1663-40 Art Deco/Preservation to
DECEMBER 16-22.1992-NEW TIMES-PAGE 27
He 's rich. He's obnoxious. He's a boor. He's
buying Miami Beach. He's...
TYCOON THOMAS
By STEVEN ALMOND and JIM DEFEDE
The host was a tall man who dealt in him South Beach has a large gay he short answer,of course,is$40
cash. He stood on a raised stage in population and he says, 'I don't care if I million.And don't expect a whole lot
a crisp tuxedo and,with eyes the lose a quarter of a million a month on this of cooperation in acquiring a more
hue of chlorinated swimming pools, club. It's going to be my kind of club.'He detailed response. "He's not doing any
surveyed the bacchanal his money had was so out of line." interviews,"explained Susan Brustman,
bought.The air-conditioned tent,plunked Anybody with the odd fortune to attend his spokeswoman,in reply to a New
on one of his newly acquired vacant lots both events would inevitably be left with a Times request two weeks ago.Kramer
and wreathed with flowers,contained an muddled impression of Thomas Kramer.. did eventually contact New Times this past
unlikely mix of magnates and models, local They might wonder,for instance,where Friday fora ten-minute phone
royalty and glitterati. A Vegas name was his money comes from. Or how, conversation to answer specific questions
flown in to emcee. Fading pop stars precisely, he expects to rescue an area for this article.
provided the music. Rented jesters
frolicked during doldrums.Too many
waiters navigated Astroturf doused with
spilled bubbly. '^
That Thomas Kramer had big money
was obvious.Already the 35-year-old •.>
German investor had laid down some$30 ! - -
million Tor a patchwork of properties on ' "'y
the southern tip of Miami Beach and Nf
vowed to transform the neighborhood into
a low-rise luxury development.Something
European. He'd laid out another five
million dollars for a house in Indian Creek
Village and a nearby lot,not to mention
$4.2 million for a Star Island mansion.
All of it in cash.
But at this,his November 1 social
debut, the mysterious mogul wanted to
show the crowd just how big his heart _ '„'
was. And so he did what he does best:He
started handing out money. ,
The charity checks—huge cardboard
props of the sort favored by game-show • '-,
hosts—totaled$250,000,a sum that
amounted to less than half his lavish outlay J . f..):,",,,!:;,, -
for the party itself.The guests, Primed ”! ciiiiiiot,
�#�with cocktails and veal, gazed up at their t 41 j, l„0. t ,._i e./I
benefactor with unspeakable debt. a ..
Kramer did his best to look humble. Light
fell gently over the back of his blond head. ,!» •
Only the most cynical in attendance—
those who view any great man through
the cross hairs of envy—dared question _______-___ '"°
his largess. ;
Then again,anyone who had seen _
Kramer a week earlier,at the invite-only . , , 41
opening of his mega-hyped nightclub, ;
Hell,might have had reason to ponder the z
L
sincerity of his carefully choreographed a
munificence.
At that more intimate affair, chronicled German mogul Thomas Kramer's conduct at the opening of Hell offended natives
fawningly by the local media, the host
purportedly made sure the clientele was widely regarded as the Waterloo of Beach Brustman also declined to provide a list
to his liking by instructing a doorman to real estate,given that he has no of Kramer's current property holdings,
turn away older revelers,homosexuals, experience in the field. even though these are public record. Nor
and the just-plain-ugly—allegations he For those who have witnessed the would she supply copies of newspaper
denies. During more excitable moments erratic behavior, or know something of articles about Kramer's dealings in his
he is said to have groped at women, the checkered financial history, Kramer's native Germany. Indeed, Kramer himself
disregarding their boyfriends. frenetic buying spree has invited a more has said next to nothing about the life he
"I personally saw him call[designer] disturbing question:Why in God's name is led before his splashy arrival on the Beach
Gianni Versace a fag to his face,”recalls Miami Beach heralding Thomas Kramer
lorman Gosney, Hell's designer. "I told as the savior of South Pointe? continued on page 28
I
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PAGE 28-NEW TIMES-DECEMBER 16-22,1992
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Kramer spent about$700,000 on his party, $600,000 more than he's giving Mayor Gelber
1.
TYCOON Kramer—nicknamed Sonnyboy by the
' German press—sounding glum. "The
continued from page 27 dams have broken,"he lamented at the
a year ago—except to blame any height of his financial woes. AS bad as it
Ci\\ 1
negative publicity on a vendetta mounted is right now, it couldn't get any worse.
by the"German yellow press." In a woebegone 1990 interview with
The son of a wealthy Frankfurt the Munich newspaper Abend Zeitung,he
I stockbroker, Kramer learned to trade discussed writing a book about his Cf\\ t
stocks before he learned to drive.As the meteoric rise as a commodities
legend of Thomas Kramer is now told,he public wunderkind,his secret marriage to
was brokering deals at age fourteen. publishing heiress Catherine Burda,and
Between classes at the exclusive Salem his sudden fall from grace,both
♦ Boarding School in southern Germany,he economically and socially.His bride
would run to pay phones to buy and sell disclosed to Abend Zeitung readers how
♦ . / shares. "Quickly I made my first million her family had berated her for eloping with
and then I lost it again,"he told a German Kramer in December of 1989,a month
newspaper in 1990.That flux would after meeting him. "All of these problems
become a pattern. have brought us closer together,"she
said.
Kramer finished his schooling at
nineteen and leaped headlong into the Without her and her strength I would
world of high finance. He spent the next not be able to go through all this,"her
CAR / decade as a commodities trader,shuttling husband added. "Even though I am really
often between the U.S.and his native
land, partly,he has admitted,to avoid In South Pointe, Kramer
OUTLET paying taxes.Trading primarily under the
auspices of the New York firm Shearson hopes to replicate the
Lehman Brothers—he was never an quaint ambiance of
OUR FIRST employee of the company—Kramer
earned a reputation as a brilliant,if Portofino, an Italian village
RED DOT SALE uneven, pecula. one gravitated toward set between plunging cliffs
futuresn dealer.Hn, a lucrative and risky p g g
specialty in which investors bet on on the Riviera.
million-dollar market swings,with only a
SAVE AN ADDITIONAL $5 few thousand dollars down.
The stock market crash of 1987 low at this point and I'm thinking that I will
ON ALL DISCONTINUED STYLES marked a zenith for Kramer,whose savvy not be able to get ahead in the next ten
FROM THE FOLLOWING LINES: maneuvering is said to have earned him years, I'm not giving up hope."
CARESSA • ALLURE • GOLO • PROTEGE $30 million.Young and handsome,he
deftly merged growing financial celebrity To the dozens who have sunk time
LIMITED QUANTITIES•HURRY IN FOR THE BEST SELECTION with a cosmopolitan lifestyle. He was a and money into South Pointe,that
SALE ENDS MONDAY,DECEMBER 21st guest on talk shows and attended all the sentiment might sound achingly
right parties, courting a coterie of familiar. For nearly twenty years, since
beautiful women even as he courted the area was declared blighted and
Savings of 300/0 to 750k potential investors. For a time he threw designated a redevelopment district,a
champagne parties in St.Tropez aboard a shifting cast of politicians and investors
yacht he leased for$60,000 per week. has sought to revamp the shabby triangle
off rets i Ilust three years later, however, the of land south of Fifth Street in Miami
trading company he founded toward the Beach.To date,all major efforts have
end of his stint at Shearson was reeling fizzled.
into bankruptcy, thanks largely to a failed Back in the Seventies, at the urging of
Open Monday through Saturday plan to buy East German properties. In a developer Stephen Muss, the city
series of newspaper ads, Kramer had proposed razing the whole neighborhood,
promised potential investors a big return. scooping out canals, and marketing the
341 Miracle Mile 128 Hialeah Dr./54th St. But the venture went belly-up,according district as a Venetian paradise.After years
Coral Gables Hialeah to German press accounts,after of delays,the plan died.A few years later,
journalists questioned the legality of the a public-private venture to expand the city
(305) 567-0221 (305) 884-2730 land transactions and discovered that marina devolved into a costly legal battle.
