2011 - The site for 52-story Trump Tower Tampa [article coverage from 2004 to present] has been purchased for $5 million, including an adjacent six-story building. The site was last sold in 2004 for $16 million. Also, Everglades on the Bay is alive with a new name "Vizcayne." eotblife.com

September 15, 2010 - WPB - Bulk sales of condos accelerate in South Florida "...Condo prices have tumbled by about 60 percent since the peak of the housing boom in 2005...."

August 24, 2009 - Fort Lauderdale - Las Olas Centre owner faces foreclosure "...BentleyForbes broke South Florida price-per-square-foot record in 2007...$492 per square foot..."

August 18, 2009 - Miami - Investors snapping up downtown Miami condos "...Some builders are actually running out of inventory. The first building to sell out, Brickell on the River...120 units sold out in six weeks..."

July 30, 2009 -- Fort Myers -- Downtown Fort Myers condo has 32 stories, and one lonely tale [a single unit is occupied in the 220 unit 32-story Oasis I developed by The Related Group of Miami] -- Other nearly vacant high-rises: Tampa, twin 30-story The Towers of Channelside; Palmetto, 15-story Bel Mare at Riviera Dunes

09-09-10 - (More urban sprawl) Homebuilders revive stalled projects as banks unload lots [Bloomberg News; St. Pete Times]"Construction crews are returning to the Cascades of Groveland, a gated 55-and-older community west of Orlando almost three years after its bankrupt developer left owners of the existing 238 houses surrounded by empty lots, partially built homes and an unfinished clubhouse."

09-09-09 - In Florida, Vestiges of the Boom [New York Times; Miami-Ft. Lauderdale]"The Tao Sawgrass, as the twin-towered complex is known, was built on the western fringes of Fort Lauderdale with easy money from the now tottering condo king of American finance: Corus Bancshares of Chicago. Only about 50 of the 396 units have been sold." [The Tao Sawgrass]

02-13-09 - Condo Tower Passes Hurdle: A proposed condo tower on Bayshore Boulevard passed another hurdle last week with a final approval from the city's Architectural Review Commission, pending several conditions. The proposed tower would be reduced to 19 stories from 24 stories under the latest agreement. [Tampa; Citivest tower]

11-09-08 - Market’s Collapse Echoes in a Manhattan Tower [The elevators work fine, the views are great, the offices have been refurbished and no one is complaining about rats. In so many ways, the green-tinted, 41-story office tower overlooking Bryant Park seems a desirable address. Many firms that signed leases at 1095 Avenue of the Americas say they no longer can afford the spaces, or do not need them as a result of layoffs.
So why are tenants who rushed to rent space a year ago in the building, at 1095 Avenue of the Americas, rushing to break their leases now?]

11-08-08 - Ex-con sued by Trump Tower Tampa developers [Tampa; SimDag LLC sues Rev. Father Barney Canada (Providence Funding) for loan fraud]

10-23-08 - 'We kidded ourselves,' developer says of boom that led to glut of condos [West Palm Beach Post]

10-20-08 - Eola Capital withdrew its Orlando rezoning application for a 15-story headquarters tower [Orlando: 15-story]

08-30-08 - USF to reach out to retirees with downtown community [St. Petersburg; Two 30-story high-rises]

08-22-08 - $68M in affordable apartments could begin in early ’09 -- Central Park project seeing some life [Tampa project; 3 skyscapers planned]

07-09-08 - WCI arranges to pay off debt due Aug. 5, 2008 [payoff 4% notes with new 16% senior secured notes due in 2013]

07-08-08 - Fontainebleau's face lift has an important stop: the bathroom [$1 bln make-over]

07-07-08 - Deep pockets send Hyatt skyward ["The 44-unit project is set to go vertical within a matter of weeks..." Sarasota]

05-21-08 - WCI is unlikely to have sufficient liquidity to repay $125 mln of 4% contingent convertible senior subordinated notes due 2023 [ Briefing.com]

05-15-08 - Collateral Foreclosure Damage for Condo Owners [New York Times; Miami]

05-13-08 - Court blocks Coconut Grove condo towers [Miami; The Related Group's 308 foot 300 Grove Bay Residences (3 towers)]

04-27-08 - Lawsuit crucial to condo buyers trying to nix deals over 'adverse' change [Palm Beach Post]

04-24-08 - Luxury project envisioned for Dale Mabry Highway clears hurdle [Tampa](3 14-story towers)

04-23-08 - Boca Developers offers to return projects to lenders [South Florida]

04-22-08 - Marketing Florida Condos to Moscow's Elite, The Moscow Times (IconBrickell, Trump Hollywood Tower)

04-15-08 - Condo Glut, Builder (24,000 units available, and 19,000 scheduled for completion) [South Florida]

04-04-08 - Upscale Hotel Proposed for Pensacola Beach, Pensacola News-Journal [Pensacola Area]

04-04-08 - Top Rated Condos In Foreclosure In South Florida [data provided by Peter Zalewski of condovultures.com]

03-31-08 - Developer Proposes 120-foot-tall Dragon Pointe Center at Eau Gallie Causeway, Florida Today [Melbourne Area]

Google Maps -- Street View of Downtown Miami [Virtually WALK the streets of downtown Miami with 360 degree views!]

