Are helicopters yesterday’s Model T? The developer of one of Miami’s most prominent real estate developments, Paramount Miami Worldcenter, thinks so and is preparing for the future of urban aviation by making modifications to the rooftop design of the tower to accommodate a 5,000-square-foot Skyport on top of a new 60-story downtown Miami high-rise.
Dan Kodsi, a veteran developer, with a masters in urban planning and background as a recreational pilot, has built more than 6,000 units over the course of his 30-year career. Today, he is readying his state-of-the-art future-forward residential tower, with the ability to convert its rooftop into a Skyport for vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, also known as passenger drones, or what some may call “flying cars.”
“The future of transportation is here within the next 10 to 15 years and urban aviation is closer to reality than you might expect. The flying vehicles will use airspace to alleviate transportation congestion and traffic on the ground for quicker daily commutes, and cleaner air around the world. These vehicles are more like a helicopter, but much quieter, run electronically and are environmentally friendly,” said developer Dan Kodsi. “PARAMOUNT Miami Worldcenter prides itself on its amenities and high-tech features. While the industry still has many regulatory hurdles to clear, we are excited to be at the forefront of urban aviation with what can one day be the first residential Skyport in Miami.”
One day, PARAMOUNT Miami Worldcenter residents could seamlessly ride a sleek glass elevator up to the luxury tower’s private rooftop, where they could be picked up or dropped off by on-demand aircraft.
Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA), in partnership with Chinese firm Ehang, carried out the first test run of an autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) last year with the launch operations to take place very soon.
Speaking last year, Mattar Al Tayer, the director general and chairman of the RTA, said: “The trial run of the first AAV is in implementation of the directives of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to transform Dubai into the smartest city in the world
Ever since UBER Elevate announced it would begin testing its urban air taxis in Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles and Dubai in 2020, a galactic style race erupted from tech, aircraft manufacturers and automakers both domestic and international to develop flying cars. Including the German developers of Volocopter and Lillium, Airbus’s Vahana, the Chinese developers of Ehang 184 and Terrafugia, Google’s Kitty Hawk Flyer and Workhorse Surefly.
“Imagine traveling from Miami to Palm Beach—a drive that takes the better part of two hours—in about 30 minutes. That stop-and-go traffic to the suburbs could become a burden of the past for PARAMOUNT residents,” said Kodsi.
PARAMOUNT – located inside the massive Miami Worldcenter project in the heart of downtown Miami – is more than 70 percent sold with $400 million in sales of their 500+ city- and bay-view residences. Units range in size from 1,180 to 2,350 square feet, with prices starting at $750,000. It has more than 50 nationalities represented among its buyer pool.
Construction crews from general contractor of record, CoastalTishman, have already reached the 47th floor of vertical construction. PARAMOUNT is on course for its top off in summer 2018, and building completion anticipated for spring 2019.
The only residential tower currently for sale within the massive 27-acre mixed-use Miami Worldcenter site, PARAMOUNT has made international headlines with its Upper Deck, which will debut as the largest amenity deck in the U.S., spanning 90 feet above downtown Miami featuring an extraordinary array of action-packed amenities that includes the country’s first outdoor soccer field to be featured in a high-rise residential development; two tennis courts; multiple resort-style pools; lush parks and spa baths among others.
Located in the heart of Miami’s downtown at the crossroads of culture, entertainment, art and fine dining, residents will enjoy an unparalleled location just an elevator ride away from Miami’s waterfront and most celebrated cultural and entertainment landmarks such as the Adrienne Arsht Center, Pérez Art Museum Miami, Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, and the American Airlines Arena. Also within Miami Worldcenter is the nearby proposed Marriott Marquis Miami Worldcenter Hotel and Expo and All Aboard Florida’s Miami Grand Central Station, which will allow residents direct service to Orlando in three hours, as well as connectivity to the Metro Mover and nearby Miami International Airport.