1 Dam-6 m 9:30am-5:30 m Kramer's ballyhooed properties included In 1989 the city shelved plans for a
p p several rundown homes.
The scandal left the eternally optimistic continued on page 30
PAGE 30-NEW TIMES-DECEMBER 1622,1992
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photo.c>f+Dye - Norman Gosney says he didn't design Hell as a place for fat Germans to pick up models
• DETAILS F( R THE HOLIDAYS TYCOONphilanthropic and has energizdate,Thomas has eed a majorly
continued from page 28 property acquisition boom in South
ffirms Roger Carlton,the
massive parking garage when Marriott Beach's aggressive city manager."I think
1 149 Washington Ave ■ Miami Beach • 672-0175 Corp.coveted the site a high-rise ,everyone is anxious to see his final plans."
gresort.That project withered in the
'expires 12/31/92 blueprint stage.Beach officials also
Kramer
we most coherent vision for the
shelled out six million dollars to condemn area,however,is not so much a plan as a
and buy property to jump-start the private concept.On the flat,ragged hem of Miami
Cobb townhouse venture,which has yet
I( VgV.614( 'Yg
to be built.
Beach,he hopes to replicate the quaint
ambiance of Por�fitio,an Italian village
But with the onset of the South Beach set between p unging cliffs on the Riviera.
boomand its steady southward creep, He speaks of a community built around
ESPANOLA WAY SHOPS optimistic politicos are hoping a South low-rise buildings, with a mix of old and
Pointe revival is just around the corner.If new facades.A place where residents and
ever there was a historical juncture to act, tourists visit shops and restaurants at
IN SOUTH BEACH they argue,it is now. Several months ago, street level and retire upstairs to tong
in fact,the city commissioned a new apartments or hotel rooms-The project,
For shopping of the extraordinaire on Miami Beach's oldest&most charming street. planning and zoning study of the area. Kramer anticipates,will take five to ten
Located between Washington&Drexel in the 400 block of Espanola Way. Such was the sense of sanguine
expectation into which Thomas Kramer The women joined in
stumbled on his now-fabled first visit to
-"' South Beach.The German millionaire,his revelrous spirit by climbing
- coffers miraculously replenished and back atop a table and
to his peripatetic way , i - d Williams
ft
Island for New Year's '992 t the undressing, while Kramer
i`' invitation of a couple he .• met
vacationing in St. Barts. He swooned and his guests sprayed
- 1 � ;t over the Beach and began snapping up them with champagne.
01i a arcels of South Pointe at an
s unprecedented clip.
Ytlir In barely a year Kramer has bought an years to complete and cost more than
' 4 ' 4 '' entire block on lower Ocean Drive,a
handful of vintage Deco hotels,more than $230 million.
` g Beach Commissioner Neisen Kasdin,
a dozen apartments and lots,and a who has taken an active interest in the
'
` ' '`J I
i � i thirteen-acre tract on the ocean side of effort to revive South Pointe,portrays
• ...•• " '4 outh Pointe tower.He also procured Kramer as a foil to the failed campaigns of
r `}i0M"ill , nearlytwo dozen condo units in that
the past. "South Pointe has seen a
. – building,not to mention his Indian Creek succession of developers who obtained i
"' " and Star Island purchases.Although no rights to the land,created monster plans,
one knows the extent of Kramer's never really put down a dime,asked the
foothold—publicist Brustman says the city for the world,and then blew town,"
information is top secret—informed Kasdin says. "Kramer has spent close to
sources estimate his purchases below $40 million in cash and hasn't asked the J
STARR HAGENBRING STUDIO GALLERY • SOLE MIO SHOES ' Fifth Street alone at more than one million city for a thing."
SUBJECT TO CHANGE • SATYRICON • CHAMELEON • SHIMMY square feet,or fifteen to twenty percent The commissioner,who has met with
of the entire area.And he continues to pu Kramer several times,believes his lack of
ONE HAND CLAPPING • STILO • FLOS SILVESTRIS down deposits.The real estate blitzkrieg, solid planning could work to the city's
For more information,call 531-7472 or 532-0507 fueled by a seemingly inexhaustible advantage. "What we have is a unique
reserve of cash,has come as a godsend to chance to help shape and refine a vision
T ) F 1 T 1 ,T city officials,who speak of Kramer's for South Pointe,"Kasdin contends. "We
entrée in the cloying manner of a father had begun a process of studying zoning
•` ` whose ugliest daughter has just been
married off to a dashing prince. continued on page 32
A
PAGE 32-NEW TIMES-DECEMBER 16-22,1992
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Turned o
; '.�ti,.�, k , jjby Krame's remarks, South Beach fixture Louis Canales walked out of Hell
3462 Main Highway women.As he generallydoes, Kramer
�2. next to Sharkeys �OO� ran up a daunting bill—his tabs
� � .. // continued from page 30 sometimes measure in the thousands—
v 1 i5-6919 and the women joined in the revelrous
and planning, and he's come in with the spirit by climbing atop a table and
, , 4 r:- ability to start doing things in short order. undressing,while Kramer and his guests
I , Also available at: He's even expressed interest in helping to
p g sprayed them with champagne.
Downtown Miami •• 115 L'. 11igler St. pay for an expanded study of the area. "He's extremely on thake with
.: n Mivni International Mall What the city has to do is get involved women,"reports another acquaintance,
tShopping Plazaq ickly, soo we can come up with a good who declined to be identified in print. "It
Central
• ;u and Sawgrass Mills Mall • Sunrise Most important, Kasdin says, is a seemed like he would sleep with anything,
welcome contrast to Marriott's vision of a dr try toIsleep wicoth a e on too.oneOne oght at
high-rise behemoth. "Kramer is proposing dinner I saw him come on woman
p g and he was relentless,with the hugging
» low-rise, low-to medium-density buildings and kissing. He's so overzealous in his
YOU CAN HAVE "NATURALLY CURLY HAIR that fit with the whole South Beach effort to be recognized. It's almost like he
scheme. His philosophy is that if you didn't have a father to teach him how to
INTRODUCING AVEDA NATURAL PROCESS retain the quality of a neighborhood,your act."
properties appreciate in value. It's not the Though Kramer's boorish behavior has
PERMANENT WAVING SYSTEM
American viewpoint, where you want long been a topic of discussion among the
instant profit. His approach is more
n:What's my best long-term staffs at the Beach's trendy eateries,
European:
` '
strategy?" Norman Gosney is one of the few who will
Such patience, however, seems out of comment about it on the record. Even
character for Kramer,an adrenaline Kramer's ex-employees say they fear
, aldrivenmost globetrotterwholly whosedevotedtothe lifebuzz has been�� Louis Canales: "Most
million-dollar deals carried out in the space
r r of a phone call. To those who recall that people you are going to
his only other real estate venture ended in speak to in South Beach
-‘,4 iier financial ruin, Kramer's spontaneous
allegiance to property acquisition may either don't like Mr.
