The last big city fight over Brickell's Nobu tower just went the developer's way, though the neighbors say they are not done.

Miami's Historic and Environmental Preservation Board voted 6-1 on Nov. 3 to shrink the protected area around First Miami Presbyterian Church to the 1949 sanctuary plus a 15-foot buffer, according to the meeting record. The church's annex and parking lot are no longer protected. That is where the tower would rise. The board still reviews big changes to the outside of the sanctuary.

It was a do-over. In August, a court panel ruled that the city wrongly shut out Icon Brickell II, the condo tower next door, from the board's earlier hearing, the Miami Herald reported. The city appealed and lost.

No other city approvals are needed, the Herald reported. Neighbors have 60 days to appeal to city commissioners. "This is not over," said Ryan Abrams, a lawyer for Icon Brickell II.

The tower

13th Floor Investments and Key International are building the tower with Foster + Partners and Sieger-Suarez Architects. The church could get about $240 million from the deal, the Herald and Infobae reported. The sanctuary stays.

Nobu's sales page lists 300 homes on 74 floors. Plans the city's design board approved in July showed 75 stories and 321 units, Groundbreak reported. The design also calls for about 121 hotel rooms, about 90,000 square feet of amenities and a ground-floor Nobu restaurant, the brand's second in Miami.

Sales launched in June with more than $1 billion in reservations, according to Groundbreak. A building permit application on file lists 54 trees to remove and seven to move, the Brickell Homeowners Association said. That application is not a permit.

What it means for buyers and owners

At about $3 million to start, every home in the tower lands in Miami-Dade's luxury tier. In the third quarter, the top 5% of county condo sales started at $3.1 million and the top 1% at $9.4 million, according to MIAMI REALTORS.

Buyers at that price have choices. In September, Miami-Dade recorded 19 condo sales between $3 million and $4.99 million, up 72.7% from a year earlier. There were 391 listings in that range, MIAMI REALTORS data shows. From $5 million to $9.99 million, there were 12 sales and 247 listings. Above $10 million, four sales and 125 listings.

Across all prices, the county had 12.3 months of condo supply in September, down from 14 months a year before. The median price was $417,090.

Preconstruction buyers are signing up for a long wait. The developer's target puts move-ins about five years out. Owners in nearby towers face years of construction next door.

MIAMI REALTORS releases October numbers Monday, Nov. 16.

More on Brickell's building boom: the 75 Broadway condo tower, Miami-Dade's rising luxury price line and the condo supply picture.

Buying or selling in Brickell? The Miami Lookout is founded by Joe Biscaha, a Miami real estate advisor with Compass.

Brickell skyline with high-rise condo towers along Biscayne Bay
The Brickell skyline in August 2023. Source