Miami Real Estate

Ugo Colombo’s 32 story highrise  luxury condo in Coconut Grove continues to attract buyers… three years post-opening…. and three years after selling out $5 million  in condos within literally the first 45 minutes!  

 Grovenor House, built in 2006,  is Colombo’s sole waterfront condo in Coconut Grove…  his other high end highrises primarily concentrated along Brickell Avenue and on Miami Beach.

List prices today in the MLS  for Grovenor House condos run  $669,000 – $16,900,000 ($419-$1,855 / square foot). 

That puts the average list price at $2,506,875  for 2,761 square feet of air space overlooking Coconut Grove’s Biscayne Bay…. in other words $739 per square foot – asking price.

  Despite the Miami condo glut, and recent foreclosures hitting the high-end real estate market hard, Grovenor House and other waterfront luxury property is holding it’s value. The overall lack of buildable waterfront property adds a premium to existing ‘waterfront’… in Miami as elsewhere.

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            Coconut Grove  (originally Miami’s bohemian art hub, luring the free-spirited and artistically inclined)  has a rich history and artsy-vibe.  Capturing on canvas the essence of the Grove,  sidewalks were dotted with easels … with artisans displaying their wares. Potters set up shop in artist’s coops:  Grove House … and in what’s now the charming sidewalk cafe and local hang-out, Greenstreet Cafe.  Today the Grove is often used for TV, film and photo shoots, including those shot here… on Main Highway and on Loquat Avenue… courtesy of Redbook… as well as the  scenes depicted  here by local artists on canvas…. courtesy of Federico Carosio III.

Once home to thriving art galleries,  The Grove hosts the annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival (each February), as well as the King Mango Strut (a parody on the Orange Bowl),  and the Goombay Festival (reminiscent of Bahamian and Caribbean origins).

Although many galleries have closed  (rental space having become scarce and increasingly more expensive), the rich artistic history as well as the artists themselves have remained (and the lifestyle and culture they created are still very much a part of what is today’s Grove). Local artists such as Federico Carosio III capture the essence of the Grove … with works of art  recognizeable the world over.

Grove origins centered around the Lighthouse, with early settlers arriving by boat… into what was previously home to Native Americans. 

Around the turn of the century pioneers, lured to the rich farmlands of South Dade,  arrived through what was then the “Little Hunting Ground”…  and today known as Coconut Grove.   

Coconut Grove is 10 minutes from Downtown Miami. Situated directly on the bay, it is home to Coral Reef Yacht Club, Dinner Key Marina, the Coconut Grove Sailing Club, and several waterfront parks. Peacock Park is haven for some of Florida’s wildlife…  and  the manatee.

The Miami Museum of Science and Planetarium are culturally significant, as are the Grove’s historically designated treasures; Kampong, The Barnacle, and Vizcaya.  Once home  to David Fairchild, Kampong is a spectacular seven-acre Botanical Garden, it’s name originating from the Malay word meaning “cluster.”

Created by yacht designer (and wreckage salvager of boats running aground in Biscayne Bay), Commodore Ralph Middleton Monroe, The Barnacle is the oldest home in Miami. Historic site, turned museum, The Barnacle was so named, supposedly, for the shape of her roof. (Somehow, I’m rather inclined to believe the name originates more from the marine life attached to the boat hulls.)

Now a museum hosting cultural and social events, Vizcaya was built as  James Deering’s personal residence. Listed among the Register of Historic Sites since 1970, the  Renaissance style Italian Villa with her ten acres of formal gardens, took 1,000 artisans and craftsmen two years to build.  Architect F. Burrell Hoffman began construction in 1914, four years after Deering acquired the land, using construction materials from castles and palaces in Italy and Spain. The raw materials were shipped to Miami from Europe by boat,  to be re-assembled and used in the construction of Villa Vizcaya.  Scouring Europe for furnishings and art,  tapestries and murals, Vizcaya was a veritable museum from day one. Every  luxury available at the time was incorporated … including elevators.  Today you can visit the museum, it’s cafe, and gift shop. Vizcaya, for years, provided the backdrop for the annual Renaissance Festival, which spilled out through the grounds each spring, drawing visitors from far and wide. ( As of January 2010, the  site for the Renaissance Festival will instead be on historic Virgina Key.

