Boom or Bust: Miami

Mr. Ugo Colombo is a living legend. Many don’t know who he is. They don’t know that he owns The Collection exotic car dealership, or that he recently bought the Carl Fisher mansion valued at 42 million. Even less know that he is responsible for having initiated the era of residential skyscrapers in Miami with the 54 story Santa Maria. Yes, Mr. Colombo is responsible. In meeting him, you will find him to be quiet yet sharp. Although it is not advisable to approach him, he comes across as approachable. Importantly, he, as a developer, has a flair for the ultra-luxurious and supreme in quality. His buildings aren’t always exceptionally tall. He doesn’t build several at once. Like an artist, carefully stroking at his canvas, Ugo patiently executes one sometimes two projects at a time–always thinking of his next series of strokes. Except his canvas is our skyline.
There are patterns to his legacy. His buildings tend to be curvy and sleek with an emphasis on glass which blends harmoniously with the natural landscape. Mr. Colombo’s projects are almost always exclusively “wet”. That is on or near the ocean or bay–as if the blue glass serves as some sort of architectural bridge between the water below and the sky above. His latest major project, Epic residences, is a continuation of this pattern.

He is loyal to his architects. Most of his major developments have been designed by Revuelta, Vega, and Leon Architects; perhaps because they have done a great job translating his vision; perhaps because he has succeeded in working with them and does not want to change his winning formula. Regardless, his capital, vision, and flair for the special and truly unique have led him to become a living legend with a legacy that continues to evolve. It is fitting that such a man should reside in the home of the once great developer-pioneer Carl Fisher. The great man would be proud of his former home’s newest owner.