Miami Beach

The main Avenue, Collins Avenue, is named after John S. Collins which was one of the developers of Miami Beach and is a premier, high-energy thoroughfare in Miami Beach running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean.

The city was founded in 1915 and has about 83.000 residents.

Hundreds of hotels, condominiums, holiday homes, restaurants and nightclubs are on the Beach, and many rich and famous people call it their home.

The Main Attraction is the Art Deco district which is the second largest in the world after the one in Napier in New Zealand.

History of Miami Beach:

In 1870, Pennsylvania farmers Henry and Charles Lum, Father and son, bought 165 acres (67 ha) for a Coconut Farm.

Coconut trees were not native to Florida, but they were introduced to them during a trip to Key West in 1868 where they got the idea to plant them.

Promising to introduce Agriculture on the island, they got a great deal from the government and bought all the barrier islands from Jupiter in Central Florida until Virginia Key on Key Biscayne. They paid only between $0.75 and $1.25 per acre.

It was called barrier island because the island which was only sand and mangroves built a natural barrier and protection of the mainland from the sea and storms. Key Biscayne is the southernmost barrier island.

In 1876 the United States Coast Guard built the first House on the island around todays 72nd Street, for the Admission of Shipwrecked Persons.

The Lum family worked very hard to grow Coconuts and invested a lot of money and manpower, but they could not plant it fast enough that the seabirds would not pick and eat the seedlings.

The Coconut farm was economically unprofitable. In late 1880 the coconut plantation was taken over by Esra Osborn and Elnathan Field who continued planting Coconuts. They tried also very hard and were not successful.

In 1894 one of the investors with Osborn and Field, the entrepreneur John S. Collins, an American Quaker, took over the farm and started growing other fruits.

Collins realized the potential of the island and enlarged his property from the 14th to the 64th streets in 1907.

He became very successful in growing Avocados, but in order to sell his products in Miami and ship them on the railroad, which was already established, up north, he had to bring the fruit over to the mainland by boat.

This was very hard, and he had the idea of building a bridge to be able to transport the fruits easier over the bay.

He first dug a canal from his main property on Indian Creek to the west side of the island and then started to build the bridge. When it was finished in 1913 it was with 2,5 miles the longest wooden bridge in the world. The canal still exists and runs parallel to Dade Blvd passing the Miami Beach high school and Golf Course.

But Collins underestimated the cost of building the bridge and almost had to declare bankruptcy.
Fortunately for him, a gentleman came to Miami with a lot of cash on hand who also realized the potential to develop the island. It was the industrialist Carl Fisher, one of the founder of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and owner of the first car dealerships in the US.

Fisher became very rich when together with a friend he bought a patent to manufacture acetylene headlights. He opened a factory and his company Prest-O-Lite had the absolute monopoly and supplied nearly every headlamp used on automobiles in the United States at that time.

Two other gentlemen recognized the opportunity and were interested in the project, the Lummus brothers. J.N. Lummus and J.E. Lummus were one of the first pioneers and incorporators of the city of Miami. They first owned a General Store, later a Jewelry store and at the time of their investment they owned banks. J.E. Lummus was president of the Bank of Biscayne Bay and J.N. Lummus was president of Southern Bank and Trust. They bought 400 acres (160 ha) land from John Collins.

These four gentlemen, John Collins, Carl Fisher, J.E. Lummus and J.N. Lummus started to develop the island.

The barrier island was mostly sand and mangroves and in order to build houses and hotels, they had to higher the ground level. For this they had to hire companies to pump sand from the ocean floor up to the island.

This was very expensive, but Carl Fisher wanted it done as soon as possible and lend money to his other partners, even to the bank.

Then they started to build houses, and the first hotel, the Browns Hotel, was built in 1915. The building still exists at 112 Ocean Drive and is now a Steakhouse.

The Architecture from 1920-1950 is called Art Deco, and later from 1950-1960 MIMO (Miami Modern).

Today the Art Deco district has been protected since 1979 and covers an area of 1 sq miles and 960 protected Historic Buildings.

It is the second largest Art Deco District in the world after the one in Napier in New Zealand.

Famous Art Deco Buildings:

Amsterdam Palace (1930), 1114-16 Ocean Drive, " a replica of Christopher Columbus' home in Santo Domingo
the Victor (1937), 1144 Ocean Drive,
the Tides (1936), 1220 Ocean Drive,
the Carlyle (1941), 1250 Ocean Drive,
the Cardoza (1939), 1300 Ocean Drive,
the Netherlands (1935), 1330 Ocean Drive
the Winterhaven (1939), 1400 Ocean Drive.[7]
the Greystone Hotel (1939)

Surfcomber Hotel (1948), Decorated Moderne[7]
Raleigh Hotel (Miami Beach) (1940)
The Blackstone Hotel (1929), 800 Washington Ave., 13-story former hotel and now an apartment building,
Miami Beach Old City Hall (1927), 1130 Washington Ave

In the same year on March 26, 1915, the City of Miami Beach was founded, and the first mayor became John Newton (J.N.) Lummus.

