Grove Isle

Grove Isle is a island lying off the north-east coast of Miami's Coconut Grove neighborhood. Three waterfront hi-rise residences were built on the island in the late 1970s. They were master-planned to include a resort hotel, restaurants, marina, club amenities and services. A fourth residential complex was completed in 2026.

Origins

First known as Fair Isle, its land was dredged out from Biscayne Bay in 1924During the boom years of the early 1920s the spoil bank that would become Fair Isle, now Grove Isle, was created when an L-shaped canal and channel were dredged in the area. In 1924 a wooden bulkhead was constructed around the spoil bank and the area was filled to a 2 foot elevation (Voss, 1974)National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science National Ocean Service (2000) Biscayne Bay: Environmental History and Annotated Bibliography . Maryland: NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, p. 65 & pl. 74 (Fair Isle) by the Corps of Engineers and subsequently subdivided in 1925.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 Unpublished manuscript.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. and A. Cantillo, K. Hale, E. Collins, L. Pikula and R. Caballero (2000) Biscayne Bay: Environmental History and Annotated Bibliography, NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS CCMA 145 , p.65Hailey, C. (2013) Spoil island: reading the makeshift archipelago, Lanham, Md: Lexington Books, p.173-229 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.Ballinger, J. Kenneth (1936) "Miami millions: the dance of the dollars in the great Florida land boom of 1925, Miami, Fla.: Franklin Press, p. 126Turner, G. M. (2015) Florida land boom of the 1920s, Jefferson NC: McFarland & Company, p.22 A combination of real estate crash, freight blockades and hurricane damage during 1925–26 stalled further property development of Miami and the island.

Development

The island remained largely untouched—a large sand bar covered with Australian Pines where locals swam—until large scale development came to Coconut Grove in the late 1970s and early 1980s.A surge of commercial development was driven by three major residential complexes in Coconut Grove during the late 1970s and early 1980s: Yacht Harbour Condominiums in 1975; Grove Isle, a condominium and hotel complex, in 1979; and L'Hermitage in 1980. This was followed with the opening of 2575 S. Bayshore in 1982 and the 1983 opening of Grove Towers. Laurie Baum (1984) The New Face of Coconut Grove, Miami Herald, The (FL) - August 27, 1984, Page number: 1BM Record: 8403030190; Fair (Grove) Isle was expanded in the 1960s [Wanless et al. (1984) Sources and circulation of turbidity, Biscayne Bay, FL. Final report to Sea Grant and Dade County, 499 p]Local efforts made to convert the island into a park for $8 million failed at the ballot box in 1970. Source: details provided by Seth Sklarey, Coconut Grove Village Council member, at Miami District 2 Candidate Commissioners Presentations on Grove Isle, April 15, 2015. 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.The local community had been in total opposition to the development and expressly the over-development of the island with a plan to build four 40 story towers with 2000 units and 1500 parking spaces. Further detail regarding these policy and political discussions may be found at GI DOCS Note: large document (accessed Jan 30 2016. See also terms set out in Final Settlement of 27 July 1977 , Circuit Court of the 11th Judicial Circuit in and for Dade County, Florida, Case No. 73-6449Moore Parks, A. and Bennett, B. (2010) Coconut Grove , Florida: Arcadia Publishing, p. 119-122 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.Herald Staff (1982) Grove Isle, Miami Herald, The (FL) - December 12, 1982, Page number: 1G

Brian Blanchard (1982) The Grove Steps Up To A New Look, Miami Herald, The (FL) - November 18, 1982, Page number: 14Disclosure Documents of Grove Isle, A Condominium. Note: large document

