This Award-Winning Residential Development Is In America's Most Expensive Zip Code

Palazzo Della Luna, a new luxury boutique residential development, is currently being developed on tony Fisher Island in Miami, Florida, the most expensive zip code in the country. 

Slated for completion during the summer of 2019, the Mediterranean-style 10-story property is located on the last waterfront parcel left on the island. 

Fisher Island is a little-known island which used to be the home of a branch of the storied Vanderbilt family. 

Palazzo Della Luna is the sister property of the adjacent Palazzo Del Sol, which was completed in 2016.

We had the opportunity to learn more about this fascinating project directly from Palazzo Della Luna's developer, Heinrich von Hanau, chief executive of PDS Development, LLC and Fisher Island Holdings, LLC. He shared with us the vision behind the tony development and the many amenities and luxurious features it will offer to its residents.  

What makes Fisher Island such a special place?

One of the reasons Fisher Island is special is due to its unique location and accessibility. It’s a true tropical island paradise situated just across from Miami Beach and surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay. With no roads or bridges leading to it, Fisher Island is accessible exclusively to residents and club members via auto-ferry or private yacht, but it is less than 10 minutes from downtown Miami and South Beach.

Fisher Island is also unique in that it represents one of the world’s highest concentrations of wealth – its own 33109 zip code was just recently ranked by Bloomberg as “America’s Richest Zip Code.”

Fisher Island is special because of the value its real estate represents when compared to other leading cities worldwide. While the weather, beaches, attractions and proximity to South America, the Caribbean and the U.S. Eastern seaboard make it an appealing destination decisively, the price one pays for prime waterfront property in Miami is relatively low when compared with other top tier cities such as New York, London, Monaco, Los Angeles, Melbourne or Beijing.

Since its inception around the turn of the last century, Fisher Island has served as a haven for an internationally diverse group of global jet setters. Members of the Vanderbilt family first called it home, and since then it has remained an exclusive retreat for international business elite, celebrities and athletes from around the world.

Who are the homeowners at Fisher Island?

There are 700 families on Fisher Island and most of them use Fisher Island as a second, third or fourth resort home. About 20% of its residents are based in Miami, living on the island more or less full time. A trend we are seeing is more Americans relocating their businesses to Florida for tax purposes and establishing primary residence here.

What is like to live at Fisher Island? Is there a school, grocery market, restaurants, etc.?

Among the many luxuries at Fisher Island are a P.B. Dye-designed par 35 nine-hole championship golf course, a world-class tennis center with 18 courts, two deep-water marinas, the acclaimed Spa Internazionale, a private Beach Club, and the immaculately restored Vanderbilt Mansion which now houses a restaurant.

There is also a town center which has a market, dry cleaner and bank. Residents don’t have to leave the island if they don’t need to.

Fisher Island Day School is a private, top-ranked accredited day school for children both from and from off the island.

The school recently announced it is adding 7th and 8th grade due to high demand. The youngest children in the early education program are 2 years old.

Tell us about the spa and salon at Palazzo Della Luna.

As with all of the amenities at Palazzo Della Luna, the salon and treatment rooms are only available for use of the homeowners. The building’s dedicated resident concierge will book services and appointments so residents don’t have to leave for a haircut, manicure, facial treatment or massage unless they choose to.

Describe the features of the units that will be available for purchase.

While most of the homes on Fisher Island are a third or fourth vacation residence, island residents prefer large units as a place for the whole family to gather together several times a year. The smallest floorplan at Palazzo Della Luna is just under 3,800 interior square feet with three bedrooms, and the largest penthouse has just over 10,100 interior square feet and offers seven bedrooms. The penthouses are incredibly spacious with 15-foot ceilings and expansive unit-level terraces in addition to the private rooftop terraces with pools and summer kitchens. We also have lanai residences, which are essentially ground-floor estate-style homes starting around 4,000 interior square feet with expansive private terraces . Two of the three lanai homes have their own private pools as well.

Tell us about the various amenities that will be featured at Palazzo Della Luna.

Palazzo Del Sol and now Palazzo Della Luna are the only residential buildings on the island to offer six-star, full-service amenities.

We’ve commissioned landscape architect Enzo Enea to connect the two properties with a “Central Park” concept that has a tranquility garden, croquet lawn and bocce ball court.

