Global hospitality company Sonesta International Hotels is planting its flag in downtown Miami, proposing what could become one of the city's tallest towers and the latest in a new generation of so-called supertall buildings in various stages of development in South Florida.
The James Hotel & Residences Downtown Miami at 231 E. Flagler St. is a proposed supertall condo-hotel, set to be developed by Sonesta and South Florida’s Mint Development. Plans include 336 fully furnished residences, with 200 rooms expected to be part of the building’s hotel-leaseback program.
The 82-story tower is Miami’s latest proposed supertall, and seventh overall, after the cancellation of Swire Properties’ One Brickell City Center less than half a mile away in the city’s financial district. Another supertall, the 1,049-foot-tall Waldorf Astoria Hotel & Residences, is already under construction two blocks south at 300 Biscayne Blvd.
The James Hotel & Residences is expected to replace an aging single-story retail center. According to the project's website, Sonesta is aiming to create a "lasting impression" on the Miami skyline. The tower's facade will feature a unique intertwined lattice meant to evoke interlaced bracelets.
Sales at the James Hotel & Residences are expected to begin in the second quarter, with Sonesta Travel Pass members receiving an exclusive offer for a unit once sales begin, Sonesta's statement said. Prices of the units were not disclosed.
Mint Development is a venture between AD1 Global, Big Development and To The Stars. A separate release from AD1 Global says the tower will be the tallest in Miami, likely meaning the building will hit the 1,049-foot height limit set by the Federal Aviation Administration for the downtown Miami area.
The project is being touted as the first new construction development for Sonesta's James brand in the U.S. The new tower “embodies the modern sophistication and dynamic energy that will define The James brand... situated in one of the most important markets in the world,” said Brian Quinn, Sonesta’s chief development officer, in a statement from the hotel company.
Condo-hotels have become common across Miami as potential buyers look for newly built condominiums. Buyers can rent out their units to hotel guests, allowing them to subsidize some of the costs of owning a unit. The asset class is also easier to finance thanks to condo presales that support a project's development, and additional investment from hospitality partners.
The hospitality company is contributing “key money” to what’s expected to be an $850 million project, with a groundbreaking anticipated sometime in early 2026.
The James Hotel & Residences are expected to open in 2028. Residents and guests will have access to what the hospitality company is calling a world-class spa, snow and rain rooms, multiple restaurants — including the highest elevation luxury bar and restaurant in the Americas, Sonesta claims — and a four-story private club.