Between 1915 and 1917 the Lummus Brothers sold large parts of their properties to the city (6.-14. Str.–Lummus Park)

In short time the wooden Collins Bridge was not adequate anymore and a new bridge was built where today McArthur causeway is, the County Causeway in 1920.

Carl Fisher drove the development of the city in the 1920s, invited all his friends and it became the winter residence of industrialists from the north.

Many millionaires such as Harvey Firestone, J.C. Penney, Harvey Stutz, Albert Champion, Frank Seiberling, and Rockwell LaGorce came and built mansions.

At that time also President Harding came often and spent vacation at the Flamingo Hotel what brought Miami Beach into the National Spotlight.

On Fisher’s initiative 5 more hotels were built, and the West side of the Island shore was fortified.

In the early 1920s, the only deep seaport in South Florida was the port in Key West, and the founder of Miami felt the need of a port where large ships could call at the port.

Therefore in 1923 a project was started to make the existing port canal wider and deeper. It finished in 1926.

At the same time the Venetian Island with the 7 Venetian Island was being built as well as were the four larger islands, Star Island, Hibiscus Island, Palm Island and Normandy island because all the material, the sand and rocks what was excavated during the construction of the new port canal was used to build these islands.

The Miami hurricane of 1926 slowed the development down, but already in the 1930s it was again a popular destination for tourists.

1942 the County Causeway was extended, lanes added, and it was renamed McArthur Causeway after General McArthur from the Second World War.

After the 2nd World War, the number of residents rose sharply. During the war, many soldiers were trained in Miami and Miami Beach before they were shipped out to Europe, and when the war was over many remembered the sun and the beaches and when they came back, settled in Miami.

Before 1940 Miami Beach had 28,000 residents, but after the war, almost 2 million people in Miami and Miami Beach, including tourists.

The heyday of Miami Beach, special South Beach, were the Sixties.

Main happenings:

From 1959 until 1971 all Miss Universe pageants were performed in the Convention Center.
In the 1960s the weekly Jackie Gleason Show was taped for almost ten years in the Jackie Gleason Theater which is today the Fillmore.
On Feb. 13, 1964, the Beatles came for the first time to the USA to perform at the Ed Sullivan Show which was taped at that time in the Deauville Hotel on Collins Avenue and 68th Street.
On Feb 25, 1964, The Historic Boxing Match Between Cassius Clay & Sonny Liston. Cassius Clay was 7:1 underdog and shocked the world by defeating heavyweight champion Sonny Liston via a 6th-round technical knockout (TKO). This win started his career.
In 1968 the Republican National Convention when Richard Nixon was nominated and 1972 the Democratic National Conventions when George McGovern was nominated were held both in the Convention Center.

Starting in 1980-1990 South Beach and the buildings were neglected and were falling into disrepair.

The worst time was 1980 during the Mariel Boatlift when Fidel Castro emptied the prisons and mental institutions in Cuba and sent them over to South Florida.

South Beach became dangerous as drug dealers and other gangs used it for their illegal activities. It was the time of the Cocaine Cowboys (Griselda Blanco, known as Cocaine Godmother of the Medellin Cartel, Mickey Munday, Drug Lord Pablo Escobar, Carlos Lehder).

Poverty and crime were rampant!

Most of the Movie scenes of the TV serie Miami Vice in the 1980’s was filmed in South Beach because it was the perfect scenery, thats were everything happened anyway.

In the early 1990’s a great Renaissance began in South Beach and started with Thomas Kramer a German Stockbroker. In 1989 he had married in 1988 Catherine Burda, the granddaughter of publisher Franz Burda owner of Burda Publishing company, and Stepson of Sigfried Otto owner of Giesecke+Devrient who invented the Euro check Credit card.

G+D operates in 40 countries worldwide and achieved sales of €3.13 billion in 2024. As of 2024, the company produces ID documents such as national ID cards, passports and banknotes for 145 central banks globally.

Thomas Kramer realized the opportunity South Beach offered and presented it to his father-in-Law Siegfried Otto. Mr. Otto was excited, and together with some friends he signed over 200 MIO German Marks (approximately $117 MIO) to Thomas Kramer in 1992 to invest in the development of South Beach. It was money hidden in Switzerland from German tax authorities.

Knowing that his Stepfather had no taxes paid on the money,in 1993 he went against his father-in-law and would not admit of any money given to him by Siegfried Otto and his friends. He was convinced that he could get away with it.

But Mr. Otto did not give up easily and, to be able to go after his money and properties, in 1993 he and his friends did a voluntary disclosure for tax offence in courts ins Germany and Switzerland. They had to pay over 100 million German Marks (approximately $58 MIO) in back tax payment and fines.

