La Perla, Sunny Isles Beach: What Buyers Should Check

La Perla is a 43-story oceanfront tower at 16699 Collins Avenue in Sunny Isles Beach, completed in 2006 and designed by Kobi Karp for the Corner Stone Group. It holds 326 residences — almost entirely two-bedrooms — beside the Newport Fishing Pier, entered through an oceanfront park. It is one of the lowest-priced entries onto the Sunny Isles oceanfront: on the county record it trades at roughly $715 per square foot, against about $1,315 at Jade Ocean and about $2,246 at the Ritz-Carlton Residences, both measured the same way on the same day. It is also one of the most rental-flexible towers on the beach, allowing up to 12 rentals a year with a 30-day minimum.

The facts

• Address: 16699 Collins Avenue, Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160
• Completed: 2006 (county records; Zilbert describes completion across 2006 and 2007)
• Developer: Corner Stone Group (also styled Cornerstone Group / Cornerstone Premier Communities)
• Architect: Kobi Karp
• Stories: 43
• Residences: 326 — county records show all 326 folios are homes: 252 two-bedrooms, 67 one-bedrooms, six three-bedrooms, and one studio
• Unit mix: 1 to 3 bedrooms, mostly two-bedrooms
• Unit sizes: about 906 to 3,211 sq ft (county records); most residences run about 1,000 to 2,050 sq ft
• Waterfront: oceanfront, direct beach access, beside the Newport Fishing Pier; entered through an oceanfront park

Amenities and day-to-day living

An oceanside pool with a whirlpool on the beach, a fitness center, a billiards room, a business center, cabanas, a clubhouse, a library, a picnic area, a playground, a spa and hot tub, and bike storage. The building has four resident elevators plus a service elevator, 24-hour valet and front desk service, and a dog park maintained by the association. Parking is valet, with one assigned space per unit in most records — penthouses may have two — though some listings show residences with two or three spaces. County records show no separately deeded parking folios. The association's rules note that vehicles taller than 6'8" cannot park in the garage, which rules out large SUVs including the Hummer.

What to check before you buy

• Monthly cost, honestly. No single verified building-wide dues figure exists. Active listings as of November 14, 2026 show HOA fees of roughly $1,200 to $3,242 a month depending on unit, and one directory lists maintenance at about $0.86 per square foot. Get the exact figure for the residence you are considering — and use the monthly-cost worksheet in the Buyer's Guide, not just the mortgage payment.
• Rentals — this building is unusually flexible, and rental-heavy. La Perla allows up to 12 rentals a year with a 30-day minimum stay, and leasing after purchase is permitted. As of November 2026 there were 39 units listed for rent against 24 for sale. Confirm the current leasing rules, approval process, and any caps with the association before you buy — especially if rental income is part of your plan, and because a rental-heavy mix affects financing.
• Owner-occupancy ratio. Lenders check this ratio before approving a mortgage, so confirm the current figure with the association — a building heavy on rentals can block financing. No verified owner-occupancy figure was found for La Perla.
• Milestone inspection. Florida milestone inspection rules generally apply at 30 years, or 25 years within 3 miles of the coast. This is an oceanfront building completed in 2006, so its first milestone inspection falls in the early 2030s — around 2031 on the 25-year coastal rule — but confirm the building's milestone and SIRS status with the association rather than relying on a listing.
• Reserves and assessments. Ask what reserves are funded, what assessments are planned or already approved, and where the building stands on its Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS). Under Florida's SIRS rules, reserves for SIRS items are no longer waivable — but confirm this building's position with its association.
• Pets — the sources conflict. The association's own pet registration form (effective June 2017) allows dogs with a $250 non-refundable deposit per dog, kept on a leash, with pit bulls and other breeds considered dangerous excluded. One MLS document, however, states no pets are allowed. Confirm the current pet rules with the association before you buy.

Who this building suits

La Perla suits a buyer who wants oceanfront Sunny Isles Beach at the lowest per-foot entry on the strip — a two-bedroom on the sand for roughly half the per-foot price of the towers further north — and who values the flexible rental rules, whether for personal use or income. It is a poor fit for a buyer who wants the newest construction, the largest floor plans, or a small, quiet boutique building: it is a 43-story, 326-residence tower from 2006, and its rental-heavy mix deserves a hard look at the owner-occupancy ratio before you sign. If you are choosing between this and another tower, send Mike the buildings you are comparing and he will walk through the finances with you, building by building.

Next step

Get the free Sunny Isles Beach Buyer's Building Guide — the ten questions to ask before you sign, applied to the tower you are actually considering. Or book a call with Mike to walk through La Perla together.