1618-8 Bal Harbour[BH]-Boom is doom for Sheraton 'TURN TO SHOOTING,2A
�1S/OS-
BA L
oSBAL HARBOUR
Boom is
doom for
Sheraton
The Sheraton Bal
Harbour,designed by
architect Morris Lapidus,
will be torn down next year
for a condo-hotel.
BY MATTHEW HAGGMAN
AND DOUGLAS HANKS III
mhaggman@herald.com
The Sheraton Bal Harbour,
a nearly 5-decade-old beach-
front resort formerly called
the Americana that once
ranked among South Florida's
premier tourist destinations,is
set to be demolished next year
to make way for condomini-
ums and a condo-hotel.
Developer Jorge Perez said
he is paying "in excess of
$200 million" to develop the
property in a joint venture
with Starwood Hotels and
Resorts,which owns the Sher-
aton Bal Harbour. They plan
to build a 250-room ultra-lux-
*TURN TO HOTEL,10A
10AI TUESDAY,MARCH 15,2005 A FROM THE FRONT PAGE & SCIENCE
BAL HARBOUR
Lapidus hotel to be torn down
•HOTEL,FROM 1A
I: . a;
ury St.Regis condo-hotel. i; .' � --
It may be the first demob eN„ ' , ` 3 *'' _ 1.
lk
tion of A South Florida build- ' *
ing designed by famed archi-
it, , du '" s' -"
tect Morris Lapidus, said '' '
historian Paul George andlir
Miami Beach architecture 4r 7 , i. } „',,
author Randall Robinson. , ti • % f
The Sheraton Bal Harbour 1 -, ....t, * ,-1.1 , 0
will stay open until May •,''g K '' k, r
2006,said Perez,chairman of "
Miami-based Related Group h"-" '
of Florida. -
The move is yet another
remake of a high-profile COURTESY OF THE SHERATON BAL HARBOUR
South Florida hotel property A RICH HISTORY:The Sheraton Bal Harbour, designed by famed architect Morris
amid the region's ongoing
real estate boom. Some Lapidus, is set to be demolished next year for a new condo-hotel.
worry the changes are erod-
ing the area's stock of hotel The 8.8-acre site has long HaPaoker Association.
rooms—the latest a favorite been admired because it sits Sheraton The Sheraton Bal Harbour
Bal Harbour Bal was slated as one of two team
of America's labor unions. on the beach and is across , .;
Perez, the state's most from the Bal Harbour Shops. NE123ST. Bay •„Hazbour hotels for the 2007 Super
972
prolific high-rise condo Designed by Lapidus and {1arb rj s Bowl,and local tourism offi-
s
developer in the past dozen built by the Tisch family in cials recently notified
years, also said the project the late 1950s, the 645-room °Indian niA National Football League
amounts to his final local Sheraton Bal Harbour once
(eek Surfside executives of Related's plans.
high-rise condominium pro- was one of the most glamor- William Talbert, head of
B.cai,rae ,
ject—at least for now. ous resorts in South Florida. Bay , the Greater Miami Conven-
"This is it for us in South First known as the Ameri- tion & Visitors Bureau,
Florida,” said Perez, whose cana hotel, it was renamed Bed n' which is coordinating South
first high-rise condo was the Sheraton Bal Harbour in r Florida's Super Bowl prepa-
South Beach's Portofino 1980. Nort Bay rations, said another ocean-
Village
Towers in .1992. He has The hotel is not protected • 1//2mile front Miami Beach hotel will
nearly 40 condo projects by a historic designation,and be picked as a team head-
M.RUIZ/HERALD STAFF
underway from West Palm Related is not expecting quarters.
Beach to downtown Miami, opposition from preserva- ton Biscayne Bay for a resi- And with the St. Regis,
much more than any other tionists. e dential complex. South Florida will get a more
developer in South Florida. But some observers Developers plan demoli- upscale hotel, he said.
He said demand for condos expressed disappointment. tion or renovations at the "Remember, the five-star
remains strong,but prices for "It is a crying shame," said Sonesta in Key Biscayne;the product we have attracts and
new land have become too historian George."It was one Yankee Trader and Clipper keeps the Art Basels of the
expensive. of his greatest buildings in in Fort Lauderdale; and world, is very attractive to
"We need to concentrate the area." Miami Beach's Shore Club, the Microsofts of the world."
on what we have on our plate Lapidus' other designs Fontainebleau and Holiday
right now," said Perez,who include the Eden Roc and Inn. UNION HOTELS
also has condo projects in Fontainebleau hotels in Meanwhile, hotels across The demolition also
Fort Myers and Las Vegas. Miami Beach. South Florida are selling means the loss of one of
Starwood Hotels and ROOM CONCERNS rooms individually as condo-
South Florida's few large
HOTEL
Resorts declined to com- hotel units,which critics sayunionized hotels. Labor
ment. The White Plains, The announcement also will turn off large groups groups and their allies —
N.Y.-based hotelier,which is comes amid concerns that needing to book years in including Democratic presi-
publicly held, owns such South Florida's booming con- advance. Renovation plans dential candidate John Kerry
brands as Sheraton,W Hotels dominium market will also create the potential for — regularly stayed at the
and St. Regis. endanger its hotel stock.The short-term inventory Sheraton Bal Harbour.
In addition to the condo 585-room Roney Palace on crunches. Perez shrugged off any
tower and condo-hotel, the Miami Beach has been con- "I'm concerned next year concerns.
new development is to verted to a condominium, when 2,000 rooms disap- "This and the Sheraton
include a 6,000-square-foot and three months ago pear,"said Stuart Blumberg, Biscayne Bay project are
ballroom,a spa and two res- Related said it would demol- president of the Greater going to be our jewels in
taurants. ish Miami's 598-room Shera- Miami&The Beaches Hotel South Florida."
+_