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History

IN THE EARLY 1930s, when the Roaring '20s had ebbed and the rough edges had been taken off the Depression, Miami Beach entered one of its "golden ages." With boomtime development behind it and mass tourism yet to come, the city had an air of elegance and stateliness similar to that of Palm Beach, even boasting (according to Fortune magazine) "more millionaires to the square inch than in any other resort in the country."

In this heady atmosphere of old and nouveau wealth – and with Astors, Vanderbilts, Firestones, Maytags, Honeywells and Kresges ensconced in palatial mansions along the city's most beautiful streets – private clubs assumed a place of great social importance during the January through April "winter season."

One of the earliest and certainly most prestigious of these elite gathering places was The Bath Club. Formed in 1926 and built at a then-remarkable cost of $150,000 on land that had once been an avocado plantation, The Bath Club offered its members ocean and swimming pool bathing, social rooms, and formal dinner dances. Architect Robert A. Taylor designed the one-story clubhouse in the Mediterranean-Revival style, including a rooftop saltwater swimming pool and "fifty-seven tent-like dressing rooms, or 'Cabanas' on the beach." Not surprisingly, the Club was an instant success.

In 1929, an honorary membership was granted to President Herbert Hoover. This is where the country's elite chose to winter. Today, from its ballroom to its cabanas, the Bath Club mystique continues.

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The Residences at The Bath Club will be South Florida’s most prestigious residential address offering only the finest features, services and amenities to a privileged few. Located directly along the Atlantic Ocean on Miami Beach’s famed Millionaire’s Row, just minutes from both South Beach and Bal Harbor, this gated, 5.3 acre enclave will be home to only 112 luxurious tower residences and six ocean-side villas.
Residents will be able to enjoy the historic club facilities of The Bath Club, Miami Beach’s first private social and bathing club, as well as new amenities, including a swimming pool with lap lanes, European-style clay tennis courts, a health club with a spa menu, gorgeous walking gardens throughout and more. Services akin to those of a 5-star hotel, such as a full-service concierge, valet, 24-hour security, and the finest restaurant dining, catering and in-residence dining are all at your command. Privacy, privilege, perfection... they can be yours at The Bath Club.
(comments are courtesy of The Bath Club (http://www.thebathclub.com) web site.

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Collins Avenue / Intercoastal view
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Rendering. Collins Avenue view
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An impressive lobby
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These areas will have water features
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The pool and tennis cabanas under construction. The tennis courts are located behind the long rectangular building on the right.
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The cabanas as seen on the model
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The Villas

Echoing the Mediterranean-Revival style of the Club’s original architecture, six beachfront villas will be masterfully incorporated along the eastern portion of The Bath Club site. These classically proportioned, four-story homes bespeak of a lifestyle of utmost grace and refinement

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An overall view of the model showing the tower and the villas
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An interior view of one of the villas looking towards the ocean
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Sweet !

super sweeeeeet

very nice write-up, don! that's as comprehensive a look at a project as i've seen on here.

i didn't realize the bath club was this big of a project, but i really don't pay that much attention to all of the beach projects cause there's so damn many of them. the main tower look nice.

beautiful

i'm surprised nimby's not pissed off that they're building on historic land

great topic don, awesome~!!!

I really dislike Miami Beach's new 22 story height limit.

I much rather have a tall skinny 40 story condo with the same number of units that leaves open lots of light and air rather than an obese fat building such as this.

It just adds to the condo canyon effect of miami beach.

i'm surprised nimby's not pissed off that they're building on historic land

oh dear lord, a one story rich people club, theyre leavin the clubhouse anyways arent they, ill b pissed if i think somethings a loss, but we aint losin anything here, although this building does suk ass

i'm surprised nimby's not pissed off that they're building on historic land

Don't panic! The historic one-story clubhouse designed by Robert A. Taylor is being preserved.

This pic of the model shows the old private club and its facilities, the mediterranean-style house on the right
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This pic shows the back of the old private club now being renovated and how is going to tie-in with the new project and design
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Its a shame that they build on historic land even though I do love the Bath Club

^^Not to be mean but welcome to the future.

I really dislike Miami Beach's new 22 story height limit.

I much rather have a tall skinny 40 story condo with the same number of units that leaves open lots of light and air rather than an obese fat building such as this.

It just adds to the condo canyon effect of miami beach.

This is the same feeling many of us had about living on the Beach over 10 years ago when I lived there. The Beach is small with very little room to grow except up, which what I think they should have done while approving projects that I think would have suited Miami Beach well like Ten Museum Park and Plaza at Brickell. Big bulky buildings at ground level taking up a lot of space and making people feel claustrophobic is what many of us feared would happen with the new height restrictions, but anti-development sentiment against high-rises won out and this is what we ended up with. As I've said before, if everything that had been planned for Miami Beach had been approved before the Blue and Green Diamonds topped out and caused such an outrage, Miami Beach would have had a bigger skyline than Sunny Isles Beach has now, but then, the Miami skyline probably would not be as big as it is today.