Little Prince - sad news for sleuths

[miamijimf]

Interesting pahonu.  From what I heard, the building was designated historically valuable officially by the city but was torn down anyway.  A real tragedy.  It was strongly suspected that money changed hands.  Forget Ukraine, investigate corruption in Miami Beach.

[pahonu]

On 11/26/2019 at 2:30 PM, miamijimf said:

Interesting pahonu.  From what I heard, the building was designated historically valuable officially by the city but was torn down anyway.  A real tragedy.  It was strongly suspected that money changed hands.  Forget Ukraine, investigate corruption in Miami Beach.

The designation didn’t carry any legal protections and from what I’ve read, it still doesn’t, sadly.  It’s a classic dilemma, private property rights vs. the public good. Many newer cities like Miami and Los Angeles have very week historic preservation laws, while more historic cities like Boston or Philadelphia  have far more strict laws.  Los Angeles has only recently passed similar types of ordinances.  Miami seems even further behind.

 

On a different topic, I also found that the original owner of 42 Star Island, James W Popham who commissioned architect Walter DeGarmo, also owned a property on nearby Palm Island.  As the new home neared completion, he sold his previous home but found out the third-party buyer of his home represented Al Capone!!!  He fought in court to stop the sale but failed according to what I read.  Funny, since many people mistakenly believed 42 Star Island was the setting of Scarface, based on Capone.  Weird circle of events!

[pahonu]

Hey Jim,

 In my research I also found out that:

 https://www.historymiami.org

has the original DeGarmo blueprints for 42 Star Island in their archives.  Unfortunately they are not digital copies.  There are multiple sheets and the two elevations I posted earlier in this thread on page 4 were released by them for a news story at the time of the demolition fight.  How close are you to Miami???  I’m on the other side of the continent.  Maybe just wishful thinking.  
 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Edited November 28, 2019 by pahonu

[miamijimf]

On 11/28/2019 at 3:09 PM, pahonu said:

Hey Jim,

 In my research I also found out that:

 https://www.historymiami.org

has the original DeGarmo blueprints for 42 Star Island in their archives.  Unfortunately they are not digital copies.  There are multiple sheets and the two elevations I posted earlier in this thread on page 4 were released by them for a news story at the time of the demolition fight.  How close are you to Miami???  I’m on the other side of the continent.  Maybe just wishful thinking.  
 

Happy Thanksgiving!

pahonu,

Would like to help but I'm in Bradenton 5 1/2 hrs away and don't get to Mijami very often.  Currently no trip is scheduled.  Recommend you call the History Museum, number is at http://www.historymiami.org/researchcenter/  They are usually helpful and may be able to find and photo or copy those items for you for a small fee.  Most archives have a service like that.  If you can't get anywhere with them let me know and I'll ask my old college prof, who practically runs the place, to intervene for you.

[pahonu]

1 hour ago, miamijimf said:

pahonu,

Would like to help but I'm in Bradenton 5 1/2 hrs away and don't get to Mijami very often.  Currently no trip is scheduled.  Recommend you call the History Museum, number is at http://www.historymiami.org/researchcenter/  They are usually helpful and may be able to find and photo or copy those items for you for a small fee.  Most archives have a service like that.  If you can't get anywhere with them let me know and I'll ask my old college prof, who practically runs the place, to intervene for you.

Great information Jim, thanks!

Never been to Bradenton but I know it’s the Pirates spring training camp.  I’ve followed them since I was in little league in the 70’s and they were great.  I saw my first MLB game at Three Rivers in 1979 with my uncle who lived there.  They won the series that year and I wanted to grow up and be Willie Stargell!

I’ve followed them from the west coast ever since and seen them play at a dozen different parks with my family, including PNC.  Never seen them in Florida though.  My wife got me this frame of me and my son at an Angels game about 10 years ago.  My son is almost 18 and about 6-2 now, though I have him beat at 6-7.   He plays volleyball now and isn’t into the Pirates so much anymore.  

Thanks again for the tips!

Edited November 30, 2019 by pahonu

[pahonu]

I was looking through an old architecture book, published in 1928, called Mediterranean Domestic Architecture in the United States by Rexford Newcomb.  I found a single photo and plan of a small home by Walter De Garmo.  I’ve seen many very large homes like 42 Star Island designed by him but this more modest example is unusual.  It’s still beautifully detailed considering it’s small size.

 

 

Edited May 6, 2020 by pahonu

[pahonu]

On 11/30/2019 at 10:16 AM, miamijimf said:

pahonu,

Would like to help but I'm in Bradenton 5 1/2 hrs away and don't get to Mijami very often.  Currently no trip is scheduled.  Recommend you call the History Museum, number is at http://www.historymiami.org/researchcenter/  They are usually helpful and may be able to find and photo or copy those items for you for a small fee.  Most archives have a service like that.  If you can't get anywhere with them let me know and I'll ask my old college prof, who practically runs the place, to intervene for you.

Hey Jim,

I posted these construction drawings I received from HistoryMiami recently on another thread, but thought they may go unnoticed.  I was given several drawings from the organization for my classes just prior to the Covid lockdown.  They were very generous in providing them gratis, but the lockdown quashed the class project.  Anyway, thanks for your suggestion, and here they are for anyone interested in Walter DeGarmo’s drawings for 42 Star Island.