Ugo Colombo

Colombo is a defining figure in shaping Miami’s Brickell skyline who sometimes has found himself at odds with other prominent developers. 

He moved from Milan to Miami for college and started buying and selling residential units along Brickell Avenue in the 1980s. He quickly transitioned into high-rise development, and by the 1990s was bringing high-profile projects such as Bristol Tower and Santa Maria to market, paving the way for condo high-rises along the city’s waterfront. 

His plate is full these days, with Four Seasons Private Residences Coconut Grove in the works next to his recently completed 65-unit waterfront condo development dubbed Vita at Grove Isle on Biscayne Bay. Outside of Miami, he’s building the 41-unit Onda Residences in Bay Harbor Islands. 

Colombo’s legal docket has also drawn attention. He spent 12 years in a legal battle with Miami-based Dacra founder Craig Robins over a $22 million private jet the duo purchased together. In 2022, the pair settled the lawsuit after just two days of trial to determine which one of them was on the hook for missed loan payments on the plane. Colombo also tussled with Coral Gables-based Shoma Group’s Masoud Shojaee over a fizzled mixed-use project. A jury awarded Shoma a $10 million verdict. 

— Francisco Alvarado