The first Hotel Cipriani in Venice opened in 1958. That same year, Ian Fleming visited Venice to celebrate his 50th birthday, and was promptly inspired to place James Bond there in his novel Risico. In the decades since, the Cipriani brand has become synonymous with the romantic Old World Italian luxury from which it was born.

As their hotels, residences, restaurants and event spaces popped up in North America, Cipriani’s profile rose among a new audience — in some cases, literally. The Cipriani Residences Miami, scheduled to open in 2027, is expected to reach a height of 950 feet. That will make it the tallest residential tower south of New York City upon completion.

The height of the building is a statement in itself. It’s a declaration of intent to compete with the other high-rise luxury residences cropping up along Miami’s priciest beachfronts. The Aston Martin Residences (817 feet), the Zaha Hadid-designed One Thousand Museum (706 feet), and the Paramount Miami Worldcenter (700 feet) have already pushed the boundaries of height.

The Baccarat Hotels & Residences (designed by Arquitectonica, like the Cipriani) is expected to be completed in 2028. It too takes direct aim at the Brickell skyline but, at 75 floors, it’s projected to fall short of the 85-story Cipriani Residences.

The goal of the trend isn’t hard to discern: by blocking off the most expensive views of the coastline, with optimal proximity to all Miami has to offer, each building eliminates the competition before it can crop up.

Why Miami Real Estate Is Attracting Primary Home Buyers

The vision underpinning the Cipriani project — Brickell as a destination for 1 percenters looking for a new primary residence — is no less bold than its height. Branded as a “fully integrated residential and hospitality offering,” its 397 residences range from one to four bedrooms and start at $1.8 million.

“Miami is no longer viewed primarily as a secondary or seasonal destination,” said Camilo Miguel Jr., Founder and CEO of Mast Capital, the firm developing Cipriani Residences Miami. “It is increasingly a primary market for individuals and families who expect the same level of quality, service, and consistency they would find in more established global cities. For a brand like Cipriani, the move reflects a deliberate expansion into a market that has reached a new level of maturity.”

Cipriani has been to Florida before. The Cipriani Downtown Miami restaurant on Brickell Avenue, the Mr. C Residences and Mr. C Hotel in Coconut Grove, and the Mr. C Hotel & Residences in West Palm Beach (also opening in 2027) are all part of the Cipriani family of brands.

Inside Cipriani Residences Miami: Amenities And Design

What will the new tower’s residences get for their investment? A fully integrated residential and hospitality experience, anchored by an elegant 80-story tower with a curved, cascading glass façade facing Biscayne Bay. Miguel said the Cipriani Residences Miami will feature the caliber of food and beverage, service delivery, and resident engagement embedded in Cipriani’s existing residential real estate properties. The building’s form, particularly its orientation and terracing, is designed to maximize waterfront exposure while maintaining structural efficiency at height.

“The upper levels, in particular, are conceived with a focus on privacy, scale, and long-term livability,” he said, “which reflects the expectations of a more permanent, globally mobile buyer.”

Private dining rooms are part of the expected package in Miami’s super-prime tier. Comparable examples include the Waldorf Astoria Residences Miami; the Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Miami; the Aston Martin Residences and Missoni Baia.

The food options at the Cipriani Residences Miami are no exception. It will feature resident-only dining services by Cipriani, private dining experiences, and a 37th-floor speakeasy — literally raising the bar. A resort-style pool deck with cabanas, and a comprehensive wellness program, will round out the Miami lifestyle available to the property’s residents.

With luxury hospitality brands revving their real estate engines, Miami is becoming a predictable hotbed for development. As this newest entry shows, the key is to aim high.