Mana Common Reveals Designs for First Development, ‘Nikola Tesla Innovation Hub’ in Flagler District
A 13-floor, 136,000 square foot office complex located at 155 S Miami Ave is receiving a makeover.
Nov 23, 2021 · 3 Minute Read 
Moishe Mana’s Mana Common unveils designs by renowned architecture and design studio ZYSCOVICH for a striking facade of irregular glass panels to form a unique fixture within the Downtown Miami skyline. The Nikola Tesla Innovation Hub is a collaboration between Mana Common’s Mana Tech and Mana Properties divisions and marks a cornerstone of Mana’s aspirations to develop the Flagler District into a global technology center and the economic engine of the region. The designers’ intention was to give prospective tenants an inspiring view of the Flagler District as it develops.
As the first new building to be realized in the (visionary) Flagler District, it had to be iconic. To achieve that while still respecting the smaller canvas and scale of the building, which we intentionally maintained within the fabric of Downtown, we looked for ways to open the building up to the neighborhood and welcome it in. The design also had to speak to the future of Downtown Miami and the technology, culture and commerce center it’s primed to be. The existing exterior skin will be stripped away and replaced with an artistic facade of reflective glass and shaded glass, offering the opportunity to see in and reflect out in the same facade.
— Bernard Zyscovich, CEO & Founder, ZYSCOVICH Architects
Originally built in 1980, the 13-story building formerly housed federal law enforcement offices, including the Miami divisions of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), US Customs and the Federal Immigration offices. The complete gut renovation of the building is being led by Telesco, with completion and delivery of 137,000 square feet of new leasable office space and 6,000 square feet of ground floor commercial space on S. Miami Avenue. The adjacent garage at 26 SE First Street, will also undergo renovation to deliver 324 spaces to serve the building.
The tenants that will occupy this building will be among the first, courageous dreamers in what will be the most exciting neighborhood in the world. As they follow their own dreams each day, I want them to be inspired by watching mine become reality.
— Moishe Mana, Chairman & Founder, Mana Common
The Nikola Tesla Innovation Hub marks Mana Common’s first project within the ambitious development of the Flagler District in Downtown Miami. Moishe Mana is Miami’s largest private landowner and a major player in Downtown’s revitalization, with over 60 properties in the area, and another four under construction. Interior demolition at 155 S. Miami Ave. began late 2020 to prepare for a complete renovation of the building by 2022.
Nikola Tesla was an under-appreciated genius in his lifetime. Just like Henry Flagler, Tesla lived within the Gilded Age-- a period of ingenuity and technological innovation, but also brutal competition. At Mana Common, we believe that when competition is tempered by a compassionate spirit of common good, we all benefit...
Nikola Tesla is a perfect example of a man whose desire to benefit humanity outweighed his personal ambitions. This building is a tribute to that legacy.
— Moishe Mana, Chairman & Founder, Mana Common
