Photo Credit: Nick Garcia
BY Mary Gibson
PHOTOGRAPHY Nick Garcia
SHOT ON LOCATION AT Bentley Residences Sales Gallery
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Bentley Residences Miami
Bentley Residences is one of the most anticipated luxury residential towers in Miami. A partnership between Dezer Development and Bentley Motors, the first ever Bentley-branded residential tower in the world will feature the patented car elevator, “Dezervator,” as well as a glass ensconced garage for residents to keep their cars on display right in their living rooms. The 62-story building will have an impressive 20,000 square feet of exclusive amenities including a whiskey and cigar lounge, a cinema, and the first private restaurant by award-winning chef Todd English.
As one of the youngest developers of luxury high-rise residential and condo-hotel properties in the United States, Gil Dezer has been instrumental in changing the face and value of the South Florida real estate industry through the introduction of brand partnerships and is the current president of Dezer Development, founded by his father, Michael Dezer.
Dezer has tapped four-times James Beard Award-winning chef Todd English to head a resident-only restaurant for the exclusive residences. Chef Todd English is a recognized restaurateur and celebrity who has won multiple culinary awards and opened multiple successful restaurants. He is also an established television personality and producer, having guest-starred on shows such as Top Chef, Iron Chef, and Martha Stewart Living, and successfully created his own series, Food Trip With Todd English.
The developer and chef chatted with Haute Residence about his newest collaboration and the unique offering it brings to Miami.
Photo Credit: Nick Garcia
Haute Residence: Recently there has been a lot of focus on Sunny Isles. Why is it so special? Why did you choose to develop there?
Gil Dezer: Well, that question goes back to the late ‘90s. The city [of] Sunny Isles was part of unincorporated Dade County, and in ‘97, they incorporated it as its own city. We were able to start snatching up properties around ’96 and ‘97 right before that happened and they changed the zoning here. Sunny Isles was like a clean canvas; that’s why you’ve heard some people refer to it as the “Dubai of Miami” ... because all the newest buildings were built here in the last 20 years — the same way Dubai was built. So, this is the newest section of Miami and the best beach for sure. It’s beautiful and I love it here; I live up here and we’ve created a great market for people who like this area. The buyer who buys here doesn’t look to downtown or South Beach or midtown or any of those locations; they’re specifically looking for oceanfront [property], and [as for] the offering up in Miami Beach, there [are mostly] older buildings [and] converted buildings, and the newer stuff is selling for almost twice the price, which makes us very attractive.
HR: How did you know that now was the time to start developing and building on these lots?
GD: Well, we looked at it on a map from 30,000 feet and saw Sunny Isles Beach had three of Miami’s greatest neighborhoods around it. You have Bal Harbor to the south, Golden Beach to the north, and Aventura to the west, so it was a natural sort of infill that this was going to happen. When the zoning changed and allowed for high-rises, we took our shot.
HR: How did the collaboration with Chef Todd as the head of the residents-only restaurant come about?
Todd English: It was through mutual friends. We've been working on things over the years and this just seemed to be the right first project to do together. We're excited about the collaboration with Bentley and also with Gil in his great vision of what the building is going to be.
GD: Yes, we were connected based on our mutual interest in creating this opportunity. We collaborated based on Todd’s stellar reputation, amazing locations with a huge fan base, and, essentially, all of his accolades.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Bentley Residences Miami
HR: Gil, what kind of mindset do you need as a developer when you’re looking for where to put the next big thing?
GD: You’ve got to be forward-thinking; you’ve got to be thinking about where the world is going and not necessarily where the world is today. I think we’re the only developer in Miami that puts Nests in every single unit as well as Toto toilets. At the Bentley Residences, we decided that the bathroom should be a home spa. So, of course, we have the Toto toilet, we have a sauna in there, we have a towel warming drawer, heated floors, an indoor and outdoor shower, and a tub on the glass. It’s like a real spa inside. So, we keep on upping the game, and I think we’re upping the game throughout Miami. I really feel [like] we’re building the best product out there as far as what you get for your money, hands down. And that’s not even including the car elevators or swimming pools on the balconies. We’ve really built some good quality stuff and the market has taken well to it.
