How to buy a slice of history in the Floridian sun

INTERNATIONAL property hunters with a fondness for the halcyon days of the Rat Pack may want to take a flutter on a new Richard Meier and Nadim Ashi designed development on the Miami coast.

The state of the art complex called The Surf Club lies on the site of a club that was a favourite of Elizabeth Taylor and Frank Sinatra, who were attracted by the venue’s effortless glamour and lavish parties.

And if you’re more into British historical figures, it was also a haunt for The Duke and Duchess of Windsor and Sir Winston Churchill.

The legendary Surf Club was founded in 1930 by Harvey Firestone as a private members’ club. As well as the redeveloped venue, the nine acre site will also house a Four Seasons hotel, two residential towers, two restaurants, four swimming pools, a spa, a fitness centre and more than 40 beach-side cabanas.

But if you want to roll with the glitterati, you better have the money to back it up – prices for the residences will begin at $3m, with penthouses fetching up to $35m. 

All of the properties will come with ocean views as standard, as well as designer fittings and ample outdoor space to soak up that Floridian sun.

The development, which will be complete in early 2016, has maintained a vision for restoring the space to its former glory, so expect nods to the easy opulence of the 50s and the art deco styling that Miami is famed for.

Meier said: “The Surf Club offers an opportunity to create a balance between the natural beauty of the expansive oceanfront site, and  a new kind of luxury. We wanted to incorporate the historic structure and remain sensitive to the gracious, low-rise context of Surfside, Florida. Exploring the relationship between structure and sea has been a wonderful project; I’m confident the homes and penthouses we have created will be enjoyed to their fullest.” 

For more information contact thesurfclub.com or phone 305.330.4000.