FLORIDA MARKET: BALLYHOO AND BARGAINS: "Prices have been flat for several years and the market is awash with real estate. As a result, many sellers are willing to accept considerably less than their asking prices, according to market analysts. The best deals are on about 5,000 high-rise condominium units - primarily in Miami, but scattered around the beaches of both coasts - that have been sitting vacant for several years. And since there are so many expanding projects, developers are quite competitive and more than willing to negotiate; many will immediately offer to pay closing costs and travel expenses." April 28, 1987, The New York Times [The date is correct: 1987.]

2007 -- St. Petersburg -- Triann Tower, LLC (January 2006; Stephenson Anderson / Sydness Architects [also designed Florencia and Bellamy condo towers]), plans to build a new 27-story office tower downtown. Also of interest is the new Overvue Condos coming in 2008 to north downtown overlooking the bay. And new video render at The Edge Condo; and updated Signature Condo and The Grande Bohemian Hotel and Residences [new design update, Sept 07, adds more hotel units and decreases condo units] sites. Click here for more St. Petersburg developments. Tropicana Center complex approved (36-stories). Quick Fact: About 18,000 people live downtown St. Petersburg, with a downtown workforce of about 28,000 [source: Lutz Investments].

August 2012 -- Bern's Steak House: The Epicurean Hotel--expected completion by Thanksgiving 2013.

December 2006 -- Miami -- Wired Article -- The world's cities are getting taller -- Miami in 2012 Photo Rendering [quote: "Miami, for example, had only five skyscrapers (buildings more than 150 meters, or 492 feet, tall) in 1999 but will have 71 by 2012."] **Click this link for the Wired photo of Miami's Future Skyscrapers at www.criticalmiami.com**

October 2006 -- Tampa -- The Venu, a 50-story downtown condo skyscraper planned with construction to begin in 2007. The developer and architect have put together an exceptional video of the project. Click here for more Tampa developments (Element, SkyPoint, Plaza at Channelside, TWELVE, Royal, Boulevard, Marina Tower at New Port Tampa).

August 2006 -- The St. Petersburg sales center for Ovation is open. More info about St. Petersburg buildings can be found here -- you can also use the Florida Image Map or the County By Name List pages to select a Florida destination.

August 2006 -- Miami-Dade -- Downtown Doral plans announced...to include several high-rises, the first will be the Cardinal, a 16-story 205-unit condominium overlooking the Doral Golf Resort & Spa’s Great White and Blue Monster golf courses.

Everglades on the Bay - a new downtown Miami urban-living skyscraper project consisting of 870 affordable lofts and condos while promoting the styling and boldness of the construction of Brickell and Miami Beach. The two 49-story towers are green, of course, and located directly on Biscayne Boulevard replacing the 17-story Everglades Hotel built in 1926.

Trump Tower Tampa - Trump Tower Tampa news links - Sept 07: still a go; working on finances, and Donald Trump's participation. This is the formally unnamed 52-story mixed-use luxury condominium project at the vacant 1.5 acre Ashley and Whiting highrise site along the Hillsborough River. Trump Tower Tampa information page.

50 Biscayne - at 54-stories will be one of Miami's tallest buildings. The Related Group's plans call for 523 condo units ranging in price from $200K to $800K.

Metropolitan Miami - urban living at the core of downtown Miami. This is a mixed-use project with three residential towers. The first of the towers to be built, Met 1, will be 40-stories with loft-style and traditional condo-style units. Met 3 will be considerable taller than Met 1 and Met 2. MDM Development Group expects to invest $600 million in the project and anticipate completion in 2007.

The Towers of Channelside - two 30-story 271-unit condo towers to be built in Tampa.

900 Biscayne Bay - is proposed to be 65-stories with 516 condo units reaching 700 feet in height.

83 degrees - Development News

A Case Study: The South Florida Condo Market by The Real Estate Research Corporation (Summer 2007; PDF download)

February 2007, St. Petersburg-- Grand Bohemian Hotel & Residences Appoints Coldwell Banker - The Condo Store as Broker
August 2006, Tampa--Skypoint making progress.

February 2006 -- Grady Pridgen announces new plans for Bayway Lofts. The new design, the third, has the same number of units (350 condos) and height (29 stories at 371 feet)as the previous plans, but the site has been expanded and a second tower added.

Lights on Tampa -- This weekend January 7, 2006, internationally known artists light up various Tampa Buildings and Landmarks.

JMC Communities and The Sembler Company announce the sales center will open soon for Ovation, which is located at 70 Beach Drive NE, downtown St. Petersburg. The building will be 26-stories with 40 condo units.

January 2006 -- Cameron Kuhn announced plans for River Watch at City Centre in Orlando. The project will be a 33-story mixed-used residential condomunium and hotel space, with some retail and commercial office space.

Lights on Tampa -- This weekend January 7, 2006, internationally known artists light up various Tampa Buildings and Landmarks.

October 2005, the Adam's Mark Hotel (link includes video of implosion) - on Clearwater Beach is razed to make room for a new high-rise development.