HR: How do you stay ahead of the curve in developments?
GD: It’s kind of a gut feeling; we look to see what’s trending and what’s cool but also [just] know what’s trending that will stay a trend.
HR: What makes this partnership unique from other luxury residences?
GD: Lots of buildings call themselves "luxury," however it's a word that is used too loosely today. A private residential building should not have a restaurant that's open to the public. Instead, what defines luxury is the privacy and exclusivity of having a four-times James Beard Award-winning chef in your own home without the public even having a chance to go in unless they are invited.
TE: The building speaks for itself. It's going to be a beautiful restaurant with a unique design and gorgeous marble from Italy. You’re really going to be transported when you’re there.
HR: Gil, would you say there was a different mindset between the Porsche Tower and the Bentley Residences?
GD: Well, we were very proud when we built the Porsche Design Tower, but then afterward, you take a look at it and say, "How can I make this better?" We took a lot of feedback from the buyers on what they loved and what they didn’t love, and we made adjustments based on that. One of the things that they loved but didn’t love was the swimming pool on the balcony. Everybody loves it and everybody uses it, but they didn’t love the fact that it was in the middle of the living room. So, we pushed it off to the side on the Bentley Tower, and it actually gave us the beautiful benefit of seeing the pool with a view immediately as you walk off the elevator.
HR: Beautiful!
GD: Yeah, it’s very impressive. There was another thing that they were complaining about as well. We gave two parking spots per unit (even though the code requires 1.7). But these are car guys, and they said, "Two spaces are simply not enough!" So, we went [with] three and four spaces at Bentley — giving them more space for the toys. And, of course, we upgraded the overall common areas and put in enhancements. We’re putting in all of the best stuff and our clients love it. Celebrities buy it because they can come and go without anybody seeing them. And that’s what it’s all about; the building, the units, and the specifications of the residences are better than any place in Miami. The bonus is you get a four-car garage right next to your unit. That’s also why we have a pretty serious roster of clients that live in that building (Porsche) and a lot of them are moving over to Bentley.
Photo Credit: Nick Garcia
HR: Do you have any big clients in Bentley that you’re able to share?
GD: Right now, the only person that we announced was the rapper Future. He bought a unit from us, and he’s become a friend.
HR: Todd, what exactly will the restaurant project be? Will residents be able to have you, specifically, cook for them?
TE: Well it's a full restaurant, but it's exclusive to the people that live in the building — so, only residents. We'll also be able to provide meals for people in their homes, including different meal plans, etc. So it's really a full-service restaurant, bar, and lounge. And, yes, it is an option for me to specifically cook for certain folks who sign up.
HR: Where do you think the next big development will be? Is there another neighborhood that you’re thinking about?
GD: We’re also working in Hillsboro Beach; I am partners with a realtor group on a project that has yet to be announced. It’s exciting, [with] really high-end stuff over there. We’re [also] working on other things that I cannot tell you...
HR: So, things are in motion!
GD: Yes, things are in motion. We don’t sit [around] and wait you know; things are absolutely in motion.
HR: Todd, do you have a house in Miami as well?
TE: I do have a condo. I certainly think it's really cool up there in Sunny Isles — absolutely lovely. I might even get an apartment [there] myself, so hopefully that will be part of what we’re doing. I’ll be there in the residence cooking for the residents, so I should be a resident.
HR: What do you see for the future of the Miami real estate development market 10 years from now?
GD: We live in paradise and the world is finally waking up to it. I used to tell all of my friends in New York: "If you don’t have a place in Miami, you need to get your head checked." They finally understood what I meant; everybody came down here and they love it — what’s not to love?
Photo Credit: Nick Garcia