4 appear downright suspect. Kramer or are under
-"k ,- But Kramer insists the South Pointe
venture finds him a changed man. He is a the employment of
father now—several months ago
Catherine bore the couple's first child— MC Kramer.
who speaks of Miami as a permanent
home,not a base of operations. "I alienating a man with so much economic
reached the point in my life where I power. "Most
�` - ` wanted to do something more people you are going to
conservative,"he says. speak to in South Beach either don't like
hr Aveda, Natural Process Perm you long-lasting, Mr. Kramer or are
gives natural looking curls No longer the playboy, Kramer,at age under the employment
without the need for high levels of harsh chemicals. Aveda's exclusive Quaternized 35,is finally ready to settle down,adds of Mr. Kramer,"explains Louis Canales,
the long-time Beach promoter and night
Hair Keratin Protein penetrates the hair shaft,giving maximum strength and sheen to Susan Brustman.
owl,who volunteeredto
every curl.Our naturally-derived emollients produce a soft,conditioned look and feel. work the door at
hHell's October 24 oopening.
at certainly comes as news to But nowhere has Kramer come under
While traditional perms use artificial, petrochemical-derived aromas that are
unhealthy for you and the environment, our freshly distilled flowers and plants lock TNorman Gosney.The British more fire from Beach natives than in his
in natural aroma.At Aveda,we believe the modern approach is the environmentally- designer,best known for helping to decision to launch Hell.
n approach.rom . using the myou os godthe as yourlook. contrive the fantastical sets used in the In meetings with city officials, Kramer
movie Beetlejuice,was retained to create has framed Hell—along with the five-star
ESSNEftigc
Hell in Kramer's Leonard Beach Hotel at hotel he expects to open in the Ocean
AW� 54 Ocean Drive. He remembers quite a Haven Hotel nearby,cheerily dubbed
A AR )n,Au+.u(.v r++E AaT Ahn.0 LM r different incarnation of Kramer in the Heaven—as elements of his investment
(,F PURE FLOWER ANO PLANT ES�F.NCE months before Catherine joined him in
strategy,Hair Care•Skin Care•Colour Cosmetics Miami. glamour magnets that will attract
Gosney recalls,for instance, one wild the wealthy investors needed to fund the
Plea R,•c rc i,,. Portofino venture. A landlocked version,
1731 Ponce De Leon Blvd., Coral Gabnight spent in Cassis Bistro on Washingtonles 442-1065 Avenue,where Kramer held court over a
ribald cast of friends and sexily attired continued on page 34
PAGE 34-NEW TIMES-DECEMBER 16-22,1992
FUTONS FUTONS FUTONS TYCOON
continued from page 32
in other words, of the yacht expeditions
he once led to St.Tropez.
BEAN BAG But Gerry Poplar, who sold Kramer the
67-year-old Leonard Beach Hotel and an
adjacent lot in May,fears the hellish
makeover is emblematic of Kramer's
scheme for the neighborhood:"Trendy
and fly-by-night."In the four years he and
Full Size Bi-fold Sofa Bed Futon, 5249 The Ultimate In Comfort, x9.958 up a partner owned the historic hotel, Poplar
says, they spent about$400,000
enhancing its image as one of South
Beach's few bohemian strongholds,a
funky,affordable place with rooms
custom-decorated by New York artists.
s,., "I should have never sold it at all,"frets
Poplar. But I was led to believe that the
�� , hotel was going to be operated as it was. I
' a was shocked when I heard they were
,:„ 0.-
,v,.. ° going to destroy the integrity of the
,, Leonard—let alone call it Hell.That was
4 LARGE the oldest standing hotel in Miami Beach.
SMALL
,'' It survived the great hurricane of 1926,
and they ripped the place up. I just never
knew that was going to happen.
"Never met Kramer himself,"Poplar
adds ruefully. "He just sent his flunkies
A choice of 3 armstyles.Front opening system. Sizes:toddler,small,medium,large.jumbo, around. I guess when you have big bucks
Sofa by day,bed by night. bonanza.Available in assorted colors. like he does, you can tell people to go to
year warranty.`15 Hell."
&
Denim Boltaflex.
'black frame available at an additional cost.'15 year warranty. Cotton,
Which, witnesses say,is pretty much
what Kramer did at the club's grand-
opening gala on October 24.The event
Lounger Combo Frame & Mattress starting at$119 provided the public its first peek at the
mercurial German—and the ostentatious
nightspot he had promoted for months.
` i;.9, And Kramer did little to ingratiate himself.
-4;,;,..-:%,„„.z.-4,-'� _ t��a l At one point he emerged to survey the
� 300 or so invited guests waitingin line.
, t, "These people are all too ugly to come
Ta 1147 w
::,:•;qttitit
"That was the oldest
K -,k« '# ,:- standing hotel in Miami
r z� * . s:_ i Beach, and they ripped the
;�� � .. 4 - A place up," says Gerry
Poplar, who sold the
All horizontal slats fully assembled at no extra charge. Leonard Beach to Kramer.
Twin 5139 Full 5169, Queen 5189 into my club. I don't want them,"he was
heard to declare.
Louis Canales,who had volunteered to
man the VIP entrance,says he was
�,,, /. Now stunned by Kramer's statement. "He said
imemiziociat$55 it out loud. Everyone who was standing
around the ropes heard him say it.They
were offended. I was offended. It was a
Decorator futon covers Decorator pillows• hard comment.There wasn't anyone
h homely at the door,"Canales adds. "It
from 540.00. from $7.50 was a very attractive,well-dressed
crowd.But he envisioned 2000 21-year-
old women dressed like they were about
to be photographed for an
Replacement futon covers Boltaflex Beach Bags advertisement."
from '20.00. r. $1 2.00. A short time after Kramer decried his
? guests'nominal aesthetic value,Norman
Gosney stepped outside and was amazed
"H you can spare$68,by all means get at how many people were still standing in
one of the new black-light responsive lava line. Gosney and Kramer began arguing
lamps,available in fashionably electric about letting more people into the club.
I pink,green,purple,or red.' "'You're wrong and I'm right,"'Gosney
—New Times Wrappal'Nov 25,1992 recalls Kramer saying. "'I'm right because
I have$300 million and you don't."'
Unique gifts, lava lamps & executive toys. Those allowed inside the club could
only marvel at the opulent spectacle that
Kramer had wrought. Each room was
Futon & Bean Bag Factory Showroom decked with the trappings of a deadly sin.
No expense was spared, and the net
effect—the huge image of Lucifer's head
OPEN 7 DAYS looming over the lobby, the Lucite toilet
seats filled with razor blades, the plastic
Miami Beach—629 Lincoln Rd. ,673-5544 Cutler Ridge—18083 S. Dixie Hwy. ,254-8947 icicles—was image overflow.
Kendall—7162 S.W. 117 Ave. , 595-0977 N.Miami Beach—1282 N.E. 163rd St. , 940-7072 A week later Kramer kicked off a
'See store for details. second opening with an hour of fireworks
continued on next page
T o - - — ---
DECEMBER 16 22,192-NEW TIMES-PAGE 35
X-Mas is- gfere! TYCOON
continued from previous page In The Heart of the City,
We're Overloaded with Bikes that rivaled any July Fourth display.The
and Offering I�,ock,Bottom Prices magnate also spent a portion of this party yet Very Far Away
in a devil's getup,chasing young models
and dousing them with magnums of
CRUISERS $99
chameagne.
He is trying singlehandedly to bring
back the wretched excesses of the
STARTING FROM 1980s,"comments a Kramer admirer who
attended both fetes. "That's the kind of
HUFFY guy he is. One of those wealth "00,40- eccentrics." Y .,„BI�,YC.LF� ��� "I ke t thinkin that this was ve , A40 0P g rY u 16
U*S*A Eighties,"echoes Richard Perez-Feria, i r�,. rt cMl�s < a It
editor of the bilingual magazine Miami 4g 1� a '""�
"I don't have a clue what ,. `� - ` '
a- 1.
3 '.aa ""cg T:
he is trying to do," says -' . y. .`
10% DISCOUNT Bob Penrod. "It seems the a
EXCLUDING SPECIALS only thing he hasn't bought =-"� ..4,, i'4e4
is our place and the
Atlantic Ocean."
Live On Your Own Private Island
Mensual,who was also present at both
iriii ire,* parties. "I kept looking for Nancy Reagan • Only minutes away from everything
or Donald Trump, that was the feeling I
got.But it's charming actually, nostalgic • Less traffic
even,to have this German mogul, this
CYCLES eclectic Howard Hughes type,come in • Live on a quiet island
and be a little behind the mood of the
• Incredible amenities& luxuries
1 on the beach country."
