First look: New Turkish consulate in Miami

Buildout for the new consulate is valued at more than $1 million

March 14, 2016

Amicon Construction is putting the finishing touches on Turkey’s new Miami consulate.

Turkish-born and U.S.-based Murat Mutlu designed the 7,500-square- foot space in the Brickell City Tower, at 80 Southwest Eighth Street.

The Consulate General of the Republic of Turkey’s new consulate features a modern, monochromatic design, and ballistic-rated glass, wall paneling and doors, Amicon project manager Jay Richmond told The Real Deal. He said the cost of the buildout was more than $1 million. It includes a reception area with multiple teller stations.

“When you’re doing a high-security buildout, you’re dealing with materials from specialty manufacturers with long lead times,” Richmond said.

While the space opened in time for the Turkish election in November, the consulate is still tweaking finishes and has yet to hold a grand opening reception. Other tenants of the 33-story office building include Uber, Verizon, Lamex Agrifoods, Inlingua Language School, Chase Bank, Moye restaurant, the Beacon Council and the Consulate General of Japan. Property records show that Banyan Street Capital owns the building.

Brickell City Tower is currently 87 percent occupied with two new leases that will bring its occupancy up to 93 percent, Danet Linares, vice chair of Blanca Commercial Real Estate, told TRD. Blanca is the building’s exclusive leasing agent.

The Turkish consulate signed a 10-year lease about a year ago and moved into a temporary space in the building before the new office was ready. “Their space required a complete renovation,” Linares said.

Amicon also built out the space of the French consulate in the Espirito Santo building nearby at 1395 Brickell Avenue.