Piling rigs are now chewing into the former Starlite Motel site in Brickell, as the long-planned Miami Starlite tower finally moves from paperwork to heavy machinery. The first visible stages of construction are underway on the neighborhood’s western edge by the Miami River, shifting the low-rise lot toward a very different skyline.
In a LinkedIn post, Suffolk Construction said crews have wrapped up test piles, begun production piles and installed both permanent and temporary wells after a January groundbreaking. Suffolk describes the development as an roughly 800,000-square-foot, 39-story tower with 517 residential units and a heavy slate of amenities.
What's Being Built
The Miami Starlite tower at 128 Southwest 7th Street is a 39-story residential high-rise from developer Focus, working in partnership with Group Fox Management and design firm Gensler, according to Focus. The project page lists 517 units and about 697,913 square feet of building area, with roughly 7,500 to 8,000 square feet of retail at street level and a wide-ranging amenity package stacked above.
Financing And Approvals
The Real Deal reported that Affinius Capital originated a $250 million construction loan to get Miami Starlite out of the planning phase and into the ground. Cushman & Wakefield arranged the financing, which followed site plan approvals and permitting and allowed the joint venture to push ahead with full-scale construction.
Design And Amenities
Renderings show a curving concrete-and-glass tower with rounded floor plates, horizontal balcony lines and a podium topped by a landscaped amenity deck. The project, as detailed by Florida YIMBY, calls for roughly 16,000 square feet of indoor amenities, including coworking areas, fitness spaces, pet-focused features and multiple pools.
Why It Matters
Brickell has been steadily filling in with high-amenity residential and office towers, and Miami Starlite adds another big block of rentals within walking distance of transit and Brickell City Centre. Commercial Observer noted that the developers had previously sought partners and projected a 2028 delivery date, a sign that lenders and builders are still willing to back select Miami projects even as costs and interest rates stay elevated.
Timeline And What's Next
According to Focus, the team is targeting completion in 2028. The next visible milestones are crane installation and the move from foundation work into vertical construction. Nearby residents and commuters can expect heavy equipment on-site and periodic traffic control as the podium, tower floors and facade start to climb.
For now, Suffolk and the development team are sharing occasional progress snapshots on project and corporate channels as piling wraps up and concrete work ramps. For anyone tracking Brickell’s steady push west, this is one site worth keeping an eye on.
