At Key Biscayne’s Oceana, a new way for developers to dig underground

Because South Florida’s water table is just a few feet below the surface, building underground — from basements to parking garages, is usually a prohibitively expensive proposition, particularly with the potential for fines under Miami’s new building. But a new strategy from Consultatio Real Estate, DeSimone Consulting Engineers,  Coastal Construction, Arquitectonica and Layne, now gives developers that opportunity. Consultatio, which is developing the Oceana on Key Biscayne, is reportedly the first company to use the new technology, which involves a special arrangement of water pumps. “This procedure is going to revolutionize the way underground construction is accomplished in South Florida” said Bill O’Donnell, managing principal at DeSimone. — Alexander Britell