The NBA’s Kelvin Cato put his Coconut Grove property up for sale.

Michael Aller, “Mr. Miami Beach” aka tourism and convention director and chief of protocol for the city of Miami Beach, added his artistic touch to the Flamingo logo stenciled on a model at the Summer Swift Sales Recognition Program last week. The event at the Britto Gallery on Lincoln Road featured interactive art reflecting the Flamingo’s newly launched ad campaign, “South Beach Revolves Around Us” (which uses Vespa scooters as a prominent image). Gifts totaling more than $100,000 went to the Flamingo’s star sales agents, who have sold more than $66 million combined in the property’s recently launched north tower. Then a surprise announcement: Each agent who has sold a Flamingo condo since May 1 will get to zip around town on a shiny new Vespa!

New on the South Beach scene: Lincoln Square Shops and Residences, a modern, mixed-use retail and residential development planned for 1681 West Ave. and the Venetian Causeway in South Beach.

The project includes 35 residences designed as flexible, open layouts with floor-to-ceiling hurricane-impact glass window walls and sliding glass doors to balconies. Garden level units have large landscaped terraces. Some units will offer a den/home office space. Kitchens feature innovative, fully integrated Blum cabinets with gray oak finishes and top of the line European appliances. Building amenities include a cardio fitness room, a shared rooftop deck and private garden courtyard. Each unit comes with its own parking spot; select units will have two spaces. Prices range from $320,000 for a 573-square-foot condominium to $775,000 for a 1,269-square-foot condominium.

The 6,000 square feet of retail space is offered for sale in units ranging from approximately 800 to 3,500 square feet, priced from the mid $700s. The developers, Alayo Building Company (a real estate development and construction company operating in Florida since 1974), together with Grupo San Jose (a European-based global construction and real estate investment company), are looking to attract both national and local retailers to the mostly double-height storefronts on the high-visibility corner. The contemporary-style Lincoln Square Shops and Residences are being designed by New York-based Alayo Architects, who worked on the Setai Hotel in South Beach. Gary Hennes Realtors in Miami Beach is the exclusive listing agent.

… to North Beach

With water everywhere and few new boat slips available, the 115-unit Regatta 2 has an edge (or should that be “shores”) as the latest condo development in Miami Beach to offer dockage for residents with the plus of no fixed bridges to the bay and ocean. The contemporary curvilinear, glass-walled building on Indian Creek Waterway, designed by Luis Revuelta, evokes the bows of a ship while the Ronald W. Shane Watersports Center next door adds to the nautical feel. As part of its ultra-contemporary design, Regatta 2 has integrated the architecturally significant façade of the legendary Queen Elizabeth Apartment Hotel into the project.

Earlier this year, G&D Developers and the Weintraub Companies, developers of Regatta and Regatta 2, acted on their appreciation for the neighborhood’s Mid-century Modern (MiMo) architecture by collaborating with the nonprofit North Beach Development Corporation on NoBe, a colorful coffee table book that shows off some of the neighborhood’s 1950s architecture and public works of art.

An educational and fun way to view some of Miami Beach’s architecturally interesting buildings from the water is via NBDC’s 30-seat, 90-minute boat tour, which departs from the Regatta marina every Friday at 5:30 p.m. in the summer (4 p.m. in the winter) and cruises Indian Creek, Biscayne Bay, Surprise Waterway, Surprise Lake and Flamingo Waterway with a commentary on buildings and their history along the way. The fee is $30. Info: 305-865-4147. 

On the Paparazzi Trail

Celebrity sightings are commonplace in Miami, and fodder for local and national media every time a boldface name so much as takes a walk down Lincoln Road, let alone slurps Cristal at one of the tonier clubs or restaurants in town. But it seems the rush of celebrities buying homes here has hit a dry patch.

Why the dearth of celeb buyers? Well, there aren’t any major happenings compared to last year’s great hurrah when we had Super Bowl, a championship-winning Miami Heat and a couple of films and TV shows on location here. Miami Beach real estate agent Mark Zilbert says when celebrities come to Miami for the first time, they get very excited about the scene (which is still buzzing) and often decide they have to buy a crash pad/home here. And all that talk about a real estate bubble may have spooked some high- profile buyers and sent them off to stay in swank Miami Beach hotels or to rent fancy houses instead.

Sports figures too are buying more selectively. There are probably four to five dozen NFL players with homes in South Florida, and up to 20 percent of all players are here in the off-season, but the trend seems to be investment in homes offshore — the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico and U.S. Virgin Islands. Louis Oliver, former Miami Dolphins player and now a real estate agent with Sports & Entertainment Realty Advisors in Miami Beach, says many players want to buy property with the idea of unloading it at a profit after six months — not so likely in Miami these days. He says a lot of sports guys who come in for the scene head for upscale condos in South Beach, while those with families often prefer (waterfront) houses in Fort Lauderdale or mini estates in the Broward County neighborhoods of Davie or Weston. The good news is that a number of prominent NFL players were in town after training mini-camps ended, and over July 4th weekend several were seen shopping for properties. Meanwhile, Kelvin Cato has just put his Coconut Grove estate on the market (Coldwell Banker has the listing) for $3.55 million. Cato, who bought the manse (in a gated community, natch) in 2004, was signed by the New York Knicks right before the 2006-07 season. 

But all told, the celeb homeowner scene isn’t that dreary these days. Yes, Madonna, Sylvester Stallone and Cher have left, and Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony didn’t buy a replacement for her Miami Beach mansion.

Still, Rosie O’Donnell lives on that exclusive Miami Beach Island (Star), and Billy Joel, Ricky Martin, Matt Damon and two of the Brothers Gibb are still ensconced on nice waterfront estates on North Bay Road, or neighboring La Gorce Island. High-profile residents may have to contend with gawkers on tour boats, but they aren’t in the same league as previous occupants. Boat captains enjoy pointing out such gems as the waterfront house where JFK met Marilyn Monroe!

Kudos

To the owners of Ireland’s Inn, a Fort Lauderdale beachfront hotel that is making way for a new resort, for donating more than 13,000 furnishings — everything from armoires and flat screen televisions to bed linens and bookcases — to more than 13 community organizations. Working through the nonprofit Fort Lauderdale Community Development Corporation, Ireland’s Inn directed the contents go to local groups and families, including victims of domestic abuse, at-risk children and the homeless. One happy recipient was a single father with a 5-year-old son who came home from school to find a complete living room and bedroom set in their previously empty rooms. 

Helen Hill is a freelance writer specializing in real estate and lifestyle topics.

Please send news items on Miami-Dade real estate to hhill@miamisunpost.com. Comments? E-mail letters@miamisunpost.com.