South Beach

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An aerial view of South Beach.

South Beach is a neighborhood in the city of Miami Beach, Florida, United States. It is the area south of Indian Creek and encompasses roughly the southernmost 23 blocks of the main barrier island that separates the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay. This area was the first section of Miami Beach to be developed, starting in the 1910s, thanks to the development efforts of Carl G. Fisher, the Lummus Brothers, John S. Collins, and others. The area has gone through numerous man-made and natural changes over the years, including a booming regional economy, increased tourism, and the 1926 hurricane, which destroyed much of the area.

History

South Beach, view towards east from 15th Street near Washington Avenue with the Loews, St. Morritz and the Royal Palm Hotels in the background.

South Beach during the summer.

The South Beach Panorama.

South Beach started as farmland. In 1870, Henry and Charles Lum purchased 165 acres (668,000 m²) for coconut farming, and his daughter Taylor named it "South Beach". Charles Lum built the first house on the beach in 1886. In 1894, the Lum brothers left the island, leaving control of the plantation to John Collins, who came to South Beach two years later to survey the land. He used the land for farming purposes, discovering fresh water and extending his parcel from 14th Street to 67th in 1907.

In 1912, Miami businessmen the Lummus Brothers acquired 400 acres (1.6 km²) of Collins' land in an effort to build an oceanfront city of modest single family residences. In 1913 Collins started construction of a bridge from Miami to Miami Beach. Although some local residents invested in the bridge, Collins ran short of money before he could complete it.^[1]

Carl G. Fisher, a successful entrepreneur who made millions in 1909 after selling a business to Union Carbide, came to the beach in 1913. His vision was to establish South Beach as a successful city independent of Miami. This was the same year that the restaurant Joe's Stone Crab opened. Fisher loaned $50,000 to Collins for his bridge, which was completed in June, 1913. the Collins Bridge was later replaced by the Venetian Causeway.^[2]

On March 26, 1915, Collins, Lummus, and Fisher consolidated their efforts and incorporated the Town of Miami Beach. In 1920 the County Causeway (renamed MacArthur Causeway after World War II) was completed.^[3] The Lummus brothers sold their oceanfront property, between 6th and 14th Streets, to the city. To this day, this area is known as Lummus Park.

In 1920, the Miami Beach land boom began. South Beach's main streets (5th Street, Alton Road, Collins Avenue, Washington Avenue, and Ocean Drive) were all suitable for automobile traffic. The population was growing in the 1920s, and several millionaires such as Harvey Firestone, J.C. Penney, Harvey Stutz, Albert Champion, Frank Seiberling, and Rockwell LaGorce built homes on Miami Beach. President Warren G. Harding stayed at the Flamingo Hotel during this time, increasing interest in the area.

In the 1930s, an architectural revolution came to South Beach, bringing Art Deco, Streamline Moderne, and Nautical Moderne architecture to the Beach. To this day, South Beach remains the world's largest collection of Streamline Moderne Art Deco architecture. Napier, New Zealand, another notable Art Deco city, makes an interesting comparison with Miami Beach as it was rebuilt in the Ziggurat Art Deco style after being destroyed by an earthquake in 1931.

By 1940, the beach had a population of 28,000. After the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, the Army Air Corps took command over Miami Beach.

In 1966, South Beach became even more famous when Jackie Gleason brought his weekly variety series, The Jackie Gleason Show to the area for taping, a rarity in the industry. Beginning in the late 1970s and continuing through the 1980s, South Beach was used as a retirement community with most of its ocean-front hotels and apartment buildings filled with elderly people living on small, fixed incomes. This period also saw the introduction of the "cocaine cowboys," drug dealers who used the area as a base for their illicit drug activities. Scarface, released in 1983, typifies this activity. In addition, television show Miami Vice used South Beach as a backdrop for much of its filming due to the area's raw and unique visual beauty. A somewhat recurring theme of early Miami Vice episodes was thugs and drug addicts barricading themselves in utterly run-down, almost ruin-like empty buildings. Only minor alterations had to be made for these scenes because many buildings in South Beach really were in such poor condition at the time.^{[citation needed]}

While many of the unique Art Deco buildings, such as the New Yorker Hotel, were lost to developers in the years before 1980, the area was saved as a cohesive unit by Barbara Capitman and a group of activists who spearheaded the movement to place almost one square mile of South Beach on the National Register of Historic Places. The Miami Beach Architectural District was designated in 1979.