Burton Goldberg, the notorious Miami nightclub impresario, had previously hoped to make the island's "sailboat key" club and residential project the largest in South Florida. His development ended in foreclosure having been stalled by legal battles with stakeholders and residents. The design was significantly reworked and Margulies' scaled-back development was finally completed in 1982. Off-island Club membership was also agreed so its amenities would be enjoyed by the wider community. The project finally consisted of three residential towers, a hotel and club,Ronald John Gee, a London-born Coconut Grove resident of Gee & Martinez Architects, designed many of the buildings on Grove Isle. Fernandez-Rocha, P. (1997) Ronald John Gee, Designed Public Buildings, Miami Herald, The (FL) - March 9, 1997The Grove Isle Hotel and Club would go on to become a member of the Relais & Chateau fellowship of individually owned and operated luxury hotels and restaurants (2001). The renown restaurant Baleen was also located at the Grove Isle Club. deep-water marina,Juanita Greene (1984) Private Marinas Wait For Grove Isle Ruling, Miami Herald, The (FL) - August 6, 1984U.S. Army Engineers (1978) Grove Isle Marina, Miami: Environmental Impact Statement . Accessed February 2016 pools, professional tennis club, original 55 piece sculpture gardens.Helen L. Kohen (1994) A Center of Learning and Centre of Sculpture, Miami Herald, The (FL) - March 24, 1994, Page: 1G Record: 9401220979 The Grove Isle development set the standard for high-end Miami property.Sandra Evans Teeley (1982) Florida's Upper Classes Escape to Fortified Living, The Washington Post, May 1, 1982, Page number: Real Estate; E21

Laurel Tielis (1982) Just 4 Years Old And Already A Business Showoff, Miami Herald, The (FL) - December 8, 1982, Page number: 4BIan Glass, Martin Margulies; His is the art of living well in a kingdom -- Grove Isle, The Miami News, August 12, 1981, p. C2

Grove Isle lies in parts three feet above sea level. Its drainage system was surveyed as part of the condominium's 40 year re-certification project.

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. Record: 8901210323.Office of the Miami Dade County Property Appraiser's Registers Grove Isle has been described as one of the most affluent neighborhoods in the United States.

The Palmeiras Beach Club and Hotel, Spa, Grove Isle Marina and Cliff Drysdale Grove Isle Tennis Club were located on the island.Tom Falco (2015) Palmeiras Beach Club opening on Grove Isle , Coconut Grove Grapevine, November 25, 2015Menache, J (2011) Grove Isle condo dedicates new dog park, Miami Herald The (FL), December 22, 2011 The world-class Grove Isle Sculpture Garden once comprised part of the island's landscaped design.Harper, Paula & Katherine Jannach Hinds (1986) Contemporary Sculpture from the Martin Z. Margulies Collection - Grove Isle, Coconut Grove, Florida. Published by Margulies Collection, Coconut Grove, FL, 1986 The three residential towers' interior designs were unique in the area for their Asian themes and accents. The island club restaurant, operating under the name of Baleen and then Gibraltar, were well regarded in their time.

The island's wide open spaces and expansive tree canopy are valued highly by its residents. The gardens and decks of Grove Isle were replanted after damage received from Hurricane Irma in September 2017. Major renovations to improve the structural and aesthetic integrity of the three towers, their decks and the gardens were also undertaken. The retention of the island's tree canopy and its mature trees remain a priority for many on Grove Isle and in Coconut Grove. Not all trees were replanted after the hurricane.

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. The residents association also worked to protect the island against the impact of 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 efforts, first started in 2013, to build a further residential development 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.PRESERVE GROVE ISLE, LLC VS GROVE ISLE YACHT & TENNIS CLUB, LLC ET AL , 2017-007277-CA-01, 03/27/2017 The Grove Isle club and hotel were demolished in 2020. The development project then underwent a change in ownership and was rebranded the following year.SAVE GROVE ISLE, LLC, Plaintiff, vs. THE CITY OF MIAMI, and GROVE ISLE ASSOCIATES, LLLP,

DEFENDANT GROVE ISLE ASSOCIATES, LLLP’S 032391 CA 43 NOTICE OF SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT IN RELATED PROCEEDING AND SUGGESTION OF MOOTNESS. CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 11 JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MIAMIDADE COUNTY, FLORIDA COMPLEX BUSINESS LITIGATION.Filing # 106013828 E-Filed 04/08/2020 12:56:20 PM The building received its Temporary Certificate of Occupancy in late 2025, over 12 years after initial proposals for the site were made.

Issues regarding club membership rights, the quality of club amenities, city planning laws, bridge safety and further development plans for the island have involved lengthy legal intervention.

Gallery

Grove Isle

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