Andare Residences vs. Sixth & Rio: Downtown Fort Lauderdale’s Boutique vs. Modern High-Rise Living
Quick Summary
- Andare leans ultra-amenity and design pedigree for a Las Olas lifestyle
- Sixth & Rio offers boutique density near the New River and Water Trolley
- Pricing bands diverge sharply: low $2M+ versus high $800Ks to $900Ks
- Both favor terrace living, but at very different scales and social tempos
The decision buyers are actually making
Fort Lauderdale’s newest luxury condo offerings aren’t competing on a single axis like “new versus old.” They present two distinct ways to live. One is a vertical, design-led statement tied to the social current of Las Olas Boulevard. The other is a smaller, boutique residential format built around day-to-day ease near the New River and downtown’s waterway circulation. In practice, choosing between Andare and Sixth & Rio is less about which building is “better” and more about which lifestyle you want to buy into: a high-rise, service-and-amenity-forward experience with a global design signature, or a lower-rise address where privacy, scale, and neighborhood texture do more of the work. This is also a conversation about Fort Lauderdale itself. The city’s luxury market has expanded beyond the simple beach-versus-inland split. Downtown and the river corridor have matured into legitimate residential destinations for buyers who want walkability and dining, paired with a marina-adjacent sensibility that feels distinctly local.
At a glance: high-rise icon vs. boutique river-near living
Andare Residences is planned as a 45-story condominium tower in Fort Lauderdale, positioned to plug directly into the energy of Las Olas Boulevard, a corridor defined by shopping, dining, galleries, and nightlife. The building is designed by Pininfarina, with CFE as architect of record, and developed by Related Group. Homes are marketed as two- to five-bedroom residences with private terraces and elevated interior specifications, while the amenity program is marketed at more than 35,000 square feet across multiple levels. Sixth & Rio takes nearly the opposite approach. It is planned as an eight-story, 94-residence building, density that reads decidedly boutique in a market where new development often reaches for the skyline. The residence mix is marketed as one- to three-bedroom homes plus penthouses with floor-to-ceiling glass and large terraces. Marketing also emphasizes proximity to the New River and access to a Water Trolley stop, reinforcing the idea that the river is not just scenery, but a transportation and lifestyle network.
Location energy: Las Olas magnetism vs. river corridor convenience
For many buyers, “Fort Lauderdale” is shorthand for beach living. Yet some of the most compelling lifestyle decisions now sit a few minutes inland, where dining, arts, and waterfront infrastructure converge. Andare’s pull is defined by its relationship to Las Olas Boulevard. This is the kind of address where evening plans happen on foot, and where a condo operates as a basecamp for galleries, restaurants, and a late-night urban pulse. If you want a social address, proximity becomes the advantage because it becomes your default. Sixth & Rio’s value proposition runs on a different kind of convenience. The New River context tends to reward residents who want to move through the city with less friction, and who like the idea of arriving by water or taking a trolley rather than defaulting to a car. It’s not “quiet” in the suburban sense, but it can feel more residential in cadence: fewer homes, a shorter elevator ride, and a lifestyle that reads more contained. In a city where walkability is increasingly prized, both projects support getting out of the car. They simply offer different versions of what you are walking to.
Design and brand language: statement architecture versus tailored restraint
Buyers at the top end rarely purchase purely for square footage. They purchase for coherence: the way the building looks, feels, and signals taste. Andare leans hard into design pedigree. With Pininfarina leading the design, the identity is meant to read intentional and internationally fluent, in the way certain branded residences do. The program and interior positioning signal a turnkey, high-finish experience, including luxury appliance placement in the Sub-Zero and Wolf category. It’s a proposition for buyers who want their home to communicate, without needing to explain. Sixth & Rio, by contrast, is built around boutique modernity. Floor-to-ceiling glass and large terraces are emphasized, but the overall promise is less about a global design name and more about a curated, club-like building atmosphere with a rooftop pool and resident social and work spaces. A useful frame: Andare is designed for arrival. Sixth & Rio is designed for ease.
Homes and layouts: terraces matter, but the use-case is different
Both projects treat terraces as a core feature, but they’re likely to serve different lifestyles. At Andare, the two- to five-bedroom mix points to buyers seeking true primary-residence functionality, including entertaining and multi-room flexibility. Private terraces become outdoor rooms, especially when paired with a deep amenity stack that keeps the building’s social life active. At Sixth & Rio, one- to three-bedroom residences plus penthouses suggest a spectrum that can include second-home buyers, downtown professionals, and those who want a smaller footprint without sacrificing modern light and outdoor space. Large terraces and floor-to-ceiling glass read as a way to pull the river-and-sky ambiance into daily life. For decision-makers, the question isn’t only how you’ll furnish the home, it’s how often you expect to host, how much storage you require, and whether you want your building’s amenities to function as an extension of your living room.
