POMPANO BEACH — First a Ritz Carlton. Now, a Waldorf Astoria.
The founders and leaders of Pompano Beach, incorporated in 1908, probably never imagined over the years that their northern Broward County city would become a destination for such iconic luxury brands.
But it’s happening in the wake of an agreement announced Tuesday by Waldorf Astoria and the South Florida-based developers Related Group and Merrimac Ventures, which are building a 92-unit beachfront condominium tower at 1213 South Ocean Blvd. For Waldorf Astoria, long known for its hotels and resorts and now owned by Hilton, it’s the first purely residential project to come under a branding contract, according to a spokeswoman.
Occupying a 2-acre oceanfront site, the Waldorf Astoria Residences Pompano Beach will offer amenities including a beachfront cafe with room service, resident lounge, pool, jacuzzi and cabanas with poolside dining and wellness facilities. The residential units are available in various floor plans and range from two to five bedrooms and from 2,100 to 6,100 square feet.
Residents will have private access to 200 feet of beachfront; the property “is also one of the very few in the region to feature a private marina, with 19 slips and ability to accommodate vessels measuring up to 45 feet,” a statement said.
Unit prices were not immediately available.
“We set out to distill the timeless elegance and exclusivity of the Waldorf Astoria brand into a purely residential format,” Nick Perez, president of Related Group’s condominium development group, said in a joint statement with Merrimac and Waldorf Astoria.
Perez was traveling and unavailable for comment. But the executive has noted in the past that the Miami-based developer is in a continual hunt for so-called submarket properties that have not traditionally drawn the attention of developers and would-be homebuyers.
“Waldorf Astoria has been committed to offering sincerely elegant service, culinary excellence, and unforgettable experiences since its inception,” Dino Michael, senior vice president and global head of Hilton Luxury Brands. “With the announcement of Waldorf Astoria Residences Pompano Beach, we are thrilled that the reputation and expectations associated with our luxury brand will reach new audiences and buyers with our evolved approach to the real estate space.”
Dev Motwani, CEO of Merrimac Ventures, said in the joint statement that “Pompano Beach’s transformation has been extraordinary — the result of many years of careful, thoughtful development and public investment in the community, which we’ve witnessed in the last decade since we’ve owned the site.”
“While we’ve completed several developments in the market over the years, we’ve always felt that this property was unique and intentionally waited until we found the right vision for this specific location,” he said.
According to a third quarter 2023 fact sheet circulated by Hilton, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts is one of three luxury brands that also include Conrad Hotels & Resorts and LXR Hotels & Resorts. The residential portfolio includes over 20 properties and over 3,100 branded and serviced residences, “with more in the pipeline over the next several years.”
Big name luxury brands have proliferated in South Florida in recent years, with a Ritz-Carlton, Conrad and Four Seasons entering Fort Lauderdale, and a Mandarin Oriental emerging in Boca Raton. A Waldorf Astoria branded super tall tower is rising 1,049 feet over downtown Miami.
Marina and towers at the Ritz
Also on the east side of Pompano Beach: Fortune International is building a luxury project called The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Pompano Beach.
Located at 1380 S. Ocean Blvd., the project includes a 14-floor structure on the Intracoastal Waterway with 88 residences starting at $800,000 and a 14-slip marina. A 32-floor high-rise with 117 residences starting at $4 million is rising across State Road A1A on the ocean.
Completion is set for 2026 and the project is 93% sold, according to a project spokeswoman. Construction started last year.
“First the Ritz-Carlton and now the Waldorf Astoria?” exclaimed Sandra King, a Pompano Beach spokeswoman, in an email. “Those upscale brands do their due diligence in choosing top destinations before they invest. I’d have to say Pompano Beach is now officially on the map.”