Some 75 years after the term was coined, mid-century modern architecture and design has been embraced by a new generation of enthusiasts, a cohort enthralled by a motif that had its genesis in the near-limitless optimism of the American post-war period.
For Fort Lauderdalians, few civic symbols speak quite so eloquently of that design discipline as Pier Sixty-Six Resort. The Intracoastal Waterway property started life as a mid-1950s Phillips 66 gas station, then steadily expanded, adding an eatery and then a resort hotel, and cementing its place as the singular 1960s-era Fort Lauderdale setting to celebrate special events from Mother’s Day to proms to weddings.
Now, that legendary resort is being reborn, with the addition of luxe, for-sale residences. “The revitalization of Pier Sixty-Six marks the dawn of a new era for the landmark property, just as much as it is a celebration of the defining decades that have shaped it,” says Colm O’Callaghan, vice president and managing director of Pier Sixty-Six Resort.
“Now more than ever, we find that domestic and international buyers and guests are drawn to the authenticity of American history and destinations that effortlessly integrate that quality. Dating back to the 1950s . . . each brick, each wave in our marina and each corner of our resort stands as a living testament to the memories made here. History is at the forefront of our vision, and we are proud to be preserving much of the development to resemble the original “Googie’ style – a futuristic look often seen in architecture reminiscent of the 1950s and ‘60s. with Space Age themes.”
How appropriate, then, that the Pier Sixty-Six gas station was unveiled in the same year that saw the launch of Sputnik, marking the beginning of the Space Age.
Others too
Pier Sixty-Six isn’t the only historic South Florida hotel being reborn as a billion-dollar development for the 2020s. Two others, the Shore Club and The Raleigh, both in Miami Beach and both with links to the glamor of the 1940s, have had their glorious heritage preserved, while for the first time incorporating luxury residences within their footprints.
But first, let’s delve into a bit more detail about Pier Sixty-Six. The 325-room resort and its world-class, superyacht marina stand at the nexus of a $1 billion revitalization project that will see the multi-faceted property deliver its first-ever luxury residences.
The Residences at Pier Sixty-Six will serve as an exclusive collection of 92 private homes. They will be included within a pair of 11-story condominium structures and a coupling of four-story resort residential buildings designed by acclaimed architect Garcia Stromberg. The resort’s iconic spire tower, inspired by the Googie architecture style, is being fully restored to preserve its place in Fort Lauderdale heritage.
The building’s crowning trihedrons are a nod to the innovative design and V-shaped, Gull-wing canopies of late 1950s- and ‘60s-era Phillips 66 stations nationwide. It was at Pier Sixty-Six that that iconic design made its very first appearance.
The Shore Club
Slated to open in 2027 as The Shore Club Private Collection, the newly reimagined property features at its heart the Art Deco-style hotel of the same name. Designed by Albert Anis, The Shore Club opened in 1949 and immediately began attracting the glitterati of post-War America. When unveiled as an Auberge-branded resort and private residences designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects, it will offer the first and only oceanfront home directly on the water in the history of Miami Beach.
The Raleigh
Completed in 1940, the Lawrence Murray Dixon-designed Raleigh Hotel has been a Miami Beach Art Deco icon every since. A 17-story condominium tower is being added to the three-acre property operated by Rosewood Hotels & Resorts. The tower’s recently unveiled, 13,000-square-foot full-floor penthouse is priced at more than $150 million, which may be the most stratospheric price tag in the history of Miami Beach.
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