Brickell vs. Brickell Key vs. Edgewater: Where to Buy Ultra-Luxury New Construction
Quick Summary
- Compare Brickell, Brickell Key, Edgewater
- Flagship ultra luxury condo projects
- Lifestyle, privacy and view trade offs
- Buyer tips for full time or seasonal use
Brickell vs. Brickell Key vs. Edgewater at a glance
Miami's urban waterfront has reached a new level of maturity. Within a compact stretch of Biscayne Bay, three neighborhoods now dominate the conversation for ultra luxury new construction: Brickell, Brickell Key and Edgewater. Each frames the skyline differently, from Brickell's canyon of glass towers to the intimate shoreline of Brickell Key and the linear bayfront of Edgewater. For buyers entering the very top of Miami's condo market, the question is rarely whether these areas are right, and more which one best matches their lifestyle rhythm, privacy expectations and long term plans.
Brickell functions as Miami's financial and culinary engine, with office towers, hotels and residential skyscrapers layered into a dense, walkable grid. Brickell Key is the private island counterpart, reached by a single bridge and wrapped in a bayside jogging path, where traffic slows and water views take over. Edgewater reads as the cultural waterfront, minutes from museums, Wynwood and the Design District, with newer residential infrastructure and an emerging collection of marquee towers. Their perspectives on the bay are different, their street life is different, and so are their resident profiles.
In this guide we focus on the flagship new towers that are setting the tone in each neighborhood: St. Regis® Residences Brickell, The Residences at 1428 Brickell and 888 Brickell by Dolce & Gabbana in Brickell; The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Miami on Brickell Key; and Aria Reserve Miami, EDITION Edgewater and Villa Miami in Edgewater. Rather than rank them, we look at how each neighborhood feels day to day, how its best buildings are designed, and which buyer profiles tend to gravitate where.
Brickell: high energy city life with a five star skyline
Brickell has evolved from a nine to five financial district into a twenty four seven city within the city. Corporate headquarters share the same streets as chef driven restaurants, rooftop lounges, private clubs and designer retail. The density is tangible: towers line both sides of Brickell Avenue and Brickell Bay Drive, and at rush hour the sidewalks can feel closer to Manhattan than a traditional resort city. For buyers who thrive on immediacy, this is part of the appeal. You live in a tower, you work in a tower, and almost everything you do socially can happen within a fifteen minute walk.
On the quieter southern stretch of the neighborhood, St. Regis® Residences Brickell anchors the ultra luxury bayfront. Developed by Related Group and Integra Investments, the south tower is rising to around 50 stories with just 152 residences, each accessed by a private elevator and attended by the brand's butler led service culture. Architecture by Robert A. M. Stern Architects and interiors by Rockwell Group give the project a timeless, residential character rather than a pure glass minimalism. Amenities are layered vertically, from a sky bar and multiple pool terraces to a serious wellness center, residents only lounges, wine and tasting rooms and polished library like spaces that feel more like a private club than a typical condo common area. A second residential tower will ultimately complete the composition, reinforcing St. Regis as a signature address in Brickell.
Further north along Brickell Avenue, The Residences at 1428 Brickell appeal to buyers who value technology and design innovation as much as service. This 70 story tower is known for its solar backbone, a band of hundreds of photovoltaic panels integrated into the western facade. It is one of the first skyscrapers in Miami to generate a meaningful share of its own energy while still reading as a clean, contemporary glass form. Inside, the mood is distinct from St. Regis: Italian crafted kitchens, meticulous millwork and warm stone details are paired with deep terraces that extend living spaces outdoors. More than 80,000 square feet of amenities are planned, including three pools, a full floor wellness level, private guest suites and a residents only club high above the skyline. The building is also conceived as entirely residential and private, with dedicated estate management teams coordinating everything from housekeeping to in residence chefs.
