Sunny Isles Has Low-Key Luxury Charm Away From the Bustle of Miami, Says Jules Trump

Jules Trump, the co-chairman, along with his brother Eddie Trump, of the hotel and residential real estate development company The Trump Group, has a penchant for flair and old-world opulence. The brand’s luxury projects in the Miami area—Williams Island, in Aventura, and The Mansions at Acqualina, in Sunny Isles—are eye candy with gilded gold finishes and marble everywhere. 

Mr. Trump’s most recent property, The Estates at Acqualina, is the most extravagant to date: The $1.8 billion endeavor, comprising 245 residences, features visually arresting lobbies designed by the late famed Chanel designer Karl Lagerfield—his only condominium project in the U.S. Mr. Lagerfield’s creativity features a backlit glass mural with photographs he took himself and acid-etched glass columns. The Estates also has a 45,000-square-foot Italian-style villa laden with amenities including a bowling alley, speakeasy and ice-skating rink.

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The development’s South Tower debuted this October, but residences in the building were sold-out by mid-2021.

Mr. Trump, who was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and has no relation to the former president and fellow developer Donald Trump, spoke to Mansion Global about trends in luxury residences, his gravitation toward classic design and the amenities high-end home buyers most desire.  

Mansion Global: Your Karl Lagerfeld lobbies are the only residential project that the designer put his name to in the U.S.. Why did you choose him, and how did the collaboration happen?

Jules Trump: Karl Lagerfeld is known for his extremely creative work, and I’ve always admired him. His style is unmatchable. We were introduced to Karl through a mutual friend and immediately connected when Stefanie and I flew to Paris to meet him. He looked at our proposal that explained the development and had renderings and kept saying “magnifique.” He was very enthusiastic about it, and we didn’t have to convince him to come on board.

MG: Between Bentley, Armani, Porsche, Acqualina and others—Sunny Isles is saturated with luxury developments. What’s your point of differentiation?

JT: I like to think that our quality is incomparable in terms of the materials we’ve used: mosaics, marbles, metals. Everything is the best possible in its class. Also, our amenities help us stand out. The Acqualina complex has a 1,200-foot stretch of beautiful beach that’s hard to find elsewhere in the Miami area, 6 acres of greenspaces including several lawns and landscaped gardens and five restaurants, including an Il Mulino and the Greek eatery Avra.

MG: How have amenities evolved in luxury developments in South Florida over the last several years?

JT: They’ve definitely gotten more over-the-top. It used to be enough to have a great gym and swimming pool. Now you have the works: restaurants with celebrity chefs, bowling alleys (like we have), spas and more. Also, developments have become more niche by catering to specific buyers. Some are going after young millennials with bars and lounges. Others, like us, are targeting families with amenities such as children’s pools complete with slides, teen centers and kids’ camps. 

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MG: Most new real estate developments feature contemporary design. Yours bring in a traditional aesthetic with modernity. Why have you chosen this style?

JT: The residential buildings in the Estates have mostly contemporary elements such as Karl’s lobbies and the glass exterior, but European old world is a style that Eddie and I, along with my wife Stephanie, personally love. We’ve also found that our customers love it. We want to be authentic to ourselves and please them. Our amenities villa at The Estates is an example and constructed in a typical Mediterranean style.

MG: What do you consider to be The Estates’s most standout amenity, and from your past projects, which amenities do you find that residents value and use the most?

JT: At The Estates, Avra by far is a big selling point. It’s a more than a $10 million venture—the restaurant is 12,000 square feet, including an al fresco dining area and overlooks the ocean. The design includes an infinity pool, a collection of contemporary art and a panoramic bar. The restaurant flies in fish from the Mediterranean every day and has its own network of fishermen and produces its own olive oil. Based on my numerous times dining at the Avra’s in New York, dining there is an experience that transcends your typical meal out. 

From what I’ve seen in my past developments, the restaurants are the most heavily used amenities. Residents use them to entertain, have family meals or dine on their own. They’re for entertainment and practical at the same time. 

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MG: What role do you think, if any, the pandemic played with regards to your sales?

JT: I believe that it played a big one. We saw strong sales in 2020 before the pandemic, but once it hit in March, they were at a standstill. But between January 2021 and June 2021, we sold out completely. Our buyers—many of whom are from New York—wanted an escape from big-city life, and we offered that. It also helps that we have four- and five-bedroom residences that are large enough to be permanent homes and give residents the opportunity to comfortably set up home offices.

MG: What’s the appeal of living in Sunny Isles compared with Miami?

JT: The beaches are wider and less crowded than South Beach. And, you’re away from the madness and wild parties synonymous with Miami. Sunny Isles also has a great sense of community with excellent schools, parks, a town library and many long open family-run restaurants and stores. People know each other and smile and say “hello.”

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

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