Modern Spaces, the Long Island City-based brokerage led by Eric Benaim, has quietly crossed state lines and set up shop in Miami, planting its first out-of-state office in Wynwood this month. The compact storefront in the Wyncatcher I building opens with a five-agent roster, signaling both a bet on Wynwood's fast-growing residential scene and a larger play on the renewed influx of out-of-state residents heading to South Florida.
Modern Spaces Stakes A Claim In Wynwood
The firm’s new office is tucked into the Wyncatcher I building at 2143 Northwest First Avenue. Modern Spaces leased under 1,000 square feet for the initial team of five, with plans to grow the Miami headcount to around 25 agents by the end of the year, according to The Real Deal.
Benaim’s Local Bets
Benaim has not been shy about putting money into the neighborhood. In 2024, he paid $23.5 million for three retail and office buildings along North Miami Avenue and Northwest 24th Street, a transaction reported by Commercial Observer. The year before, he picked up a Wynwood lot at 25 Northwest 23rd Street for about $1.35 million, according to Traded.
Development-First Play
Modern Spaces, founded by Benaim nearly 18 years ago, has built its business around new-development assignments, handling everything from lining up architects and contractors to managing pre-leasing and pre-sales. In Miami, the brokerage has been tapped to pre-lease Heritage Equity Partners’ planned 300-unit project at 2140 Northeast Second Avenue in Edgewater. Looking ahead at the broader South Florida trajectory, Benaim told reporters, “I think there’s going to be a bigger wave. I think much bigger actually,” as reported by The Real Deal.
Why It Matters
The move lands in the middle of a wider corporate march into South Florida that has kept local brokers on their toes. One high-profile example is Palantir’s relocation to the Miami area, which has helped draw fresh attention from investors and executives to the region’s real estate market. Coverage of Palantir’s decision has sharpened the focus on South Florida leasing and development pipelines, as well as how firms and agents position themselves for incoming demand, according to WLRN.
For Wynwood, the arrival of a New York brokerage built around developer work is another sign of its evolution from weekend art-district destination into a full-service urban neighborhood. The next test will be whether Modern Spaces’ pre-leasing assignments, local hiring and planned headcount growth translate into steady sales and leasing velocity, or whether this remains an early, speculative foot in the door.
