Miami Miscellaneous

[pahonu]

12 hours ago, airtommy said:

To clarify:  I'm upset that they are taking away the street itself.   There is a huge amount of pedestrian space there, so there's no need for more.

I also wish they wouldn't put tall buildings there.

I have two thoughts.

First, with Miami’s rapidly growing population, the kind of low to medium density construction of the first part of the 20th century isn’t really possible given land availability being limited.  If this kind of construction is limited as it has been in California until very recently, a severe housing shortage and skyrocketing prices will eventually occur.  Here in CA, many are just beginning to understand that and some still don’t.   I often hear people complain about housing prices and likewise complain about newer, higher density development, not understanding the link.

Second, I think it’s important to remember that with taller buildings and more density, more pedestrian space is desirable as there is less private outdoor space.  Replacing road space with pedestrian space can be very beneficial to the community l, even though residents might not understand why.  I don’t know the details or ratios of the relationship between road/pedestrian space at this particular location, but it brings to mind something local to me.  Feel free to stop here if you want! 

In the mid 90’s, when my wife and I moved to an apartment in an area of Long Beach called Belmont shore, there was a huge local fight over a plan to remove a lane of traffic to widen the sidewalks.  This was in a historic business corridor dating to the 1920’s, with lots of beautiful old buildings.  The idea was to increase pedestrian activity in an area that had waned a bit over the previous couple of decades.  The three lanes each way were to be reduced to two and the sidewalks were to be widened from five to fifteen feet, with parallel parking remaining.  This blew up!

Large numbers of residents complained the traffic would be unbearable, as it is a main thoroughfare.  A study was done showing that commute times to pass through the several blocks would increase by just about 30 seconds at various times of the day, so it seemed reasonable.  It got ugly, with all kinds of letters to newspapers and the local housing association pitted against the business association.  

It’s now been over 25 years and it has been hugely popular and successful, with lots of outside dining made available and much increased pedestrian traffic.  It truly revitalized the area and people love going to the area.  I know, because we eventually bought a place nearby and frequent the area still, and have to drive through it as well sometimes.  To think, all of that could have been lost to save 30 seconds of commute time!  

Edited November 22, 2023 by pahonu

[Paul Veres]

12 hours ago, airtommy said:

To clarify:  I'm upset that they are taking away the street itself.   There is a huge amount of pedestrian space there, so there's no need for more.

I also wish they wouldn't put tall buildings there.

Yeah, I'm on the fence about the street too... there is something really cool about pulling in and "effortlessly" parking there so close to the beach, as opposed to the parking lot next to it or on Collins. 

On the building height, I doubt anybody will be building anything of just 2 stories like that ever again, the mathematics just won't work. I forgot now which old hotel of the ones I mentioned above that was, but something was bought by the developer at $1.2 million per room. And sometimes just to raze that down? You have to build a lot of units to make the project profitable at that acquisition cost.

So the lower you go, the more luxurious (expensive) it then has to be. But generally Miami Beach is going much lower than Miami. It ain't Sunny Isles thankfully. 

Here are some examples of the relatively low buildings currently under development (construction/approval phase) on the Beach. The last one incorporates existing structure on site.

 

[Paul Veres]

3 minutes ago, pahonu said:

I have two thoughts.

First, with Miami’s rapidly growing population, the kind of low to medium density construction of the first part of the 20th century isn’t really possible given land availability being limited.  If this kind of construction is limited as it has been in California until very recently, a severe housing shortage and skyrocketing prices will eventually occur.  Here in CA, many are just beginning to understand that and some still don’t.   I often hear people complain about housing prices and likewise complain about newer, higher density development, not understanding the link.

Second, I think it’s important to remember that with taller buildings and more density, more pedestrian space is desirable as there is less private outdoor space.  Replacing road space with pedestrian space can be very beneficial to the community l, even though residents might not understand why.  I don’t know the details or ratios of the relationship between road/pedestrian space at this particular location, but it brings to mind something local to me.  

In the mid 90’s, when my wife and I moved to an apartment in an area of Long Beach called Belmont shore, there was a huge local fight over a plan to remove a lane of traffic to widen the sidewalks.  This was in a historic business corridor dating to the 1920’s, with lots of beautiful old buildings.  The idea was to increase pedestrian activity in an area that had waned a bit over the previous couple of decades.  The three lanes each way were to be reduced to two and the sidewalks were to be widened from five to fifteen feet, with parallel parking remaining.  This blew up!

