Congestion Pricing

It’s ba-aack. Or maybe it never went away. A plan to charge most motorists for driving into central Manhattan during busier hours of the day has cleared a major federal hurdle. Meanwhile, down in the Miami area, developers are signing celebrity chefs to make their luxury projects seem that much more exclusive. What’s that costing them?

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— Tom Acitelli, Co-Deputy Editor

Manhattan Congestion Pricing Clears Federal Hurdle

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority crossed all its T's on the environmental assessment it performed for the congestion pricing plan for Manhattan — at least as far as the federal government is concerned. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued a letter of sufficiency regarding the assessment, essentially stating that no further information was needed for the agency’s review of the proposal and giving the green light for the city to charge motorists traveling into and through Manhattan’s central business district. The FHWA’s findings will be up for public review for 30 days before the environmental impact is fully completed.

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Miami Developers Tout Celebrity Chefs, Private Dining in Crowded Luxury Market

Developer Gil Dezer has a problem with how easily the word “luxury” gets thrown around when discussing — or, more to the point, marketing — Miami’s shiny, new residential condominium towers. When conceiving his latest venture, the futuristic Bentley Residences in Sunny Isles Beach, Dezer set out to create a building that embodied the true definition of the word. Slated for completion in 2026, the luxury vehicle-branded property designed by Sieger Suarez Architects will be decked out with four car elevators that whisk residents inside their rides up to their sky palaces, all 216 of which are appointed with private swimming pools on their balconies and priced from $5.25 million. In addition to these high-flying amenities, Dezer is upping the ante at Bentley with a private restaurant for the exclusive use of residents and their guests, helmed by celebrity chef Todd English, a James Beard Award winner. The crucial element is its exclusivity, said Dezer, as opposed to other so-called luxury projects with marquee restaurants open to the public.

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