Privé breaks ground following months of opposition

Suffolk Construction formally broke ground on Friday on Privé at Island Estates, a contentious residential development on a private island in Aventura. 

Privé Developers, led by BH3 and Gary Cohen, began construction about two months ago. The twin 16-story towers are located on the north island between Williams Island and Sunny Isles Beach. The 160 luxury condos will range from 2,585 square feet to 9,000 square feet. Each unit will include flow-through floor plans, 10-foot deep balconies, European kitchens and bathrooms, and outdoor summer kitchens, according to a press release.

Privé will feature a 10,000-square-foot gym and spa in each tower, private dining, a poolside cafe, wine and cigar rooms, tennis courts, swimming pools, a marina and private pier, a nature trail, beach, and jogging path.

“This is a major achievement for us in bringing the project to fruition and the development team could not be more excited,” BH3’s Dan Lebensohn said in a statement. “We are moving full speed ahead, with more than $20 million in sales throughout the last quarter of 2015.”

Developers had battled homeowners who oppose the project and the installation of sidewalks. The legal challenges resulted in a delay by the city in issuing building permits for the 160-unit development. Privé is slated for completion during the second quarter of 2017. — Katherine Kallergis