Brickell Key: An Island Forged by Visionaries

Michelle Mastrobattista

From discarded dredge to Miami’s most exclusive enclave, Brickell Key’s century-long transformation culminates with The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Miami—a private island retreat where urban energy meets serene waterfront living, shaped by visionary women and Swire Properties’ four-decade master plan.

Brickell Key_Aerial 600x300
May 2, 2025

The story of Miami’s most exclusive island begins not with gleaming towers or celebrity residents, but with mud, mangroves, and one woman’s determination to claim her place in history. Brickell Key’s transformation from forgotten dredge material to tropical enclave spans more than a century, shaped by legal battles, economic tides, and the visionaries who saw potential where others saw only problems. Today, as the Mandarin Oriental prepares to unveil its final masterpiece on this storied land, the island comes full circle, its past and future forever intertwined in the sediment beneath its foundations.

The Island That Shouldn't Exist (1896–1916)

The accidental birth of Brickell Key began with Henry Flagler’s ambitious dredging of the Miami River in 1896. As workers deepened the channel for his Royal Palm Hotel’s steamships, they dumped the excavated material – a mixture of limestone, silt, and shell – just east of the Brickell family’s trading post. By 1912, aerial photographs reveal two ragged land masses emerging from the bay: the larger spoil island created from river dredging, and a smaller outcrop formed when workers excavated a grounded vessel.

These islands were universally despised. Dr. James Jackson, physician for the Royal Palm Hotel, declared them “a menace to public health”, their stagnant waters breeding mosquitoes, their odor fouling the bayfront. Mary Brickell, by then Miami’s most powerful landowner after her husband’s death, proposed eliminating them entirely in 1914 by pumping the spoil material into low-lying areas of her estate. But bureaucracy and competing interests thwarted her plan, leaving the islands to languish.

Brickell Point and Burlingame Island in 1935
Brickell Point and Burlingame Island in 1935

Margaret Burlingame's Legal Triumph (1916–1918)

The island’s destiny changed on June 21, 1916, when the Florida Internal Improvement Fund accepted a bid from Margaret Burlingame, a Michigan transplant who had established one of Miami’s first female-owned advertising agencies. Her vision was bold: she would bulkhead, fill, and transform the five-acre eyesore into valuable real estate.

Mary Brickell immediately filed suit. What followed was a two-year legal battle that culminated in a landmark Florida Supreme Court ruling affirming Burlingame’s ownership. This victory represented more than a property dispute; it was a watershed moment for women in business, proving they could compete in the male-dominated world of real estate development.

Though Burlingame secured permits and announced plans for a hotel or apartment building, her vision would go unrealized. The island bearing her name passed through several owners before its next major transformation.

Brickell Key in 1979
Brickell Key (a.k.a. Claughton Island) in 1979

Swire's Vision Takes Root (1978–2000)

In 1978, Swire Properties acquired an interest in a joint venture to develop the 33.6-acre island, then known as Claughton Island. Over the next two decades, Swire meticulously shaped Brickell Key into a mixed-use enclave that balanced commerce with residential tranquility.

The first residential development, One Tequesta Point (completed in 1995), marked the beginning of Swire’s long-term vision. Two Tequesta Point followed in 1998, and by 2001, Three Tequesta Point had risen alongside Courts Brickell Key and Jade Residences in 2003. And in 2008, ASIA, a 32-story residential condominium tower, was completed. These projects transformed the island from a financial center into a vibrant community where young professionals and families could live, work, and play all within steps of the bayfront.

The crowning achievement of this era came in 2000 with the opening of the Mandarin Oriental, Miami, a hotel in which Swire holds a 75% interest. Its zen-inspired aesthetic honored the island’s tropical roots while offering refuge from the city’s frenzy, setting a new standard for hospitality.

Mandarin Oriental Miami in 2000 courtesy of Swire Properties.
Mandarin Oriental Miami in 2000 courtesy of Swire Properties.

The Mandarin Oriental Era (2000–Present)

For two decades, the Mandarin Oriental stood as Brickell Key’s crown jewel, until plans emerged for its next evolution. The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Miami, represent the culmination of Swire’s 40-year master plan, a project that has drawn upon the talents of Parisian designer Tristan Auer and Thai landscape firm Shma to create something unprecedented.

For Maile Aguila, Senior Vice President of Residential Sales at The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Miami, the island represents more than a development opportunity; it’s the culmination of a career spent understanding how place shapes lives.

“One of the great joys of my role at Swire is introducing buyers, many of whom have toured a wide range of luxury properties throughout Miami, to Brickell Key,” Aguila says. “There’s a moment I love witnessing: when someone steps onto the island for the first time and realizes they’ve discovered something truly special. Brickell Key offers a rare balance of privacy and proximity to downtown Miami. It feels like an exclusive oasis, yet it’s right in the heart of the city. With its waterfront Baywalk and unmatched views of Biscayne Bay and the Brickell skyline, it’s a place that continues to surprise and captivate even the most seasoned buyers.”

The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Miami Great Room courtesy of Swire Properties.
The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Miami Great Room courtesy of Swire Properties.

The Island Hideaway Reimagined

What makes Brickell Key singular is its duality: the rare ability to be both in Miami and distinctly apart from it. The Residences at Mandarin Oriental amplify this magic.

Designed as a tropical hideaway within city limits, the development embraces its island identity. Landscapes by Shma incorporate native gumbo limbo and stopper trees, their canopies filtering sunlight onto pathways lined with fossilized coral. The towers’ undulating balconies, designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, evoke wave patterns, while interiors by Tristan Auer blur boundaries between indoors and out.

Residents will experience this equilibrium daily: morning coffee on a terrace where the only sounds are rustling palms and lapping waves; evenings watching the downtown skyline glitter across the bay like a mirage. The amenities – a waterfront tea pavilion, state-of-the-art fitness studios, and private dining with Michelin-starred chefs – are curated not for ostentation, but for seamless island living.

Sales Pavilion at The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Miami courtesy of Swire Properties.

The Crown Jewel Realized

When completed in 2029, the Residences will stand as the final act of Swire’s master plan; a testament to the island’s enduring appeal. From Margaret Burlingame’s legal triumph to Maile Aguila’s discerning eye, Brickell Key has always rewarded those who respect its unique character.

As Aguila reflects: “I have a deep love for Brickell Key—not just for its beauty and serenity, but for the lifestyle it offers. Looking ahead, I believe Brickell Key is poised to become an even more prominent global destination within Miami, especially with the arrival of The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Miami. This is not just another luxury development—it’s an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime offering.”

And so, the island’s story continues; one of sediment and vision, of water and ambition, forever evolving yet always, unmistakably, Brickell Key.

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