A third strand of Brickell's story is the fully branded vertical resort. 888 Brickell by Dolce & Gabbana is envisioned as a 90 story tower that marries Art Deco inspired architecture with Milan influenced interiors, delivering residences fully furnished and styled by the fashion house. Baccarat Residences Brickell brings the crystal maker's aesthetic to a 75 story riverfront tower where faceted glass, polished stone and water focused amenities create a highly theatrical sense of arrival. Cipriani Residences Brickell rises as an approximately 80 story club like building with a Canaletto Collection crowning its upper floors, expansive rooftop pools, private dining rooms and the Cipriani family's signature hospitality embedded into daily life. All three promise high touch service, carefully choreographed porte cochere experiences and curated amenity programming, from residents only restaurants to screening rooms and spa suites.
In day to day terms, living in one of these Brickell towers feels like residing in a grand hotel that happens to be owned rather than booked. Traffic, construction and street noise are part of the environment below, but private motor courts, security teams and resident only elevator stacks create a strong separation between the city and the home. Brickell tends to suit buyers who like knowing that a power lunch, late night omakase or impromptu yacht charter can be arranged with a quick call to the concierge. It is less suited to those who want quiet streets and low rise charm, and more ideal for owners who see their Miami home as an extension of a global business and leisure life.
Brickell Key: private island sanctuary with Mandarin Oriental pedigree
A few hundred meters and a short bridge separate Brickell Avenue from Brickell Key, yet the sensation on arrival is almost resort like. The triangular island is gated at its entry and encircled by a waterfront jogging path, with compact parks and manicured landscaping softening every edge. Building heights are generally lower than in Brickell proper, and there is almost no through traffic. Residents typically come here specifically to live; there are no office towers and only a small cluster of shops and cafes. For many professionals, Brickell Key has long answered the question of where to sleep when you work in Brickell but want to come home to an island.
The island's next chapter is being written by The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Miami, which will occupy the prized site at the southern tip of the Key. Developed by Swire Properties, the dual tower composition separates a new Mandarin Oriental hotel from a dedicated residential tower, allowing owners to enjoy five star services while keeping transient guests at arm's length. The residential tower is planned to rise close to 800 feet with just over 200 homes, many of them generous two to four bedroom layouts that read more like bayfront villas in the sky than typical city apartments. Expect expansive terraces, floor to ceiling glass and carefully layered materials that intertwine Asian hospitality cues with European design references.
For Brickell Key buyers, however, it is the service model and the overall quietude that matter most. Mandarin Oriental's longstanding reputation for discreet, anticipatory staff is expected to translate into in residence dining, housekeeping, valet and concierge teams who know their owners by name and habit. Amenities are likely to include multiple pools with direct Biscayne Bay views, a serious spa and wellness program, refined restaurants and intimate lounges that make the property a destination in its own right. Crucially, supply is finite. Once The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Miami are complete, there is effectively no more prime development land on the island. That scarcity, combined with the security of a gated setting and panoramic water views, attracts buyers who see Brickell Key as a blue chip hold rather than a short stay pied a terre.
Edgewater: bayfront culture and modern calm
Running north from the Arts and Entertainment District, Edgewater lines Biscayne Bay with a newer generation of slim glass towers. The neighborhood is largely residential, with far fewer office buildings and hotels than Brickell and a noticeably calmer street grid. Yet it sits minutes from the city's cultural and retail anchors. From most buildings it is a short drive or ride share to the Design District's flagship boutiques, Wynwood's galleries and Midtown's everyday shopping. At the water's edge, Margaret Pace Park provides a true front lawn, with tennis courts, a dog park and a continuous bayfront path that residents use for morning runs, yoga classes and evening strolls.
At the heart of this stretch is Aria Reserve Miami, a rare five acre bayfront site that allows for a very different kind of waterfront lifestyle. Twin 62 story towers are oriented directly toward the bay, with more than 500 feet of frontage and deep, usable terraces that extend living rooms outdoors. The south tower has already begun welcoming owners while the north tower continues to rise, so buyers can experience views, finishes and common areas first hand instead of relying only on renderings. Between the buildings, a multi acre recreation deck is planned with lagoon style and lap pools, an outdoor sports park with tennis and basketball, children's playgrounds and indoor play rooms, a private marina for smaller boats and water toys, and extensive spa and wellness facilities. It is one of the few large scale projects in Miami where young families can comfortably stay on site for entire weekends without feeling confined.
