Berkowitz Development Group Cancels Plans For 1,049-Foot-Tall Skyrise Miami Entertainment And Observation Tower

Berkowitz Development Group, lead by Jeff Berkowitz, has announced the cancellation of their plans to build Skyrise Miami, a 1,049-foot-tall entertainment and observation tower that was planned to rise beside Bayside Marketplace addressed as 401 Biscayne Boulevard. Having been an extremely controversial tower for district, the developer had been planning for the development for nearly a decade, attempting to add a striking and skyline-impacting tower to Downtown Miami’s cityscape. Designed by Arquitectonica, Skyrise Miami was going to feature various attractions such as Skyplunge, Skydrop, Skyrise Flying Theater, multiple types of observation decks and event and meetings spaces as well.

Berkowitz told the Miami Herald, 

“We moved heaven and earth during almost 10 years of challenges, obstacles, and adversity. Despite everything we have endured and overcome, it is clear that given the unprecedented challenges presented by Covid-19 to the tourism, hospitality, and entertainment industries, I have no alternative but to cease construction and to abandon our efforts to build this project.

It was an enormously challenging and ambitious project, particularly for an individual. We, as a team, have spent thousands of hours planning and designing the overall SkyRise experience with some of the world’s top designers, attraction manufacturers, architects and experiential “imagineers” doing our best to make it epic, unique, successful and the symbol of the new Miami.

I started demolition of the site and constructed a brand-new pier, with upgraded utilities, for the City of Miami’s MiaMarina, something that will continue to benefit our community for years to come. I have spent very substantial sums in pursuit of this iconic project. I have not, nor will I, draw upon the millions of dollars of commitments made by some of Miami’s most respected community leaders, who shared my vision and were willing to co-invest in the project.

The project was abandoned in 2020, when it became obvious that the search for financing was futile. In 2021, we have been focused on our continuing obligation to plan, permit and restore the site to its original condition as a parking lot.”

Skyrise Miami. Designed by Arquitectonica.

Skyrise Miami. Designed by Arquitectonica.

Skyrise Miami was highly recognized for potentially becoming one of the city’s first supertall structures of a handful of proposals. However, 2020 was a catastrophic year for the project as financing could not be attained, and that’s aside from the lawsuits and and those attempting to block the project. With the plans for Skyrise Miami now defunct, Berkowitz may turn to restoring the site to its previous form as part of the deal. 

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