Thomas Kramer divorce Catherine in 1998 and atook part in the TV series "The Real Housewives of Miami" in 2012 and "The Real Housewives of Atlanta".

In 2000, after Otto had died, his heirs Verena von Mitschke-Collande and Claudia Miller-Otto won in Swiss and German courts a $90 MIO settlement.
Kramer realizing the he could not win, transferred all liquid assets to the Isle of Man, an island in the Irish Sea, autonomous crown possession & tax haven which is known as the headquarters for offshore companies!

After a second verdict in 2008 to pay $108 million 2014 his home on Star Island auctioned off for $45 million. Today officially bankrupt lives in Dubai where he founded the consulting firm “Fast Lane Dubai”.

Irene Marie acquired Sun Ray Apartments in 1989, a building famous for the chainsaw scene in the movie Scarface (728 Ocean Drive) and opened - Irene Marie Models - the first international full-service modeling agency in Florida.

Many of the major New York agencies followed und Miami became the Center for Fashion pictures and Model agencies.

In the 1980’s, considered as a very poor area with a high crime rate, today it is one of the richest and most prosperous areas in the Metropolitan area of Miami and a center of entertainment and nightlife.

Ocean Drive

Ocean Drive is Miami Beach's promenade street with many Art Deco buildings; many are now used as hotels and restaurants.

In 1992 world famous fashion designer Gianni Versace bought the villa Casa Casuarina for $2.95 million. He restored the original name and returned it to private use, creating 8 bedrooms, 2 kitchens, 3 sitting rooms, 10 bathrooms, a bar, a library, and 4 living rooms. He installed modern systems, including central air conditioning.

In 1993, Versace bought the adjoining Revere Hotel to the south for $3.7 million, which he tore down to make a pool and garden area for his house. For the pool alone he brought in 75 workers from Italy because it was made made with a million mosaic pieces. The pool is also known as the renowned Thousand Mosaic Pool, adorned with thousands of 24-karat gold tiles imported from Italy. He paid $33 MIO for the restauration of the mansions.

On July 15, 1997, Gianni Versace was shot dead on the steps of his villa "Casa Casuarina" after returning from breakfast at the News Café.

Many famous people from Princess Diana to Madonna were guests in the mansion
.
The property was listed by his sister Donatella for $125 MIO but was eventually auctioned off in 2013 and sold for "only" $42 million to VM South Beach, LLC (listed $125 million)

Fontainebleau Hilton Miami Beach

Built by hotelier Ben Novack on the grounds of the former Harvey Firestone estate, the hotel is owned today by Jeffrey Soffer and his family who opened in December 2023 also a Fontainebleau hotel in Las Vegas, now the largest hotel casino in Las Vegas.

The hotel in Miami Beach is one of the most famous hotels in Miami built in the MIMO architectural style in 1954 by Morris Lapidus, one of the leading architects of that period who also built Eden Rock Hotel next door in 1959, and renovated Lincoln Road Mall. The MIMO Style lasted from 1950 to 1960.

Since 2008 the hotel has been on the National Register of Historic Places and was in the 1950s & 1960s the epitome of luxury and sophisticated life. It was renovated in 2008 for almost 1 billion US dollars, and a new building was added.

At the Fountainebleau, Frank Sinatra organized a Welcome party in the hotel for Elvis Presley after Elvis return from the war in Germany.

Many movies were partly filmed in the hotel:

James Bond film Goldfinger (Jean Connery)
The Bodyguard (Whitney Houston & Kevin Coster)
The Bellboy (Jerry Lewis)
Tony Rome (Frank Sinatra)
Police Academy 5.
Analyze This
Scarface
Miami Vice

Miami Beach Convention Center

The Convention Center opened in 1957 and from 1960 to 1971, all Miss Universe pageants were held there.

In 1961 Billy Graham held a Crusade in the convention center and Cassius Clay boxed there in 1964 against Sunny Liston.

TheRepublican National Convention in 1968 was hel there when Richard Nixon was elected and in 1972 the Democratic National Convention elected George McGovern as there presidential candidat.

In 1989 it was renovated for $92 million and again renovated from 2015-2020 for $640 MIO.

The center sits on 1.4 MIO Sqft with 500,000 Sqft exhibition space and hosts the annual South Florida Auto Show, Art Basel, Florida Supercon, Forgiato Fest, and many other popular conventions.

It has also 4 large Ballrooms for a total of 73,000 .

Jackie Gleason Theater

Originally the name was Miami Beach Auditorium but since 1960 it was renamed after Jackie Gleason who taped all his TV Shows for almost 10 years in that auditorium.

In 2007 it was renovated and renamed the Fillmore, and hosts now live concerts and productions. It also can be rented for events.

Venetian Islands

Artificial islands in Biscayne Bay were built from 1920 to 1925 out of materials, sand and rocks taken out by the construction of the new cruise ship port.

There are seven islands connected by the Venetian Causeway: