Following Porsche Design in 2018, Aston Martin opened its own residential tower alongside Brickell's waterfront in early 2024. At 818 feet tall—nearly 200 feet taller than Porsche's tower in Sunny Isles Beach—it quickly became the tallest residential building in Miami.
Now, just over two years later, the people who live there say the luxury tower is already showing signs of serious problems.
Residents Report Major Issues
According to a new report from Realtor.com, the condo association representing residents of Aston Martin Residences claims the two-year-old tower suffers from a long list of construction defects.
The association, which represents owners in the 66-story, 391-unit skyscraper, has filed legal claims against developer Riverwalk East Developments, along with several contractors and design firms involved in the project.
The complaint alleges everything from cracked concrete and water intrusion to corrosion along the seawall and balconies. It also points to what it describes as "sizable cracking" throughout the building, raising concerns about potential safety issues and costly repairs.
Haber Law out of Miami, which represents the association, told Realtor.com that fixing the alleged defects could cost millions of dollars. We reached out to the firm for additional details and will update this story if we hear back.
Riverwalk East Developments, meanwhile, called the allegations "unfounded" in a statement to Realtor.com, saying the claims appear to be an attempt to "divert attention from unresolved obligations" on the association's side. We’ve reached out to Riverwalk East Developments for a statement.
An Aston Martin spokesperson issued a statement to Motor1, saying: "We are aware of the allegations and the matter is under review."
Not Miami's Only Issues
The problems at Aston Martin Residences aren't the only concerns facing South Florida's growing collection of automaker-branded skyscrapers. Last year, a study from the University of Miami found that dozens of luxury high-rises along the coast—including the Porsche Design Tower in Sunny Isles Beach—had sunk by as much as three inches between 2016 and 2023.
Researchers identified signs of subsidence in 35 buildings across Sunny Isles Beach, Surfside, Bal Harbour, and Miami Beach.
The study didn't find any immediate structural issues with the Porsche tower, and experts noted that some settling is normal for newer buildings. Still, the findings raised new questions about the long-term challenges facing ultra-luxury developments built on South Florida's sandy coastline.
For now, there's no evidence linking the alleged defects at Aston Martin Residences to the subsidence identified in the Porsche study.
Motor1's Take: Car companies lately love lending their names to luxury apartments and skyscrapers because the branding practically sells itself. But reports like this expose the downside of that strategy. Most automakers aren't actually building these towers—they're licensing their names and helping shape the design.
