Sunny Isles Beach hosts author/historian Seth H. Bramson
By Bari Auerbach

From Sandbar to Sophistication: The Story of Sunny Isles Beach by historian and author Seth H. Bramson received almost as much notoriety as an Oprah book choice at the Aventura Marketing Council’s June breakfast meeting attended by hundreds of business and community leaders gathered at the Newport Beachside Resort & Hotel.

Sunny Isles Beach Mayor Norman S. Edelcup, members of the City Commission and City Manager John Szerlag welcomed many special guests including elected officials from as close as Aventura to as far as Netanya, Israel – the sister city of Sunny Isles Beach. Netanya’s Mayor Miriam Fireberg was still in town visiting following her participation in the city’s 10 anniversary festivities featuring performances by Netanya’s acclaimed dance troupe.

Taking the podium, Bramson explained why Sunny Isles Beach virtually “wrote the book” when it comes to rapid revitalization. From Sandbar to Sophistication: The Story of Sunny Isles Beach, commissioned for the city’s 10th anniversary, features more than 200 photographs including vintage and current images commemorating the past while honoring city founders, developers and citizens.

“The Sunny Isles Beach story is probably the greatest Pygmalion of any municipal story in the history of Florida – if not the United States,” Bramson said.

“The story actually goes back to 1905 when Harvey Baker Graves came here for the first time...In 1918, he took a boat trip and fell in love with the mangroves and beaches. Graves bought 1,900 acres from the Flagler system for $60,000 and then began construction on what he referred to as ‘America’s Riviera.’”

Fast forwarding to the ‘80s era, Bramson noted that beyond a lack of desirable city services, motels were falling into disrepair. “[The late Mayor David Samson and a group of civic activists] began to realize the only solution was to form a city just around the same time the folks in Aventura came to that same realization. So [incorporation] was achieved and with that the Pygmalion began.

“Old motels have now been replaced by magnificent buildings thanks to a city that cares so strongly about its future...There are now beach accesses, municipal parks, a library, post office - and [there will soon be] a new public school...Today, Sunny Isles Beach as well as Aventura have both become great places!”

“Now heralded as “Florida’s Riviera,” Mayor Edelcup explained, “Major innovations set us apart from many other South Florida cities - primarily our beachfront...We’ve made sure we’d always have beach accesses and we want as much green space as possible...There are now more than 1,600 children living in Sunny Isles Beach, [generating the need for] a school that will be completed by August 2008 in partnership with Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

“Sunny Isles Beach Boulevard is now [being redeveloped] and the road itself is being reconfigured to make it more pedestrian friendly. You’ll also see new construction on the south end of the city, where we’re trying to develop another park; and the west side of Collins Avenue [will be enhanced].

“We [anticipate] stable growth and expect the city’s population to max out at 22 or 23 thousand [including] many international residents...We hope all of you will see the improvements progressing throughout the coming years as our City Commission and staff work diligently to make this possible.

“We had a great tenth anniversary celebration, culminating with a major fireworks display...Everyone had a wonderful time and now we look forward to celebrating all of our future events with you.”

To obtain a copy of the book From Sandbar to Sophistication: The Story of Sunny Isles Beach, phone: 305-792-1706 or visit the website www.sibfl.net.

Author and professor Seth Bramson presenting his new book “From Sandbar to Sophistication: The Story of Sunny Isles Beach” at the Aventura Marketing Council breakfast.

Dan Palmer, editor of Community Newspapers presented Mayor Edelcup with a plaque in recognition of SIB support of the Aventura Marketing Council.

Seth Bramson and Richard C. Schulman pose with the recently published book on the history of Sunny Isles Beach.

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