The Mandarin Oriental Miami was demolished by controlled implosion on April 12, 2026, collapsing in under 20 seconds. Smoke bombs marked the moment before charges brought down the 23-story building on Brickell Key, a private island at the mouth of the Miami River. Crowds gathered along the waterfront to watch. The hotel, which opened in 2000, had 326 rooms and was considered one of Miami’s most prominent luxury addresses. Developer Swire Properties, which has owned Brickell Key for over 40 years, confirmed the demolition was planned two years in advance. The city described it as the largest demolition in Miami in over a decade. Swire is replacing the site with a larger mixed-use development comprising a 34-story Mandarin Oriental hotel and a 66-floor residential tower. Two-bedroom units are priced from $6.6 million, with two penthouses having already sold for $50 million each. The project has generated $1.3 billion in sales from approximately half its available units, with completion expected in 2030 #hosted #pubity #viral