The Real Deal Miami

Craig Robins talks to the crowd

Craig Robins — and concomitant real estate bashes – kicked off Monday night with a reception at the Design District headquarters of developer Craig Robins’ DACRA group. The event was held in part to introduce Robins’ vision for the district to the New York-centric audience. Check out the gallery after the jump. 

It came ahead of the openings of several high-end luxury boutiques this week as part of a retail expansion for the area. On Wednesday, Prada and Dior will be opening Design District locations, and Hermes is set to open on Thursday.

Robins, who said earlier this year that he hoped to have as many as 50 brands in the Design District, is also eyeing residential and hospitality components. “We’re planning to build lofts and also some condominium units,” he said. “We also think it’s important to have a hotel or two, and are planning to start the first one soon.”

While he wouldn’t give an exact timeframe, he said that the first hotel project could debut in line with the additional retail that’s coming to the area.

“Things are just going to constantly happen over the next 36 months,” he said. “There will be another group that will open in 2014, and then in 2015, so somewhere between that.”

Those stores are temporary, though, with permanent locations coming down the road.

“I just want to see the Design District evolve,” he said, calling the area “Miami’s creative laboratory.”