Uber increases Miami footprint with new lease downtown
.jpg)
Uber has signed a new lease for 13,000 square feet at the 3 MiamiCentral building downtown, as it looks to double down on its footprint in the city.
Uber spokesman Javi Correoso said the space can house up to 70 employees, up from about 40 at its current location in Brickell. MiamiCentral was chosen in part for its access to Metrorail, Metromover and Brightline, in keeping with the company’s mission to improve mobility for its customers, Correoso said. Part of that effort includes a pilot project to integrate payments with Miami-Dade transit.
“Right now, Miami is one of the few markets globally where you can use the Uber app to plan your journey on Miami-Dade County transit,” Correoso said. “So you can open the Uber app, type in an address, and when you request an Uber X or XL, you will also have the option of using Miami-Dade transit, and it will give you the price of the trip.”
Miami continues to be a key hub for Uber’s Latin America operations — the San Francisco-based company currently operates in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. Uber’s official LatAm headquarters is in Mexico City.
In addition to handling Latin America operations, many of Uber’s Miami-based employees work on its delivery functions. UberEats was rolled out in Miami in 2016, and the market has become among the most active for deliveries. In June, Uber acquired Chile-based Cornershop, a grocery delivery firm.
Uber has been in Miami since 2014.
“When Uber thought about its future, it thought about Miami,” said Miami Mayor Francis Suarez in a statement. “After acquiring Postmates last year, and a recent announcement to acquire LATAM delivery Cornershop, it became clear that a Miami expansion would make sense. Their office will allow them to be closer to major investors, house senior leadership, and create dozens of high-paying local jobs for a robust talent pool.”
3 MiamiCentral is owned by EQ Office, the U.S. office portfolio company wholly owned by Blackstone’s real estate funds. The building, along with 2 MiamiCentral, was acquired in March 2021.
“Miami has become a magnet for companies looking to attract new talent,” said Lisa Picard, CEO of EQ Office. “With its location at the epicenter of connectivity, MiamiCentral empowers dynamic growth-minded companies such as Uber to drive innovation, culture, community and collaboration.”
“Uber’s expansion into Downtown Miami is yet another example of how the region’s rapidly growing tech scene is real and here to stay,” said Alan Kleber and Adam Bernstein of brokerage firm JLL, which represented Uber; JLL also represented Blackstone when it opened a tech office in Miami last October. “Upon a thorough evaluation of the local office market, Uber was very intentional in its selection to be in Downtown and specifically at 3 MiamiCentral. The building’s close proximity to various mass public transit options met the company’s needs as it aligns with Uber’s mission to improve mobility for its customers and supports its efforts to attract and retain top talent across South Florida. By working closely with Uber, our team was able to secure a premier office space at the class A building that met its immediate timeframe and positions the company in the center of Miami’s thriving urban core.”
This story was originally published August 10, 2021 at 10:14 AM.
