South Beach, Fun on a Low Budget

Rich fun on a low budget: South Beach side streets - Houston Chronicle"... Taking a scenic route not only gets you out of South Beach's traffic, it also gives you a closer, longer look at the architectural details that make this place unique. While glassy, exclusive high-rises line the edges, the neighborhoods running down the island's middle are mostly filled with low-lying, pastel-colored apartment buildings. A map from the Art Deco Welcome Center on Ocean Drive pinpoints and explains the highlights as you wander what is essentially an open-air museum. As you stroll, look for the hallmarks of Miami's tropical spin on Art Deco: curved corners, round porthole windows, decorative elements in groups of three, or motifs featuring marine animals or ocean liners. After World War II, those designs gave way to the MiMo Style and its asymmetry, kidney-shaped elements, central courtyards and space-age motifs. Compare those to Mediterranean Revival buildings with archways, awnings and tiled roofs. Not every building is a gem, but for fun, keep track of the buildings' sometimes wistful names such as Metropolis (a stretch for just two stories) or Michigan (a funny reference for the subtropics). Wind your way to the Frieze, an ice cream parlor playing on its neighborhood's architectural charms. It's a half-block off Lincoln Road, but its ice cream, made on site, tastes a world away from nearby chain establishments. Near the Bass Museum of Art are the Miami City Ballet studios. Floor-to-ceiling windows running the length of the block offer a glimpse into the dancers' austere world and a serene contrast to the gaudiness on nearby beaches...." (read more at link above)

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Why Miami is a Hotter Real Estate Market Than New York City

Over the years, Miami has been referred to as New York City’s sixth borough, and it would appear that in the exclusive world of luxury real estate, this has never been truer. A wave of New York City developers has washed onto the Florida shoreline in recent months, bringing with them New York buyers...
“I thought, well, you know, everyone is going to Miami. This place is jumping,” said the 80-year-old architect. “I probably should have done this before. But I designed the building and it is great, and I figured I might as well enjoy it myself.”-- Richard Meier, New York City architect, who bought a condo at the Surf Club Four Seasons, Miami (source infra)
New York City Prices in Miami - NYTimes.com: "...“Look, I was the first guy saying that Miami won’t come back for decades after the last downturn, but it came back in three years and prices are 50 percent higher than they were at the very peak of that last cycle,” Mr. Maloney said. “Unlike New York, Miami is fed by South America, and there, to a great extent, is a flight of capital and people. Nothing will change until you restabilize South America, which is years away.”..."

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South Beach, Art Basel, Convention Center, Taxing District Deal

After 20 years of fighting South Beach blight, taxing district seeks extension | The Miami Herald: "...“Look what Art Basel brought to town,” said Stuart Blumberg, the retired head of a county hotel trade group and the former chairman of Miami Beach’s convention-center advisory panel. “If you put a better product out on the street, you’re going to bring more people here and everybody benefits.” Mayor Levine secured Gimenez’s backing of the CRA extension as part of a larger agreement that allows Miami-Dade to delay an $18 million payment to Miami Beach for another taxing district in the city’s South Pointe area. The deferred payment was crucial to Gimenez closing a budget gap for the 2015 fiscal year that initially had him proposing steep police cuts....." (read more at the link above)

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Surfing, South Beach, Miami Beach

South Beach, Miami: South Florida's most decadently hollow, fiercely guarded A-frame strikes a pose | SURFLINE.COM: "When Tom Blake planted the surfing flag in Miami Beach in the 1920s, he must've done so on a really crappy day.??And when Virginia Beach surfers John Smith and Babe Braithwaite passed through in 1932 with their 10-foot redwood board, which inspired bellyboarding brothers Bill and Dudley Whitman to build their own solid-wood replicas and officially spawn surf culture in Florida -- all those days must have sucked, too.??Because if Blake, the Virginians or the Floridians had taken their morbidly heavy antiques out on a good day at South Beach, those pioneering beach boys would've gotten so rocked, they never would've surfed again...." (read more at the link above)

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Hub Stores, Multi-brand Concept Shop, Jetset Franklin, Miami Beach

The Hub Stores, a multi-brand concept shop featuring designers from Italy, has opened at the Jetset Franklin Hotel, 860 Collins Ave., Miami Beach. The Hub Stores has items from Ishikawa Footwear, MadInItaly Home Accessories, Miss Bikini Luxe Swimwear, Violet and Grace, Guja de Vere Jewelry, LXR&CO Handbags and Accessories and Take Your Time vintage jewelry. Read more at the Miami Herald



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Miami Beach Jazz Festival, Living Legends of Jazz



2nd Annual Miami Beach Jazz Festival "Living Legends of Jazz" from Miami Beach Jazz on Vimeo.

The 2nd Annual Miami Beach Jazz Festival, January 10th 2015, at the state of the art, magnificent New World Center for the Arts in Miami Beach. This performing arts center is the ideal setting for this spectacular event, featuring some of the most talented jazz musicians, locally as well as from all over the globe! World class jazz at its finest in a South Florida setting capturing the essence of Miami Beach!

