Grove Isle is a 20-acre island lying off the north-east coast of Miami's Coconut Grove neighborhood. Three waterfront hi-rise residences have been built on the island which were masterplanned to include a resort hotel, restaurants, marina, club amenities and services.
Video Grove Isle
Origins
First known as Fair Isle, its land was dredged out from Biscayne Bay in 1924 by the Corps of Engineers and subsequently subdivided in 1925. Many artificial islands of the period, such as Fair Isle, were formed when artificial inlets were cut into Biscayne Bay's coastline. The isle was then sold to investors at the height of the Florida Land Boom in less than four hours and for over $1.5 million. A combination of real estate crash, freight blockades and hurricane damage during 1925-6 stalled further property development of Miami and the island.
Maps Grove Isle
Development
The island remained largely untouched--a large sand bar covered with Australian Pines--until large scale development came to Coconut Grove in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The island was purchased for $6 million and restrictions on the island's development were finally agreed after protracted litigation over its size was settled in July 1977. Cabot, Cabot and Forbes of Massachusetts were one of the principal sellers of the island. Martin Margulies and Sun Bank of Miami were its eventual buyers and subsequently invested $100 million to develop the property.
An earlier aspiration by Burton Goldberg, a notorious nightclub impresario, to make the island's club and residential project the largest in South Florida ended in foreclosure after a long legal battle. Once completed in 1982, Margulies' scaled-back development consisted of three residential towers, a hotel and club, deep-water marina, pools, professional tennis club, original art and sculpture gardens. The Grove Isle development set the standard for high-end Miami property.
Character
Grove Isle provides one of the most secluded spots to live in Miami and is highly prized "by residents for its tranquility and panoramic bay views". Its residents have included past Heads of State, Senators, judges, lawyers, doctors, corporate leaders, entrepreneurs and philanthropists.
The Palmeiras Beach Club and Hotel, Spa, Grove Isle Marina and Cliff Drysdale Grove Isle Tennis Club are located on the island. The world-class Grove Isle Sculpture Garden once comprised part of the island's landscaped design. The three residential towers' interior designs were unique in the area for their Asian themes and accents.
The island's wide open spaces and expansive tree canopy are highly valued by its residents. The gardens and decks of Grove Isle were due to be replanted after damage received from Hurricane Irma in September 2017. Major renovations were also planned to improve the structural and aesthetic integrity of the three towers, their decks and the gardens.
Controversy
Competing visions for Grove Isle's future have at times embroiled the island in controversy. Its 1980 development was only permitted under a landmark settlement after the project was significantly scaled back over a decade of litigation and protest. A further proposal to develop the island's yacht club also ended up in court due to concerns about its environmental impact. Grove Isle residents were also involved in protecting the neighbourhood against a high-rise project on an adjacent Mercy Hospital site. More recently, attempts to close the island's club were halted by court order in August 2015. This was linked to a developer's efforts, first started in 2013, to build additional high-density residential units on the island. Residents' efforts to retain the island's hotel, which was put at risk by the new development plans, resulted in litigation in 2017. Issues regarding club membership rights, the quality of club amenities, and further development plans for 4 Grove Isle continue to require legal action.
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References
Bibliography and further reading
- Final Settlement of 27 July 1977, Circuit Court of the 11th Judicial Circuit in and for Dade County, Florida, Case No. 73-6449 copy accessed January 11, 2016
- Margulies, M., Harper, P., & Varon, M. (1986). Contemporary sculpture from the Martin Z. Margulies collection: Grove Isle, Coconut Grove, Florida. Coconut Grove, Fla: Martin Z. Margulies Collection. 144 pp. [UM and FIU Libraries Special Collections]
- Moore Parks, A. and Bennett, B. (2010) Coconut Grove, Florida: Arcadia Publishing, p. 128
- Nepomechie, M., & Brooke, S. (2010). Building paradise: An architectural guide to the Magic City. Miami, FL: AIA Miami.
- Voss G. (1974) Biological survey and development recommendations for Fair Isle, Biscayne Bay, Fla. Unpublished manuscript. University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Miami, FL. 15 pp.
External links
- Grove Isle HOA web site
- Palmeiras Beach Club at Grove Isle
- Cliff Drysdale Club at Grove Isle
- Preserve Grove Isle web site
- Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve management Plan
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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