Ugo Colombo Completes Vita at Grove Isle Condo Project

Ugo Colombo’s CMC Group has completed Vita at Grove Isle, a seven-story, ultra-luxury condominium in Miami’s Biscayne Bay, bringing to an end more than a decade of fierce opposition from neighboring property owners.

The 65-unit development was recently delivered, with 85 percent of units sold in advance, according to a company news release. Only ten residences remain available, with prices starting at $6.5 million and reaching up to $22 million for the penthouse.

Cervera Real Estate is overseeing the sales and marketing efforts for the project.

Two years ago, a CMC-related entity secured $239 million in financing from Bank OZK for the project. Its completion marks a milestone in a legal battle that has persisted for ten years and continues in court.

Earlier this year, residents filed a new lawsuit against the city of Miami, claiming the development is illegal because the city improperly issued permits without the required land platting on the private island, even though construction was already underway.

An earlier developer had demolished a residents’ club—once including a hotel, restaurant, pool, and tennis courts—to make way for the condominium. Homeowners argued in court that they lost access to the club, membership in which was mandatory. Settlements relating to that dispute in 2020 cleared the path for the project to proceed.

As part of the new development, CMC rebuilt the club amenities, now offering pickleball and padel courts, a fitness center and spa, a poolside bar and lounge, and the restaurant La Sponda by Gioia Hospitality Group, which is scheduled to open next year.

Additionally, the project increases the total number of residential units on Grove Isle to 589, surpassing the 575-unit cap set by a 1977 covenant from the island’s original developers, according to the lawsuit.

Central to residents’ concerns are the loss of some unobstructed bay views and worries over declining property values. David Winker, the homeowners’ attorney, told Coconut Grove Spotlight in February that the project lacks “setbacks or other elements that would come along with platting.”

However,

Vita at Grove Isle stands as the only new luxury condominium delivered in Coconut Grove this year, according to the release. The building is drawing domestic buyers, including some local estate owners seeking to downsize to homes with less maintenance, the developer noted.

Among the development’s key selling points are its expansive floorplans and high-end finishes, selected under Colombo’s personal supervision, the release states.

Colombo began his Miami condo development career in the early 1990s with Bristol Tower and Santa Maria in Brickell. His firm’s portfolio includes Porto Vita, Grovenor House, Epic Hotel & Residences, and Brickell Flatiron.

CMC Group typically develops only two projects at a time. Its next project is the nearby Four Seasons Private Residences Coconut Grove, developed in partnership with Fort Partners.