�� `Hes grabbed a few women in front of • Breathtaking views -��'' ell
�_ me when their boyfriends or husbands
713 Fifth Street, Miami Beach were next to them—and even when his •Over 30 floor plans
own wife was next to him—and he AellC.Cy
673-2055 doesn't care,"says a Hell guest who's
afraid that being named will result in being 540 Brickell Key Dr • Miami, Fl 374-2223 II
removed from Kramer's invite list.
"Money is the ultimate aphrodisiac.
Money is license.He feels—rightfully so
or not—that he bought that space,and �_�_�_� ��pevio
whoever enters his house la s b his1 , _ e '���Il�lake a P Y Y -- _:y w'/.J. . Ja _ L��rules. F V G�� ;..�..
"He doesn't mind payingfor somethingr........„.,,c,"'..3~ . ,♦� `=�.0 `, �„�1Statement that's just fun,"the reveler continues.
"He's unpredictable andspontaneous and ...� k-7-
Al a loose cannon.He speaks mind the � > 1 is& � ' hi III �// /�/ ` )
moment he thinks of something, from I,l l`,�, �'� Ye1
slurs to comments in jest. [At the October II r ��,1 Uu�'Self d24o openinghe went outside and told thej�: w `;�/,1
doorman, 'I want no more fags and no 11 �� , e •
x .,; more old people.'I saw that." 1 "e. it / •'L 1
Canales clims he,too,was given % ") \ N ill` 1
instructions that night by one of the 1 JAI
managers"to please hold back on letting �4 �) /J \\`'1 �
so many boys in."While the manager �� •didn't expressly say"gays,"Canales says 1 , �� A I °
,: his meaning was clear. In fact,although ' •Kramer donated$10,000 to the Health �1 // G01.41/1
�R0V Oth. it
Crisis Network during an AIDS benefit / Q 2
01
last month, derogatory stories about his .,�� C N SuY J�`
,. . conduct have circulated within South , ag'r a �,�p iN v AND i y- �� 4A,-
Beach's powerful gay community. 'it-
Pe' 1`h , p
Agift of romance,softly sensitive, "It's as simple as first impressions," . 21 11,11.112. f 9 lath. N / z y ;;
fabulously exciting Canales concludes. "Mr. Kramer was a 5 CEM JPMI EAS
HOLIDAY SPECIALS very mysterious person when he came to ; t 8 �Ay �L, FRi . li
town,buying everything in sight, paying ,VR iG�.�Q 6' p�P �Y1
Gift Certificates cash for property,and in some cases too .S� n�R� M. Gle, v K 0��1
Xmas DeliveryGuaranteed much for it. Immediately there was a 1 1 r .(Q�' ,fzE , �R
7.
mystique attached and a curiosity. And � RS' 10�' 1E�5 AY$ A� OY�
Instant video selection 1 QU A$11 t M flNfVl 1
then all of asudden his debut into South �IN Nk ox CEppS f �F,S 0g1 i
I A totally professional experience Beach was the opening night of Hell.And ,....0 ASQNphA���V�1 p1S� uri +
all the wrong impressions were given. He , Z� Dpit' ASiN1/N EgCri d_ea7'ilk/ cr
• (--
was seen as an arrogant man wearing a ���'' A SppA�ME M OP C"'11
Co
I / tux, smoking a cigar, telling all of us we
• are too ugly to go into his club.Well, the I.., fOR 5I-o �l
/ / response by some was, 'He can rot in his �. (,je��su� l ( 65I OIO/ )
/ club because we're not going back.'At 6 ;r
A(/C1/ON£ERSNOS AU7/-76HB-2"B (303)W3 j519
"All that very well-crafted pre-event ,: "'-
two
^o—TSG R qPHY hype was crumbled and destroyed within ..: PV�.f E ',hours, laments Canales,who says ► i•:4;`��_ R� QAI�� • �•
he left the club in disgust after Kramer ,+a' —! -
Award Winning Photography Since 1969 ti� ��R= . 1� t �„�`
ordered him to block entrance to anyone ..._„/.1.�1�s �_—_wr-`.•�_MI_w �_�-� .; lis, II ���
Free Consultation:598-5683 but the owner's friends.
All Major Credit Cards
continued on page 36
PAGE 36-NEW TIMES-DECEMBER 16-22,1992
Massage. D , CONSIGN MEN'S TYCOON "_ �.
'P%t}'--;% • Brioni
dr vac" Sara continued from page 35
4 +
(Italy's Very Best) Kramer's own reaction to the two f;
- "44%
7-fori ay Gift Certificates •Armani bashes provides a striking example of his is
• Emen tido Zegna -- capriciousness:He called a meetingsoon - :
�u(fService Da Spa `� ---t� P
Day p •And U.S.A. s Finest 1;l:, t after the club's debut to announce that he
Massages•Facials•Bodywraps Why oreyou thinkingof r
was overhauling Hell's image. Several "
• ; \ weeks later,he closed the club for
Acupuncture•and much more buying$1000.00ond up
suits,$100.00 and up ,� renovations. "At first he'd wanted this
Call fora free brochure and shirts and ties? 1 - high-profile club with colorful people,very
details for a FREE$30.00 gift or We hove the same fine designer'^--- C'' ' South Beach style,"recalls Sean deJong, tri
$5 off your next visit merchandise indistinguishable from new of a `\ an ex-manager of Hell."Then he said, 'I
small fraction of the price. 11+ don't want a gay night, I don't want this or
Major Most Bringinyour menswear and receive 50%when sold: that.'He cut out all the promotions. He
Credit 964-6465 Insurance
Cards Accepted LOWEST PRICED HOLIDAY GIFTS wanted a place where his friends, the y `, : ,:r'
Fashions Newest Ties/Handkerchief/Sus nder European rich people,could hobnob
Diamante Massage& Day Spa Combinations without being offended or hassled by the .. , I
2901 Stirling Road•Ft. Lauderdale South Beach crowd.'Trash'was how heI 111
Where the healing art . 10901 Biscayne Blvd. •N.Miami put it,actually. People at the club felt re o
Phone 892-9755• Phone/Fax 899-1551 betrayed, because a lot of us had a
becomes life in South Florida on the line to create a certain image,and '
he just pulled the rug out from under us." CommissionerNeisen Kasdin believes
_ Not that the switcheroo came as a Kramer's lack of planning could work
DON 'T FORGET FLOWERS surprise. "It kind of goes along with the to the city's advantage
whole impulsive way he works, explains
" deJong,who worked at Hell for four stairs from the penthouse offices of his
�► Christmas on Biscayne Baymonths. "He's very dictatorship-oriented. company,the Portofino Group.
a twist on the traditional on hal d y terpiece, He'd say he needed the team,but hepioneer
basically disregarded you when he Forth the seller, Mel developersow a th
featuring evergreens,orchid sprays,and starfish changed his mind. He seemed to like to South Beach e and owner of the
$25,$35,$45 surround himself with young people that Winterhappo Hotel,the July sale offered
r�� his first opportunity to eyeball the man
aren't too experienced in the business
who was stirring up all the hubbub south
q KEY WEST FLORIST Channukah in Florida world, I guess because they'll respect of Fifth Street.The two men exchanged
OF CORAL GABLES a stylized array of exotic foliages,white him.There was a lot of turnover when I pleasantries. Kramer hastily came to the
�l orchid sprays,and blue starfish was there and it's been constant since I point. "There was no negotiation,"
$25,$35,$45 left' Schlesser recalls. "It was more a matter
`I'm not out for revenge or to spread of,'This is what you want?Okay,here it
Poinsettias-Specially gossip,"adds deJong,who says he and is. Now, let's go upstairs and open a bottle
Pe dressedYKramer parted last month on"fairly of champagne. "Without batting an eye,
for an unforgettable gift reasonable"terms. I'm just being honest Kramer scribbled a deposit check. The
Remember we've moved to • $25,$35,$45,$65 about what I saw." saecePo
2970 Ponce de Leon Blvd. Kramer vehemently denies calling final$500,000 more was$7 Schlesser5,000—about
444-4401 Countywide delivery,worldwide bywire. arsago. hap paid four
anyone a"fag"at his club opening."I'm years The champagne was
right now in discussion with two or three impeccable.