Large numbers of residents complained the traffic would be unbearable, as it is a main thoroughfare.  A study was done showing that commute times to pass through the several blocks would increase by just about 30 seconds at various times of the day, so it seemed reasonable.  It got ugly, with all kinds of letters to newspapers and the local housing association pitted against the business association.  

It’s now been over 25 years and it has been hugely popular and successful, with lots of outside dining made available and much increased pedestrian traffic.  It truly revitalized the area and people love going to the area.  I know, because we eventually bought a place nearby and frequent the area still, and have to drive through it as well sometimes.  To think, all of that could have been lost to save 30 seconds of commute time!  

Not to get into urban planning... but transforming existing old car space into human space has proven beneficial in both Europe and the US. Over the last few years North America has been catching up on the fact that carefully increased density (with building the associated public infrastructure) is the way to go as opposed to planning everything around the car as was done some 80 years ago.

[pahonu]

2 minutes ago, Paul Veres said:

Yeah, I'm on the fence about the street too... there is something really cool about pulling in and "effortlessly" parking there so close to the beach, as opposed to the parking lot next to it or on Collins. 

On the building height, I doubt anybody will be building anything of just 2 stories like that ever again, the mathematics just won't work. I forgot now which old hotel of the ones I mentioned above that was, but something was bought by the developer at $1.2 million per room. And sometimes just to raze that down? You have to build a lot of units to make the project profitable at that acquisition cost.

So the lower you go, the more luxurious (expensive) it then has to be. But generally Miami Beach is going much lower than Miami. It ain't Sunny Isles thankfully. 

Here are some examples of the relatively low buildings currently under development (construction/approval phase) on the Beach. The last one incorporates existing structure on site.

 

I think these would largely be considered medium rise buildings as several seem to be 6-8 stories or higher.  Low rise is often defined at about 4-5 stories, and often less, as in single family houses or duplexes.

[pahonu]

3 minutes ago, Paul Veres said:

Not to get into urban planning... but transforming existing old car space into human space has proven beneficial in both Europe and the US. Over the last few years North America has been catching up on the fact that carefully increased density (with building the associated public infrastructure) is the way to go as opposed to planning everything around the car as was done some 80 years ago.

Absolutely right!  
It has been slow in catching up though, with significant resistance from many still.  A similar fight happened just a few years ago with a development right across from us at the marina.  
 

I was at a community meeting and called out a guy after he complained about the projected increase in traffic affecting his commute time.  When questioned, it turned out that he didn’t even live very close, about 2-3 miles west, and only passed through the area.  For him it was all about his time and not the community.  I pretty forcefully argued that those who live right in the neighborhood have a higher stake and should have more of a say in the matter.  He wasn’t too happy when I was applauded by many of our neighbors.  

…and I don’t mind discussing urban planning at all! 
 

I can recommend a great book about the topic here in the US, called Suburban Nation.  It really helped jump start the topic of New Urbanism in the US back in the 90’s.

 

[Paul Veres]

6 hours ago, pahonu said:

I think these would largely be considered medium rise buildings as several seem to be 6-8 stories or higher.  Low rise is often defined at about 4-5 stories, and often less, as in single family houses or duplexes.

Yeah I didn't mean to say they are low-rises as the term goes. By "relatively low buildings" I just meant lower than many other buildings built around over the last 30 or so years. I'd bucket them into mid-rise too, though I don't think there are set definitions.

[Paul Veres]

6 hours ago, pahonu said:

Absolutely right!  
It has been slow in catching up though, with significant resistance from many still.  A similar fight happened just a few years ago with a development right across from us at the marina.  
 

I was at a community meeting and called out a guy after he complained about the projected increase in traffic affecting his commute time.  When questioned, it turned out that he didn’t even live very close, about 2-3 miles west, and only passed through the area.  For him it was all about his time and not the community.  I pretty forcefully argued that those who live right in the neighborhood have a higher stake and should have more of a say in the matter.  He wasn’t too happy when I was applauded by many of our neighbors.  

…and I don’t mind discussing urban planning at all! 
 

I can recommend a great book about the topic here in the US, called Suburban Nation.  It really helped jump start the topic of New Urbanism in the US back in the 90’s.

 

Around here, at least in Coral Gables which commission meetings I sometimes listen into, the developers/city have to poll residents within certain vicinity from the site, say 750 yards (making the number up). The others' opinion generally won't matter. And when one speaks up during public hearing they have to state their name and address, so their relevance would be easily identified.