When the total site plan is complete next summer, residents of each building will have access to Sunrise and Sunset Pool Terraces wit attendants offering towel & refreshment service plus an intimate his & hers “Spa Cabana” with sauna, steam and shower, adjacent to cold a relaxing plunge & spa.

Inside at Palazzo Della Luna, Champalimaud Design has curated the lobby level amenities including a waterfront butler-serviced aperitivo bar and lounge with library, media room, business center, beauty salon for hair, makeup and nail services which can be arranged by the concierge, two treatment and massage suites, a fitness center designed in collaboration with the Wright Fit and the Kidville Cove children’s playroom designed with help from students at Fisher Island Day School.

While Palazzo Della Luna’s grounds offer expansive green spaces, the private rooftop terraces are for the exclusive use of penthouse owners, complete with lap pools, landscaping and summer kitchens.

High quality interior furnishings include Lualdi doors, BOFFI kitchens with Miele appliances and Sub-Zero refrigeration, BOFFI master bathrooms with a custom “Fisher Island” soaking tub, Margraf honed statuaria book-matched marble and Dornbracht and Duravit plumbing controls and fixtures.

What is the price for the three penthouses?

The grand center penthouse is priced at $40 million. We have already sold one of the two other penthouses, and the remaining one is priced at $26.5 million.

The lower penthouse at Palazzo Della Luna enjoys its own private rooftop terrace is priced at $27.5 million and is the building’s second largest unit by interior square footage at 9,947 sf with 7 bedrooms.

Describe the ground-floor Lanai residences

Palazzo Della Luna offers three Lanai residences – one of which has sold already. These homes are located on the ground floor and offer higher ceilings at 13 feet and immense terraces designed by Enzo Enea that offer as much outdoor living space as interior. Two of the residences come with zero-edge stainless steel pools by Bradford with outdoor showers. We have not yet released pricing for the lanais.Who are your buyers?

Who are the residents of Fisher Island?

Fisher Island attracts a very international clientele with buyers from more than 45 countries. Island residents are comprised of celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, billionaires, and business magnates. In recent years, the island has attracted a younger demographic including families that enroll their kids in the Fisher Island Day School.

About half of the homeowners are Americans with other leading demographics include Mexicans, Brazilians, Western Europeans and Russians. We’re beginning to see more interest from the Chinese market as well.

Tell us about the unique collaboration with the fifth and sixth graders at the local school with regards to the design of the play space offered at the development?

As the developer of Palazzo Della Luna, we recently sponsored a design competition in partnership with the NY-based brand Kidville to have the school students design our new children’s playroom in the building.

The winning “Kidville Cove” team will see their design implemented.

We are big supporters of the school so it was a natural fit to get students involved in the design of our playroom, through the school’s S.T.E.M program. Teams of fifth and sixth graders were challenged to envision their ideal playroom, and were involved throughout the entire process from sketching to utilizing high-tech tools to checking in with design talent. The teams presented final designs to a panel of judges including Kidville’s CEO Rammy Harwood, PDL’s architect Kobi Karp and a winning team and theme  was selected – Kidville Cove. The design will serve as the inspiration for Kidville to carry out, so the kids will get to see their ideas come to life.

Some of the components the student-designed Kidville Cove playroom atPalazzo Della Luna  include a ship with telescope, periscope and compass, elevated tiki hut with reading desk, kelp noodle forest, treasure chest and a simulated Great Barrier Reef.

Will unit owners have access to the Fisher Island Club ?

Home owners on Fisher Island are required to purchase an equity club membership at the Fisher Island Club which has a $250,000 initiation fee.

These members have access to the Vanderbilt Mansion clubhouse and restaurants, Beach Club, events, and racquet club with its 18 tennis courts including all 4 Grand Slam playing surfaces. Golf memberships and marina slips are available for separate purchase.

The Beach Club at the club offers food, beverage and towel service for guests, while the rest of the more than a mile of private beach surrounding the island is totally private and accessible only to members. The beaches have white sand imported from the Bahamas and guarantee a serene island experience.

Is there a marina at Fisher Island?

The island has two surge-proof marinas with over 100 slips including deep-water dockage that can accommodate vessels up to 250 feet.

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