Bal Harbour Construction in 2026: What Opened, What Is Being Built and What Is Still Planned

Bal Harbour’s 2026 development story is unfolding in separate stages: a new part of its landmark shopping center has begun welcoming visitors, an oceanfront residential tower is under construction, a hotel has closed for renovation, and several public projects remain in design or permitting.

As of late October 2026, the clearest new opening is at Bal Harbour Shops. The West Shops expansion began opening to the public in September, although not every space in the addition is operating. Elsewhere along Collins Avenue, Rivage Bal Harbour is being built on the oceanfront. The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, Miami has temporarily suspended hotel operations for a property-wide refurbishment. Meanwhile, the Village is pursuing utility improvements and planning additional civic facilities.

These are different kinds of real estate milestones. A new retail wing that admits shoppers is not equivalent to an entire construction program being finished. A condominium tower marketed as under construction is not yet available for occupancy. And an approved design study for a civic building is not a groundbreaking.

Retail complex Bal Harbour Shops: West Shops began opening on September 23

A Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau event listing identifies September 23, 2026, as the public opening of a new section of Bal Harbour Shops at 9700 Collins Avenue. The listing describes a morning preview of the first wave of boutiques, with additional openings to follow. This establishes a tangible 2026 retail milestone, but does not establish that the whole expansion was completed that day.

The owner describes its wider enhancement program as adding nearly 250,000 square feet to the open-air shopping complex. That figure describes the planned overall addition, not the amount of floor area confirmed open in September. The new West Shops space is also allowing established tenants to relocate into different premises. David Yurman identifies its refreshed boutique as being on the first floor of the new West Shops. The Shops' own directory identifies The Webster as a forthcoming second-level tenant, with a planned reopening in November 2026. These staggered schedules help explain why the expansion should be described as a phased opening.

Construction financing can also be misread as fresh news. Reporting on a $740 million Blackstone loan dates the financing to December 2024. It is relevant to the history of this development, but it was not a new loan issued in autumn 2026 and should not be presented as money newly spent on construction this year.

Access to the shopping complex changed on February 27

On February 27, 2026, the 9700 Collins Avenue vehicle entrance closed until further notice due to construction, according to a Village traffic advisory. Motorists were directed instead to the 96th Street parking garage or the 9800 Collins Avenue entrance. The notice also identified changes to valet and rideshare access.

The 96th Street garage itself is not a new 2026 project: it opened in 2023. The news this year is the revised traffic arrangement while construction continues. Visitors should check the Shops' current access guidance, since temporary entrance instructions can change.

Oceanfront residential complex Rivage Bal Harbour: construction continues

At 10245 Collins Avenue, Rivage Bal Harbour is the major residential construction project in this roundup. The developer’s official website describes it as “Now Under Construction.” Its current marketing materials show a 25-story building with 56 residences, with architecture by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and interiors by Rottet Studio. These are developer-stated project specifications, not evidence that the residences have been delivered.

An important records distinction remains. Older municipal documents refer to a different shell-building configuration, while the architect’s project profile uses 24 stories and lists a 2026 completion year. Those earlier descriptions should not be combined with the developer’s current 25-story, 56-home marketing figures as though they were one finalized set of approved documents. For this report, the current residential count and height are attributed to the developer. No independently verified certificate of occupancy or handover date has been established.

For a prospective buyer, the practical question is not only what the renderings show. It is what the purchase agreement says about construction milestones, projected delivery, deposits, specifications and potential changes to the condominium documents.

Hotel The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour: closed for renovation on April 6

The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, Miami closed temporarily on April 6, 2026 for an extensive renovation. The operator describes changes to guest rooms and suites, dining, wellness facilities, the pool and other common spaces. The hotel's existing building is being reworked; this is not the groundbreaking of a newly built hotel.

Marriott's property pages refer to a planned return in early 2027, with slightly different wording across the hotel's pages. The useful, supportable description is therefore a targeted reopening in early 2027, subject to the operator's schedule, rather than a guaranteed opening day.

Water, sewer and stormwater infrastructure: work continues across Bal Harbour

The Village's Utility Infrastructure Improvement Project covers underground water and sewer lines, stormwater drainage and pavement restoration in the residential area. The Village says construction on some phases began in 2020 and others in 2022, and its published program anticipates completion of the remaining work in 2027.

That history matters. Roadworks visible in 2026 should not automatically be described as a project launched in 2026. The municipal program is phased, and individual streets can have different construction and resurfacing schedules. The Village also describes drainage improvements intended to reduce pollutants reaching Biscayne Bay. Residents and property buyers should consult the latest work-zone notices for the relevant block rather than treat a program-wide target year as a date for their street.

Municipal buildings and public space: design and permitting, not completed construction

In a June 26, 2026 progress report, Bal Harbour Village said it had approved the Basis of Design Report for a proposed municipal complex incorporating a new Village Hall, Police Station and Emergency Operations Center. The project had completed programming and moved into schematic design. Approval of a design basis does not establish that building work has started.

The same report placed the Harbourfront Park, Jetty and Cutwalk project in the final stages of seeking its remaining building permit. It said a guaranteed maximum construction price would be presented to the Village Council after that permit was secured. The municipal report therefore provides a clear design/permitting milestone — not evidence that the full park project was already under construction or open.

Proposed residential and hotel development at Bal Harbour Shops: a separate dispute

A distinct development proposal associated with Whitman Family Development and Florida's Live Local Act has generated a legal dispute with Bal Harbour Village. It should not be confused with the commercial West Shops addition that is already opening in phases.

On April 27, 2026, the Village Council unanimously rejected a mediator's proposed settlement and instructed its officials to continue the legal case. That is a verified council decision, but it does not, by itself, settle every legal issue or establish a final judicial ruling on the project's development rights. Nor is it evidence of a permitted or operating residential tower. Figures circulating for proposed apartment and hotel components belong to versions of the application; they are not completed inventory.

What these changes mean for Bal Harbour property research

For buyers and existing owners, location alone does not establish a property's construction status. A condominium development under construction has different questions from an occupied condo building. Retail expansion can change access arrangements long before all stores open. A municipal drainage project may affect one street while work elsewhere is finished or still scheduled.

When reviewing Bal Harbour real estate, distinguish the exact building and parcel, the municipality, the most recent permit or inspection record, the developer's stated schedule, and — for a condominium purchase — the governing documents, association budget and any disclosed assessments. The verified milestones above provide a starting point, not a substitute for unit-specific due diligence.

Sources and scope

This report covers known events from January through October 29, 2026. Statements about future completion or reopening are forecasts, not guarantees. Project specifications attributed to developers may differ from historic municipal submissions. The primary documents and reporting used for this article are linked below.