[pahonu]

17 hours ago, Paul Veres said:

Yeah I didn't mean to say they are low-rises as the term goes. By "relatively low buildings" I just meant lower than many other buildings built around over the last 30 or so years. I'd bucket them into mid-rise too, though I don't think there are set definitions.

I agree, context is in play for the precise definition by floor.  In highly urban settings, like lower Manhattan or Chicago’s loop I’ve seen up to 30 floors be termed mid rise, and by architects.  If that was in a neighborhood of single family homes of one and two story, no one would call 30 stories mid rise!

[pahonu]

17 hours ago, Paul Veres said:

Around here, at least in Coral Gables which commission meetings I sometimes listen into, the developers/city have to poll residents within certain vicinity from the site, say 750 yards (making the number up). The others' opinion generally won't matter. And when one speaks up during public hearing they have to state their name and address, so their relevance would be easily identified.

That was done in this case, which is why he was asked by the moderators where he lived.  I didn’t ask, but when I learned he wasn’t close I quickly voiced my view of his relevance to the discussion.  I think he took it a bit personally, but he unfortunately.  He asked me the same question to try and rebut, and as I said, I live right across the street, literally.

It was fascinating to watch the whole construction project as I left for work and returned each day.  It was unique, being at the marina, and I can explain it if you’re interested.  Let me know.

[Paul Veres]

On 11/23/2023 at 11:44 AM, pahonu said:

That was done in this case, which is why he was asked by the moderators where he lived.  I didn’t ask, but when I learned he wasn’t close I quickly voiced my view of his relevance to the discussion.  I think he took it a bit personally, but he unfortunately.  He asked me the same question to try and rebut, and as I said, I live right across the street, literally.

It was fascinating to watch the whole construction project as I left for work and returned each day.  It was unique, being at the marina, and I can explain it if you’re interested.  Let me know.

Sure, please!

[pahonu]

On 11/24/2023 at 7:40 PM, Paul Veres said:

Sure, please!

The construction method for the project was very similar to the condo complex I live in, which is four stories above a partially subterranean parking structure.  I never got to see that because it was built about 50 years ago, so this was fun to follow.  They both use caisson construction for the foundations.

The new project is two stories above an a grade level parking structure, with one part having rooftop parking also.  Because it is at the marina, which was developed out of wetlands, traditional foundations are not possible.  There is no bedrock, or the like, just damp soil.  The method necessary involves drilling 18-24 inch holes 30 feet down in a grid about 30 feet apart for the entire property.  There are hundreds of them, as there are in my condo complex.  

When the drill is removed, the sides of the hole are purposefully left rough and jagged.  Then huge webs of steel rebar coated in waterproofing (lime green in this case) are inserted into the holes.  These are the 30 feet of the hole length, plus the height of the parking garage ceiling, so about 40+ feet.  Then a cylindrical form is placed over the rebar webs, but only to a couple of feet below grade.  The tube also flares out at the top and bottom.  I remember seeing the brand name Sonotube on all the forms.  Then the concrete is poured.

What happens is that the concrete fills all the jagged voids of the hole below grade, effectively locking it in place via friction.  It can’t move up or down because of the irregularity of the sides of the hole.  The part above grade becomes a smooth cylinder with a flare at the top once the form is removed.  The other flare is just below grade.  Above, a concrete slab about a foot thick, resting on the flared tops of the columns, is poured to become the base for all the construction above.  Another slab is poured at grade level to form the parking structure floor. It not only rests on the soil grade, but also the lower concrete flares produced just below from the forms.

This process alone took about a half a year!  I have several memories of the various steps of the months.  First, there were all the drilling rigs.  Then all the bright green rebar sticking out of the ground.  Then there were days when dozens of concrete trucks all in a line along the side of the road, were waiting their turn to keep the pour continuous.  Then the foundation slab was poured in huge sections on the ground and craned into place on the grid to be bolted together.  After that, construction was pretty much typical.

Luckily our unit wasn’t directly facing the project as it could be noisy, but every day as I drove in and out of our gate, I would sit at the traffic light and see the progress.  The two things I still find fascinating are, that the whole thing is being supported by the friction of those caissons, and in half a year, it didn’t look like much had happened based on what you could see.  I also think of all the people who move about in the structure and have no idea what is below them.

 

Edit:

As if this wasn’t long enough.  LOL

I know that 42 Star Island was built on a similar grid of pilings, based on historic construction documents.  It had to be, as those islands are man made and settle over time.  I’ll see if I can find the drawing. 

