FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.—A new South Florida boutique hotel and condominium, Gale Boutique Hotel & Residences, is set to open in late 2016. The Gale is collaboration between Newgard Development Groupand Menin Hospitality, in joint venture with Fort Lauderdale real estate investor Dev Motwani’s Merrimac Ventures.
Gale Fort Lauderdale will occupy a group of buildings that formerly housed the Escape Hotel, which was designed in 1949 by Theo A. Meyer and Lester Avery. A top-to-bottom renovation of the property will make way for 96 hotel rooms and suites that incorporate design elements from Gale South Beach hotel, which opened in 2012.
A new 12-story building next door to the hotel will be home to 128 residences including 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units and townhomes offering views of the Atlantic Ocean, the Intracostal, and downtown Fort Lauderdale. Additional space set aside for street-level retail will serve as an amenity for residents, hotel guests, and the surrounding neighborhood.
“Fort Lauderdale Beach is a hidden gem along the Florida coast and we’ve identified one of the neighborhood’s best redevelopment sites for the Gale Boutique Hotel & Residences,” says Harvey Hernandez, Newgard Development Group’s chairman and managing director. “Best of all, we’re incorporating all that the Gale stands for from a branding, lifestyle and amenities standpoint into the project’s condo component. That’s a powerful combination that will appeal to domestic and international buyers alike.”
Gale Boutique Hotel & Residences will feature a rooftop sky deck, private lobby, fully-equipped fitness center and spa, concierge service, 24-hour valet parking, and multiple resort-style pools. Owners will also enjoy full member privileges at the Gale Hotel — everything from room service to pool access — and at Menin Hospitality’s properties across the country. Owners interested in renting out their home while not in use may opt to include their unit in the property’s rental program.
“Gale Fort Lauderdale’s aesthetic and ambiance will echo the sexy, sophisticated persona we’ve introduced at Gale South Beach while paying homage to Fort Lauderdale Beach’s history as a resort town,” explains Menin Hospitality principal Keith Menin. “We’re going to strike a balance, positioning Gale Fort Lauderdale as a lifestyle destination for people from around the world and a welcomed amenity for our condo owners and locals from around the corner.”
“Having been active on Fort Lauderdale Beach for nearly 30 years, we couldn’t be more excited to partner with Harvey and Keith on this project,” adds Dev Motwani, president of Merrimac Ventures.
Individual condos will range in size from 780 square feet to nearly 2,000 square feet. All units will be delivered fully-finished, with gourmet kitchens, fixtures and cabinetry, spa-style bathrooms, customized flooring and walls, and walk-in closets. Each residence will come equipped with floor-to-ceiling, impact-resistant glass doors and ample balcony space.
Development of Gale Boutique Hotel & Residences will be led by Newgard Development Group, a Miami firm specializing in large-scale residential and commercial projects. Its most recent developments include BrickellHouse, a 374-unit condo that launched in 2011 and was one of Miami’s first new-to-market projects to launch and sellout this cycle; Centro, a 352-unit loft style condo rising in downtown Miami; One Flagler, a luxury boutique office condominium located along downtown Miami’s Flagler Street; and City Palms, a mixed-use complex adjacent to CityPlace in Downtown West Palm Beach.
The project’s hospitality components will be managed by Menin Hospitality, which owns and operates hotel, restaurant, and nightlife properties in Miami and Chicago. Existing Menin Hospitality ventures include Gale South Beach, Sanctuary South Beach, Raffaello Hotel in Chicago, The Bentley South Beach, and Kaskades Suites at Gale South Beach.
