High Notes & High-Rises Inside the Music-Inspired Boom in South Florida Real Estate.

We don’t just move to a beat around these parts, we’re built on one, too (literally). Be it beachfront festivals or, well, any day at Elbo Room, music has long shaped the region’s rhythm.

Now, that same creative pulse is being channeled skyward as developers infuse luxury residences with features seemingly inspired by our nightlife and studio scene. Across Miami, Fort Lauderdale and beyond, karaoke lounges, vinyl listening rooms, podcast studios and recording suites are redefining what it means to live in tune with a community.

Leading the charge in 954 is Viceroy Residences Fort Lauderdale, the first Viceroy-branded condominium in the city and a collaboration between Naftali Group and Highgate’s hotel brand.

“This is the only branded residence in downtown Fort Lauderdale,” Danielle Naftali, Executive Vice President of Design, Marketing, and Sales for Naftali Group, tells LAUDY. “When we started developing the project, we saw that people were craving lifestyle-driven living… a space that went beyond a pool or gym and reflected the city’s culture.”

The Viceroy name already carries a legacy of design-forward hospitality from Abu Dhabi to Los Angeles, but its Fort Lauderdale iteration brings a new kind of vibe.

Residents can enjoy a “sip-and-spin” wine and sound bar on its 46th floor, complete with panoramic views and private wine lockers. “We wanted to create what we call an ‘entertainment floor,’” Naftali explains. “It’s sexy, it’s social and it’s a space where you can host guests, listen to music or even have a cocktail party overlooking the city.”

There’s also a karaoke room, a feature Naftali says has quickly become one of the most popular amenities in other Naftali developments. “Music rooms and cinemas are some of our most-used amenities,” she says. “They act as extensions of your apartment. You might not have a basement, but you can have 30,000 square feet of shared space… somewhere to take guitar lessons, record a podcast or just sing with friends.”

The karaoke lounge doubles as a recording-capable music room, designed with professional acoustics and flexible use in mind. “We’ve actually begun incorporating recording components,” Naftali adds. “It’s something residents love because it allows them to create, not just consume. You can listen back, produce content or make music without leaving home.”

Naftali credits Rockwell Group, the interior designers behind the project, for helping strike that note-perfect balance. “David Rockwell has an entire department dedicated to Broadway set design,” she says. “That background in theater and music definitely influenced how these rooms were conceptualized… spaces that feel creative, dynamic and performative.”

The Viceroy’s musical mindset isn’t an outlier, but part of a broader harmony echoing through South Florida’s skyline and other developers. 14 ROC, a 283-unit development rising in Downtown Miami’s Edgewater, will feature both a resident karaoke lounge and a creator’s podcast studio, catering to influencers and content makers building their brands. In Brickell, Mercedes-Benz Places plans to include a professional recording studio among its amenities, a natural fit for a development branded by a company synonymous with precision engineering and luxury design.

Then there’s Panorama Tower, one of Miami’s tallest buildings, which already boasts the Muse Room, a soundproof jam space and recording suite where residents can practice, record, or collaborate. At Forma Miami, a two-tower development in Brickell, a media lounge features an expansive video wall and a separate karaoke room with more than 50,000 songs. And in the coming years, Ombelle Fort Lauderdale, set to break ground in late 2025, will feature a dedicated music lounge and rehearsal studio.

While wellness once fully defined the amenity boom, music is becoming the next major lifestyle driver. For developers like Naftali Group, it’s as much about emotion as innovation. “We see these spaces as essential extensions of living,” Naftali says. “Music brings people together… it’s part of how people relax, express themselves and connect. Designing for that isn’t just smart. It’s human.”

Real Estate Mentions:

• Viceroy Residences Fort Lauderdale (also referred to as Viceroy-branded condominium in Fort Lauderdale)
• 14 ROC
• Mercedes-Benz Places
• Panorama Tower
• Forma Miami
• Ombelle Fort Lauderdale