After 26 years, The Mandarin Oriental, a hotel at one of Miami’s most exclusive locations, was demolished on Sunday, but the spot where it stood will be the site for a bigger complex.
According to Swire Properties, the demolition made way for the groundbreaking of The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Miami, a two-tower ultraluxury hotel and residential development scheduled for completion in 2030.
The Mandarin Oriental opened its doors in 2000 and was a 23-story building where celebrities stayed, and foodies flocked to restaurants such as La Mar and Azul.
Compared to the old building, The Residences at Mandarin Oriental will feature a 66-story South Tower with 228 private residences and a 34-story North Tower with 70 private residences, 28 turnkey Hotel Collection residences, and 121 hotel guestrooms.
The operation follows nearly two years of planning and coordination with specialized contractors and the city, developers said. Implosion was selected as the safest and most efficient method to maintain the project timeline while minimizing disruption and ensuring the safety of the Brickell Key community.
Several people saw the implosion as a massive cloud of dust rolled across the water.
For many watching, it was history in the making.
“It’s just iconic, it’s just history, it’s been here forever, and now this implosion, it’s interesting,” said a spectator.
For others, it was a personal goodbye.
“We all met there,” a person said. “We all started our, we launched our careers there, and so I think it’s just sad to see it go. I mean, you know, just the end of an era for us.”
After nearly five years working together at the hotel, this was a big moment for Petra and Yulia as they got emotional when the building came down.
“So many great moments at the hotel,” they said. “We met so many great people, our guests, our regular guests, who became our family pretty much.”
The 23-story hotel stood in Brickell Key for 26 years—a symbol of luxury.
While a new luxury building will be replacing the Mandarin Oriental, some have mixed feelings.
“They’re going to block the view,” said a person. “So I don’t know if it’s going to be good for people that are living here. It’s definitely going to be good for the economy. But we’re going to miss our hotel.”
Now, as the dust settles, a six-month cleanup process begins, and the future takes shape.
NBC6 was told that crews will be breaking ground on the new development by the end of this year.