By Mary Mullaj

SoFi has become the trendiest neighborhood in Miami Beach, thanks in part to exclusive residential enclaves like the South of Fifth residences at 125 Ocean Drive.

Better known as one of the only luxury communities in South Florida boasting a vast variety of services and restaurant options within walking distance, Miami Beach’s South of Fifth Street is heralded as an exceptional neighborhood. The cozy-chic community is just five blocks long and seven blocks wide, and provides protection from South Beach’s busy 5th street thoroughfare. Being hidden away but not secluded from the more visited section of Ocean Drive enhances the diminutive enclave’s aura. South of Fifth not only offers beachfront residency, but also access to three bodies of water that surround the area-the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Biscayne Bay, and the Miami Beach Marina to the west and Government Cut to the south sea-further enhancing the distinct appeal.

It may come as no surprise that local restaurateur Myles Chefetz is responsible for pioneering the SoFi area. While living here for the last decade, he watched SoFi transform from a downtrodden neighborhood to an haute locale, helping to propel the change by opening several highly successful restaurants that beckon hordes of hungry diners with delectable cuisine. While the neighborhood is already home to some of the most affluent residential buildings in Miami Beach, the recently completed complex that bears the same name as the neighborhood-South of Fifth-proposes residences that are the essence of SoFi living: private, exclusive, walk-able, and urban. Recently, Chefetz announced that he would make the oceanfront residences at South of Fifth his home with the purchase of an 8,600-square-foot penthouse with a private rooftop pool. “It is the only boutique building in the area that offers the privacy that I am looking for,” he explains. “It is more like a home than a condo.”

The courtyard-style development, designed by architecture firm Nichols, Brosch, Wurst, Wolfe & Associates, showcases modern luxury living at its best. The flow-through residences serve as a stylish alternative to the area’s many high rises, offering a spacious, more home-like appeal. The 28-unit setting includes 10 lofts, 12 condominiums, three penthouses, and three two-story beach houses, all with interior designs by Franzella Guido. The homes include open-air kitchens with Ego Design by Carlo Colombo cabinetry, Wolfe gas cook tops, and Miele and SubZero finishes. Bathrooms are similarly well appointed, with either Wenge wood or limed oak combined with Jerusalem stone and white glass tile. Other luxuries are private elevators, smart-living platforms, and an outstanding fitness studio run by South of Fifth’s personal fitness consultant, Lana Gelb (formerly of Canyon Ranch and the Queen Mary 2). Available residences range from 2,600 to 6,200 square feet and are priced from $6 million to $8 million.

Developer Michael Samuel, founder and principal of Samuel and Co., the company behind South of Fifth, is proud to call the SoFi neighborhood home. A born and bred urbanite, his choice to reside South of Fifth Street is an ardent testament to the community. Also a veteran SoFi resident, Sildy Cervera is South of Fifth’s exclusive broker. As director of sales for Related Cervera Realty Services, Sildy has handled many of the most desirable residences in SoFi and believes the area to be a truly special neighborhood. “You can walk to all the local stores, bicycle to the park, or go jogging on the beach,” she explains, lauding it as the best of both worlds-a quiet, exclusive neighborhood close to the amenities of Miami Beach. “SoFi is great for young families, working-age couples, and retirees seeking a friendly, warm place in the sun.”

With only seven of the building’s 28 units remaining on the market, South of Fifth and Lamborghini Miami have come together to create the ultimate luxury living experience. Upon closing, new residents will receive the keys to their own 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, valued at $260,000.

Not that buyers need much of an incentive to invest in the district, which continues to welcome top establishments to its hallowed streets. Chefetz’s renowned locales Prime 112, Nemo, and Shoji Sushi will soon be joined by newcomers Fogo de Chao and Segafredo South Point, while luxury hotels, including an Ian Schrager locale, are slated for the area. However, don’t wait too long to invest, as SoFi property becomes more scarce and increasingly popular, the opportunity to own a piece of the exclusive neighborhood is diminishing.

South of Fifth
125 Ocean Dr.
Miami Beach, FL
305.695.0129