of the biggest homosexual groups to build A few weeks ago Schlesser saw
a pure gay hotel on one of my properties," Kramer again,at a Resolution Trust
GET A tb Express he notes.He also accuses designer
Norman Gosney—and others—of Corporation auction. Kramer was bidding
on the Flagler Bank Building at 466 Collins
OIL CHANGE, FILTER & "He's a trader and I think Ave. "It was extraordinary,"the normally
reserved Schlesser marvels. "We figured
this property would go for somewhere
16 POINT SERVICE he wants to handle his
properties like you trade around half a million. It was bid up to$1.2
million. 'I want it, I paid for it, I got it'—it
was that type of thing."Schlesser would
U OIL DRAINED&FILLED U CHECK& FILL TRANSMISSION FLUID commodities," posits later joke that the RTC must have planted
U REPLACE OIL FILTER U CHECK WIPER BLADES ' one of its own representatives at the sale
U LUBRICATE CHASSIS U CHECK& FILL WINDOW WASH FLUID Carolyn Miller, owner of to drive the price skyward.
U CHECK AIR FILTER U CHECK& FILL RADIATOR OVERFLOWthe realtyIndeed, Kramer's freewheeling style
U CHECK&FILL BATTERY G CHECK& FILL POWER STEERING FLUID firm Riteway Inc. has been greeted with more than a few
U CHECK&FILL BRAKE FLUID U CHECK BREATHER ELEMENT raised eyebrows by Schlesser and the
U CHECK&FILL DIFFERENTIAL U CHECK TIRE PRESSURE trying to"put dirt on my name,"adding other charter members of the Art Deco
U CLEAN EXTERIOR WINDOWS J VACUUM INTERIOR that he is contemplating legal action to Mafia, whose decade-long battle to
counter the rumormongering. gentrify South Beach has been won in
cautious increments."Theknows
As for the bawdy, table-dancing outing guy
SAVE $5 SAVE $4 at Cassis, Kramer does not dispute that itshow oPeeehes about us,calledd made took place. "We had a good time,"he
Automatic Filter says. "So?I'm not a politician. I'm not in a visionaries,"says Schlesser,a member of
Transmission Service Oil Change, religious position. Do you think[the the Miami Beach Zoning Board of
•New Transmission Fluid & 16-Point Service women]were forced to get on the Adjustment."He's not intruding on
•Filter•Pan Gasket•Clean Pan tables?" anyone else's game plan and I think the
999 Those who have become acquainted area he's focused on can be a winner.But
$2with Kramer in the past year agree that whether he can do it or not, I don't know.
Only Reg.$3x.99 only .$23.99 his public antics are not the issue. Instead, There's no track record there."
they fear the volatile traits he exhibits as Schlesser says Kramer's modus
With Coupon.Most Cars. With Coupon.Most Cars. an impresario will pollute his more operandi—his tendency to pay top dollar,
L Expires 1/13/93 NT I L Expires 1/13/93 NI] ambitious undertakings. Hell, they his laid-back approach to planning,and his
J suggest, may be no more than a brightly refusal to conserve cash—fly in the face
MEETS ALL NEW CAR painted omen. If,as some have of conventional development practice.As
I WARRANTY VALIDATIONS suggested, Kramer views the club as his does the decision to open Hell. "Why r
house, what will keephim from would a real estate developer put so much 11
3625-F South State Road 7 / remodeling all of Souh Pointe into his money into starting a disco,of all things?"
2 Blocks North of County Line Rd. Schlesser asks. "You know that has no
eExpress Dade Broward l house? longevity.And the amount of time it takes
Lie HOW!
652-0959 961-4201 Add or the buyer,the purchase was to plan a major development,particularly •
et 711
�,r„ NEW LOCATION r elate`o something of an occasion. Rather on South Pointe,is astronomical.Why not
�` �`i'''y 9U spend your energy R
Id, � �, - 12600 Pines Blvd. 1 �--°-. than sending a lawyer to handle the on property and get a
iI closing, Kramer came in person. real return?"
I�(rp I i
PembrokePines OTHER MAJOR g Y property,a plusKramer's insatiable appetite for
II
Conveniently,
Mon-Fri: 8:30am 6:30pm • Sar: 8:00am-6:00pm BRANDS AVAILABLE 24th-floor duplex on South Pointe tower's
most desired corner, was one flight of continued on page 38
- —�-
' PAGE 38=NEW T1MES-DECEMBER 16-22,1992
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The Suasii Qu0Spyq apmay be used m idy wase'2a,d deer.Adults waist always swans*nays under redspaor I6.Md7w Sunni ATVs
^iay ae i'''''se agea'6 a i Olay_Suzuki lagTy rscommyet niy aaAN ddys rake a Dal*g miurse.yea awn day ld•2 Far sebrysro Kramer paid.$4.2 million for this Star Island home, which was once a guardhouse
r r,eri0rcteoon sed oaebrgnaw•SS'/tA at 1ved Su62d3u.Atic minaehever cos to utast•.Fa you safery.aleerS sews
and aboiidldrosw *wend.on raved Owlacesapukac mita.Never cony passagws ar espagemsate ndrg,WdnD
mugs aonYma.Alpd samiaJM weeds.Be asks careful Wena tetras,. TYCOON commodities,”posits Carolyn Miller,
PA L METrO owner of the realty firm Riteway Inc.
continued from page 36 Miller's strongest evidence:Ten days ago
property has puzzled some of South Kramer contacted her to discuss plans to
6400 W.20th Avenue • Hialeahsell some of his South Pointe properties.
(Palmetto X-Way(826)at N.W. 122nd St.Exit) SUZU�• Pointei s entrenched businesses. 'I just "He's looking over the whole thing,"
don't have a clue what he is trying to do," Miller says.Asked whether the sales
305-557-1311 The ride you've been waiting fora says Bob Penrod,an owner of One Ocean y
might have any impact on the to
Drive,which opened in 1988 as Penrod's. Portofinodevelopment, she answers,"That's
"He's bought all around us—it seems the anyone's guess. I don't even know if he
Beverly Hills 902109 only flung hla hasn t bought is our place „
• and the Atlantic Ocean." knows.
• Not that Kramer didn't make a pitch to On that,even PR representative Susan
Penrod."He made an offer for our place, Brustman can agree. `Thomas is one of
No, Miami, 33132• but we never came to terms,"the owner those gent's people thatxxphanges his mind
explains. "We told him we wanted to blend continually," and it's a lains. "Put
into whatever he does.But I'm not sure anything down and it's not true a week
You don't have to live in Beverly ~. he knows what he is doing.He seems to later."
Hills to experience that "in" feeling. I Bernard l ofZyscovich,a University of
P 9i , be disorganized. Miami School of Architecture professor,
Now, at The Grand, you'll have it all. - All along, Kramer has been careful to
Come home from a hard dayat work ! note that he is not a developer,and that seconds Miller's assessment. "When you
*? look at it, it's like trader theory applied to
and drop off your shirts at the dry ` ° �� he is relying on a team of consultants to land,"says Zyscovich, who also serves as
cleaners, exercise in our magnificent set his vision of Portofino in concrete.
g "Usuallychairman of the Miami Design
health spa, swim a few laps in our you surround yourself with
heated pool, unwind in our whirlpool, , people who know the business,"Mel
Schlesser agrees."But I haven't met "I'm very much committed
walk through our skywalk to Omni for , anybody among his group who has
your last minute shopping,have a drink .,„„ .., extended real estate experience." to my development," says
in The Grandview or Tony Chan's Water , One professional,who worked closely cc
Club,and then romance your night away *le •, with Kramer for several months and whoKramer. And as ton a$g g ; don't get hitbyatruck
in one of our ourmet restaurants... wishes to remain anonymous,says the,
and never leave The Grand. same red flag was raised months ago , „
But, if you have to, valet will get within the Portofino Group:"Kramer has tomorrow, it'll happen.
your car. a' . money,but he doesn't know how to
develop.There came a time when he was
The Grand. Minutes away from interviewing people who knew how to pull Preservation League."You buy,buy,buy,
Downtown, South Beach, and the off complex,multinational developments. and drive up the prices all by yourself.But
• Airport. These 1, 2, and 3 6 d r m. -ii. And there were some of us who were that is not what it takes to be a developer
residences start at only S119,500 • ` trying to get him to go in that direction. in aMarch communityr for the tlang term.