For tickets please visit newworldcenter.com or call 305 405-JAZZ

more information: miamibeachjazz.com

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Miami, Why Luxury Travelers Are Flocking There (video)

Miami, Rome: Why Luxury Travelers Are Flocking There: Video - Bloomberg:
(Allow video to load after clicking play or go to link above)

Departures' Senior Vice President Steven Deluca discusses why Miami and Rome are hotspots for luxury consumers with Bloomberg's Pimm Fox on "Taking Stock." (Source: Bloomberg)

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Miami Luxury Real Estate, Totally on Fire (video)

Miami Luxury Real Estate Is Totally on Fire: Robins: Video - Bloomberg:
(Allow video to load after clicking play or go to link above)

Craig Robins, chief executive officer at Dacra, discusses the rapid growth of the luxury real estate market in Miami. He speaks on “Market Makers.” (10/30)

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Art Basel Miami Beach, Not-to-Be-Missed Parties

Art Basel Miami Beach’s Not-to-Be-Missed Parties and Events - NYTimes.com: "... No matter what it looks like on social media, Art Basel is all about the art. Well, at least the original one in Basel, Switzerland is. As for the Miami Beach edition, which takes place in the coming week (officially Thursday through Sunday, though festivities begin as early as Monday), it is still a horde of ancillary art shows and performances, with the parodic parade of parties swirling around them. Here are 10 buzzworthy happenings where culture, taste and excess all combine to electric effect...." (read more at the link above)

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Art Basel Miami Beach 2014

PAPERMAG: Our Mega Guide to Art Basel Miami Beach 2014Part 1Part 2Part 3Part 4

Tim Burton’s ‘Big Eyes’ Will Screen at Art Basel Miami Beach | ARTnews: "Art Basel Miami Beach announced its film program for the 2014 fair, and Tim Burton’s Big Eyes–a biopic about Walter and Margaret Keane starring Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz–will have a special screening before its national release on December 25"

Thom Filicia to Design AD Oasis at Art Basel Miami Beach : Architectural Digest"For this year's Art Basel Miami Beach, designer Thom Filicia will decorate the AD Oasis, an exclusive lounge at the James Royal Palm hotel. The space will feature a curated boutique, mini-spa, and refreshments for fairgoers from December 4 through 6."

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Bass Museum, Miami Beach, Lieberman Donation

Diane and Alan Lieberman Will Give Miami Beach’s Bass Museum $1 M. | ARTnews: "Miami Beach’s Bass Museum announced today that Diane and Alan Lieberman, owners of the South Beach Hotel Group, have pledged $1 million “to support the museum’s exhibitions of contemporary art and education programs."

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The Rum Line, Loews Miami Beach Hotel

The Rum Line restaurant to open at Loews Miami Beach Hotel--South Florida Business Journal: "... at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel. The bar's offerings will feature drink recipes from the 1930s to the 1960s and a small plate and seafood menu. The Rum Line seats up to 60 people in the hotel's St. Moritz tower terrace at 1601 Collins Ave. Thursdays through Sundays from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m...."

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Naeem Khan, Celebrity Fashion Designer, Miami Manufacturing Facility

Celebrity fashion designer Naeem Khan to manufacture dresses in Miami with new facility - South Florida Business Journal: Celebrity fashion designer Naeem Kahn plans to open a new facility on the Miami River, where he plans to manufacture clothing for his high-end brand. The designer would combine a manufacturing space with a training center at a county-owned lot at 1175 NW South River Dr., according to the Miami Herald. Khan plans to spend $6 million building a 30,000-square-foot facility where it would employ at least 50 people making an average of $50,000 a year. The 30-year lease with the county would let Khan rent the one-acre site for about $9,000 a year to start, rising to about $30,000 in the third year, with an escalator clause after that. Miami-Dade County commissioners gave initial approval on Monday. (Read more here.)

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Miami Beach Convention Center, New Design

First look at new design ideas gives Miami Beach Convention Center a wave for the future

A wavy white façade dresses the outside of the future Miami Beach Convention Center in an initial round of renderings presented Wednesday to the City Commission. The city’s elected leadership got its first glimpse at schematic designs of the upcoming $500 million renovation of the Miami Beach Convention Center, which would add about 70,000 square feet of ballroom and meeting room space, create a 5.8-acre park across Convention Center Drive and feature nearly 900 parking spaces on site. Read more here: miamiherald.com

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O Cinema, Miami Beach

O Cinema Miami Beach opened November 7th-- o-cinema.org/miamibeach

Popular independent cinema opened its Miami Beach location in the Byron-Carlyle Theater at 500 71st St. with the highly anticipated film Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), starring Michael Keaton and Emma Stone.