Before the TV show, Miami Vice, South Beach was considered a very poor area with a very high rate of crime. Today, it is considered one of the most wealthy and prosperous commercial areas on the beach. Despite this, poverty and crime still exist in some isolated places surrounding the area.^[4]

In the late 1980s, a renaissance began in South Beach, with an influx of fashion industry professionals moving into the area. In 1989 Irene Marie purchased the Sun Ray Apartments (famous for the chainsaw scene in Scarface) and opened Irene Marie Models - the first international full-service modeling agency in Florida. Many of the large New York based agencies soon followed. Photographers and designers from around the world were drawn to the undiscovered Art Deco oasis.

In both daytime and at nightfall, the South Beach section of Miami Beach is a major entertainment destination with hundreds of nightclubs, restaurants, boutiques and hotels. The area is popular with both American and international tourists (mainly from Europe, Latin America, Canada, Israel, the Caribbean and within the United States), with some having permanent or second homes. The large number of European and Brazilian tourists also explains their influence on South Beach's lax and overall tolerance of topless sunbathing, despite it being a public beach.

The reflection of South Beach's residents is evident in the various European languages, as well as Semitic languages and many other languages spoken. As of 2000, many Miami Beach residents, including those of South Beach, spoke Spanish as a first language, which accounted for 55% of residents, while English was the first language for 33% of the population. Reflecting the European and Brazilian community, Portuguese (mainly Brazilian Portuguese) was spoken by 3% of residents, while French (including Canadian French) was at 2%, German at 1.12%, Italian 0.99%, and Russian was 0.85% of the population. Due to the large Jewish and Israeli community, Yiddish made up 0.81% of speakers, and Hebrew was the mother tongue of 0.74% of the population.^[5]

Another unique aesthetic attribute of South Beach is the several colorful and unique lifeguard stands, still used today by South Beach's lifeguards. After Hurricane Andrew, Architect William Lane donated his design services to the city and added new stops on design tours in the form of lifeguard towers. His towers instantly became symbols of the revived City of Miami Beach.

Geography

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Indian Creek is located at 25°52′45″N 80°7′52″W (25.879156, -80.131130)^[3].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.2 km² (0.4 mi²). 1.1 km² (0.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (6.67%) is water.

Surrounding areas

•   Bay Harbor Islands
• Biscayne Bay    Surfside
• Biscayne Bay    Surfside
• Biscayne Bay    Surfside

Claim of "America's Most Exclusive Community"

A unique characteristic of Indian Creek Island is the residents' apparent obsession with security. The village is unique among similar-sized communities in having its own State of Florida sworn police force including its own 24/7 armed boat patrol around the island. Not only does "the ICVPSD operate the only 24 hours (a) day, 7 days a week marine patrol unit and it is often the only waterborne police force available on Biscayne Bay" but also the sworn force of 14 officers compared with the 38 residents reported in the 2004 census figures might make Indian Creek Village the most protected and secure incorporated municipality in the United States. [4]

Indian Creek Village frequently makes real estate headlines with its record high sales. Crooner Julio Iglesias's home made news as being one of the 10 Most Expensive Homes in the South according to Forbes Magazine in 2006 at $28 million[5]; a $15.5 million empty double lot sale in 2005[6]; and other noteworthy listings [7].

The island is also home to the ultra-exclusive Indian Creek County Club. In addition to one of the oldest private club houses in South Florida, the club's golf course is widely considered to be greater Miami's finest golf course and occupies the entire interior of the island with a few waterfront holes.