(prices subject to change). Hurry, last 1' But no one qualified was ever hired." In March Kramer retained Zyscovichnto
opportunity.cissiVer few left. Buywhile .. .. '� Instead,the source says,the man design a new house to replace the one
interest rates are low.Visit our sales 1 ,: ,� directing Kramer's nascent empire is Kay he'd purchased in Indian Creek Village.
and leasingcenter at The Grand or call Statz,a South Beach contractor and fellow a PortofinoZyscovh says he offered foro to put together
,, ••. _
' a master plan Kramer,at no
(305)530-0609. German who has renovated several cost."He wasn't interested,"recalls the
41410 ) properties—most notably the Century >
1110 4J up architect. I told him, `Here I am, I m
Hotel, located just the street from the ,
your architect.As long as you're going to
r
� l f l Leonard Beach—but has little keep buying,why not put together a
I .. development experience. plan?'I tried to get him to look at what he
" ' According to the former associate, who was doing more comprehensively,to ask:
Z 111 readily admits he was fired a few months Who's the market?Are they going to last?
k_ r.►4..4. ago but says he was never told why,such
Do you need all the property you've
lack of foresight typifies Kramer's bought?How many resorts can this area
Condos On The Boy "scattergun"approach.
1717 N.BAYSHORE DRIVE, (ONE BLOCK EAST OF BISCAYNE BLVD.AT N.E. 17th ST.) "He's s trader,sI think t wants to
handle his properties like you d trade continued on page 40
PAGE 40-NEW TIMES DECEMBER 16-22,1992
UIW ���� edgafter reading ahard- ed sto>�y the
ue & Vintage newspaper published-ed May,detailing his
oft-troubled business dealin s in
continued from page 38 gteh Sold support?But he doesn't care. It's like play
money with him. It's like Monopoly." Germany.The article purportedlyprompted Kramer to hire a new public
In June,Zyscovich says, Kramer relations firm.Although recent accounts
Expert Repairs on Antique Clocks &Watches Done On Premises abruptly scrapped plans to build the Indian of Kramer may paint him as a man who
Creek dream house—despite having revels in flouting convention,and,
Webster Said It BEST. poured millions of dollars into buying the perhaps,good taste, he has displayed far
OLDE: 1 long existence. 2 experience. 3 property,drawing up plans,and starting more forethought in his dealings with the
demolition—and, equally abruptly,ended media.This is one magnate who keeps a
longer in existence than another. his association with the architect. close watch over his clippings.
4 former "If he was guided, he'd be a force," Kramer told the Review that damning
articles by German reporters had
says a prominent Deco developer who precipitated his bankruptcy. He also
requested his name be withheld from this
TYIVIE: 1 determine the time or duration of. story."He's funny and charming and chalked up the bad press in his native land
smart, but he's also a fucking clown. His to a vendetta mounted by his father in
ego makes him stupid." law, Franz Burda, a publishing baron who
SHOPPE: 1 store, esp. p. a small specialized one. One insider, who spoke reluctantly to never approved of his daughter's
New Times and demanded anonymity, elopement.
2 industrial workroom. -v.i. 3 look describes Kramer as an"overgrown New Times's efforts to reach Franz
for or makepurchases. juvenile"prone to temper tantrums. "He Burda,who publishes the German Forbes,
does whatever the hell he pleases. He among other publications,dead ended in
shouted at his staff all the time. 'People in Offenberg, Germany, with his personal
Stop In This Holiday Season
secretary. "I
this country are so stupid!'He said that a can't give any comment
The Olde e Shoppe bunch of times,"says the unnamed about Thomas Kramer,"she said. And
�� source,who Kramer used to consult [Burda]doesn't want to speak with you
15491/2 Sunset Dr Coral Gables frequently.He and others who have about him,either."
(One Block East of Bakery Center) 662-1842 worked for Kramer emphasize the The journalists who allegedly hounded
trader's tendency to hire-and-fire based on Kramer out of the country,on the other
whim, cutting off even trusted staffers if hand, were fascinated to learn that he has
washed up on Miami Beach,flush with
•rr , • ,, he perceives they have crossed him. cash and gobbling property. "So he's in
TELL THEM I` f 1' - I Kramer acknowledges that he's not an Miami now,"muses Gerald Braunberger,
E" =-1 T experienced developer and says he is still
YOUR HOUSE HASemu
putting together a management team to a reporter for the prominent German
_ 1 , : help guide him. "I'm certainly not newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine
CALIFORNIA CLOSETS 1 I I""1 l111
finished,"he notes,attributingcriticism
Zeitung. "What is Kramer doing in Miami?
i1 tit
t
He failed and then disappeared from
that he hasn't moved fast enough to
AND CHANCES ARE "i`"�11Aum � disgruntled former employees.With more
here."
�' _ than$100 million already pledged by "We are very interested in what Mr.
THEY'LL BUY IT. S developmentgo „Kramer
ac
Jacois bs, editor right th t e Muni h evening
: various investors, the will
, _ i forward,he promises. "I'm very much newspaper,Abend Zeitung. "He amused
committed to my development, he says,
r .111411"1 ,, "and as long as I don't get hit by a truck
P161.16-71-1 Someday,you're ri :lb; ." 1 tomorrow,it'll happen." "He wasn't verysuccessful
4._
likely to move.So,if you The insider who worked closely with
Kramer is somewhat more skeptical,and i n Germany," laughs a
want to add appreciable value to your home and make it offers a strident warning to Beach « ,
a nicer place to live while you're in it,put in California politicos: "The only reality they're seeing Munich editor. So that's
`''' Closets.They'll certainly give your house a selling edge. is a lot of cash.When someone spends why he went overseas.
$20 million,you tend to think they know
But then,you might not want to leave. what they're doing,because our society He's trying to have a
puts money in charge of everything.In 59
CALL FOR A FREE IN-HOME DESIGN SESSION • South Pointe the money will control second chance.
things,and we won't get a developer with
623-8282 We Export talent. But the city's not thinking about himself very much in the party scene of
3301 NW 168 St.•Miami,FL 33056 CALIFORNIA that.They're looking at acres of empty Munich and had a reputation as a very
Exit off Palmetto Expressway JatNW 37Ave.
a�n �, �,.�,.a o ��.�F��.n, CLOSET COMPANY land and somebody who wants to spend busy lover."
Iw2 C.,I k..nb Closet Q.m ". r.• millions for it.What they don't understand Jacobs confirms that Franz Burda did
OVER ONE MILLION SATISFIED CUSTOMERS is that Kramer doesn't need the money. bear a grudge against Kramer. "He said at
He needs the excitement.As long as a party,in public, that he would destroy
people jump when he says something and Kramer,"Jacobs recalls. "And there have
�� he can be outrageous,he'll stay. If the city been very,very hard reports about
should take an interest in controlling
"We're t a Roller Skate Specialists of the Thomas Kramer in Burda's magazines."
South Pointe and he becomes part
• system,he will lose interest." But Jacobs adds that many of the reports
ROLLERBLADES Because in the end, the onetime questioning Kramer's business dealings in
• ROLLERSKATES confidantexplains, Thomas Kramer is not Germany were accurate.