Here you go.  The plot plan shows 18” piles at 14’ on center.  You can also see specific pile locations on the foundation plan at the corners and intersections of the various walls.  It was constructed using 12” tile block on the first floor, which was common at the time, though various parts, including the second story, use 8” block.  At t some of the pile locations, reinforced concrete columns and beams are used, so the blocks are largely infill, rather than structural.  This was shown on the floor plans.

 

 

Here are the floor plans, minus the third floor, which was an open air sleeping porch, as originally constructed.  Given Miami’s climate pre-AC, this is a necessity.  Also, all the rooms have cross-ventilation, with open hallways on the second floor for the same reason.  An excellent design by DeGarmo.

 

Here are the elevations and some interior details.

 

 

I got these from Historic Miami back in 2020 for a project my students were working on to create a digital model of the structure.  There were a few documents online already because of the preservation fight.  

I reached out to the historical society and they very graciously provided me some more.  Sadly, my students were never able to finish the model using these as Covid caused school closures that March.  Perhaps a future class will be interested in taking up the project, though none have been since.

Sorry for the extreme length!  I thought some fans might be interested though.

Edited November 26, 2023 by pahonu

[Paul Veres]

On 11/25/2023 at 3:20 PM, pahonu said:

The construction method for the project was very similar to the condo complex I live in, which is four stories above a partially subterranean parking structure.  I never got to see that because it was built about 50 years ago, so this was fun to follow.  They both use caisson construction for the foundations.

The new project is two stories above an a grade level parking structure, with one part having rooftop parking also.  Because it is at the marina, which was developed out of wetlands, traditional foundations are not possible.  There is no bedrock, or the like, just damp soil.  The method necessary involves drilling 18-24 inch holes 30 feet down in a grid about 30 feet apart for the entire property.  There are hundreds of them, as there are in my condo complex.  

When the drill is removed, the sides of the hole are purposefully left rough and jagged.  Then huge webs of steel rebar coated in waterproofing (lime green in this case) are inserted into the holes.  These are the 30 feet of the hole length, plus the height of the parking garage ceiling, so about 40+ feet.  Then a cylindrical form is placed over the rebar webs, but only to a couple of feet below grade.  The tube also flares out at the top and bottom.  I remember seeing the brand name Sonotube on all the forms.  Then the concrete is poured.

What happens is that the concrete fills all the jagged voids of the hole below grade, effectively locking it in place via friction.  It can’t move up or down because of the irregularity of the sides of the hole.  The part above grade becomes a smooth cylinder with a flare at the top once the form is removed.  The other flare is just below grade.  Above, a concrete slab about a foot thick, resting on the flared tops of the columns, is poured to become the base for all the construction above.  Another slab is poured at grade level to form the parking structure floor. It not only rests on the soil grade, but also the lower concrete flares produced just below from the forms.

This process alone took about a half a year!  I have several memories of the various steps of the months.  First, there were all the drilling rigs.  Then all the bright green rebar sticking out of the ground.  Then there were days when dozens of concrete trucks all in a line along the side of the road, were waiting their turn to keep the pour continuous.  Then the foundation slab was poured in huge sections on the ground and craned into place on the grid to be bolted together.  After that, construction was pretty much typical.

Luckily our unit wasn’t directly facing the project as it could be noisy, but every day as I drove in and out of our gate, I would sit at the traffic light and see the progress.  The two things I still find fascinating are, that the whole thing is being supported by the friction of those caissons, and in half a year, it didn’t look like much had happened based on what you could see.  I also think of all the people who move about in the structure and have no idea what is below them.

 

Edit:

As if this wasn’t long enough.  LOL

I know that 42 Star Island was built on a similar grid of pilings, based on historic construction documents.  It had to be, as those islands are man made and settle over time.  I’ll see if I can find the drawing. 

Here you go.  The plot plan shows 18” piles at 14’ on center.  You can also see specific pile locations on the foundation plan at the corners and intersections of the various walls.  It was constructed using 12” tile block on the first floor, which was common at the time, though various parts, including the second story, use 8” block.  At t some of the pile locations, reinforced concrete columns and beams are used, so the blocks are largely infill, rather than structural.  This was shown on the floor plans.

 

 

Here are the floor plans, minus the third floor, which was an open air sleeping porch, as originally constructed.  Given Miami’s climate pre-AC, this is a necessity.  Also, all the rooms have cross-ventilation, with open hallways on the second floor for the same reason.  An excellent design by DeGarmo.