"With about $100,000 of new digital projection equipment and already-existing 35-mm projection, the single-screen auditorium with 304 seats will serve a community that has buzzed for months in anticipation. The theater will have a movie-palace feel, with two levels of seating and velvet curtains. “It feels like you’re walking into a theater from a bygone area,” Tabsch said... The cinema, which also has locations in Wynwood and Miami Shores, will operate seven days a week year-round... During the summer, Tabsch took a tour of the theater with Graham Winick, the Beach’s film and event production manager, and Max Sklar, director of tourism, culture and economic development. Tabsch said it didn’t take long for everyone to realize they had an opportunity to bring a new cultural landmark to the buzzing North Beach.“I go to North Beach often, because there’s so many restaurants and it’s so walkable,” he said. read more: miamiherald.com




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Art Basel Miami Beach, Economic Impact

"... according to figures released by the City of Miami Beach, Basel provides an economic boost of $500 million... with some estimates placing that figure in excess of $1 billion.... draws more private jets than a Super Bowl, and by its second year, the New York Times had dubbed it “the hottest contemporary art fair in America.” Miami Beach mayor Philip Levine is especially effusive about the way Basel has helped to transform his city. “It’s a part of the renaissance of Miami Beach,” he says. “All the offshoots of Basel—the events, the parties, the various cultural contributions that have sprung from it, the galleries that have opened—the whole arts scene has exploded because of Art Basel coming to Miami Beach. I equate it to the turn of the century, when Henry Ford built his first factory. It was like the beginning not just of the Ford automobile but all the companies that supply Fords, and all the ripple effects.” For many of its principal collectors, it even has eclipsed its big sister fair, Art Basel in Switzerland. “At the beginning, it was a junior partner, but now it’s a child that’s surpassed its parents,” says automotive magnate Norman Braman, a collector at Basel Switzerland for more than 20 years. “Think of the fact that in addition to having the success of Art Basel here, [the Miami area has] 26 additional fairs. Art Basel has 220 or 230 galleries [within the Miami Beach Convention Center], but during that week there are over 1,000 galleries in Miami.”"
Read More:  Boca Raton Magazine

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Hilton, Miami Beach, South Beach, Hotels

Miami Beach Hotels - Hilton Cabana Miami Beach Hotel - Miami Beach, FL: "Hilton Cabana Miami Beach is a brand new oceanfront hotel in Miami Beach which debuted in June 2014. This upscale, MiMo style ten-story hotel is located on famous Collins Avenue at 62nd Street, north of South Beach, and includes Cabana-style buildings and 119 feet of beachfront property offering direct access to the Atlantic Ocean. Convenient to all that South Florida has to offer, Hilton Cabana Miami Beach is set within the emerging sub-market to South Beach known as “Millionaire’s Row”...." more at Hilton Cabana Miami Beach

Hotels in Miami Beach - Hilton Bentley Miami-South Beach: "The AAA 4-Diamond Hilton Bentley Miami/South Beach hotel is a beautiful beachfront hotel, situated in the elegant ‘Sofi’ enclave of South Beach and in walking distance to Miami's finest restaurants and nightlife. Our hotel in Miami Beach provides modern, elegant accommodations to suit all needs. Choose from studio, one- or two-bedroom suites, or upgrade to the penthouse suite with stunning ocean views. The suites are stylishly decorated with European furnishings and Italian marble floors...." more at link above

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The Legendary Fontainebleau Miami Beach (video)



The Legendary Fontainebleau Miami Beach:
The Fontainebleau Miami Beach or the Fontainebleau Hotel is one of the most historically and architecturally significant hotels on Miami Beach. (Published on Jun 28, 2013, by Visit Florida)

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Miami Beach Botanical Garden, video and map

Miami Beach Botanical Garden -

Located in Miami Beach, Florida, the botanical garden is a small area where you can walk through to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. (Upload Date: Jan 5, 2012)

Music: "Chiyo's Prayer" by John Williams

More info: mbgarden.org
and Google Search 




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New Art Deco Museum, Miami Beach Centennial

The city of Miami Beach will celebrate its 100th birthday in March 2015. As part of the Centennial festivities, the city asked local historian and author, Seth Bramson, to write a history book about the city which he previewed at the newly opened Art Deco Museum on Ocean Drive. The museum, a project of the Miami Design Preservation League, will host lectures, tours and panel discussions during the centennial celebration. The museum, located 1001 Ocean Dr., showcases three major historic design styles in the Beach: Mediterranean Revival, Art Deco and Miami Modern (MiMo). The museum also features fashion, models of some of the city’s signature buildings and a Miami Beach Visual Memoirs project, that is, oral histories of people who have played a part in Miami Beach’s history. Read more at: New Art Deco Museum in Miami Beach details the city’s signature style (Miami Herald)
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/miami-beach/article2658252.html#storylink=cpy

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MiMo Metamorphosis


MiamiHerald.com
MiMo's metamorphosis: Stretch of Biscayne Boulevard in bloom
MiamiHerald.com
“It's so reminiscent of what South Beach did. ... The city established the MiMo (short for Miami Modern) historic district in 2006 to protect its unique and ...

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Courtney Bingham, Beach Tweets

 Daily Mail
Daily Mail

Courtney Bingham displays slender figure in metallic bikini on beach inMiami as she tours with ...
Daily Mail
Courtney tweeted that day: 'Beach day in Miami @theraleighhotel #funinthesun in my Lisa Marie Fernandez James Bond girl bikini Euginia Kim hat.'.