"He wasn't very successful in
S' �'� • ICE SKATES on a business trip. He is on an ego trip. Germany,"laughs an editor at the Munich
e/, • • SKATES hat would certainlyexplain his daily Suddeutsche Zeitung. "So that's why
he went overseas. He's trying to have a
J I • HOCKEY EQUIP 1 conduct at the pulic debut of Hell, second chance."
• WHEELS • BEARINGS a week after the invitation-only This second chance,in turn,has
opening.That night, as he is wont,
t� involved a conscious effort to modulate his
•� • ACCESSORIES Kramer was handpicking desirable guests <
p gpublic image. `Thomas has a very
al 1 ' . •• SALES & SERVICE from among the expectant clubhand thrall flamboyant personality, and he knows that
, ft. huddled outside.That's when Michael can often lead to trouble,"explains PR
• Cole made his fateful error. He called out
... """ �''• specialist Susan Brustman."So he's not
•
. 15 Years ServingKendall to Kramer,waved an invite,and
explained, foolishly, that he was with the looking for press."
i press. Bad press,anyway.
Good press,on the other hand,he has
SIMPLY THE BEST "What newspaper do you work for?"
never seemed to shun. Brustman, for
Kramer demanded.
"The Miami Review,"said Cole, the instance,is more than happy to
' GKE Y s. I enumerate Kramer's considerable gifts to
O y 13001 legal and business paper's good-natured charity—among them$100,000 for
�; t O € art director.
. I �� beautification of Fifth Street,$100,000 for
• ,f ' The Place For i' N. Kendall Dr. A blush of anger swept the owner's a daycare program at South Pointe
° j_i.'i •. cheeks. "The Miami Review?"Kramer y p
r Wye i thundered, ste in toward Cole. "Fuck Elementary School,and$50,000 for the
°�.-, � WHEELS 386-2453 ie " Miami Beach Police Children's Relief
�.-*e r the Miami Review. '
co.45 i£ The comment was about the most
r eloquent response Kramer could muster continued on page 42
vr-- -
PAGE 42-NEW TIMES-DECEMBER 16-22,1992
TYCOON the specifics of his Portofino proposal. It is
Allthen that the conciliatory rhetoric may
the Trimmings Sale! have to give way to stern negotiation.
continued from page 40 Some, like Schlesser,wonder what will
6999 4999 13999 Fund. (The millionaire also shelled out happen if Kramer decides that low-rise
I. $70,000 to repaint a South Beach public development in South Pointe is not
t housing project after growing weary of economically viable. Others ponder how
2 t gazing at its dreary color from his
the Beach's tough city manager, Roger
.. penthouse office.) Carlton, will react if and when the
* ' �' His few public speaking engagements
` . � ,` iron willed Kramer begins making the sort
have been exquisitely tailored to generate
t F `'' " , good vibes—and headlines. "I'm here of demands he has avoided until now. Will
• because of the Art Deco district,"he told such a confrontation provoke the
extremist impulses in Kramer's
Miami Beach commissioners at an personality and trigger a rift?Will he vilify
7 Ft.Douglas Fir 6: Ft.Fralser Fir 7S Ft.Oren AI ine Fir October 21 public meeting to discuss
Nonwd-bo6rg tree with oWs,epi Cb+sc Chrotree,tree.,wed to Noo,oI looks Gh.�,m,„Pee add.a
compliment
any morn
oro""01” hd,dor w.M >8V expanding the city's historic district. "And the city hall he once spoke of as"run like
'` 79'94 X' the most efficient company in all South
I can assure you that not only I, but
9999 '4",:',4;/ 9999 friends, are here to act when discouraged Florida"?
° His few previous comments about
','„s - investors want to pull out of Lincoln Road; these topics have had an undeniably
we are here to buyand certainlypay
foreboding ring. "I don't even know if I'm
,, � premiums.”
?^ At his November 1 coming-out party, going to do my development,"Kramer"",` he delivered an endearing spiel designed huffed to the Miami Review last spring. 'I
to"tell you the reason why I'm a new and came along 35 years without Miami. I'm
7 Ft.Maine Spruce happy resident of Miami Beach."He went Paying the fucking people in Miami Beach.
e,ogogm.ean„ol lookrg tree w,* ,_. 7:L Ft.Country Spruce They're not paying me.... People have to
h iL!Y Bbl°'S" „Q 9y 9 green tree i5 bewuhdly trod..onol on to outline his vision of Miami as the treat me well to make money from me.
0C>Se "cosmopolitan heart of a New America" South[Pointe]is dead. It needs someone
made8:OOam-8:OOpm M-S • Sun 9am-5pm and praised everyone from Mayor like me."
..ORATIVE HARON'ARE 2501 Coral Way • Miami • 856-6500 Seymour Gelber to his Deco forebears. Kramer says he is confident that Miami
But Kramer has thus far sidestepped Beach will grow only more prosperous as
the queries journalists corysider truly the city assumes its rightful place as a
compelling.Such as how, precisely, he nexus in the global economy.But it is
catapulted from insolvency to riches in
3' �. impossible to ignore that two of the very
two years. Or who will provide monetary
FAMOUS GARMENT assets that lured him to Miami Beach—
backing if and when his mysteriously the modelingindustry', >,�ig+41MANUFACTURING CO. acquired windfall runs dry. Or when he try and the mix of
aristocrat
stocrat vacationers—are an inherently
1060 E. 23rd St., Hialeah, FL 33013 plans to formalize the blueprints for the fickle lot, not likely to return year after
vaunted Portofino. year to the same fashion roos .
Phone: 696-3971 And as the local press begins to prod
Such a dim view, however,holds little
1 /! -him on these points, Kramer has been sway with George Lowande :"Someone
increasingly cagey about interviews.Two said to me the other day, 'Well,we're not
{ This Week Only weeks ago he granted the local bureau
chief from Newsweek a brief audience on
Holiday Hours: 100% Wool Blazers the phone, and he has agreed to speak "People may think he's
Now through December 19th with the Miami Herald for an in-depth
Wednesday- 10:00-6:00 Buy 1 -$35 story,which Susan Brustman claims will crazy now, but in a year
yBuy 2 $66 disprove any lurking allegations about he's going to be a genius,"
Thursday- 10:00-8:00 Kramer's past. He only agreed to an
Buy 3-$87 interview with New Times after it became saysdeveloper Craig
Friday- 10:00-6:00 clear the paper was going to publish a P
Saturday- 9:00 4:00 The Perfect Christmas Gift.! story about him,regardless of whether or Robins of Dacra Cos.
Look for in-store specials! not he cooperated.
All Sales Final! But what to make of Kramer's recent sure Mr. Kramer is going to be a good
Huge Selection! decision to bless brand-new Ocean Drive thing. What if he disappears tomorrow?'
$5 $5 Try-on Area! magazine with a Q&A?"They have And my answer back to them was,`So
Five dollars off your y promised to let me see the manuscript for what if he does disappear tomorrow?'He
purchase of 5100"or more. Professional & fact checking and all that,"Brustman has already put$28 million worth of
Not valid w/any other offer. Career Apparel! explains. money where his mouth is.And those
improvements—the buildings that have
ut Expires 12/19/92 $5 — Cash, Check, VISA, MasterCard- T�Then it comes to Thomas Kramer, been rehabilitated, the buildings that have
the dark fear that most would been torn down, the landscaping that has
rather leave unspoken is this:that been done—those improvements stay
he, like the others who have marched into here."A South Pointe advocate,
South Pointe,will run out of money,or Lowander sold his share of the Diamond
•
P patience, before his grandiose visions apartments,at the corner of First Street
come to fruition,and that his failure will and Collins Avenue, to Kramer in March.
further delay the area's rehabilitation. Mitchell Korus,a broker for Streamline
"As a developer I think you have to Properties,a Beach property
have a concern when any one person management and brokerage firm,credits
" controls that much property,"notes Mel Kramer with spurring a renaissance south
45 Schlesser. "And this is not directed at of Fifth Street:"It's a very aggressive
G. Thomas specifically. But what if market, thanks to him. He's made it very
V something goes haywire,or if he gets competitive. I'm trying to do some deals
bored and he starts to sell cheap?Then down there myself now."
property values and the tax base go down Ironically, the most cynical of his critics
for the whole area." say this upswing is what will afford
/ a • A SwimwearCommissioner Neisen Kasdin concedes Kramer, the trader, the freedom to
� - FEE
& Fashion the potential for such a disaster. "There abandon ship without losing his booty.
are all sorts of scenarios you could paint There are those, like Schlesser,who
Boutique for what will happen down the road,"he argue that Kramer has paid too much for
q says. "But at this point Kramer appears his properties to sell them immediately.