The mere name, Coconut Grove (as well as the image Miami conjures up) is known the world over. Tree canopy and verdant landscape, whether captured on canvas or photographed, are easily recognizable. 

The Grove is renown for her banyans, casual outdoor dining, sidewalk cafes, nightlife and culture.

To this day, the Grove has a Caribbean flair. Situated next to Biscayne Bay, the lush tree canopy and great outdoor space lure locals and tourists alike.

CocoWalk brims with shops, dining, clubs, movies and live music. Site of the Coconut Grove Arts Festival and the King Mango Strut Parade, the Grove is a vibrant community with activities, art festivals, cultural events, music year round, and  offers a bohemian lifestyle like no other.

If you are considering buying or selling property in Coconut Grove, or elsewhere in Miami, please give me a call at (305) 793-1365 or send me a note.

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3674 LOQUAT AVENUE …  ”Hummingbird Cottage” in COCONUT GROVE, FLORIDA  …   FOR SALE $295,000 

ORIGINAL GROVE “HUMMINGBIRD COTTAGE”:  ONE OF SEVEN COTTAGES OFF  of the MAIN HOUSE (the door of which is FEATURED BELOW). ARTSY VIBE WITH GROVE FEEL & CHARM. COLORFUL OUTDOOR BAR IN THE BACK, TILED PATIO  DECK, & OUTDOOR WALL MURAL.  CHARMING FRONT PORCH. COTTAGE CONSISTS OF ONE GREAT ROOM WITH VAULTED CEILINGS & SKYLIGHT. TWO BEDROOMS. TWO BATHS. EXTENSIVE SHARED OUTDOOR SPACE.

COTTAGE RESIDENTS SHARE  GARDENS,  GROUNDS  &  BAR … AT THEIR LEISURE. COTTAGES AND GROUNDS FEATURED IN PHOTO SHOOTS, TV & MOVIES.  “BURN NOTICE” ACTRESS , GABRIELLE ANWAR, IS SHOWN ABOVE:  JULY 2009 “REDBOOK”  PHOTO SHOOT …  PHOTOGRAPHED ON THE PREMISES  & GROUNDS OF LOQUAT COTTAGES …    & COCONUT GROVE.

MAIN HOUSE (NEXT DOOR): SHOWN TO THE LEFT (above)    …   COTTAGE FOR SALE,  SHOWN TO THE RIGHT (above).

 ***PROPERTY IS A SHORT SALE. CONTRACTS ARE CONTINGENT UPON SELLER’S LENDER’S APPROVAL

Miami model, Gabrielle  Anwar, was photographed above, for the  July  2009 Issue of Redbook … on the grounds of the Loquat Cottages … and at the Main House…. in Coconut Grove, Florida.

CALL TO PREVIEW OR PURCHASE 305 793-1365  /  305 632-0164 …  or drop me a note here.

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In 2009, the Coconut Grove Arts Festival celebrates 49 years of one of the finest outdoor festivals in the nation. Over 330 artists participate in the festival and over 150,000 people come out annually to enjoy fine art, great food and a chance to mingle with the artists. Festival-goers enjoy live entertainment as they walk through history.

The festival will take place over 3 days, February 14, 15 and 16, 2009 and will run from 9 am – 6 pm. Admission is $7 per person per day, while MetroGolden Passport and Patriot Passport holders are free. Coconut Grove residents in the 33133 zip code can enjoy a 3-day pass for $7 with proof. Three-day passes are available for $17.

For a complete list of artists and more festival information, click here.

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