Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive By Hannah Sampson, The Miami HeraldMcClatchy-Tribune Regional News

March 13, 2013–As expected, the chic SLS hotel brand is heading downtown — and adding condos.

The SLS Brickell, a condo and hotel at 1300 S. Miami Ave., will open in 2015. The project was announced late Tuesday by The Related Group and entertainment, real estate and hospitality company sbe, which are partnering on the development.

News about the project had been spreading for weeks, but officials with both companies would not confirm the rumors before Tuesday.

With 450 condo units and 133 hotel rooms, the property will also include meeting space, a spa, two pools and more than 10,000 square feet of restaurants, lounges and bars. The project will be the first SLS branded residences and the second SLS hotel in Miami-Dade. The Los Angeles-based company also bought the iconic Raleigh hotel with Tristar Capital’s David Edelstein last year.

Chef Jose Andres, whose restaurant The Bazaar is a hit at SLS Hotel South Beach, will be in charge of food and beverage venues, which will include a restaurant with local favorite Michael Schwartz. Philippe Starck, who designed the South Beach SLS, will do the same for the hotel and residences.

The project is expected to break ground in the middle of 2013. The Related Group, which bought the site for $18.5 million last year, plans to open a sales center later this month.

___

(c)2013 The Miami Herald

Visit The Miami Herald at www.miamiherald.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services