 

Here are the elevations and some interior details.

 

 

I got these from Historic Miami back in 2020 for a project my students were working on to create a digital model of the structure.  There were a few documents online already because of the preservation fight.  

I reached out to the historical society and they very graciously provided me some more.  Sadly, my students were never able to finish the model using these as Covid caused school closures that March.  Perhaps a future class will be interested in taking up the project, though none have been since.

Sorry for the extreme length!  I thought some fans might be interested though.

Thanks @pahonu. I cannot tell pile work apart I guess, but I think I've seen plenty of construction in Miami which looks from the outside as you describe - months of some work on site without anything going up, then rapid floor by floor construction. Given the local damp porous ground, deep pile work is necessary I think. 

You might appreciate this YouTube channel. This is a bright Florida structural engineer who deep dives into a lot of construction. I can specifically highlight a couple of videos:

Analysis of the solution for the leaning San Fran tower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xezg8PxVSYA 

And a summary analysis of the Champlain Towers South collapse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNYqV7ySDrYs

 

About the latter he made several more detailed videos at the time, and I found them the best on the internet on the subject.

 

 

[pahonu]

1 hour ago, Paul Veres said:

Thanks @pahonu. I cannot tell pile work apart I guess, but I think I've seen plenty of construction in Miami which looks from the outside as you describe - months of some work on site without anything going up, then rapid floor by floor construction. Given the local damp porous ground, deep pile work is necessary I think. 

You might appreciate this YouTube channel. This is a bright Florida structural engineer who deep dives into a lot of construction. I can specifically highlight a couple of videos:

Analysis of the solution for the leaning San Fran tower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xezg8PxVSYA 

And a summary analysis of the Champlain Towers South collapse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNYqV7ySDrYs

 

About the latter he made several more detailed videos at the time, and I found them the best on the internet on the subject.

 

 

I think you actually have a pretty good understanding of caisson foundation work.  It is necessary in high rise construction in general, but also needed for low rise work in damp or infilled soil such as I have described.  

It seems the issues surrounding the Champlain Towers collapse are more associated with maintenance (or the lack thereof) in the last 40+ years, than the initial engineering or subsequent building projects.  

In my complex in Long Beach, we have undergone a tremendous amount of testing of caissons, the platforms they support, and the surrounding sea walls.  Most of this was required after new CA laws were passed in the wake of Champlain Towers.  A friend of mine in Venice Beach also had such tests at his property.  He complained about the associated cost at first but I reminded him of the potential consequences.  
 

 

Edited November 27, 2023 by pahonu

[Paul Veres]

Somebody just made this https://miamicranetracker.com/

 

[Paul Veres]

Art Basel stuff, a maze on the beach 

[jpaul1]

here we can see something interesting, the indian reservation size, and location

[Paul Veres]

Guys, I hope it's OK to share here, given it is technically very related to Miami  that I got a real estate license (and operate under broker Luxe Properties). So if anybody needs any real estate service in Greater Miami area, feel free to let me know. I don't have a lot of formal experience, but I can always recommend a more seasoned realtor from our broker too or partner up with them. I do have a lot of informal experience though - I've been working on this over several months and finally completed my comprehensive map of over a hundred Miami-Dade neighborhoods and automated pulling data from public sources to populate it with real estate stats! During this work price-neighborhood dynamics became a second nature to me. Over time I'll pull in southern Broward too, which I personally also consider legit Greater Miami. 

 

[Tom]

vor 5 Stunden schrieb Paul Veres:

Guys, I hope it's OK to share here, given it is technically very related to Miami  that I got a real estate license (and operate under broker Luxe Properties). So if anybody needs any real estate service in Greater Miami area, feel free to let me know. I don't have a lot of formal experience, but I can always recommend a more seasoned realtor from our broker too or partner up with them. I do have a lot of informal experience though - I've been working on this over several months and finally completed my comprehensive map of over a hundred Miami-Dade neighborhoods and automated pulling data from public sources to populate it with real estate stats! During this work price-neighborhood dynamics became a second nature to me. Over time I'll pull in southern Broward too, which I personally also consider legit Greater Miami. 

 

Great! Unbelievable how many miles some members go to get more location knowledge and find missing locations (The Ballard House - if you find it please let me know)! 

