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Rascal Out?
Owner of
Landmark Deli Receives Approval for 14-Story Project
“I hope it’s not true, and they are able to keep
it open.”
Lorraine Willow, left, and Rosario Gelon
serve a customer at Wofie Cohen’s Rascal House in Sunny Isles
Tuesday morning. Photo by Mitchell Zachs/MagicalPhotos.com
By Randy
Abraham
It opened
its doors at a time when cars had tailfins and local hotels were
emulating the jaunty style of Las Vegas.
For a
half-century, the Rascal House has been an
institution, serving up deli fare seven days a week, opening
at 6 a.m. and staying open past midnight for an eager clientele that
numbers in the millions.
However,
the landmark restaurant may soon be serving up its last corned beef
sandwich. On Dec. 14, the Sunny Isles Beach City Commission approved
site plans and variances needed for a 14-story mixed-used facility
with 20,500 square feet of retail, 77,400 square feet of office
space and 243 residential units at 17150-17190 Collins Ave., the
current site of the deli.
The
request was made by restaurateur Ike Starkman, proprietor of the
Rascal House, Epicure Market in South Beach and Jerry’s Famous Deli
chain. Starkman said Epicure will be a ground-floor retail anchor.
He added that he has not yet decided the fate of the Racal House
during construction of the project, or whether it has a future in
the new building or elsewhere.
“It is
all being weighed in,” said Jason Starkman, Ike’s son and director
of operations for Florida. “Up to this point, we’ve been trying to
get the project approved so if we do decide to build we can go
ahead.”
City
commissioners also approved a related request to transfer the
development rights for 56 dwelling units and 101,640 square feet of
interior space. The property is zoned for 60 dwelling units an acre,
but Ike Starkman purchased transfers of development rights from a
private party to allow them to build 78 units an acre. In addition,
Starkman’s attorney, Steven Helfman, said his client agreed to
contribute $250,000 to the city for beautification.
Helfman
noted that the proposed project would provide 22 more parking spaces
than required. Commissioner Lewis Thaler suggested Starkman
designate some of those 22 spaces for handicapped parking. After
conferring with Starkman, Helfman agreed to designate at least six
spaces for handicapped parking. Commissioner Gerry Goodman remarked
that “it seems you’re building on the whole property,” but project
architect Martin Diaz noted that the project covers 77 percent of
the 3.11-acre lot, just under the maximum allowable lot coverage of
80 percent.
Erica
Michalsky, Nancy Bergamo and William Aviles, residents of the
neighboring Avila South condo complex, complained about the mass of
the new project, saying that it will create a concrete canyon on the
west side of Collins Avenue. “The building does not fit in with the
character of Sunny Isles Beach; it looks like a ship came ashore and
docked on Collins Avenue,” Aviles said.
Sunny
Isles Beach elected officials, however, did not share those
impressions. “It’s a beautiful building and a good start for the
Town Center,” said Mayor Norman Edelcup, referring to a mixed-use
residential and retail district now being planned west of Collins
Avenue.
Perhaps
the most striking visual element of the design is architect Martin
Diaz’s attempt to modify the required tiered building front with a
slope. That sloped front, along with a waterfall feature, “creates a
cascading effect” that will be visible from the street, said Diaz.
The front esplanade leads to the adjacent Town Center Park on the
north side of 172nd Street and Collins Avenue. Helfman
agreed to increase the number of large trees out front where 11 were
proposed, and added that the developer plans to beautify the
surrounding area. “We intend to coordinate our landscape plan with
your streetscape plan
— for Collins Avenue and
172nd Street —
and we will work with your landscape consultant.”
Founded
by restaurateur Wolfie Cohen in 1954, who also founded the
now-closed Wolfie’s on South Beach and Pumpernik’s using the same
formula, Rascal House for the past several years has been owned and
operated by Jerry’s Famous Delis.
Since
buying the Rascal House in 1996 and making it the base for his
Florida operations, Starkman
—
who grew Studio City,
California-based Jerry’s Famous Deli into eight locations, including
seven in the Los Angeles area – built a new Rascal House in Boca
Raton in 1998. In 1999, he acquired the long-established Epicure
Market in Miami Beach, and a couple years later he opened a Jerry’s
Famous Deli on South Beach.
Jason
Starkman said details are still being worked out for the project.
However, the mixed-use project’s gourmet Epicure market will include
a café component.
News of
the potential closure took some longtime patrons by surprise. “I
hope it’s not true, and they are able to keep it open. Every year,
our friends come down to stay, and they always ask us to take them
there,” said Sammi Basile, who said she has frequented the
restaurant since she and husband Gerry retired more than 20 years
ago and moved from New York. “There’s no other place like it down
here.”
Added Beth Sobel, wintering with family from
Massachusetts, “How can they close this place? It’s like an
institution,” asked Sobel. “And what will the community get — more
condos?”
— Erik Bojnansky contributed
to this story.
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