Market for preppy 1 percenters. But thanks to COVID-19 it’s gone nuclear.
“The Palm Beach County real estate market is the hottest that I have seen in my more than 25 years in the industry,’’ Ben Schachter, president of Palm Beach-based Signature Real Estate, told The Post.
“In our local market, the average price for a single-family home is up nearly 40 percent from January 2020 to January 2021, which is absolutely unheard of.’’
And all that action can only add up to one thing: new construction.
Below is a look and the most exciting new projects rising in Palm Beach.
Forte
After the surprising success of super high-end building, The Bristol, which opened on Flagler Drive in 2019 with apartments quickly selling at upwards of $7 million, two new buildings on Flagler are following suit.
Forte, which has just broken ground and is slated to premiere at the end of 2023, will have oversize wraparound balconies and glass walls with unobstructed views of the city and waterfront.
The 41 units, which start at $4.9 million, are four- and five-bedrooms from 4,200 to 8,400 square feet with 10-foot ceilings. The apartments have one to two floors, with the exception of the penthouse, which is close to 9,000 square feet and has its own private roof deck and pool.
La Clara
La Clara, which also has large, deep balconies fit for entertaining, was designed by architect Siamak Hariri who created the Bahá’í Temple in Chile.
The building has partnered with Tammy Fender, OnBlonde Pet Spa and Virginia Philip Wine Spirits & Academy to bring pampering and grooming services for residents human and canine alike, as well as wine consultation and tastings.
Due to open in early 2023, the La Clara residences, which range from $2 million to $9 million, are already 60 percent sold. LaClaraPalmBeach.com
Seaglass Jupiter Island
Jeffrey Soffer, whose company owns the famed Fontainebleau in Miami, and whose family owns JW Marriott Turnberry Resort & Spa, is constructing a chic building on tony Jupiter Island, home to Tiger Woods and Celine Dion.
All 21 units, ranging from $7 million to $10 million, will have three- and four-bedrooms, and because the surrounding land is protected, your views of the ocean and the Intracoastal are safe — even railings are glass to maximize the vista.
Among the other enticements are an infinity pool, yoga and meditation lawn, social terrace and game area.
Drift
Opal Grand plans to unveil a rooftop restaurant and lounge this spring, and it will have a bird’s eye view of the ocean as well as the town.
A sleekly designed space will offer both indoor and outdoor seating and there will be an emphasis on fresh local seafood with an Italian flavor.
Appetizers include tuna crudo with toasted hazelnuts, chianti reduction, sweet pickled chilis and spiced orange oil; and among the entrées are blue crab-crusted grouper with roasted vegetables; crispy local snapper with Jupiter rice grits, tomato jam and smoked chili oil; and Gulf shrimp gnocchi with shaved ricotta salata, sun-dried tomato, toasted pine nuts and kale pesto.
Marisol
While the Boca Raton Resort is undergoing a $150 million renovation that will be completed at the end of the year (and with most of its 13 restaurants either closed or relocated to temporary pop-ups on the property) this fully outdoor Mediterranean restaurant is newly opened in conjunction with lifestyle authority Colin Cowie.
The beachfront setting is particularly fitting for its signature cuisine, which includes imported fish as well as local seafood like pompano with Persian cucumber, minted herb salad, freekeh tabbouleh and lemon salmoriglio.
There is also a section just for tagines, such as seafood paella or an heirloom vegetable assortment, and carnivores can enjoy a porterhouse for two with crispy Padrón peppers.
Dive in!
SeaSpray
Murals, as well as the intracoastal and Atlantic, serve as a backdrop for SeaSpray, a seafood restaurant that opens next month at the Waterstone resort, which is situated between the two bodies of water.
It will be a dock-and-dine concept, allowing boats to pull right up to the restaurant, and will feature live music along with such dishes as blue corn Key West shrimp tostadas with avocado and mango relish; frutti di mare with lobster; and grilled mahi mahi with cilantro-lime rice and roasted toy box squash.
The Ray
While it may not be on the beachfront like the new Opal Grand, the Ray hotel, due in July, capitalizes on Delray Beach’s vibrant art district.
Located in the midst of Pineapple Grove, the 141-room property has living walls and other lush greenery throughout, large-scale sculptures, art installations and a floating glass cube event space with a rooftop component.