Fort Partners, a Fort Lauderdale-based real estate development firm led by Nadim Ashi, has secured a $110.7 million construction loan to fund Surf House, an 11-story luxury condo with 17 units at 8995 Collins Avenue in Surfside, Florida. The financing, facilitated by Athene Annuity & Life Company and managed by Apollo Global Real Estate Management, represents a major investment in South Florida’s booming luxury real estate market, property records reveal.
In April, a Fort Partners affiliate acquired the property for $60 million from developer Jason Halpern. This prime site, adjacent to the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences at The Surf Club, highlights Fort Partners’ expertise in developing luxury real estate projects in Miami-Dade County. Fort Partners previously completed The Surf Club project in 2017, setting record-breaking price standards for high-end condominiums.
The acquisition included a 0.6-acre development site at 8995 Collins Avenue and a smaller 0.2-acre lot at 9000 Collins Avenue. Developer Halpern’s firm, JMH Development, had previously acquired an older condo on the oceanfront site, dissolved its association in 2016, and ultimately settled a related lawsuit in 2020. Demolition of the original building was completed in 2023, clearing the way for Surf House, designed by acclaimed architect Kobi Karp.
Recently, Fort Partners repaid a $36 million loan from Synovus Bank, initially secured by this same Surfside development site. With full ownership of all Four Seasons-branded properties in South Florida, Fort Partners continues to enhance its position in the luxury real estate sector, further evidenced by its completion of Seaway at the Surf Club. This 34-unit, two-building complex at 9149 Collins Avenue replaced the former Seaway Villas condominium.
In line with their expansive vision, Fort Partners is planning a new 11-story condo development featuring 14 ultra-luxury units at 9163-9165 Collins Avenue, for which they paid $41.5 million last year.
Fort Partners is also branching out in Coconut Grove, collaborating with Ugo Colombo’s CMC Group on a boutique Four Seasons-branded condominium currently open for presale, set to redefine luxury living in Miami.