interview - Italy-America Chamber of Commerce, Southeast

Featured Sustaining Member:
CMC Group
The next venture was Porto Vita, a $300 million development
on an expansive 18-acre parcel, in Aventura that includes
villas, 2 mid-rise and 2 high-rise towers, as well as a private
clubhouse, restaurants, spa and fitness center.
As President and owner of CMC Group, Inc., Ugo Colombo is
internationally renowned for the unique flair and exceptional
design he brings to each of his luxury high-rise developments.
Colombo is the creator of Brickell Avenue landmarks Bristol
Tower and Santa Maria condominiums, Grovenor House
in Coconut Grove and the most recent development, EPIC
Residences & Hotel in downtown Miami.
Born in Milan, Italy, Colombo came to the United States in
1983 to attend the University of Miami.
CMC Group was established in 1987, when the savvy Italian
envisioned revolutionizing residential developments for a niche
market of buyers. Betting heavily on the return of the luxury
market – first as an investor, then as a developer - the man
behind CMC Group has established himself and his brand as
one of South Florida’s premiere luxury residential developers.
After Colombo and his partners acquired and quickly resold
over one hundred units in Villa Regina, Colombo saw that
overseas buyers were willing to pay for high-end properties
with more livable square footage, thus leading CMC Group
to focus on the design and construction of its own buildings
from the ground up.
In addition to his ability as a real estate strategist, Colombo
remains involved in every aspect of his business, from the
purchase negotiations to the architectural plans and the
interior details.
Colombo conceived the idea of a round condominium and the
result was Bristol Tower, a 40 – story curvilinear glass design.
Upon completion, Bristol Tower was the tallest residential high
rise south of New York City. Panoramic views of Biscayne
Bay and the city, state-of-the-art security, and an extraordinary
interior design all helped propel the $80 million, 147-unit,
Brickell Avenue landmark to a record-breaking sell out.
After perfecting the art of residential development, Colombo
built 4000 Ponce. Considered one of Coral Gables’ most
prestigious business addresses, 4000 Ponce was completed
in 2002 and is a Mediterranean-style Class-A office tower
comprised of 750,000 square feet of mixed use office/retail
space.
CMC Group’s most recent masterpieces are Grovenor House,
a 32 – story luxury condominium, located on South Bayshore
Drive spanning 3.5 acres, and EPIC Residences & Hotel, an
exceptional 54- story tower boasting exquisite modern
residences which offer magnificent bay and city views, and
access to all of the amenities of EPIC’s 4-star hotel. Both
Grovenor House and EPIC are equipped with state of the art
technology, imported Italian granite countertops, Snaidero
cabinetry, Sub Zero and Miele appliances, Lualdi doors and
imported Italian marble baths and hardware.
Today, CMC Group offers a comprehensive selection of services,
including development, construction, and management of
both residential and commercial real estate. The Miamibased
company has a development portfolio that represents
a combined residential sellout value of $700 million. With an
exceptional eye for style and elegance, Colombo attributes
his success in residential real estate development to a simple
philosophy: Create your own brand and perfect it.
A few years later, Colombo surpassed Bristol Tower with the
even more remarkable Santa Maria. Santa Maria’s 52 stories
grace the Miami skyline with its twin-cylinder curvilinear
design.
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