Edited December 15, 2023 by Tom

[airtommy]

Great news Paul!  I'm looking for a waterfront house with a helicopter pad, ideally off the beaten path, like perhaps Key Biscayne.  l'm good for every bit of $450 a month towards a mortgage.  Let me know if you find anything...

 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2023 by airtommy

[Tom]

vor 1 Stunde schrieb airtommy:

l'm good for every bit of $450 a month towards a mortgage.  Let me know if you find anything...

 

 

 

For that depth of pockets you could get 10900 SW 83 Ct but only if you marry Sheena Easton and she pays the rest 

[Dadrian]

1 hour ago, Tom said:

For that depth of pockets you could get 10900 SW 83 Ct but only if you marry Sheena Easton and she pays the rest 

I’d choose a bridge and buggy over that  

[Paul Veres]

Guys, I'll risk and assume you haven't seen this yet because it was posted just a couple of weeks ago. Without going into much description - this is phenomenal, check it out, worth the time.

 

[Tom]

vor 9 Stunden schrieb Paul Veres:

Guys, I'll risk and assume you haven't seen this yet because it was posted just a couple of weeks ago. Without going into much description - this is phenomenal, check it out, worth the time.

 

That´s truly the best, most accurate and deepest documentary about the show that I´ve ever seen.

It goes miles beyond the typical bikini-palms-music description of the show and covers everything in deep, from development of the series and music to locations, fashion, cars, characters, actors, story telling, cinematography etc. All underlined with scenes from many episodes and interviews with actors, producers, writers. Also visually stunningly done with a great homage to VICE´s colors and style. 

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Paul Veres]

On 12/16/2023 at 6:23 AM, Tom said:

That´s truly the best, most accurate and deepest documentary about the show that I´ve ever seen.

It goes miles beyond the typical bikini-palms-music description of the show and covers everything in deep, from development of the series and music to locations, fashion, cars, characters, actors, story telling, cinematography etc. All underlined with scenes from many episodes and interviews with actors, producers, writers. Also visually stunningly done with a great homage to VICE´s colors and style. 

Thanks for sharing!

 

A great characterization of the video and I hope you left a similar comment on YouTube so the creator knows how much his work is appreciated! Too bad this website didn't appear to be part of his materials research, though gotta admit Miami Vice Wiki he references is an easier to consume, if higher level, reference, from which the author could then go and dig in more dedicated places. 

I understand your comment focused on the show itself, but I also appreciated the pre-show history of Miami and the very deep dive into its influence on later entertainment works. Finally, it is good that they devoted enough time to the show's falling from grace and what caused that, instead of doing just a rosy positive story a fan might want to see.

On the latter point, a question to you and everybody else. Is there a consensus in this community of when it peaked? And if not, what are you opinions? Meaning literally which episode could be regarded as the watershed after which it just never got as good again? Note that it's a different question than which is your favorite episode which could come before or even after that point. Something like this:

And I know we love it all etc. etc., but somewhere along the way maybe when the pastel colors or Jan Hammer waned or something else, when the vibe was just not the original one for which it deserved the fame it has?

 

 

[Tom]

vor 10 Minuten schrieb Paul Veres:

A great characterization of the video and I hope you left a similar comment on YouTube so the creator knows how much his work is appreciated! Too bad this website didn't appear to be part of his materials research, though gotta admit Miami Vice Wiki he references is an easier to consume, if higher level, reference, from which the author could then go and dig in more dedicated places. 

I understand your comment focused on the show itself, but I also appreciated the pre-show history of Miami and the very deep dive into its influence on later entertainment works. Finally, it is good that they devoted enough time to the show's falling from grace and what caused that, instead of doing just a rosy positive story a fan might want to see.

On the latter point, a question to you and everybody else. Is there a consensus in this community of when it peaked? And if not, what are you opinions? Meaning literally which episode could be regarded as the watershed after which it just never got as good again? Note that it's a different question than which is your favorite episode which could come before or even after that point. Something like this:

And I know we love it all etc. etc., but somewhere along the way maybe when the pastel colors or Jan Hammer waned or something else, when the vibe was just not the original one for which it deserved the fame it has?

 

 

Interesting question. IMHO there is not even consensus on the best season among fans (varies between 2 and 3), let alone the best episode after which it never was the same. But we all can agree when it jumped the shark (Missing hours) , but that is not the same what you mean.

From my point there are 5 stars episodes across all seasons until the very end (e.g. Over the line), thus I can´t pinpoint any specific episode t that constitutes the highest peak.