Miami attorney David Haber paid $6.5 million for a building in Wynwood where he plans to move his law office, Wynwood broker Ari Dispenza told The Real Deal.
A company owned by Doug Levine of Miami Beach sold the properties at 251 and 247 Northwest 23rd Street, records show. Dispenza, of Central Commercial Real Estate, represented Levine while Isabel Fine of Real Miami Commercial represented the buyer, Jonmax Enterprises.
Dispenza said the deal marks the first example of a law firm buying its space in Wynwood. The 7,470-square-foot building, which sits on a 9,000-square-foot lot, was on the market for $5.8 million, plus the adjacent 4,875-square-foot parking lot that was asking another $2 million.
Haber Slade focuses on business and commercial law, including construction, complex litigation, mortgage foreclosure and bankruptcy, according to its website. Haber represented the plaintiffs in one of the longest-running cases tied to faulty construction in Florida against Kolter Signature Homes. Kolter settled with the San Matera Condominium Association for $22.5 million in September following six years of litigation.
The boutique firm is currently based out of the Miami Center in downtown Miami, although Dispenza said Haber plans to renovate the Wynwood building and move his office there. Haber could not immediately be reached for comment.
The deal breaks down to $468 per square foot for the land. Since Wynwood was rezoned in late 2015, developers have been launching plans for various new residential and commercial projects. Eventually, Haber’s property could be redeveloped or sold to a developer. Hausammann Gallery is currently a tenant.
Levine’s 251 NW 23 ST LLC paid a combined $3.87 million for both parcels in 2014, which means they just sold for a 68 percent increase in less than three years. Records show that Levine has been selling other properties he purchased in Wynwood three years ago. In February 2015, an LLC controlled by Levine sold a building on Fifth Avenue to Moishe Mana for $5.4 million. A few months later, he bought a building adjacent to an assemblage he owns for $5.46 million.