Amenities and daily rhythm: full-stack resort living vs. curated boutique club
Amenity programs are no longer a checklist. They set the social tempo of a building. Andare’s amenity offering is marketed at more than 35,000 square feet across multiple levels, including pools and extensive wellness and fitness components. In a building of this scale, amenities often become destination spaces: a morning anchored by wellness, an afternoon on a pool deck, and an evening built around resident entertaining spaces, without leaving the property. Sixth & Rio’s amenities are marketed as curated and club-like, with a rooftop pool and social and work spaces. The implication is that amenities are present, polished, and useful, but not necessarily the center of gravity. The building is positioned to feel like a private residence collection rather than a vertical resort. If your ideal week includes a consistent on-property routine, Andare’s program reads as more expansive. If your preference is to live in the neighborhood and use amenities as accents, Sixth & Rio’s approach may feel more aligned.
Pricing posture and buyer profile: two different entry points into Fort Lauderdale
Price is not only budget, it’s a signal of who your neighbors are likely to be and what level of finish is being delivered. Andare is marketed from the low $2 million range, with top-end penthouse pricing reaching into eight figures in marketing materials. That sets a clear expectation: a high-luxury, statement-level building where buyers are leaning into scarcity, design, and an amenity stack intended to compete at the top of the local market. Sixth & Rio is marketed starting around the high $800,000s to $900,000s depending on plan and release. That positioning can broaden the buyer pool, appealing to those who want new construction and modern design in a more approachable band, while still maintaining a boutique identity with 94 residences. The key nuance: more expensive doesn’t automatically mean more suitable. For some buyers, paying for scale and comprehensive amenities is exactly the point. For others, the premium is better directed toward location strategy, lifestyle flexibility, or a smaller footprint while staying close to the river and downtown.
Timelines and delivery mindset: patience versus near-term certainty
Andare has been associated with a targeted 2027 completion, a horizon that rewards buyers comfortable with patience and the planning rhythm of a longer pre-construction arc. For many luxury buyers, that timeline isn’t a drawback; it’s a chance to secure a specific concept and design direction early. Sixth & Rio has been covered as advancing through construction progress during 2025 updates, which can feel more tangible for purchasers who prefer to see a project moving through visible milestones. Neither approach is universally “safer.” They are simply different. Buyers should align the purchase with intended occupancy: primary-residence planning, a future relocation, or a second-home strategy.
Fort Lauderdale in the larger luxury map
For South Florida buyers who cross-shop multiple cities, Fort Lauderdale’s appeal often lies in its balance. It can feel less performative than some ultra-dense districts while still delivering dining, waterfront culture, and a growing roster of new-construction options. If you are also evaluating other coastal luxury benchmarks, it is worth noticing how Fort Lauderdale’s new inventory compares in tone. A resort-integrated experience like Four Seasons Hotel & Private Residences Fort Lauderdale sets one end of the spectrum. Meanwhile, a contemporary waterfront collection such as Riva Residenze Fort Lauderdale offers another lens on what “new luxury” can mean in the city. Within that context, Andare and Sixth & Rio represent two highly legible choices: a design-forward, amenity-rich vertical statement versus a boutique, river-near residence collection. For buyers who are comparing Fort Lauderdale to Miami’s newer branded and design-centric towers, the market logic is familiar, even if the lifestyle texture differs. The point is not to replicate Brickell or Miami Beach, but to choose the version of waterfront city living that feels most natural to you.
How to choose between Andare and Sixth & Rio
Start with three questions. First, what is your preferred social distance? If you like the idea of a building with a pronounced amenity culture and a visible presence, Andare is positioned to deliver that. If you prefer a quieter arrival experience and fewer neighbors, Sixth & Rio’s boutique scale may be the deciding factor. Second, where do you spend your time? If your default is restaurants, galleries, and evening plans with minimal planning, the Las Olas lifestyle is the advantage. If your days are organized around the river, downtown mobility, and a more residential cadence, the New River adjacency and Water Trolley access may feel like a daily upgrade. Third, what is your timeline? A longer pre-construction runway can be ideal for buyers who enjoy planning and customization decisions. More advanced construction can be preferable if you want clearer visibility into delivery. If you want to continue exploring Fort Lauderdale’s newest offerings in this exact category, you can review Andare Residences Fort Lauderdale and Sixth & Rio Fort Lauderdale for side-by-side consideration.
FAQs
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Where is Andare located within Fort Lauderdale? Andare is positioned in the Las Olas area, aligned with a walkable dining and retail corridor.
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How tall is Andare? It is planned as a 45-story condominium tower.
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Who is developing Andare? The developer is Related Group.
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Who is behind Andare’s design? Andare is designed by Pininfarina, with CFE as architect of record.
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What home sizes are expected at Andare? Homes are marketed as two- to five-bedroom residences with private terraces.
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What is the amenity scale at Andare? The amenity program is marketed as more than 35,000 square feet across multiple levels.
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Where is Sixth & Rio situated? Sixth & Rio is marketed near the New River with convenient access to downtown mobility.
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How large is Sixth & Rio as a building? It is planned as an eight-story building with 94 residences.
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What types of residences are offered at Sixth & Rio? The mix is marketed as one- to three-bedroom residences plus penthouses, with large terraces.
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How should buyers think about pricing between the two? Andare is marketed from the low $2 millions with top penthouses reaching into eight figures in marketing materials, while Sixth & Rio starts around the high $800,000s to $900,000s depending on plan and release. For private guidance on Fort Lauderdale luxury new construction, explore MILLION Luxury.
For tailored guidance, speak with MILLION Luxury.
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Million Luxury
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