5 ways Brickell City Centre makes life in Miami’s financial center even better

Perhaps the most memorable happening in the Global Gateway this week was the grand opening of Brickell City Centre. Pitbull, aka Mr. 305, helped celebrate the momentous occasion by performing a private concert for 1500 Miami VIPs on Wednesday night. Afterwards, New York-legend Susanne Bartsch kicked off the bacchanal and tricked out the mall at BCC in her signature style. World Red Eye, Miami's unofficial celebrity photo diary of sorts, immortalized the evening's awesomeness in a photo gallery worth viewing.

Miami has been waiting a long time for this day to arrive and it is finally here. "As it debuts," wrote The Miami Herald, "Brickell City Centre, a mixed-use complex of luxury condo towers, class-A office buildings, five-star hotel, and a sprawling open-air shopping center, is expected to transform Brickell's business district from a banking ghetto to a true live, work, shop and dine nexus."

So, just what is it about BCC that makes life in Miami's thriving urban core even better? Here are the top five reasons why:

1. Sak's Fifth Avenue will fill the retail Doughnut hole in Downtown
Anchored by a Saks Fifth Avenue, the 500,000 square foot shopping center opens just before busy holiday season and December's Art Basel Miami Beach festivities. Totaling 88 stores the mix of high-fashion retailers, including Cole Haan, Valentino, Sephora, Chopard and Illesteva make the transition from boardroom to ballroom a quick and easy reality for the busy executives that live, work and play in the Brickell financial district. Shoppers can walk in comfort between stores and restaurants thanks to BCC's innovative a Climate Ribbon, designed by famed architecture firm Arquitectonica. Its 30 million trellis of steel, fabric and glass spanning 150,000 connect the project's three city blocks.

2. SoBe's Casa Tua is taking its talents to the mainland
Looking for a new place to power lunch? Familiar culinary names include Pubbelly Sushi and Dr. Smood join Brickell/downtown Miami bastions of haute cuisine like Cipriani, ZUMA, Coya and Cantina Lavente. The tastemakers behind one of South Beach's swankiest member's-only eatery are taking their talents to the mainland to introduce Casa Tua Food Hall. The 38,000-square-foot Italian food hall is sure to elevate Miami's increasingly eclectic yet discerning culinary scene with its innovative food concept reminiscent of NYC's Eataly. Expect to find fresh produce and imported artisanal cheeses and meats. Live cooking demonstrations, classes by Italian chefs and wine tastings with food pairings will be scheduled regularly.

3. Sugar will put the Cherry on top of your Happy Hour
The rooftop bar at EAST has quickly become the new "IT" venue of choice for happy hour, replete with cocktails, conversation and killer views. The combination may lead to a record number of selfies taken in the 33131 zip code for Q4 2016 but those rumors cannot be confirmed at this time.

4. Movie night just got a whole lot better
Thanks to Mexican-based Cinemex, residents and guests of Brickell and the Downtown Miami area no longer must decide between a trip across the Julia Tuttle or venture into the Grove to catch a theatrical release. Brickell's first movie theater is 36,000 sf dine-in cinema.

5. They have a Farmer's Market
On Saturdays take a stroll through BCC's farmers market. Fresh produce, pastries and other goods from South Florida's best farms? Yes, please!