“SPOTLIGHT ON”
The City of Sun and Sea, The Venice of America:
A history lesson on The City of Sunny Isles Beach
By Luz Urbáez Weinberg

As with every phenomenal city that stands today, the creation of the City of Sun and Sea began with a vision that appreciated the potential of oceanfront land. During the 1920’s and 1930’s there was a wave of construction projects and materialized visions up and down the Southern tip of the A1A corridor, including coastal cities of Hollywood, Hallandale and Miami Beach, Florida. Right around that time, a 2.26 square mile tract of sandy beaches and land was named “Sunny Isles - The Venice of America” and thus began a magical creation.

Construction of the Haulover Bridge in 1925 granted access to that stretch of land from Miami Beach and granted an opportunity for developers to commence building upon what is now Biscayne Bay. With construction flourishing on the beaches, demand for a fishing pier grew, and in response to that demand the Sunny Isles Pier was built in 1936. The pier attracted not only fishermen, but in later years would create an added appeal to families looking to settle in fertile ground. By the 1950’s the Golden Shores area began to see single-family homes being erected. Potential for tourism was capitalized upon with the rising of a stretch of more than 30 motels, called ‘Motel Row‘, on Collins Avenue. The foundation was laid for an area of work and play. And they came in bunches, in famous numbers, and play they did, including infamous British band The Beatles.

The 1970s brought about a trend of condominium construction alongside Motel Row commencing with Winston Towers and the Arlen House. That decade also brought the first hotel to be demolished on ‘Motel Row’, The Castways Motel. On its grounds today sits the first luxury condominium built on The Venice of America in the 1990‘s, Oceania Towers.

The 1980s produced unstoppable progress to the city with tourists and residents alike flocking to the area’s motels and the new mid and high-rise multi-family buildings. A community began to shape up, and it would not be long before its members wanted to be called a city. With the formation of the City’s three single-family communities (Golden Shores, Atlantic Island and Golden Gate) came the call for incorporation, which was finally responded to on June 16, 1997. And The City of Sunny Isles Beach was officially born!

Since that time, the City has undergone a very favorable growth spur comparable to other coastal cities that were envisioned by developers at the beginning of the 20th century. The landmark fishing pier is now, fittingly, a historical site. The number of annual tourists flocking to Sunny Isles Beach today is registered at almost one million. Many of them fall in love with the City, and return to seek residence at any one of the beautiful single-family communities or luxury hi-rise condos that sit right on the ocean. Population numbers continue to rise each year, and, at present, are said to be at over 16,000.

The face of the City and the demographics of its happy residents continues to experience a major redevelopment. Parks, playgrounds and a K-8 public school in the works indicates the welcoming of a generation of young professionals with children. Motel Row continues its demise, being replaced with luxury residential hi-rises that neatly line up the Collins Corridor. Reportedly much of the residential construction is not for year-round occupancy, but statistics do show a steady growth in young families who desire to be near the ocean.

Just as City children will soon have a school of their own, the Sunny Isles Beach Government will also soon have a home of their own at 18070 Collins Avenue. The 57,032 sq. ft., four-story building will accommodate all operating departments of the City government, including the Police Department, as well as branches of the Miami-Dade library and U.S. Post Office. There will be a three-level parking garage with access on Atlantic Boulevard. The Government Building will welcome visitors through a Collins Avenue main entrance, which will feature a plaza with a reflecting pool fountain and outdoor seating.

‘Who’d thunk it’ back in the 1920’s that the sandy stretch of land would indeed become The Venice of America: A breezy, sunny, luxurious City with a culturally rich and diverse group of residents all living together, working and playing, at home on Sun and Sea.

Visit the City of Sunny Isles Beach website at www.sibfl.net for all kinds of information for visitors and residents alike, including Government, Beach Access, Calendar of Events and City Services information.

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