Famous residents both past and present have included Victoria's Secret model Adriana Lima, Spanish singer Julio Iglesias, his son Enrique Iglesias, pro golfer Raymond Floyd, coaches Rick Pitino and Don Shula,US Senator George Smathers, Sheik Mohammed al-Fassi of Saudi Arabia, television host Don Francisco, billionaire investor Carl Icahn, co-founder of Calvin Klein Barry Schwartz, billionaire developer Donny Soffer, steel executive Leroy Schecter, wireless executive Rajendra Singh, radio magnate Raul Alarcon,real estate billionaire Peter Breton, coal and oil executive Christopher F. Viegas, Fred Hesser CEO and founder of Hesser Group Global, Perry Ellis head George Feldenkreis, and former Philadelphia Eagles owner and billionaire art collector Norman Braman, and former cable company CEO Ken Bagwell

Note When Viewing Census Income Rank: It is important to consider Indian Creek's unique situation being one the smallest incorporated municipalities in the United States with 38 home sites and 32 actual homes when viewing the US Census Data drawing on 33 people, 14 households, and 11 families. This disparity can be explained because of the high percentage of seasonal residents not recording income on the island or in the data (such as famed billionaire investor Carl Icahn). It would then be important to consider the US Census Income Data showing relatively high percentage of reporting residents living below the poverty line (29.4%). Then consider the island only has one street (Indian Creek Drive) with only 32 waterfront homes spread out over 38 waterfront lots, all with estimated values ranging from $7 to $30 million (current listings range from $15 to over $50 million on this brokerage site[8]).

Therefore it is unlikely that 30% of the population lives in poverty. The roughly 30% with incomes below the poverty line can most likely be explained as live-in help (such as gardeners, butlers, housekeepers, etc.) who are not land owners but enjoy additional non-recorded income such as room and board in one of the island's mansions. In addition, generally all of these low income residents live on the island full time and would be recorded in the census while their employers/homeowners are much less likely due to their seasonal nature in South Florida. In conclusion, if the data were gathered from the 32 actual home owners and did not include the disproportionately high percentage of year-round live-in low-wage help, then Indian Creek Village's average income would be significantly higher and the village would easily be the wealthiest incorporated municipality in the United States, in terms of per capita income.

References

1. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
2. ^ http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2004-04-12.xls
3. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. Retrieved 2008-01-31.

1. ^
 "Demographics of Indian Creek, FL". MuniNetGuide.com. Retrieved 2007-12-16

External links

• Indian Creek Public Safety Department

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In 1940, World War II began and the plans were put on hold. As a goodwill gesture to the government, Robert C. Graham rented the land to the United States Air Corps for $1 per year. The Air Corps used this land to train their soldiers and established a Prisoner of War camp. The ocean front area was used as a rifle range and the barracks were set up on the west side of Collins Avenue. The camp for prisoners was located where the Bal Harbour Shops are presently.

In 1945, the war was over in both Germany and Japan. The Air Corps left the barracks buildings as a thank you to the owners of the property. These barracks were converted into apartment homes by Mr. Graham in 1946.

In order to incorporate a city in 1946, there had to be at least 25 male registered voters residing in the area. Mr. Graham had twenty five families move into the apartment homes that he had converted in order to qualify the Village for incorporation. He then hired Willard Webb, a Miami Beach tax assessor, to draft a charter for the Village. After the charter was completed, the Village of Bal Harbour was incorporated on August 14, 1946, by Mr. Graham and 25 male registered voters. The Village was operated under the city manager form of government.

The Council established a volunteer fire department.

Swampland was filled, sea walls were constructed and the yacht basin was created. Contracts were signed for the sewer systems, water pumping stations and utilities. Bal Harbour was the first planned community in Florida to have its utilities placed underground. Developers set guidelines for the development of the beachfront and the residential areas. Collins Avenue was paved into four lanes with a landscaped median and later widened to the present day six lanes. Village plans indicated that ocean front property was to be 200 feet (61 m) deep and lots approached $100,000. Lots in the residential area were about 1,800 square feet (170 m²) and cost from $6,500 to $20,000.