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La Musa, Latin Artists


Billboard

La Musa prizes draw Latin artists to Miami Beach
Fox News Latino
Artists, including singer Gloria Estefan, composer Omar Alfanno and singer David Bisbal, turned out at the Ritz-Carlton South Beach Hotel in Miami ...(read more at the links above)

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Art Basel Miami Beach, 2014 Exhibitors

Art Basel Miami Beach Reveals 2014 Exhibitors - News - Art in America: "Art Basel Miami Beach, among the biggest art fairs around, has named its exhibitors for its 2014 edition (Dec. 4-7). This year, 267 exhibitors (up slightly from 258 last year) from 31 countries will display their works to the 50,000 attendees the fair typically draws. The fees galleries pay for booths range from $10,000 to as much as $120,000. First-time exhibitors include Clifton Benevento, Garth Greenan Gallery and Simone Subal Gallery (all New York), as well as Freedman Fitzpatrick and Honor Fraser (both Los Angeles), and Michael Jon Gallery (Miami). Newcomers from abroad include Brazil's Central Galeria de Arte and Galeria Bergamin, along with Japan's Take Ninagawa and Y++ Wada Fine Arts and Beijing Commune from China...." (read more at link above)


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Miami Downtown Expo Center and Hotel Approved

Miami commission approves downtown expo center, hotel
"... While the project, designed by Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolfe & Associates, includes 350,000 square feet of meeting space, larger gathering areas are limited to a 100,000-square-foot exhibit hall, a 60,000-square-foot ballroom, and a 40,000-square-foot junior ballroom, which are stacked in three tiers. That’s part of the reason Miami Beach officials, who are redeveloping their larger facility in South Beach, are welcoming the new convention space into downtown as complementary rather than competitive. “It pales in comparison to the size of the Miami Beach Convention Center exhibit space, but for us it’s very large,” said architect Bruce Brosch. MDM needed the commission’s approval for the project Thursday because the design violated certain aspects of Miami’s zoning code. Commissioners granted exemptions that allow the developer to build out the expo center over most of the 4.7-acre site, and allow the 54-story hotel to be built as designed atop the pedestal..." (read more at link above)

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article2643203.html#storylink=cpy
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Adaptive Beach For Those With Disabilities, Miami Beach

Sabrina Cohen teamed up with the City of Miami Beach to help improve beach access for those with disabilities. On June 23, 2014 the Miami Beach City Commission voted unanimously to approve the land use of the public space (Allison Park) at 64th and Collins Avenue for the project.

Miami Beach Debuts Adaptive Beach For Those With Disabilities « CBS Miami:"... Cohen, the Founder and President of the Sabrina Cohen Foundation (SCF), checked out the fruits of their labor first hand, the first fully adaptive beach and playground for our disabled residents and visitors. In addition to the adaptive beach and playground, SCF plans to launch and operate a diverse menu of adaptive fitness and recreational programs and activities. There are also new beach wheelchairs which assist users getting into, and out of, the water along with plans for hand cycling on the boardwalk...."




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South Beach Retail, Miami Beach, Retrospective Part Two


MiamiHerald.com
Renovated, reborn Shelborne ready to reopen on Miami Beach
MiamiHerald.com
Upgrades include a new high-profile restaurant, Morimoto South Beach; ... and some rooms got a new look; restaurants and retail spaces were added. ... whose company developed and co-owns the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach had ...


Wall Street Journal

Miami Beach Venture Taps New York Hotel Executives
Wall Street Journal
Faena District, the massive $1 billion hotel, retail and condo project under ... or soon-to-open upscale hotels after years of scant new supply in south ...

Agritourism in the southern part of the county is picking up a slice of Miami's tourism market
MiamiHerald.com
Far from the splashing waves and beach sand, South Dade is a different kind ... Retail sales only make up a quarter of his total revenue, and he says ...

Lincoln Road Project Revitalizes South Beach Retail Spaces
David
Switzerland-based architects, Herzog & DeMeuron, bring a new level of sophistication to South Beach with their first ever Miami project. 1111 Lincoln ...

Terranova Corp, Acadia Pay $139M for South Beach Retail Portfolio
Justin Sumner
A joint venture of Terranova Corporation and Acadia Realty Trust acquired a retail portfolio on Lincoln Road in Miami Beach, FL from South Beach ...

SLS Hotel by Starck, South Beach – Florida
retail design blog

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South Beach Retail, Miami Beach, Retrospective Part One


Daily Business Review (registration)
Investors Spend $22.5M on South Beach Retail
Daily Business Review (registration)
A New York psychiatrist and his wife scooped up a prime retail parcel just off Alton Road in Miami Beach. Norton and Roslyn Nesis paid $22.5 million ...
New York couple buys $22.5M retail building on South Beach - South Florida Business Journal (blog)
New York couple buys prime South Beach property - The Real Deal Miami


Live Trading News

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. Adds ONE Bal Harbour to Florida Portfolio of Hotels on ...
MarketWatch
Notable recent projects include The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach ...
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC Adds ONE Bal Harbour to Florida Portfolio of Hotels on ... - Marriott News Center


Retail Week

Store Gallery: The retail offer of Miami Beach's Lincoln Road Mall
Retail Week
This is a long, pedestrianised, open-air shopping centre that starts not far from the celebrated Art Deco district on Miami's South Beach. Along its ...
ZARA Lincoln Road - South Beach
Miami Beach Retail Space - Commercial Real Estate
Shopping Streets - Miami & The Beaches

Downtown Miami emerging as retail destination
MiamiHerald.com
... with high-end retail in Miami and Lincoln Road has emerged as an international high street retail hub in Miami Beach. But as South Florida's retail ...

