count is intentional and significant. Fewer units means more privacy, more personalized service, and a more intimate community. Compare that to many new Miami towers with 200, 300, even 500 units, and you begin to understand the lifestyle difference.

The architecture is by Revuelta Architecture International — a firm that has been collaborating with Ugo Colombo and other established South Florida developers for more than three decades. Principal Luis Revuelta’s portfolio includes Bristol Tower and Santa Maria, so there’s a deep understanding of what luxury waterfront living demands structurally and aesthetically. The façade draws from the natural beauty of South Florida, incorporating fluid, curvilinear patterns reminiscent of palm fronds and the intricate roots of mangroves. These motifs create a dynamic interplay of light and shadow throughout the day, giving the structure a living quality that evolves with the sun’s movement.

Interiors by Michele Bönan

This is where I get genuinely excited. Florentine architect and interior designer Michele Bönan brings Italian artistry to each of his projects. He doesn’t adhere to a precise style but rather follows the Latin concept of genius loci — looking to the distinctive spirit of a place for inspiration. His designs around the world are characterized by Tuscan tailoring and high craftsmanship, with each detail bearing the stamp of excellence.

For Coconut Grove, Bönan has designed interiors that draw on the neighborhood’s tropical landscape — the lobby features statement walls with reliefs of palm leaves, elegant furniture, organic lines, and materials in rich tropical textures. It’s refined without being sterile. Warm without being casual. The residences themselves feature Molteni kitchens, Italian marble bathrooms, and finishes that reflect Bönan’s signature balance of sophistication and livability.

Residence Specifications

Typical residences range from 2,025 to 3,975 square feet in two-bedroom, three-bedroom, and four-bedroom configurations. Penthouses range from 6,425 to 9,700 square feet, with upper penthouses offering an additional 1,560 to 7,850 square feet of outdoor space on private rooftop terraces complete with a private swimming pool, hot tub, and two summer kitchens.

Every residence features private elevator access with a dedicated foyer, continuous drywall ceilings at 10 feet 6 inches or higher, expansive terraces with glass railings and 11-foot-plus ceilings, Lutron lighting controls, and Crestron home automation. These are not afterthoughts — these are the baseline standards. You can review the full floor plan collection here.

The Amenities and Four Seasons Service

The amenity package is extensive, but what makes it different from other luxury towers is the operational layer behind it. This isn’t just a gym and a pool. This is Four Seasons-managed hospitality infrastructure.

Residents will have access to a signature restaurant on the ground floor offering in-residence dining, a serviced pool deck overlooking Biscayne Bay, a state-of-the-art gym and yoga room, and a spa with treatment rooms, jacuzzi, Finnish saunas, and cold plunges — what the developer is calling The Caesar Experience, a wellness journey inspired by ancient Roman contrast therapy traditions. Additional amenities include a beauty atelier, private lounge and bar, kids’ area, party room, and bicycle storage.

The property services are equally compelling: an appointed director of residences, residential concierge, doorman and bellman services, 24/7 security and valet, 24-hour on-call emergency repair, and dedicated private arrival and valet entry.

Then there are the à la carte services — in-residence dining, in-residence spa treatments, housekeeping and laundry, grocery provisioning, maintenance and repair, butler services, wellness programs and personal trainers, dog grooming, catering, and car wash. And buyers also receive a Surf Club private membership with initiation fee and first-year dues waived, subject to approval.

I tell my clients: when you buy at a Four Seasons residence, you’re not just buying a home. You’re buying a lifestyle infrastructure that would cost you tens of thousands of dollars a year to replicate independently. And it’s managed by a brand that currently operates 133 hotels and 56 residential properties across 48 countries. The service consistency is not a promise — it’s a track record.

The Deposit Structure and Buying Process

The deposit schedule for Four Seasons Coconut Grove is straightforward: 20% with contract and 20% at groundbreaking. For a pre-construction product of this caliber, that’s a competitive structure. Many comparable projects in Miami are requiring 40% to 50% upfront.

What I always explain to my clients is that in pre-construction, you’re locking in today’s price for a future product. The developers launch at a certain price point to stimulate early sales, then raise prices as the project progresses and construction milestones are hit. The buyers who get in early benefit from that appreciation curve. I’ve been doing this for over two decades, and that dynamic has held true across every market cycle I’ve witnessed in Miami.

The legal entity behind the development is M-2699 S Bayshore Owner LLC, a Delaware limited liability company. Four Seasons Private Residences Miami at Coconut Grove are being developed by this entity under a license from Four Seasons Hotels Limited. This structure is standard for branded residential developments and provides clear legal definitions for buyer protections under Florida condominium law.

Who Is This Project For?

Based on my conversations with buyers, the profile for Four Seasons Coconut Grove falls into several categories.

First, there are the primary residence buyers — families and individuals who want to live full-time in Miami but want something that feels more residential and less transient than Brickell or Downtown. The Grove’s tree-lined streets, bayfront parks, and walkable village center offer a quality of daily life that high-rise corridors simply cannot match.

Second, there are the seasonal residents — buyers from the Northeast, Midwest, or international markets who want a second home managed by Four Seasons when they’re not in residence. The à la carte services mean you can arrive to a fully prepared home and leave knowing everything is maintained to the highest standard in your absence.

Third, there are the sophisticated investors who understand that branded residences in limited-inventory buildings with waterfront positioning tend to hold value and appreciate better than generic luxury product. The data supports this consistently across global markets — Four Seasons-branded residences command premiums of 25% to 35% above comparable unbranded product.

And fourth, there are the buyers who are simply tired of compromising. They’ve looked at 20 projects. They’ve toured the sales centers. They’ve compared price per square foot. And they’ve come to the conclusion that at this level, you’re not buying square footage — you’re buying a standard of living. Four Seasons sets that standard higher than anyone else, and this project delivers it in a neighborhood that actually deserves it.

The Landscape: Raymond Jungles

One detail that often gets overlooked but matters enormously to the daily experience of living here: the landscaping is by Raymond Jungles, Inc. Jungles is one of the most respected landscape architects in the tropical world, known for creating immersive, naturalistic outdoor environments. In a neighborhood defined by its canopy of banyan trees and tropical foliage, having a landscape architect of this caliber ensures that the building doesn’t just sit in Coconut Grove — it belongs to Coconut Grove.

The building has also been designed to meet National Green Building Standard Certification (NGBS), reflecting a commitment to sustainable design that aligns with the environmental consciousness increasingly important to high-net-worth buyers.

My Bottom Line

After 21 years in this market and over $2 billion in career sales, I’ve developed a simple framework for evaluating pre-construction projects. I look at four things: the developer’s ability to deliver, the brand’s ability to sustain value, the location’s trajectory, and the product’s differentiation from everything else on the market.

Four Seasons Coconut Grove scores at the highest level on all four. CMC Group and Fort Partners are proven. Four Seasons is a generational brand. Coconut Grove is ascending. And a 70-unit waterfront tower with Michele Bönan interiors and full Four Seasons service has no direct comparable in the market.

I’m not in the business of selling anyone anything. I’m in the business of developing relationships and making sure my clients have the information they need to make the best decision. If you’re considering this project — or want to understand how it compares to other opportunities in the pipeline — I’m here to give you the most candid, well-informed perspective you’ll find.