Two very different interpretations of luxury are rising nearby. EDITION Edgewater translates the EDITION hotel brand's relaxed sophistication into a purely residential, 55 story tower with only 185 homes. Most floors feature just four residences, each reached via a private elevator vestibule, and interiors lean toward soft woods, pale stone and abundant planting rather than hard gloss. Residents are expected to enjoy a bayfront pool, spa, fitness and social lounges, all serviced by staff trained in EDITION's hospitality style. A few blocks north, Villa Miami takes the opposite approach on scale, with roughly 70 full and half floor residences that live like single family homes in the sky. A rooftop helipad, a residents only restaurant curated by Major Food Group, richly detailed interiors and three levels of amenities combine to create a vertical private estate aimed at owners who value intimacy, privacy and club like dining as much as views.
In daily life, Edgewater splits the difference between the energy of Brickell and the quiet of Brickell Key. Streets feel walkable and neighborly, yet the towers are tall enough to deliver sweeping views and hotel level amenity decks. Because the neighborhood has fewer tourists and office towers, traffic is typically lighter and access to the highway network is easier. Pricing for ultra luxury inventory has historically trailed the very top of Brickell, which some buyers read as an opportunity given the quality of new product now under construction. For those who want big water, quick access to the arts and a primarily residential community, Edgewater is increasingly the default bayfront choice.
FAQs
What is the main lifestyle difference between Brickell, Brickell Key and Edgewater?
Brickell is the choice if you want to be in the center of Miami's business and dining scene, with the trade off of more traffic and a denser skyline. Brickell Key offers maximum privacy, controlled access and nonstop water views, but fewer on island restaurants and shops. Edgewater sits between the two, balancing a calmer residential feel with quick access to arts districts and major retail.
Which neighborhood is best if I am buying a primary home rather than a pied a terre?
Executives who expect to be in the office frequently and enjoy going out most nights often gravitate to Brickell's walkable core and its service rich towers. Buyers who prioritize quiet, security and easy bayfront walks, and who do not mind a short drive for dinner or shopping, tend to choose Brickell Key. Families and culture focused owners often find Edgewater a better fit, thanks to Margaret Pace Park, newer infrastructure and quick access to schools, galleries and performance venues.
Where do I find the most exclusive, low density residences among these three areas?
For the lowest density living, look toward Brickell Key's The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Miami and Edgewater's Villa Miami, where many homes are large and overall resident counts are limited. In Brickell, 888 Brickell by Dolce & Gabbana and select collections at St. Regis and The Residences at 1428 Brickell offer similarly rarefied inventory, but they share their sites with a larger resident base. Your advisor should help you compare resident counts, elevator stacks and amenity layouts as closely as view lines when you evaluate exclusivity.
What is the best way to approach pre construction purchases in these towers?
Most ultra luxury pre construction condominiums in Brickell, Brickell Key and Edgewater follow a staged deposit structure, with an initial payment at contract and further deposits at key construction milestones. Because delivery dates can evolve, it is prudent to focus less on exact timing and more on developer track record, architecture, amenity quality and how the neighborhood fits your daily life. For a tailored comparison that reflects your specific budget, timing and lifestyle, it is worth engaging a specialist broker such as the team at MILLION Luxury, who live inside this segment of the market.
Million Luxury
Million Luxury
Welcome to MILLION, an exclusive luxury real estate boutique nestled in the heart of South Florida’s most desirable locations. Specializing in high-end properties, we provide a sanctuary for discerning clients including top Fortune 500 executives, affluent families, celebrities, and professional athletes from across the globe. At MILLION, we understand the unique demands of our elite clientele and offer a seamless blend of confidentiality and personalized attention. Our commitment to privacy is unwavering; we ensure that every transaction and interaction is handled with the utmost discretion and according to stringent confidentiality protocols. Our concierge service embodies the pinnacle of white-glove care, offering tailored assistance that transcends traditional real estate support.