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Art Basel, Miami Beach, Art Historical Survey

Art Basel in Miami Beach (ABMB) has established itself as one of the world’s foremost art fairs for all things brand new and cutting edge, and now the mega-fair is carving out some space for art history with its new “Survey” sector. Set to debut during this year’s edition, running December 4–7 (see “Art Basel in Miami Beach 2014 Boasts an Intimidating 267 Galleries“), the Survey section will boast 13 mini art historical presentations, including 9 solo exhibitions and 4 thematic shows. (source infra)

artnet News

Art Basel in Miami Beach Launches Art Historical Sector
artnet News
Art Basel in Miami Beach (ABMB) has established itself as one of the world's foremost art fairs for all things brand new and cutting edge, and now the ...


Miami New Times

Fly In to See the Art Basel in Miami Beach with Peachtree Aviation
DigitalJournal.com
Timeless works from hundreds of international modern and contemporary artists will be on display in Miami Beach this winter. More than 75,000 ...

YachtBrasil USA Adds Italian Luxury Yachts Builder, Rio Yachts, to Miami Beach Collection
PR Web (press release)
YachtBrasil USA, Miami's premier purveyor of luxury yachts, is proud to announce the addition of Italian yacht builder, Rio Yachts, to its exclusive ...

Miami Beach Considers Solicitation Ban
NBC 6 South Florida
Miami Beach city officials want business owners to mind their manners, ... South Beach is loaded with merchants, hanging outside their stores, looking ...

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Shore Club, South Beach


HotelChatter

South Beach's Shore Club joins condo craze
South Florida Business Journal
New York-based HFZ Capital Group, which bought the hotel at 1901 Collins Ave. for $175.3 million in December, hired Douglas Elliman to sell and ...
Shore Club repositioned with high-end condos - The Real Deal Magazine (blog)

The Shore Club is Going Condo, Partially
Curbed Miami
Under new ownership, South Beach's iconic Shore Club Hotel is going condo, according to a press release just sent over. The 309 room hotel will ...




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Shelborne Wyndham Grand South Beach, Classic Miami Beach Hotel

The original 1940-vintage Shelborne hotel was grand in its day, expanded in 1950 by the architect Morris Lapidus in the postwar building boom that lured vacationers to Miami Beach--

The upgraded property reopens Wednesday as the Shelborne Wyndham Grand South Beach, featuring a restored floating staircase by Mr. Lapidus, a period fountain and refurbished terrazzo floors. All 200 rooms were remodeled in midcentury style, with geometric patterned carpets, undulating headboards and vintage photos. Aiming for a balance of contemporary and classic elements, the Shelborne will house a Morimoto restaurant from the chef Masaharu Morimoto, and a retro lounge, the Drawing Room, from the mixologist Albert Trummer, who gained notice for his work at Apotheke in New York. Read more at A Vintage Miami Beach Hotel Gets a Makeover - NYTimes.com

Website and Contact Info: Shelborne Wyndham Grand South Beach Luxury Hotel With Oceanfront Pool: Shelborne Wyndham Grand South Beach, 1801 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Phone: 1-305-531-1271




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South Florida, Sea Level Rise (Video Documentary)



Kate MacMillin and Juliet Pinto, explore the narrative of a South Florida community, Miami Beach, under threat from sea level rise in this half-hour documentary. Published Jan 17, 2014

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Miami Beach, High Tides, Sea Level, New Anti-flooding Pumps (video)


Published on Apr 25, 2014--Miami Beach where sea level is rising fast due to climate change. This street floods twice a day at high tide.

Miami Beach shows off new anti-flooding pumps - Miami Beach - MiamiHerald.com: "For a few days each fall, the highest of high tides flood streets in Miami Beach. It’s a swampy headache that residents, particularly those in the South Beach and Sunset Harbor neighborhoods, have to wade through. The problem worsens when it rains, especially for traffic. The city is working to have five pumping stations in the southwestern part of the island running by the time the so-called “king tides” arrive around Oct. 9...."

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Miami Beach, Unpaid Developer Fees, Corruption or Incompetence?

Miami Beach, Unpaid Developer Fees, Corruption or Incompetence? In either case, at least now a new administration is in charge due to the vote of November, 2013. If voters had not acted last November, it's most likely the unpaid fees would have continued, and the problem never uncovered.

Miami Beach failed to collect $19 million in developer fees for parking - Miami Beach - MiamiHerald.com"In Miami Beach, a town known for its scarcity of parking, city staffers have failed to collect nearly $19 million in fees from developers — fees that were supposed to be used to improve the city’s parking facilities. City administrators uncovered the problem, which stretches back 25 years, through an eight-month internal review, the results of which were released Tuesday. Administrators will present the findings of the internal investigation to the City Commission Wednesday evening."

Miami Beach to develop plan to recover unpaid developer fees | The Miami Herald"Miami Beach city commissioners were disturbed Wednesday night to learn the city is owed about $19 million in unpaid developer fees, and they want to develop a strategy to collect as much as they can."