N respectful of the procedures of But others, such as Beach developer
government.All we have to go on is Craig Robins, suggest just the opposite—
what's happened so far and what he says that Kramer has shrewdly identified South
•
3399 Virginia he intends to do." Pointe land as undervalued.
On the subject of Kramer's personality, "Even though he's paid the top of the
y 7' Z Kasdin stresses that he should be judged market for a lot of the properties he's
Suite 740 on his deeds as a developer, not a nightlife bought,he's bought very well.Time will
.,, ----,,,A,.„.t
' devil. "There's a long tradition on Miami prove that,"asserts Robins, co-owner of
Coconut Grove Beach,from Carl Fisher on forward,of Dacra Cos."People may think he's crazy
A developers with, uh, a colorful character," now,but in a year he's going to be a
&' 448 8066 the commissioner argues.The true test, genius."
'z' Kasdin admits, will come if and when
Kramer and the city start hammering out continued on next page
.e
DECEMBER 16-22,1992-NEW TIMES-PAGE 43
�' r =�,�f� TYCOON
» ,,, Ai, rr = EXOTICEYES. 1
continued from previous page
_,
Ues Kramer himself bragged to the Review
back in May that he could sell what he'd 4� w
• d ... . ..
• e bought so far and come away with a cool
Daniella
ten-million-dollar profit.Just last week,in .... • . .. , ! fact,he announced that he was ready to -'s• 'sell a few of his properties.While he says , �,
Ti he has done all the buying he intends to do -
Catering a people who truly appreciate .I in South Pointe, he refuses to specify GDS Shadow Bronzer �. �1.-; ��4)'4 fie,:
American,English,French - what,precisely, will go up for sale. "The ,,
' Continental Period&style furniture. _ market forces me to[sell],"he notes,
Decorcuweares. • eyes appear 3 , _,
citing the dramatic rise in South Pointe naturallyshadowed' "
property prices since his arrival. "Why notA>
1 o0/O O cash in on some of the hefty profits?"That • four bronze tones -
1 would only be fair,after all; he's already
when you "made lots of people millionaires in
I mention this ad. Miami,"the lifelong trader quips.
v II "He's driven the prices up,and if
Actively buying. - enough of a fever develops around it,
Consignments accepted someone will buy,"says a former Kramer
Larmap•Oiftartifieates•Credit Available
4 advisor. "Everything he touches turns to s
gold.There's no doubt in my mind that BEAUTY SUPPLY
2741 SW 27 Ave. Kramer will make millions doing this—as Service•Value•Selection '+.,,- r+
Coconut Grove,856-0765 '"'`
1 long as he doesn't develop."
Gallery Hours:I2-7pm North Miami Beach Boca Raton Plantation Coral Gables
K�; A former high-level employee at Hell
;U�;, ''c -, Rodeo Shops Town Square Shopping Center Shops at Broward Valencia Center
L.:...•-, ,,rn.Snnu,r•,?'rrr , �-,--. + put it more succinctly: "He's lust as crazy
;��"` 18545 W.Dixie Hwy. 21302 St.Andrews Blvd. 8136 W.Broward Blvd. 352 Andalusia
as he is,and he's definitely not going to be 931-5291 (407)394-6123 473-2304 446-6654
around long."
Detedet
74 ?$.4j Tnte ew wees tat s club wa ��closed for renovation—between its �, �- -,�"
second and third official openings— x'''
Boutique a b : -a ,
BOlC Zle many on the Beach sounded ready to
:;:'i.).'•,!;"1:'-1..
;�`^-;:� :'. .?M.
ON declare Thomas Kramer's one and only > ..
concrete venture a flop.Turned off by the .. -_..
mob scene and the antics of the owner, a >�
few Beach denizens mumbled about a ht' '
boycott.They might not have bothered. ,
By the time the most recent official `
opening rolled around,on December 5, Y -u.s. . - . C s •
not much of a crowd passed through the '��
gates of Hell.
For much of the evening the bartenders „ `fir .E. ;
squeezed behind the patio bar
outnumbered the patrons on stools. :: Lairedck
I. -- Inside,dry-ice smoke billowed ridiculously `
onto a nearly empty dance floor. A hidden BOOTS
projector beamed the image of vultures
1 circling onto the roof overhead. Hired o�
flygirls on raised platforms contorted their C$7995
bodies to disco music.An elaborately Authentic Laredo Black Boot
decorated cake the size of a card table
went mostly uneaten. We also carry Harness"Motorcycle”boots and:Western Wear&Accessories,
\£ 1 Whether this was by design or Moccasins, Hats&Belts, Belt Buckles&Jewelry, English&Western Saddles&Tack
misfortune was not entirely clear.The °b
,, it party had been a sparsely publicized, Sunset Feed � � -F;;, Sunset English
lf<< invitation-only affair. (But then, so is any &Supply, Inc. .:-. &Western Wear, Inc.
9ii ,l 1 decent happening on the Beach.)The 7650 5W 117 Ave.•Miami•(305)271-0341 ,-. 16300 SW 296 St •Homestead•(305)245-2935
' ,>? t'1111 1 , patronage,while light,certainlyhad the
\11\1' i i P g , g
" ti i k,.I look of money. It was hard to tell if Kramer had rigged this more exclusive
' ,, f ,"I approach to spare his pricey friends the PROFESSIONAL PAGING
�� � � t...,j South Beach"trash"and facilitate the
schmoozin of monied investors,or
t'� t I i# whether he was quietly suffering a failure. SYSTEMS
;te & i ,t x Kramer himself betrayed no sense of ,
,11'} ; s,, ., discord. He did not don a devil's suit,or
" even a tuxedo.He dressed GQ casual, in POCKET COMMANDED:
a leather jacket and baggy trousers. For STYLUS
much of the night he led tours of the
women's bathroom,where a favorite
painting had been hung.Young women BY FUJITSU
gravitated toward him. He sucked at a
featuring cigar. His mood seemed strangely I" The Stylus is packaged to fit your lifestyle
— Bob Mackie Around midnight he slipped upstairs, „
g subdueI
„„ Includes:Desk Charger,Extra Talk-Time Battery,
Around
past the security men with their high-tech Cigarette Lighter Adaptor,and a Leather Carrying Case.
It-
- Oscar de la Renta radio headsets, tosome private lair C E L LU LA R ONE
above.He would later return,
— Albert Ni pon duty-bound,to visit with the beauties and
gab in German with countrymen.But in Authorized Dealer
— Victor Costa those moments before he retreated Large Selection of Cellular Accessories
— Geor e F. Couture Upward,toward the vultures,Thomas IMAGINE NO LIMITS
9 Kramer looked like a man who might have
learned something about the limits of
wealth.Then again,he could have been a ; MAXIMUM REACHABILITY OF CELLULAR ONE
man bored enough and ready to leave his 24-HOUR CUSTOMER CARE
31 1 Miracle Mile own party. ❑
Coral Gables • 854-5557 7385 Bird Road • Miami • 261-7400