Moishe Mana's decade-long accumulation of Wynwood real estate concluded in a landmark $1.1 billion sale to billionaire Ken Griffin, marking what industry observers call the largest land assemblage transaction in Florida history.

How did Moishe Mana build his Wynwood land portfolio?

Moishe Mana began quietly acquiring Wynwood parcels in 2009, purchasing land at prices as low as $18 to $20 per square foot at a time when the neighborhood was still largely overlooked by mainstream developers. Over roughly 15 years, Mana assembled more than 45 acres in the district, spending approximately $70 million to build what became one of the most strategically significant land holdings in Miami.

  • Acquisitions began in 2009, capitalizing on post-recession land values in Wynwood.
  • Purchase prices ranged as low as $18–$20 per square foot during early assembly.
  • The full portfolio eventually exceeded 45 acres of contiguous and near-contiguous Wynwood land.

What was originally planned for the Mana Wynwood site?

A 2017 special area plan approved for the core Mana Wynwood complex envisioned a dense mixed-use development featuring 3,500 residential apartments, 50,000 square feet of civic space, and a privately maintained public park. The plan reflected the neighborhood's rapid transformation into one of Miami's most sought-after creative and residential destinations, but those original designs were ultimately set aside.

  • The 2017 plan called for 3,500 apartments across the roughly 30-acre core site.
  • Civic space totaling 50,000 square feet and a private park were also part of the approved framework.
  • Key properties in the assemblage included the Wynwood Marketplace, a convention center facility, and the historic former RC Cola Plant.

What does the Griffin sale mean for Wynwood's future?

Ken Griffin acquired the core 30-acre Mana Wynwood complex — encompassing the convention center, Wynwood Marketplace, and the former RC Cola Plant — for $1.1 billion, redirecting the site's future away from residential towers and toward an educational institution. Griffin designated the property as the Miami campus of Carnegie Mellon University, a Pittsburgh-based research university, signaling a shift in Wynwood's identity from arts enclave and condo pipeline to a node of academic and technological activity.

  • The $1.1 billion sale price represents a return many times over on Mana's estimated $70 million investment.
  • Carnegie Mellon University's Miami campus replaces plans for thousands of apartments on the site.
  • The transaction is widely identified as the largest land assemblage deal ever recorded in Florida.

The original reporting on Mana's full acquisition timeline and transaction details was published by The Real Deal Miami.