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Collins Park, Miami Beach



Collins Park - Wikipedia"The Collins Park Neighborhood in Miami Beach sits on the north eastern point of the South Beach Historic District. Its boundaries are 17th street to the south, 25th Street to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east and Washington Avenue, Dade County Boulevard and Pinetree Drive to the west. The neighborhood is widely recognized as the cultural center of Miami Beach, hosting such institutions as The Bass Museum of Art, The Miami City Ballet, The SoBe Music Institute, The Holocaust Memorial, the Miami Design and Preservation League and most recently has seen the creation of the CANDO Art's Co-op. Due to the neighborhoods parks and relative proximity to the Miami Beach Convention Center, Collins Park is also a natural flow over for Art Basel Miami events and satellite exhibitions such as Design Miami."

Collins Park Neighborhood Association

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Historic Lincoln Road Church Courtyard, Preservation League Appeals

Preservation league appeals decision to allow new building in courtyard of historic Lincoln Road church: "The Miami Design Preservation League (MDPL) has appealed a city board’s decision that would allow the Miami Beach Community Church to lease its courtyard to a developer to build a two-story retail building in one of the few remaining green spaces along the Lincoln Road Mall.
The plan for the courtyard, at the corner of Drexel Avenue and Lincold Road, has been a source of angst from the supporters and opposition. The church leadership has maintained it needs the deal to ensure its survival because of its dire financial situation. Preservationists have said the retail development would hurt the historic nature of the property and block important views of the church, which was built in 1920 by Miami Beach pioneer Carl Fisher for his wife, Jane... A statement released Monday by the MDPL says the appeal focuses on a $500,000 payment made by the developer to the church before the congregation’s vote on the proposed project in December...." (read more at link above)

More info: Miami Design Preservation League


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Miami Beach, Millions in Water and Sewer Fees, Uncollected

Miami Beach failed to collect millions in water and sewer fees from new hotels and condos - Miami Beach - MiamiHerald.com: .... Several Miami Beach departments have undergone staffing changes through the years. City Manager Jimmy Morales, who joined the Beach in April 2013, was not aware of the connection-fee issue, and he said questions would have to be directed at staffers and directors from a decade ago...  David Weston, a former fire inspector for the Beach, stumbled upon a county memo in late 2013 that mentioned the unpaid fees while doing some research....“We need to make sure that the people who are in charge of the store can manage our money correctly,” he told the Miami Herald. In the past, Weston has raised questions of corruption in the building department. His suspicions were proven correct in 2012 when the FBI arrested several city employees in an anti-corruption sting, some of whom are now behind bars. Regarding the connection fees, the Loews was the only one of the three companies with the highest unpaid balance that responded to inquiries from the Herald. Alex Tonarelli, managing director of Loews, did not address why the county fees haven’t been paid by the hotel in a statement provided last week. Because of the statute of limitation, the county could not pursue the $976,006 unpaid by the hotel. “These monies are related to connection fees from the original construction of the hotel,” he said. “We were made aware of this years after the fact and have been consistently meeting our financial obligations, as per our agreement with the city.”..." (read more at the link above)

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MAISON&OBJET AMERICAS, Coming May 2015, Miami Beach

MAISON&OBJET AMERICAS, Coming May 2015, Miami Beach--

The show will be deliberately limited to 200 selected brands in order to guarantee a certain level of quality with an offer that will appeal to professional visitors.
Applications will be approved by a selection committee based on criteria including level of creativity, show design, brand awareness and of course commercial presence in the region.

The collections presented will be representative of families of products and design concepts present at MAISON&OBJET PARIS (furniture, objects, lighting, tableware, furnishings, upholstery fabric, decorative accessories, linens, materials, overarching decoration concepts, etc.).

MAISON&OBJET AMERICAS be fully organized by the MAISON&OBJET PARIS teams, thereby ensuring the DNA of the show is retained.



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Miami Beach, Espanola Way



Miami Beach, Espanola Way
Española Way was concieved by N.B.T Roney (of the Roney Plaza Hotel) in 1925 as "The Historic Village".Though it's located in the city's Art Deco District, the area was modeled after the Mediterranean villages of Spain and France and was originally built as a meeting place by Miami Beach's wealthiest citizens. In addition to being home to many of Miami's finest, in the late 1920’s it also served as the gambling destination for some of the US most notorious bad men like Al Capone who played at the Clay Hotel. source: http://www.myespanolaway.com/about.html

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Maison & Objet, Design Show, Miami Beach, May 12-15

‘Art Basel’ of design world headed to Beach - Miami Today:  "Maison & Objet, a high-end show coming to Miami Beach May 12-15, is the Art Basel of the design world, observers say. And, like the prestigious art event, it will spawn a web of smaller shows, parties and auxiliary events. “This is essentially a big happening in interior design,” said Max Sklar, Miami Beach director of tourism, culture and economic development. “and we expect it to follow the same pattern we have seen with Art Basel, Swim Week and other major shows, with many side events springing up.” “There will be nothing like it in the U.S.,” said Teresa Laughlin, principal of New York City-based TC Laughlin Public Relations Group, which represents Maison & Objet stateside. Maison & Objet in Paris draws 80,000 visitors, 3,000 trade exhibitors and 3,500 journalists twice yearly, she said. Nearly half of visitors and exhibitors are international, according to the show’s website...." more info at link above and at: http://www.maison-objet.com/en/americas/sectors/maisonobjet-americas

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Miami Beach, South Pointe Pier



Miami Beach reopens South Pointe Pier - Miami Beach - MiamiHerald.com: "...Work on the new, 450-foot-long pier began with the careful relocation of coral that lived under the old structure. “It was a very challenging construction,” said David Martinez, director of capital improvement projects for the city. The pier features several stations to cut bait and wash fish, as well as recycling bins for fishing line. Martinez said the pier was construct with a sturdy decking, with wooden slats that will snap off without bending the rest of the structure."