The first hotel was built and was named "The Kenilworth By-the-Sea." It was built by Tom Raffington and made famous by Arthur Godfrey. It has since been demolished and is now the Kenilworth Condominium. The first home was built at 160 Bal Cross Drive. It was built by Mr. Robert C. Graham Jr., who was the son of Bal Harbour Developer Robert C. Graham. Construction for the Sea View Hotel was started.

Bal Harbour Village was re-incorporated by a special act of the 1947 Florida Legislature and its own charter was issued June 16. This new charter supplemented the original incorporation under the General Laws of Florida. In accordance with the new charter, an election to select five to serve on the Council was held June 30. The Council elected were: Edward L. Bonneau, Robert C. Graham, Jr., Glenn E. Massnick, George Whittaker, and Judge Julien Southerland. Judge Southerland was chosen as mayor. Willard Webb, who had been acting manager since the first organization, was appointed as Village Manager. Mary Wetterer was named Village Clerk and Herold Dickey was appointed Chief of Police.

• In 1947, the Church by the Sea was built.
• In 1948, the Beach Club was built. Its restaurant was operated by Howard Johnson's.
• In 1949, a new bridge was started over Baker Haulover.
• In 1956, the current Village Hall was built.
• In 1956, the Hotel Americana was built. It became the Sheraton Hotel in 1980. It was imploded on November 18, 2007 to build a set of condos and a luxury aparthotel as the St. Regis. ^[6]
• In 1959, Bal Harbour's beach was renovated due to severe erosion.
• In 1965, the Bal Harbour Shops was built by the Whitman family. Stanley Whitman was one of the incorporators who lived with his family in the barrack apartments.
• In 1971, Bal Harbour's beach started a major renourishment project.^[7]
• In 2008, The new Regent Bal Harbour opened, becoming the northern gateway to the Village.^[7]

[edit] Name

View on Bal Harbour from the north across Baker´s Haulover Inlet

The original name chosen for Bal Harbour was Bay Harbour. However, the planning committee didn't think that was appropriate for a city that was on the beach.

A name was invented to encompass a city that ran from the bay to the Atlantic Ocean. The "b" was taken from the word bay and the "a" and "l" were taken from the name Atlantic.

Hence the word "Bal" was created.^[7]

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Turnberry Ocean Colony is a beachfront development within the vaunted Sunny Isles Beach area. It features 650 feet of beach directly in front of the property, ideal for relaxation and enjoyment by private owners.

Twin towers make up the bulk of the property, each with 37 stories. Within each tower, you will find only 130 residences, ranging in size from 2 bedroom condos to 5 bedroom options.  However, the small number of residences ensures that the property is never overcrowded and even the smallest floor plans are large, spacious and luxurious.

Surrounding the twin towers, you will find tropically landscaped grounds, featuring lush flora in an ideal place to relax with the sights and sounds of nature. The gated entry to the property ensures maximum privacy and security. The actual entryway into the towers is framed by a 2 story waterfall, which evokes the elegance and delight that will mark every day spent here.

The crowning jewel of the Turnberry Ocean Colony is, of course, the residences offered. Here, owners and their guests will find state of the art technology, set in a posh, inviting, luxurious European setting.  Every amenity has been taken care of, ensuring comfort, enjoyment and relaxation.  In addition, you will find that there are only four residences per floor, ensuring that you have the utmost in privacy and enjoyment. Penthouse floors (floors 34 through 37 of each tower) have only three residences per floor, allowing each floor plan the ultimate amount of space possible.

Accessing the residences is accomplished through computer controlled high speed elevators that are operated via secure keycards. Each floor is served by a private foyer for owner privacy, as well. Your high speed elevators will whisk you to your residence without the hassle of waiting.