ESJ Capital Partners, an Aventura, Fla.-based commercial real estate firm and a registered investment adviser, has secured the final approvals necessary to move forward with developing an eco-adventure destination and hotel on 18.5 acres of prime waterfront in Miami.
The $300 million project is an ambitious re-imagining of the historic “Jungle Island,” a zoological theme park and botanical gardens built in 1936 that once boasted the largest and rarest collection of exotic animals and birds. It is located on Watson Island, roughly five minutes from both downtown Miami and the world-renowned South Beach neighborhood of Miami Beach, surrounded by the crystal blue waters of Biscayne Bay.
Inspired by some of the world’s most successful eco-adventure destinations and conceived by a team of the top hospitality/nature attraction experts, ESJ’s master-plan for redevelopment of the park caters to the 21st-century guest, while still preserving historic elements that have