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Holocaust Memorial, Miami Beach



Holocaust Memorial
Collins Canal, Miami Beach, FL
The Holocaust Memorial of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation - a stirring memorial built in memory of the Jewish culture and individuals destroyed by the Holocaust.

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$342 million sale, Six Properties, Lincoln Road, Miami Beach

$342 million sale of six properties on Miami Beach’s Lincoln Road | MiamiHerald.com: ".... At $342 million, the Lincoln Road sale ranks among one of the highest priced deals in South Florida... widespread popularity of Lincoln Road among investors. Asking prices for properties can approach $5,000 a square foot. Rents have risen to $300 a square foot, which puts Lincoln Road on par with New York’s Madison Avenue, said retail consultant Cynthia Cohen, president of Strategic Mindshare. Such prices also reflect tourists and residents’ growing interest in shopping and dining along urban streets. “When there’s a buzz of hot retailers, restaurants and a real energy to the street, then it’s magic,” Cohen said. Indeed, for the past few years, Lincoln Road has become a magnet for global brands, amid an influx of new capital from New York institutional investors. Prices have hit new heights as the pedestrian mall attracts more international and national retail tenants. In June, the Gap opened a new two-story store, with Athleta next door and Intermix alongside it. Lululemon, Zara, Apple, and Zadig & Voltaire are under construction on the street, which boasts other new tenants — including Urban Outfitters, American Eagle Apparel, H&M and Forever 21. In the realm of commercial real estate, experts say Lincoln Road has taken its place among the most regaled high streets of the world...." (read more at link above)

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Demolition of Historic Home, Star Island, Miami Beach

Demolition of Star Island historic home - Miami Beach - MiamiHerald.com: "... Older single-family homes across the Beach have a vocal community supporting their preservation because of histories like the one held within the walls of 22 Star Island, the home Miller is seeking to tear down. Built in 1931 by Miami Beach pioneer Carl Fisher and designed by renowned architect Martin Hampton, 22 Star started out as one third of a complex that made up the island’s yacht club. Fisher later sold the club to Col. Ned Green, the one-legged son of wealthy Wall Street financier and noted miser Henrietta “Hetty” Green. Her personality earned her the nickname “The Witch of Wall Street.” Col. Green brought his fortune and excesses to the island, always keeping several young women around the mansion and amassing a large collection of pornography, according to stories passed down by homeowners. On occasion, he’d bring the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus to his front lawn. Preservationists argue that homes with colorful stories and significant architecture add character to their neighborhoods, which is why local groups like the MDPL and Miami Beach United have pushed for more stringent preservation laws. Changes the city commission made to development rules earlier this year were meant to provide incentives for owners to preserve single-family homes. Under the old laws, homeowners who tore down a pre-1942 house would be limited in the size of the new home, depending on the size of the lot. Approval from the Design Review Board would have been required to exceed the standard of a home occupying between 15 and 30 percent of the lot. Now, all homeowners simply get 30 percent lot coverage regardless of the lot size. Critics say the new law actually widens development rights by removing a process typically required for larger lot coverage. Supporters say it evens out the playing field...." (read more at link above)

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Views: Miami Beach by Google Maps


Enjoy Miami Beach's fine dining, electric nightlife, relaxing spas, and Art Deco District with more than 800 architecturally protected buildings from the 1930s and 1940s. (Source)

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Miami, intellectuals, artists, activists

The Cry Goes Up From Miami: Don’t Tread on Us! - NYTimes.com: "... Miami’s vast, vibrant and rich, culturally diverse community of intellectuals, artists and activists. I highly recommend that on her next visit to South Florida, Pamela Druckerman enjoy a few deep thoughts at any of the many lectures, forums, salons and symposiums presented by Miami institutions such as ArtCenter/South Florida; Catalyst Miami; Miami Light Project; O, Miami; O Cinema; the Rhythm Foundation; Libreri Mapou...."

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Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board, Lincoln Road Church, Miami Design Preservation League

The debate over the Lincoln Road Church Courtyard has raged since December--

Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board won’t reconsider Lincoln Road church project - Miami Beach - MiamiHerald.com: "A controversial plan to turn the courtyard of a historic Miami Beach church — one of the last green spaces on Lincoln Road — into a glitzy, glass retail space will go forward after the city’s Historic Preservation Board denied a request Tuesday to revisit the matter. The Board voted 4-3 to turn down the Miami Design Preservation League’s request to consider alternative locations to the proposed two-story complex abutting Miami Beach Community Church’s property at the corner of Lincoln Road and Drexel Avenue. The church, the Beach’s oldest at nearly a century old, was built by Miami Beach pioneer Carl Fisher for his wife, Jane. It was designed by Florida’s first registered architect, Walter DeGarmo.... Mindy Wright, a church member who attended Tuesday’s hearing, said that other alternatives could have been explored. “There are other ways to do this without destroying that open space,” she said. “I feel like the board didn’t take the time to hear any other ideas.”...Daniel Ciraldo, a member of the Miami Design Preservation League, said that his group is considering appealing the decision, which could halt any development for a year. “It’s no one’s best option,” he said. “But we believe that we would be successful in that appeal.”..." (read more at link above)

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Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, Fresh New Dining Concept

The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach Reels in a Fresh New Dining Concept for Guests: "The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach is casting a fresh, new alfresco seafood dining experience called "Bait & Switch" at The DiLido Beach Club, the only oceanfront restaurant and lounge in Miami Beach. Friday and Saturday evenings, guests can choose a favorite catch of the day, tell the chef how they would like it prepared, pick a spice, flavor or sauce to top it off, and pair their fresh-from-the-sea feast with two delectable side dishes including mojo yuca fries, malt vinegar chips, sweet potato hash and pineapple coleslaw.... (more info at links above)

The DiLido Beach Club please call 786-276-4090.

The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach is located at 1 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Florida. For additional information visit ritzcarlton.com/southbeach or call (786) 276-4006.

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MBFW SWIM 2015: DAY 4 video highlights



MBFW SWIM 2015: DAY 4 video highlights

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MBFW SWIM 2015: DAY 3 video highlights


MBFW SWIM 2015: DAY 3 video highlights above

Daily Mail

Wheel love! Eva Longoria and boyfriend Jose Antonio Baston make a stylish pair as they take ...
Daily Mail
...hopped on a gleaming white Vespa to tour Miami Beach. ... tying them up later for their exhilarating jaunt around the Miami streets.


The Providence Journal

Teen swimwear designer's carefree attitude shows
The Providence Journal
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — It was nearly show time as designer Francesca Aiello snapped pictures backstage of models in her latest swimwear designs....

Medical mission to Ecuador finds many needing care
Palm Beach Daily News
We had an incredible team of five dentists from Jupiter to Miami Beach, all with us for the first time. Lines of people with untreated dental cavities ...

Small plane stuns beachgoers with safe landing on sand behind condo in Miami Beach - Miami Beach - MiamiHerald.com: "a Miami-Dade man made a successful landing on Miami Beach as sunbathers watched."

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South Beach, Metropolitan by COMO

SOUTH BEACH off the Party Path | Wandermelon: The ultimate travel companion featuring news you can use by professional travel writers.: "Miami Beach, particularly South Beach, conjures up many images, such as white sand, partying, teal blue water, partying, Cuban food, partying, swaying palm trees, partying, shopping, and…did I mention the endless partying? Along Collins Avenue and Ocean Drive you’ll find an abundance of hotels with direct beach access, but inevitably you’ll find that the party follows you back to your beachside digs. But what if you just came for a romantic getaway on the beach,spa treatments, and dining? If you’re over the “scene” and wish to retreat to some quiet bliss, the new Metropolitan by COMO is the place for you...." (read more at link above)

more info: http://www.comohotels.com/metropolitanmiamibeach


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Sense Beach House, South Beach, Miami Beach

See South Beach like a local ... | www.palmbeachpost.com: "Sense Beach House, a chic retreat on the corner of Fourth and Ocean Drive in Miami Beach, invites guests to experience South Beach like a local. The hotel’s new ‘Like a Local’ package includes nightly accommodations, a map of the area for exploring, brunch at the Local House restaurant, an insider’s guide to local activities curated by hotel staff and one hour bike rental for two. Rates start at $399 per night based on double occupancy. The offer is valid from Sept. 1 to Oct. 31 and a three-night minimum stay required. For reservations, call 305-538-5529 or visitwww.sensebeachhouse.com."


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Miami, Million Dollar Real Estate Listing (video)

Welcome to Miami: 'Million Dollar Listing' Heats Up: Video - Bloomberg:
(Allow video to load after clicking play or go to link above)
Samantha DeBianchi, Chris Leavitt and Chad Carroll from Bravo’s ‘Million Dollar Listing Miami’ discuss luxury real estate in Miami and the success of the show. They speak with Trish Regan on “Street Smart.” (Source: Bloomberg July 23)

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MBFW SWIM 2015, Day 2 Video Highlights



MBFW SWIM 2015, Day 2 Video Highlights
Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Swim 2015, Miami Beach

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Art Basel Miami Beach, Preview VIP

Art Basel Miami Beach changes preview hours
Palm Beach Daily News
The next level down — dubbed Preview VIP attendees — will be admitted from 3 p.m. until the fair closes for the day at 8 p.m. at the Miami Beach ...(read more at link above)

Rail link between Miami, Miami Beach likely to be private-public affair
MiamiHerald.com
The consultants also warned that popular sentiment on Miami Beach for a wireless trolley is likely futile. Though some trolley systems draw their power ...

Atheists Want Eruv Pulled From Miami Beach Streets
Jewish Daily Forward
A national atheist group is demanding that an eruv be taken down in Miami Beach. The eruv around the Pinetree Park area was erected two months ...

Miami hotels offer win-win for spa fans
Palm Beach Post
Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach delivers a 50-minute “body and sole” renewal that begins with a full body massage and concludes with a ...

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"South Beach" FL - Google News

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